2005 Harley-Davidson FLHRCI problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
2 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
17,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2005 model year. Data updated: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 2 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 1 | 50.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 |
| Wheels:Rim | 1 |
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 1; Wheels:Rim: 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 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 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: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 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 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 0 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 |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
2006: 1; 2010: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes, Hydraulic leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. 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.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10305057 · 2010-02-04 (February 4, 2010)
MY WIFE AND I WERE RIDING ON A 2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING CLASSIC WITHOUT ABS. WE WERE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON INTERSTATE 275 WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF US SLAMMED ON HIS BRAKES. WE LOST CONTROL OF THE BIKE AS WE ATTEMPTED TO RAPIDLY STOP AND AVOID HITTING HIM. I SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. MY WIFE BROKE HER CLAVICLE, SCAPULA, AND MOST RIBS ON HER RIGHT SIDE. ALSO SUSTAINED A HEMOTHORAX AND PNEUMOTHORAX THAT REQUIRED 3 HOSPITALIZATIONS AND SURGERY TO INCLUDE PLATING OF HER RIBS. THIS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD THE BIKE BEEN EQUIPPE…
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10305057 at NHTSA ↗
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
2 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2005 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 228.6%ODI 725327CAMS ALWAYS IS VERY NOISY AND BELIEVE THEY WILL GO COMPLETELY OUT ANY DAY NOW POSSIBLY IN A CURVE, CAUSING SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH. | 125.0%ODI 10088136 · 66,500 miTHIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE SERVICE LIFE OF THE NEW TWIN CAM ENGINE'S BOTTOM END. THERE SEEMS TO BE A LARGE NUMBER OF CONNECTING ROD BEARING FAILURES ONCE THE BIKE HAS REACHED 40,000 MILES. MINE FAILED AT 68,000 MILES BUT I HAVE TALKED WITH ONE RIDER WHOSE BOTTOM END FAILED AT 43,000 MILES. HARLEY APPEARS TO HAVE CHANGED THE WAY THEY BUILD THE FLYWHEEL ASSEMBLIES. THEY ARE NO LONGER PUTTING AN INSERT IN THE CONNECTING RODS FOR THE BEARINGS TO RIDE ON. INSTEAD THEY ARE MERELY FLAME HARDENING THE AREA. ONCE THE HARDENING FAILS THE ENTIRE ASSEMB… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 125.0%ODI 10080877 · 7,420 miCATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE IN A NEW 2003 HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE AT 3284 MILES AND AGAIN AT 7420 MILES. THE FIRST WAS DUE TO A CRACKED FLYWHEEL, WHICH WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE SECOND DUE TO A BROKEN OIL PUMP. THE CAUSE WAS DETERMINED BY AN ENGINEER'S MEASUREMENTS TO BE MIS-ALIGNED CRANKCASE, AND THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE ENGINE. *LA | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 228.6% | 125.0%ODI 899631WHILE RIDING MOTORCYCLE, CAM BEARING FAILED, CAUSING MOTORCYCLE TO COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT AFTER REPAIRS, ENGINE IS NOISY AND EXHIBITS AN OIL LEAK. *TT | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 125.0%ODI 10171284REAR BRAKE FAILURE, RIDING IN HIGH ALTITUDES. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AFTER RIDING THIS MOTORCYCLE 500+ MILES A DAY, AND TRAVELING THROUGH MOUNTAINS, THE REAR BRAKE WILL SUDDENLY NOT WORK, THE PEDAL JUST DROPS TO THE FLOORBOARD. AFTER SITTING FOR ABOUT 2 MIN. BRAKE OPERATION RETURNS TO NORMAL. I RETURNED THE BIKE TO 2 DIFFERENT HARLEY DEALERS IN MI. WHERE I LIVE. BOTH COULD NOT VERIFY THE PROBLEM AND NOTHING WAS DONE. I WROTE A LETTER TO HARLEY EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM AND THE DEALERS LACK OF CONCERN. ( I AM A PROFESSIONAL MECHANIC IN A CHRYSLER, JE… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 125.0%ODI 10149870 · 24,000 miREAR BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO USE OF DOT 5 BREAK FLUID AT HIGH ALTITUDE IN HOT WEATHER. ON TRIP OVER SIERRAS ON JULY 16, 2006, I AND FOUR OTHERS HAD REAR BRAKE OR OTHER HYDRALIC FAILURE. *NM | 150.0%ODI 10305057 · 30,000 miMY WIFE AND I WERE RIDING ON A 2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING CLASSIC WITHOUT ABS. WE WERE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON INTERSTATE 275 WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF US SLAMMED ON HIS BRAKES. WE LOST CONTROL OF THE BIKE AS WE ATTEMPTED TO RAPIDLY STOP AND AVOID HITTING HIM. I SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. MY WIFE BROKE HER CLAVICLE, SCAPULA, AND MOST RIBS ON HER RIGHT SIDE. ALSO SUSTAINED A HEMOTHORAX AND PNEUMOTHORAX THAT REQUIRED 3 HOSPITALIZATIONS AND SURGERY TO INCLUDE PLATING OF HER RIBS. THIS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD THE BIKE BEEN EQUIPPE… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Electrical System | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 125.0%ODI 10275344 · 36,000 miMY 2002 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING CLASSIC HAS UNEXPECTEDLY SHUT DOWN ELECTRICALLY ON ME NOW THREE TIMES. I WAIT FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES AND IT WILL RETURN. I THINK I HAVE ONE OF THEIR BAD MAIN CIRCUIT BREAKERS. FORTUNATELY, THE BIKE WAS STOPPED WHEN THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 114.3%ODI 10164971 · 275 miON 7/19/2006 I PURCHASED ON NEW 2007 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING CLASSIC.. IT WAS DELIVERED ON JULY 20TH. ON AUGUST 5TH, WITH ABOUT 275 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, THE MOTORCYCLE COMPLETELY STALLED WHILE DRIVING WITH A PASSENGER IN TRAFFIC ON AN ARTERIAL ROADWAY. WE MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO THE CURB LANE. I CHECKED THE GAS TANK, WHICH WAS 2/3 FULL. I THEN SWITCHED OFF THE RUN SWITCH AND THE IGNITION SWITCH, TURNED THEM BACK ON AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. AFTER ABOUT TWO MILES, THE ENGINE DIED AGAIN. I FOLLOWED THE SAME SEQUENCE AND THE BIKE RESTARTE… |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 114.3%ODI 10227389 · 2,200 miAFTER STORAGE MY HARLEY WAS HARD STARTING. AFTER SOME FRESH GAS THE BIKE BEGAN TO RUN. MAYBE A MONTH AFTER THIS GAS BEGAN SQUIRTING OUT OF THE TANK WHERE THE FUEL LINE AND THE RETURN LINE ARE ATTACHED. I SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE, CLEANED UP THE GAS AND REPEATED THE STARTUP. SAME THING. AS THE BIKE WAS JUST STARTED I DID NOT GET GASOLINE ON ME, ONLY ON THE ENGINE, TRANSMISSION AND RUNNING BOARD. THE ENGINE WAS COOL, I SHUT IT DOWN WITHOUT INCIDENT. I DISCUSSED WITH DEALER AND READ HARLEY MANUAL. THEY SPECULATED THAT SOMETHING WAS IN THE TA… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 125.0%ODI 10416873 · 6,800 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHRCI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE CONTACT NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE FUEL TANK. THE CONTACT PERFORMED THE REPAIR WHICH CONSISTED OF REPLACING THE QUICK CONNECT COUPLING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,800. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Wheels | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 10267809 · 15,129 miSPOKE IN REAR WHEEL BROKE PUNCTURING INNER TUBE, CAUSING TIRE TO GO FLAT ON HIGHWAY AND CAUSING WOBBLY HANDLING. I TALKED TO PARTS MAN AT BLUE SPRING HARLEY DAVIDSON AND HE SAID I WOULD BE SURPRISED HOW MANY PEOPLE COME IN WITH BROKEN SPOKES. I ALSO KNOW ANOTHER GUY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 114.3%ODI 10237556 · 4,805 miI WAS THE PROUD OWNER OF 2006 ROAD KING CLASSIC. I PAMPERED MY BIKE, HAD IT SERVICED BY THE HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERSHIP, AND HAD IT FOR 2 YEARS. AFTER 5000 MILES, (HARDLY EXCESSIVE USE) A STRONG WOBBLE DEVELOP AND IT GOT WORSE AT ALMOST ANY SPEED. I TOOK THE BIKE TO BE CHECKED AT HACIENDA HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERSHIP IN SCOTTSDALE AZ IN JUNE OF 2008 WHICH AT THE TIME THE SERVICE MANAGER SHOWED ME THE LOOSE REAR WHEEL SPOKES. MY CONCERN WAS NOT ONLY ABOUT THE WOBBLE BUT WOULD IT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT? THE MANAGER SUGGESTED TO REPLACE THE REAR WHEEL… |
| Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator | 114.3%ODI 10090860THEY SAY,AT HARLEY-DAVIDSON THAT MY MOTORCYCLE HAS A ELECTICAL PROBLEM,AND SHOULD BE FIXED RIGHT AWAY.I CALLED MY DEALERSHIP THE VERY DAY I GOT MY RECALL LETTER,ON OR ABOUT 6/29/04.AT THIS TIME I WAS TOLD THEY WERE "WAITING ON PARTS"TRHAT WAS ABOUT TEN WEEKS AGO.....AT WHAT POINT AN TIME DO I GET SATISFACTION FROM HARLEY DAVIDSON AND T.S.I. MOTORCYCLE IN WILLIMANTIC CT. ????THE LETTER STATES "THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE A QUIT WHILE RIDING SITUATION,WHICH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING AND ULTIMATELY LEAD TO A CRASH,THERBY PRESENTING A RISK OF DEA… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Electrical System:Horn | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 125.0%ODI 10138424THE STOCK HORN ON MY 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE HAD BEEN ANEMIC AT BEST FROM NEW AND HAD PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WEAKER IN VOLUME AND NOW ONLY WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALERS HAS CLAIMED THAT THE LOW VOLUME IS TYPICAL OF HD HORNS AND THAT, SINCE THE INTERMITTENT FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER THE 12 MONTH ORIGINAL WARRANTY, IT IS NOT A HD PROBLEM. THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN ACCIDENT YET. IF THERE IS, I MIGHT NOT BE AROUND TO COMPLAIN. *JB | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Too few reports for a range | 30,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10305057 · 30,000 miMY WIFE AND I WERE RIDING ON A 2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING CLASSIC WITHOUT ABS. WE WERE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON INTERSTATE 275 WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF US SLAMMED ON HIS BRAKES. WE LOST CONTROL OF THE BIKE AS WE ATTEMPTED TO RAPIDLY STOP AND AVOID HITTING HIM. I SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. MY WIFE BROKE HER CLAVICLE, SCAPULA, AND MOST RIBS ON HER RIGHT SIDE. ALSO SUSTAINED A HEMOTHORAX AND PNEUMOTHORAX THAT REQUIRED 3 HOSPITALIZATIONS AND SURGERY TO INCLUDE PLATING OF HER RIBS. THIS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD THE BIKE BEEN EQUIPPE… |
| Wheels:Rim | Too few reports for a range | 5,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10168328 · 5,000 miI PURCHASED A 2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING LAST YEAR. I WAS DRIVING MY BIKE AND HAD NOTICED THE FRONT TIRE WOBBLE WHILE I WAS RIDDING EVERY NOW AND THEN. I TOOK INTO SAN JOSE HARLEY DEALERSHIP TO GET MY SECOND SERVICE AT 5K MILES AND EXPLAINED THAT MY BIKE WOULD WOBBLE FROM TIME TO TIME. A WEEK AFTER GETTING MY BIKE OUT OF THE SHOP, I WENT FOR A RIDE. AT 60 MPH, THE WHOLE BIKE GOT OUT OF CONTROL WITH WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS A TANK SLAPPER. THE BIKE LOOKED LIKE A FISH WITH THE MOST SEVERE WOBBLE I HAD EVER BEEN ON. I WAS SOMEHOW ABLE TO… |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2005: 1 complaints · 2006: 5 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2006 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Wheels:Rim |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | — | 0 |
| Wheels:Rim | 0 | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.