2005 Harley-Davidson FLHTPI: complaints, problems and recalls

FIRST THE REAR BRAKE LINE FAILED BECAUSE IT CHAFED THROUGH BECAUSE OF A COVER MADE OF PLASTIC ON THE LINE TO PREVENT RUBBING ON THE FLOORBOARD HARDWARE AT THE FACTORY THIS DID NOT STOP THIS FROM CHAFING ANYWAY. THE REAR BRAKES ON THIS HARLEY HAVE ALWAYS FELT A LITTLE STRANGE WITH A SOFT PEDAL THIS MONTH MAY 2011 THE BRAKES WENT OUT AGAIN THIS TIME BECAUSE OF A PROBLEM IN THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WHEN I TOOK THIS APART TO INSPECT IT WAS DISCOVERED THE PISTON KIT INSTALLED ONLY HAD ONE INLET AND ONE RETURN PORT FOR THE FLUID THE KIT TO RE…

Look up ODI 10402857 at NHTSA ↗

I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE RIGHT SECTION TO POST THIS, BUT I'LL TRY IT ANY WAY. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM HARLEY-DAVIDSON DATED 3/11/08. IT WAS ABOUT A RECALL CONCERNING ABS BRAKES. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE FOLLOWING MONTH 4/12/08. I TOOK THE BIKE IN AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PARTS WERE ON BACK ORDER. ON 4/25/08 I CALLED HARLEY DAVIDSON [phone removed] AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE WAITING ON A VENDOR FOR PARTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM ,AND THEY HAD NO ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL FOR THE PARTS. IT HAS BEEN TWO MONTHS SINCE I RECEIVED THE RECALL LETTER…

Look up ODI 10227954 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE OPERATING MOTORCYCLE ON A CITY ROAD THE ENGINE STARTED TO MAKE A GROWLING NOISE AND CAUSED A LOSS OF POWER. I AM GLAD I WAS NOT ON AN INTERSTAE HIWAY PERFORMING A TURN AS THE LOSS OF POWER SURLEY WOULD HAVE BEEN A FATALITY. THE PROBLEM IS OCCURING ON ENOUGH HD THAT A SERVICE BULLITIEN HAS BEEN ISSUED BUT HD WILL NOT DO THE UPGRADE UNTILL FAILURE DOES OCCUR. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE A FATALITY DOES OCCUR.*AK

Look up ODI 725683 at NHTSA ↗

NO CRASHES. *TR

Look up ODI 10207712 at NHTSA ↗

THE CLEVE-BLOC ASSEMBLIES USED IN THE 1999 YEAR MODEL HARLEY DAVIDSON TOURING BIKES CAN NOT HANDLE THE STRESS OUT ON THEM IN NORMAL RIDING WITHOUT FLEXING AND ALLOWING REAR SWINGARM MOVEMENT FROM SIDE TO SIDE. ON LATER YEAR MODELS, HD HAS USED A SOLID ASSEMBLY DUE TO THE EARLIER YEARS HAVING FAILURE ISSUES FROM THE SILICON LEAKING OUT. *NM

Look up ODI 10154408 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE RIDING I LOST MY REAR BRAKES IT WAS DISCOVERED THE REAR BRAKE LINE HAD CHAEFFED THREW IN TWO PLACES FROM ROUTING UNDER THE FRAME THERE IS A RECALL ON BIKES WITH ABS BUT NOT MINE AS MINE IS NOT ABS EQIUPED BUT APPEARS TO HAVE THE SAME PROBEM THIS OCCUERD WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MILES PER HOUR AND LOST REAR BRAKES 85 TO 90 MILES FROM HOME HAD TO HAVE THE BIKE TRAILERED HOME HAVE INSTALLED A BRAIDED LINE SO THE PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR AGAIN HARLEY HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED AS OFF YET AS THIS HAD JUST OCCURED WHILE PREPING FOR THE SEASON I JUST HA…

Look up ODI 11088972 at NHTSA ↗

THE DESIGN OF THIS MOTORCYCLES FRAME LEAVES THE POTENTIAL FOR THE OPERATOR TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE LEADING TO A CRASH THAT WILL INJURE SELF OR MAY EVEN LEAD TO DEATH. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE SWING ARM FOR THE REAR SUSPENSION IS MOUNTED TO THE TRANSMISSION/ENGINE ASSEMBLY. THERE ARE ONLY TWO MOTOR MOUNTS HOLD THIS ASSEMBLY IN PLACE AGAINST SIDE TO SIDE MOVEMENT AND THEY ARE FAR FROM THE MOUNT POINT. WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THE FORCES APPLIED TO THE REAR WHEEL IN LEANING THROUGH A CORNER, RIDING ON UNEVEN SURFACES, OR EVEN RIDING IN WINDY SI…

Look up ODI 10154183 at NHTSA ↗

DT: HARLEY DAVIDSON 2005 FLSTSCI - SPRINGER CLASSIC. THERE IS A LOT OF WHEEL WOBBLE DUE TO A BENT FRONT RIM. CONSUMER UNKNOWINGLY BOUGHT THE MOTORCYCLE WITH A BENT FRONT RIM. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FROM EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN SAID HE COULD FIND NO ROAD HAZARD CONDITIONS THAT COULD CAUSE THIS WOBBLE. THIS WAS MORE LIKELY CAUSED WHEN THE RIM WAS MANUFACTURED. THIS HAPPENED WHEN DRIVING AT 40 MPH, AND THEN AGAIN AT 80 MPH. IT IS MORE PREVALENT AT 40 MPH, AND IN A CURVE OR TURN. THE HANDLE BARS WILL ACTUALLY WOBBLE. ALSO, ALMOST LIKE …

Look up ODI 10136280 at NHTSA ↗