1987 Harley-Davidson XL SERIES: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1987 model year. Data snapshot: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 1 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 1 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 |
2000: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline leads the component reports. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 725906 · 2000-07-24 (July 24, 2000)
THE PART MANUFACTURED FROM JIMSUSA FAILED CAUSING A DESTRUCTION OF THE ENGINE. THIS COULD HAVE LOCKED THE MOTOR CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. A JIMSUSA EMPLOYEE COLIN KATELY CLAIMED THAT THEY KNEW ABOUT THE DEFECT AS THEY HAD LET THEIR TOOLING BECOME WORN. THEY REQUESTED RETURN OF THE UNSAFE PART AND NOW ARE REFUSING TO GIVE IT BACK. THEY AUTHORIZED REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE AND THEN REFUSED TO PAY THE BILL COMMITTING CONSUMER FRAUD. THESE PARTS CONSTITUTE AN IMMEDIATE SAFETY HAZARD.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 725906 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
86V153000 · Power Train
Reported: 1986-11-13 (November 13, 1986)
A PIECE OF GEAR COULD BREAK AT THE MAINSHAFT FIRST GEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION CASE. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF GEAR TOOTH BECOMES LODGED BETWEEN TRANSMISSION GEARS, DRIVE TRAIN AND REAR WHEEL COULD LOCK UP POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE GEAR WITH ONE THAT HAS BEEN PROVEN AND TESTED.
NHTSA campaign record ↗87V129000 · Wheels
Reported: 1987-08-14 (August 14, 1987)
CRACKS IN FRONT AND REAR WHEELS COULD DEVELOP AND CONTINUE THROUGH WHEEL SPOKES.
Consequence: HUB AND RIM COULD SEPARATE CREATING HANDLING PROBLEMSWHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL.
Remedy: REPLACE WHEELS WITH DIFFERENT TESTED WHEELS.
NHTSA campaign record ↗