Electrical System. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Exterior Lighting. Review the 4 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 reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

5 reports

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1,400 miles · May 2, 2013

Engine And Engine Cooling

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BUELL 1125R. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE BECAME HOT AND THE ENGINE FAN WOULD ENGAGE, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE STATOR AND THE CLUTCH HAD FAILED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ORIGINAL CLUTCH AND CHANGED THE WIRING HARNESS FROM A 4-CHARGE TO A 3-CHARGE STATOR AND CLUTCH. THE WIRING HARNESS FAILURE ALSO DRAINED THE BATTERY PREMATURELY. THE CONTACT CHANGED THE BATTERY THREE TIMES BEFORE DISCOVERING THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAD THREE DIFFERENT COMPANIES PRODUCING THE WIRING HARNESS AND STATOR FOR THE CLUTCH, BUT THE FAILURE HAD NOT BEEN CORRECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,400 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,509. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10510420

1,400 miles · Mar 21, 2012

Engine And Engine Cooling

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON BUELL 1125R MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL FREQUENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE TURN SIGNALS AND GAUGES WOULD BECOME INOPERATIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED PARTS THAT WERE UNKNOWN TO THE CONTACT. THE REPAIR DID NOT CORR…

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NHTSA ODI #10452480

9,994 miles · Oct 13, 2011

Engine And Engine Cooling

DURING HIGHWAY SPEED OPERATION OF THE MOTORCYCLE, THERE WAS AN INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE MOTOR ON THE RIGHT SIDE CAUSING THE RIGHTSIDE ENGINE CASE TO FRACTURE AND SPRAY OUT ALL CRANKCASE OIL. THE MOTOR SEIZED, AND WHOLLY FAILED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10429986

2,800 miles · Jun 17, 2011

Engine And Engine Cooling

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2009 BUELL 1125R WAS RIDING ON FREEWAY WHEN BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND VOLTAGE STARTED TO DROP. INTENSE HEAT TO FRAME BURNING LEGS THROUGH HEAVY RIDING GEAR, SMOKE POURING FROM UNDER THE SEAT. VEHICLE ENGINE CUT OUT SUDDENLY AS I APPROACHED HOME AND LUCKILY I HAD THE CLUTCH PULLED IN. VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AND IGNITION IS DEAD.. VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH 2009 1125'S AND LUCKILY IT FAILED ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. VOLTAGE REGULATOR, STATOR FAILED PARTS ON BACKORDER DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF FAILURES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10407318

7,500 miles · Apr 9, 2010

Engine And Engine Cooling

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MY 2009 BUELL 1125R MOTORCYCLE USES A HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED CLUTCH. THE CLUTCH FLUID BEGAN TO LEAK OUT OF THE ENGINE COVER, EMANATING A DROP OF FLUID FOR EACH TIME THE CLUTCH WAS DISENGAGED. THERE IS A LIMITED AMOUNT OF CLUTCH FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR, AND THE LEAKAGE WILL EVENTUALLY DEPLETE THE RESERVOIR. WITHOUT FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR, THE RIDER'S ABILITY TO DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH IS ELIMINATED. THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. THE DEALERSHIP ORDERED NEW PARTS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE NEW PARTS DID NOT REPAIR THE LEAK. IN ADDITION TO THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF CLUTCH CONTROL, THE FLUID ITSELF IS DOT4 BRAKE FLUID. WHILE RIDING, THE LEAKED FLUID SPRAYS BACK ONTO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE FLUID IS VERY SLIPPERY, AND IF IT SPRAYS ONTO CERTAIN COMPONENTS IT MAY CAUSE THE REAR BRAKE TO FAIL TO OPERATE, OR THE REAR TIRE TO LOSE TRACTION. I DID NOT CRASH AS A RESULT OF THE CLUTCH FLUID LEAKAGE, BUT A LESS ATTENTIVE RIDER MAY NOT NOTICE THE LEAK UNTIL THEY LOSE CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE'S CLUTCH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10324792

Official recalls

No recalls in this snapshot.

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.