Illustration2004 BUELL XB12R. POOR LIGHTING DUE TO DETERIORATION OF INSIDE REFLECTOR. *TR
2004 Buell XB12S
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 XB12S 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: 5 of 7 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.
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 2 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
7 reportsHEADLIGHTS BECOME DIMMER AND DIMMER, BULBS OK, CHROME FINISH ON INSIDE OF HEADLIGHT HOUSINGS COMES OFF SO BULBS DO NOT REFLECT MAKING NIGHT DRIVING DANGEROUS. BUELL CHAT SITES CONFIRM OTHERS WITH XBR MODELS HAVING SAME FAILURES. *JB
HEADLIGHT ON BUELL MOTORCYCLES "R" MODELS (2004 TO CURRENT YEAR) DEGRADES OVER TIME. THE REFLECTIVE COATING MATERIAL IN THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING DEGRADES AND TURNS TO POWDER AND CAUSES THE HEADLIGHT TO BE UN-USEFUL. THE DEGRADE IS CAUSE BY HEAT FROM THE HEADLIGHT. FAILURE ISN'T CORRECTED AS OF TODAY. *JB
THE COATING ON THE INSIDE OF MY HEADLIGHT HOUSING IS FALLING OFF, DRASTICALLY DECREASING LIGHT OUTPUT. I HAD THEM REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY ONCE FOR THIS ON 11/18/05, WITH 23870 MILES ON THE BIKE. I AM NOW HARDLY ABLE TO SEE AT NIGHT AGAIN AND I AM SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN'T SEE ME AS WELL EITHER. *JB
SILVER COATING ON HEADLIGHTS DETERIORATES RAPIDLY CAUSING POOR ILLUMINATION AND UNSAFE NIGHT TIME DRIVING AND REDUCING THE MOTORCYCLES VISIBILITY DURING THE DAY. I AM SURE THE LIGHT OUTPUT IS FAR BELOW DOT STANDARDS VEHICLE IS AN XB12R FIREBOLT, NOT AN XB12S. THE XB12R WAS NOT LISTED AS AN OPTION. *JB
WHILE RIDING MY 2004 BUELL XB12S MOTORCYCLE THOUGH THE ASM AMERICA, INC. PARKING LOT (3440 EAST UNIVERSITY DRIVE PHOENIX AZ 85034) AT APPROXIMATELY 11:00 AM THE ON 07-19-06 THE FOLLOWING OCCURRED. THE MOTORCYCLE LOST ALL POWER AND I COASTED TO A STOP INTO A PARKING SPOT: 1.RIDING THROUGH THE PARKING LOT AT ABOUT 5-10 MPH. 2…
Read full complaint
WHILE RIDING MY 2004 BUELL XB12S MOTORCYCLE THOUGH THE ASM AMERICA, INC. PARKING LOT (3440 EAST UNIVERSITY DRIVE PHOENIX AZ 85034) AT APPROXIMATELY 11:00 AM THE ON 07-19-06 THE FOLLOWING OCCURRED. THE MOTORCYCLE LOST ALL POWER AND I COASTED TO A STOP INTO A PARKING SPOT: 1.RIDING THROUGH THE PARKING LOT AT ABOUT 5-10 MPH. 2.THE MOTORCYCLE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. 3.THE MOTORCYCLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPLETELY FAILED AS IF THE MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN TURNED OFF INCLUDING LOSS OF HORN, TURN SIGNALS, BRAKE LIGHTS, LICENSE PLATE LIGHT, REAR TAIL LIGHT, HEAD LIGHT, INSTRUMENT LIGHTS, WARNING LIGHTS, SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER. 4.IF I HAD BEEN MERGING ONTO THE FREEWAY AT NIGHT I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AS I WOULD HAVE HAD NO WAY TO SIGNAL I WAS LEAVING THE HIGHWAY! THE DEALER IS STILL INVESTIGATING WHY THE VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING.
I AM REPORTING A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS PROBLEM WITH MY 2004 BUELL XB12S MOTORCYCLE. I HAVE OBSERVED THIS SAME SITUATION ON ALL SIMILAR BIKES THAT I HAVE LOOKED AT. UNDER THE SEAT, THE ECM CABLE HARNESS RESTS AGAINST THE NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL AND THERE ARE SIGNS OF ABRASION FROM VIBRATION.*AK
Official recalls
103V494000 · Electrical System:horn
Dec 2, 2003
ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE WIRE THAT PROVIDES POWER TO THE HORN, DUE TO MISROUTING, CAN BECOME FRAYED FROM CONTACT WITH THE HORN BRACKET MOUNTING BOLT. AS A RESULT, THE HORN WIRE MAY BECOME EXPOSED, AND WHEN THE HORN BUTTON IS PUSHED, EITHER THE HORN CIRCUIT FUSE OR THE KEY SWITCH FUSE CAN BLOW.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE KEY SWITCH FUSE BLOWS, THE VEHICLE CAN STALL, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. IF THE HORN FUSE BLOWS, THERE WILL BE A LOSS OF POWER TO THE HORN AND REAR BRAKE LIGHT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND CORRECT THE WIRE ROUTING, IF NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 23, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUELL AT 1-414-342-4680.
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.