Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 1 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.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

1 reports

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Mileage unknown · Oct 21, 2011

Engine And Engine Cooling

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I PURCHASED 08 BUELL W/ EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN FROM HARLEY DAVIDSON HAMPTON ROADS. IT BROKE DOWN IN ALABAMA ON 9/3/11. I HAD A BUELL SERVICE CENTER IN ALABAMA LOOK AT THE BIKE & THEY ADVISED ME HDHR DEALERSHIP IS NOT A SERVICE CENTER THAT SPECIALIZES IN BUELL & SAID HDHR OVERSERVICED MY BIKE CAUSING IT TO BREAK DOWN. UPON MY RETURN TO VA, I BROUGHT MY BIKE BACK TO HDHR. I REQUESTED MY $150.00 SERVICING FEE BE RETURNED TO ME. HDHR DECIDED TO FURTHER SERVICE MY BIKE & SAID THEY FOUND PLASTIC IN THE OIL WHICH CAUSED THE OIL LINES TO CLOG & THEY NEEDED TO BREAK DOWN THE ENGINE. THEY SAID THE BIKE WAS VANDALIZED B/C THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY FOR PLASTIC TO CLOG THE LINES. I TOLD THEM MY BIKE WAS NOT VANDALIZED & I NEVER SAW ANY DAMAGE INDICATED IT WAS. THEY SAID THEY NEVER SAW ANY DAMAGE TO SUGGEST VANDALISM EITHER BUT TOLD ME I HAD TO FILE A CLAIM THRU MY INS CO. DESPITE IT WAS ALREADY ON RECORD HDHR OVERSERVICED MY MOTORCYCLE WHICH CREATED A BREAK DOWN, NO EVIDENCE OF VANDALISM, & BUELLS KNOWN ISSUE/RECALL OF PLASTIC PARTICLES IN ENGINES, THEY SAID THE BIKE WAS VANDALIZED & WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER MY SERVICE AGREEMENT. MY INSURANCE CO DECLARED THE BIKE A TOTAL LOSS DUE TO THE PARTICLES IN THE ENGINE & BUELL NOT RELEASING ANY ENGINES TO DEALERS UNLESS IT IS A WARRANTY ISSUE. I SPOKE W/ HDHR SERVICE DEPT & FOUND OUT THE ENGINE HAS NOT EVEN BEEN SHIPPED TO ESP & SO ESP HASN'T MADE ANY DETERMINATION BUT HDHR SAYS I NEED TO PAY FOR A NEW ENGINE. SERVICE DEPT ALSO TOLD ME THAT THEY USED THE APRIL 08 OWNERS MANUAL FOR THE INITIAL SERVICING OF MY BIKE (DESPITE MANUAL BEING AMENDED & NEW PROCEDURES IN PLACE FOR PROPER SERVICING IN 08) & THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE AT ALL OF VANDALISM BUT THEY WERE ASSUMING SOMEONE PUT SAND IN THE OIL COMPARTMENT EVEN THO THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF SAND SETTLING IN THE OIL COMPARTMENT & PREVIOUS RECORDS SHOW PLASTIC PARTICLES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10432362

Official recalls

09V109000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Apr 2, 2009

BUELL DISTRIBUTION COMPANY IS RECALLING 3,316 MY 2008 1125R, MY 2009 XB12R AND XB12SCG MOTORCYCLES. THE SUBJECT MOTORCYCLES HAVE A FRONT BRAKE LINE WHICH MAY CONTACT THE FRONT TIRE. THE CONDITION COULD CAUSE A HOLE TO DEVELOP IN THE FRONT BRAKE LINE, ALLOWING BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION MIGHT CAUSE AN INEFFECTIVE FRONT BRAKE, LEADING TO A POSSIBLE CRASH AND POTENTIAL INJURY OR DEATH OF THE RIDER.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL RE-ROUTE THE FRONT BRAKE LINE. IF DAMAGE TO THE BRAKE LINE HAS OCCURRED, THE BRAKE LINE WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE APRIL 20, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUELL DISTRIBUTION COMPANY AT 1-414-343-8400.

08V267000 · Power Train:clutch Assembly

Jun 16, 2008

BUELL IS RECALLING 1,579 MY 2008 1125R MOTORCYCLES. THESE VEHICLES CAN EXPERIENCE 5TH GEAR GALLING ON THE CLUTCH SHAFT DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION. THIS CONDITION CAN ALLOW THE GEAR TO SEIZE TO THE SHAFT, RESULTING IN REAR WHEEL LOCK-UP.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH, WHICH COULD CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH TO THE RIDER.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPAIR THE AFFECTED MOTORCYCLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 23, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUELL MOTORCYCLES AT 1-414-343-8400.

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

PE12035 · Motorcycle Stalling

Opened Nov 16, 2012 · Closed Apr 16, 2013

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:alternator/generator/regulator

ODI opened this investigation based on 25 allegations of subject motorcycle stalling, without warning, due to charging system failure (typically involving the stator).As part of this investigation, testing was conducted to assess whether there would be areasonable warning prior to stator-related engine shut-down while underway.A memo describing this testing may be found in the public file for this investigation.Given the relative frequency of alleged stator failures involving Buell 1125's, it is apparent that customers may not be satisfied with their motorcycle.An example of a manufacturer responding to this type of dissatisfaction is found in the Harley Davidson December 7, 2009product improvement campaign to address the stalling issue.However, current test data does not establish that this customer satisfaction issue is also a safety defect that results in an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety.In the absence of a safety defect trend related to Buell 1125 charging system failures, this investigation is closed. The 62 ODI complaints we cite may be found by entering the following ODI investigation numbersat www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID:10373814,10386008,10397985,10406939,10406967,10406969,10407046, 10407318,10407511,10407672,10410524,10411954,10429450,10429467, 10429481,10429488,10429530,10429531,10429964,10429970,10429985, 10429987,10430176,10430736,10432169,10432891,10445118,10452480, 10457062,10457815,10457829,10462420,10462439,10462834,10463008, 10463483,10463664,10465165,10465225,10465226,10466505,10470386, 10470415,10470428,10473664,10474136,10474363,10479428,10484793, 10494949,10495197,10496446,10496804,10497643,10496127,10496088, 10496048,10496022,10496018,10495355,10495331,10495307

PE10004 · Sudden Fuel Expulsion

Opened Jan 25, 2010 · Closed May 10, 2010

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly

We opened this PE based on a single complaint of rapid fuel expulsion while re-fueling from the owner of a Buell 1125CR.After opening this PE, we contacted other owners, Buell dealer service departments and monitored activity of various Buell-related web forums.While Harley Davidson (Buell was a subsidiary) has no owner complaints, it did receive four warranty claims related to this issue.Two involve the fuel line check valve, one a pinched fuel vent hose, and one saturated charcoal cannister due to over-fill.Currently, the data does not indicate a trending safety defect exists.We will continue to monitor this issue and take action as appropriate.