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1999 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Flhr

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 2 of 8 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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. 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 reports1 injury reports

Suspension complaints

3 reports
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78,654 miles · Aug 9, 2014
Power TrainSuspension

I TOOK MY BIKE HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING IN TO THE SHOP FOR A FLAT TIRE. THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME MY SWING HAD ARM BROKEN LITERALLY INTO TWO PIECES. HE INFORMED THAT HARLEY QUIT MAKING THIS PARTICULAR SWING DUE THE HIGH RATE OF FAILURE! THIS IS HIGHLY CONCERNING, AS THIS IS THE PIECE THAT HOLDS THE REAR WHEEL TO THE MOTORCYCLE STR…

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I TOOK MY BIKE HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING IN TO THE SHOP FOR A FLAT TIRE. THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME MY SWING HAD ARM BROKEN LITERALLY INTO TWO PIECES. HE INFORMED THAT HARLEY QUIT MAKING THIS PARTICULAR SWING DUE THE HIGH RATE OF FAILURE! THIS IS HIGHLY CONCERNING, AS THIS IS THE PIECE THAT HOLDS THE REAR WHEEL TO THE MOTORCYCLE STRAIGHT WHEN THE TORQUE OF THE MOTOR IS TRANSFERRED TO THE REAR WHEEL. I COULD ISSUE A LOT OF HIGH TECH PHYSICS HERE, BUT SIMPLY PUT IF THE REAR WHEEL OF MOTORCYCLE IS ALLOWED TO TURN, OR WORSE TWIST, THIS WOULD BE A LIFE THREATENING ISSUE, OR AT VERY LEAST SEVERE INJURY ISSUE. I HAVE SEEN SOME COMPLAINTS TO THIS VERY AGENCY RANGING BACK TO 1999, THIS IS NOW 2014, AND THE ISSUE IS WIDELY KNOW BY MOST OF THE HARLEY DAVIDSON TOURING WORLD. THE MANUFACTURER IS STILL SIMPLY OFFERING THAT THE SWING ARM HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED, AND THERE AS AN AFTERMARKET FIX TO UPGRADE THE SWING ARM TO THE ONE THEY CURRENTLY USE. SO EVEN WITHOUT CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, ONCE THE PROBLEM IS FOUND THERE QUITE A FINANCIAL INVESTMENT TO FIX A KNOWN FAULTY DRIVE TRAIN ISSUE! THIS WHAT I THOUGHT THIS AGENCY WAS HERE TO HELP PREVENT FORM MANUFACTURERS, ACCIDENTS, AND WILLFUL NEGLIGENCE OF SERIOUS ISSUES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10621117

Mileage unknown · May 30, 2001
Suspension

REAR CAM BEARING FAILED CREATING LOD GRINDING NOISE. SHUT DOWN ENGINE AND GAVE TO DEALER.CAM BEARING REPLACED WITH SAME TYPE OF ROLLER BEARING NOT UPDATED VERSION .NOW AT 14500 MILES ENGINE IS BEGINING TO MAKE SAME NOISE AGAIN.NOTIFIED HARLEY DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT A EXTENDED WARRANTY ON MOTOR HAS BEEN ISSUED .BUT THE BEARING W…

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REAR CAM BEARING FAILED CREATING LOD GRINDING NOISE. SHUT DOWN ENGINE AND GAVE TO DEALER.CAM BEARING REPLACED WITH SAME TYPE OF ROLLER BEARING NOT UPDATED VERSION .NOW AT 14500 MILES ENGINE IS BEGINING TO MAKE SAME NOISE AGAIN.NOTIFIED HARLEY DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT A EXTENDED WARRANTY ON MOTOR HAS BEEN ISSUED .BUT THE BEARING WILL ONLY BE REPLACED WITH THE UPDATED NEEDLE BEARING AFTER TOTAL FAILURE OF THE OLD STYLE BEARING. HARLEY HAS ISSUED A SERVICE KIT #24984-99 TOREPLACE THE DEFECTIVE BEARINGS. BUT THEY ONLY WILL DO THIS AFTER THE MOTOR HAS LITERALLY BLOWN UP. PART OF THE SERVICE KIT IS TO FLUSH ALL METAL OUT OF THE MOTOR AFTER THE OLD STYLE BEARING HAS FAILED.WHAT HARLEY-DAVIDSON NEEDS TO DO IS REPLACE ALL THE DEFECTIVE BEARINGS THAT THEY KNOW ARE OUT IN THE FIELD!

NHTSA ODI #746161

Mileage unknown · Oct 15, 1999
Suspension

FRONT TIRE (DUNLOP ELITE) IS UNSTABLE; CAUSING FRONT TIRE TO WOOBLE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 70-75 MPH. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REPLACE TIRES. MAKING A REPORT TO NHTSA ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #850861

Official recalls

1

99V003000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline

Jan 13, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THE ENGINE CAM BOLT CAN LOSE ITS CLAMP LOAD AND/OR BREAK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO QUIT RUNNING WITH OR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. IN SOME INSTANCES, THE ENGINE COULD RUN ERRATICALLY BEFORE QUITTING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ENGINE CAM BOLTS AND WASHERS.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.