2021 Harley-Davidson FXLRS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
3 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2021 model year. Data updated: . 0 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 is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 3 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 1 | 33.3% |
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 | 1 |
| Suspension | 1 |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 |
Service Brakes: 1; Suspension: 1; Unknown Or Other: 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. 3 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 |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2023: 1; 2025: 1; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes 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 11668784 · 2025-06-23 (June 23, 2025)
The rear brakes will not and do not stop the bike. The ABS rear brakes do not engage yet when checking the error codes on the bike it shows the brakes are engaging. This is very dangerous. You need both brakes on a motorcycle
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11668784 at NHTSA ↗
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
3 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 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3%ODI 11668784The rear brakes will not and do not stop the bike. The ABS rear brakes do not engage yet when checking the error codes on the bike it shows the brakes are engaging. This is very dangerous. You need both brakes on a motorcycle | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 2100.0%ODI 116081232023 FXLRS with approximately 2000 miles. Rear brake is barely able to slow the motorcycle down, even with excessive pedal pressure. Upon inspection, one of the caliper pistons was stuck in the brake caliper. I had dropped the bike at Timms Harley Davidson in Anderson South Carolina to be checked out. The service manager called to let me know one of their technicians had ridden it and didn't notice a problem. I took the bike back to my shop and removed the rear caliper. I took photos of the stuck piston and sent them to the dealership. I was co… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. |
| Suspension | 150.0%ODI 11328046 · 500 miMOTORCYCLE HAS EXHIBITED A FRONT END BOUNCE OR HOPPING THROUGH ALL OPERATING SPEEDS. THIS CAUSES THE MOTORCYCLE TO BECOME UNSTABLE AND UNPREDICTABLE DURING OPERATION. *TR | 133.3%ODI 11544508The contact owns a 2021 Harley-Davidson FXLRS. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V591000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 11671591 · 2,400 miThe contact owns a 2024 Harley-Davidson FXLRS Motorcycle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V375000 (Suspension); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while driving over a bumpy road surface, the motorcycle swerved to the right or to the left. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The… | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. |
| Unknown Or Other | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3%ODI 11727575NHTSA Complaint Description , This complaint concerns two unrepaired safety recalls (23V591 and 25V375) on a 2021 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S (FXLRS) Softail motorcycle that were never remedied prior to a fatal crash on April 12, 2023. Recall 23V591 (issued August 2023) involves a fastener that may fracture, allowing the rear shock absorber adjuster to contact the rear tire, creating a groove and causing sudden loss of tire pressure , increasing crash risk. Recall 25V375 (issued June 2025) involves the rear shock pre-load adjuster mounting tab… | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. |
| Visibility/Wiper | 150.0%ODI 11328958 · 7 miMOTORCYCLE PURCHASED BRAND NEW, STOCK CONFIGURATION, MIRRORS TOO SHORT FOR ANYONE TO SEE BEHIND THEM. MANUFACTURER (HARLEY-DAVIDSON) WANTS YOU TO PURCHASE "LONG STEM MIRRORS" TO FIX THE PROBLEM. UNSAFE VEHICLE RIGHT OUT THE DOOR. I'M SURE THERE IS A LAW SOMEWHERE THAT SAYS "THE VEHICLE MUST HAVE A REAR VIEW MIRROR" SOMEWHERE IT HAS TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT "THEY MUST BE USABLE". ALL YOU CAN SEE IN THESE MIRRORS IS YOUR SHOULDER. THEY SIMPLY ARE NOT LONG ENOUGH. SO HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE BUYING NEW MIRRORS JUST TO STAY SAFE, HOW MANY ARE NO… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. |
| Wheels | 150.0%ODI 11328046 · 500 miMOTORCYCLE HAS EXHIBITED A FRONT END BOUNCE OR HOPPING THROUGH ALL OPERATING SPEEDS. THIS CAUSES THE MOTORCYCLE TO BECOME UNSTABLE AND UNPREDICTABLE DURING OPERATION. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No usable records for this analysis. | ||||
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 | 1 | 25V375000 | ODI 11668784The rear brakes will not and do not stop the bike. The ABS rear brakes do not engage yet when checking the error codes on the bike it shows the brakes are engaging. This is very dangerous. You need both brakes on a motorcycle |
| 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 | 1 | None | ODI 11727575NHTSA Complaint Description , This complaint concerns two unrepaired safety recalls (23V591 and 25V375) on a 2021 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S (FXLRS) Softail motorcycle that were never remedied prior to a fatal crash on April 12, 2023. Recall 23V591 (issued August 2023) involves a fastener that may fracture, allowing the rear shock absorber adjuster to contact the rear tire, creating a groove and causing sudden loss of tire pressure , increasing crash risk. Recall 25V375 (issued June 2025) involves the rear shock pre-load adjuster mounting tab… |
| 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.
2022: 0 complaints · 2023: 2 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 | 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 | Suspension | Unknown Or Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | — | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 0 | — | 0 |
| Unknown Or Other | 0 | 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.