POOR DESIGN IN MOTORCYCLE SHOCK MOUNT LED TO FAILURE OF WELD AND BREAKAGE CAUSING REAR WHEEL OF MOTORCYCLE TO LOCK AGAINST FENDER RESULTING IN A CRASH AND INJURIES. SAME MAKE AND MODEL MOTORCYCLES HAS A HISTORY OF FAILURE IN SAME AREA. *JB
2003 American Ironhorse Texas Chopper
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Texas Chopper years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 1 of 4 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
4 reportsE-MAIL FOIA REQUEST ALL DOCUMENTS RELATED TO COMPLAINTS OR CONCERNS RE DEFECTS OF THE 2003 TEXAS CHOPPER MFD BY AMERICAN IRONHORSE. *TS *NM***NAR***
COMPLAINT IS A RESULT TO DAMAGE DONE TO VEHICLE STEMMING FROM WORK DONE BY DEALER DURING SAFETY RECALL REPLACEMENT OF BRAKE ROTORS. VEHICLE FRAME HAS BEEN LEFT EXPOSED TO CORROSION SHORTENING THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF VEHICLE FRAME. JAN. 31, 2004: I RECEIVED A NHTSA SAFETY RECALL NOTICE {NHTSA RECALL NO. 03V521}. APR. 1, 2004: TH…
Read full complaint
COMPLAINT IS A RESULT TO DAMAGE DONE TO VEHICLE STEMMING FROM WORK DONE BY DEALER DURING SAFETY RECALL REPLACEMENT OF BRAKE ROTORS. VEHICLE FRAME HAS BEEN LEFT EXPOSED TO CORROSION SHORTENING THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF VEHICLE FRAME. JAN. 31, 2004: I RECEIVED A NHTSA SAFETY RECALL NOTICE {NHTSA RECALL NO. 03V521}. APR. 1, 2004: THE DEALER NOTIFIED ME THAT THE WORK WAS COMPLETED. APR. 30, 2004: I DISCOVERED THAT THE POLISHED BILLET ALUMINUM CENTERS OF THE NEWLY INSTALLED LEFT FRONT BRAKE ROTOR AND REAR BRAKE ROTOR WERE SCRATCHED. THE POLISHED BILLET ALUMINUM REAR WHEEL WAS ALSO SCRATCHED AND GOUGED IN NUMEROUS LOCATIONS. I CONTACTED THE DEALER DURING THE WEEK OF MAY 3 TO INFORM THEM OF WHAT I FOUND. MAY 17, 2004: AMERICAN IRONHORSE WAS CONTACTED, VIA EMAIL, ABOUT THE DAMAGE. MAY 19, 2004: I WAS CONTACTED BY AMERICAN IRONHORSE AND WAS INFORMED THAT ARRANGEMENTS WERE BEING MADE TO HAVE THE DEALER REMOVE THE FRONT & REAR WHEEL ASSEMBLIES AND SHIP THEM TO AMERICAN IRONHORSE. MAY 29, 2004: THE DAMAGE TO THE ROTORS AND REAR WHEEL WAS SATISFACTORILY REPAIRED, HOWEVER; I DISCOVERED THAT THE POWDER COAT FINISH ON THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME RAILS AND CENTER CROSS MEMBER WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED (SCRATCHES AND ABRASIONS). IN ADDITION, A PIECE OF THE FRAME ASSEMBLY WAS BROKEN AT THE WELD. MAY 31, 2004: BIKERS DREAM (DENVER) & AMERICAN IRONHORSE WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DAMAGE I DISCOVERED. JUN. 9, 2004: AMERICAN IRONHORSE PICKED UP MY MOTORCYCLE AT BIKERS DREAM (DENVER) AND TRANSPORTED IT TO THEIR FACTORY IN FT. WORTH, TX. JULY. 19, 2004: WHAT IS DISCOVERED IS MISMATCH OF COLOR AND FINISH, OVER SPRAY OF PAINT & CLEAR COAT, DAMAGE DONE TO PREVIOUSLY UNDAMAGED AREAS BY SANDING, AREAS OF PREVIOUS DAMAGE NOT ADDRESSED BY RESTORAL AND NEW DAMAGE IN THE FORM OF SCRATCHES & GOUGES IN THE OUTER PRIMARY COVER. JUL. 20, 2004: AMERICAN IRONHORSE IS CONTACTED ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE MOTORCYCLE. I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE TO MAKE THIS RIGHT BY ME. *JB
NHTSA RECALL 03V521000 CONCERNING BRAKE ROTOR FAILURE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER IN FEBRUARY AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. MECHANIC COULD NOT TELL THE CONSUMER WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. *AK
Official recalls
103V521000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor
Dec 11, 2003
ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES EQUIPPED WITH OPTIONAL BRAKE ROTOR-CARRIERS,THE ROTOR-CARRIERS CAN CRACK WHILE IN SERVICE AND POSSIBLY BREAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE A PARTIAL LOSS OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM OR THE POTENTIAL FOR ROTOR-CARRIER DETACHMENT, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ROTOR-CARRIER ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 26, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT AMERICAN IRONHORSE AT 1-817-665-2045.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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