IllustrationAPPARENTLY THERE WAS A RECALL I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF. NOW THE COMPANY IS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS, SO WHAT AM I TO DO? I HAVE NO HEADLIGHT, HORN, AND THE BIKE WON'T START. *TR
2004 Big Dog Ridgeback
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 Ridgeback 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: 3 of 3 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. 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.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
3 reportsEHC MODULE ON 2004 BIG DOG RIDGEBACK MOTORCYCLES, IT OCCURS EVERYTIME I TRY TO RIDE THE MOTORCYCLE IT IS VERY DANGEROUS, THE ENGINE STALLED GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AND ALMOST DIDN'T GET OUT OF TRAFFIC, THE LIGHTS, SPEEDOMETER AND OTHER SAFETY SIGNALS STOP WORKING AND I AM TOLD OTHER YEARS HAVE BEEN RECALLED BUT NOT 200…
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EHC MODULE ON 2004 BIG DOG RIDGEBACK MOTORCYCLES, IT OCCURS EVERYTIME I TRY TO RIDE THE MOTORCYCLE IT IS VERY DANGEROUS, THE ENGINE STALLED GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AND ALMOST DIDN'T GET OUT OF TRAFFIC, THE LIGHTS, SPEEDOMETER AND OTHER SAFETY SIGNALS STOP WORKING AND I AM TOLD OTHER YEARS HAVE BEEN RECALLED BUT NOT 2004 AND THE PARTS TO FIX IT ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM BIG DOG MANUFACTURER SO I CANT EVEN FIX IT THEY SAY THEY ARE NOT REPLACING IT BUT REVAMPING IT AND I FEEL IT IS NOT FAIR TO ALL OWNERS THERE ARE AFTERMARKET PARTS BUT NO OEM PARTS AND I CANT TRUST MY LIFE WITH AFTERMARKET PARTS HOPING THEY WILL WORK, I HAVE THE MALFUNCTIONING PART STILL BUT NEED TO GET SOME ANSWERS AND BIG DOG IS NOT WILLING TO HELP CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME AND OTHERS THAT ARE CONCERNED I FELL IT SHOULD BE A RECALL SINCE THEY ARE NOT EVEN MAKING THE PART AND SAY IT MAY BE MONTHS BEFORE THEY HAVE ANY PARTS AVAILABLE FOR THE EHC MODULE THEY TRIED TO BLAME IT ON A LOOSE CONNECTION AND THAT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM AND CAUSED THE CONCERN FOR ME SINCE IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM ESPECIALLY ON A MOTORCYCLE THIS IS HAPPENING ON THE 2004 BIG DOG RIDGEBACK MOTORCYCLES, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT MILES ON THE MOTORCYCLE BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW BUT IT IS AROUND 7500 THANKS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BIG DOG RIDGEBACK MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS CAUTIOUSLY COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE RESTARTED AFTER WAITING BETWEEN THIRTY MINUTES TO A HOUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND WAS REPAIRED …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BIG DOG RIDGEBACK MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS CAUTIOUSLY COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE RESTARTED AFTER WAITING BETWEEN THIRTY MINUTES TO A HOUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND WAS REPAIRED UNDER A MANUFACTURER VOLUNTARY RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL HARNESS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER THE REPAIR ON FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES. THE CAM SENSOR WAS REPLACED ON A SEPARATE OCCASION. CURRENTLY, THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,800.
Official recalls
110V180000 · Electrical System
May 3, 2010
BIG DOG IS RECALLING CERTAIN 2004 CHOPPER, BULLDOG, RIDGEBACK, MASTIFF, BOXER, AND PITBULL MOTORCYCLES. THERE IS A POSSIBLE LOOSE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE HARNESS CONNECTOR AND THE ELECTRONIC HARNESS CONTROLLER.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE THE MOTORCYCLE TO EXPERIENCE INTERMITTENT LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER TO VARIOUS COMPONENTS, WHICH CAN LEAD TO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, A LOSS OF HEADLAMP FUNCTION OR A VEHICLE STALL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: BIG DOG WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE MOTORCYCLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 24, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BIG DOG AT 1-316-219-9121.
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
1RQ10002 · Motorcycle Stalling
Opened Jan 27, 2010 · Closed May 10, 2010
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:wiring
This RQ was opened based on seemingly related owner complaints involving motorcycles outside the scope of 06V-301.During the course of subsequent discussions with the company, we learned that the earlier model year Big Dogs had a problem with the electronic harness control module connector that they'd previously addressed with a TSB.Since the TSB addressed a safety-related issue (stalling), Big Dog agreed to recall the motorcycles subject to the TSB (10V-180).With that decision, ODI agreed to waive requiring a response to its information request and is now closing this RQ.