Service Brakes. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Wheels. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. 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.

1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

29 reports

20,000 miles · Feb 18, 2016

Service Brakes

FRONT BRAKE LEVER LOCKED UP NO FRONT BRAKES FRONT BRAKE LEVER WAS HARD TO PULL THEN LOCKED UP WAS ON CITY STREET WAS TRYING TO STOP HAD NO FRONT BRAKE

NHTSA ODI #10837007

26,000 miles · Nov 23, 2015

Service BrakesCrashInjury

FRONT BRAKE COMPLETELY INOPERABLE AFTER STARTING ENGINE. BACKING DOWN A DRIVEWAY IN REVERSE, HAD A FROZEN FRONT BRAKE LEVER. COULD NOT CONTROL THE MOTORCYCLE, AND FELL OVER CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE BIKE AND MYSELF.

NHTSA ODI #10806328

36,123 miles · Apr 2, 2015

Service Brakes

COULD NOT STOP THE BIKE. THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER WAS FROZEN, TOOK BOTH HANDS TO BRING THE LEVER IN FAR ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE THE FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS. THEN THE BRAKES WERE SO TOUCHY THAT THE LIGHTEST PRESSURE APPLIED THE BRAKES FULL ON. AFTER PULLING THE LEVER IN MULTIPLE TIMES IT SOFTENED UP TO THE POINT OF BEING ABLE TO RIDE IT HOM…

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NHTSA ODI #10703439

41,260 miles · Sep 21, 2014

Service Brakes

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THE REAR BRAKE ON THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS SHUDDERED AND HAS HAD ANDTO STILL HAS INADEQUATE AND UNDER-ENGINEERED BRAKING POWER FOR THE WEIGHT AND SPEEDS IT WAS DESIGNED FOR, SINCE THE DAY I TOOK DELIVERY OF IT AS A BRAND NEW BIKE. HARLEY DAVIDSON WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS POORLY DESIGNED AND INADEQUATE BRAKING SYSTEM. THEY LEFT THEIR DEALERS AND CUSTOMERS WITH THIS UNSAFE PRODUCT. MOTORCYCLES REQUIRE THE APPLICATION OF THE BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKES TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM BRAKING POWER. THE REAR BRAKE CANNOT GENERATE ENOUGH BRAKING POWER TO EVEN ACTIVATE THE ABS SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10637932

41,260 miles · Sep 21, 2014

SteeringVehicle Speed Control

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I TURNED ONTO NORTHBOUND US HIGHWAY 281 FROM EASTBOUND SOUTH DAKOTA HIGHWAY 26 AND ACCELERATED NORMALLY TO 65 MPH AND ACTIVATED THE ELECTRONIC CRUISE CONTROL IN 6TH GEAR. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS I HEARD A NUMBER OF SQUEALS FROM THE FRONT END AND THE HANDLEBARS BEGAN SHAKING VIOLENTLY. I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO RAPIDLY SLOW THE MOTORCYCLE DOWN. AT 50 MPH THE SHAKING STOPPED. I DISENGAGED THE CLUTCH AND DIDN'T FEEL ANY NOTICEABLE RESISTANCE. I STOPPED AND INSPECTED THE FRONT WHEEL AND SAW THE BEARING SHIELD HAD MOVED AWAY FROM THE BEARING . I WAS ABOUT 2 MILES FROM REDFIELD SOUTH DAKOTA SO I RODE TO REDFIELD AT A VERY SLOW RATE WITHOUT THE HANDLEBARS SHAKING. I WENT TO THE SUPER 8 MOTEL AND CALLED THE HARLEY OWNERS GROUP ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10637924

17,325 miles · Sep 7, 2014

Power Train

THERE ARE TWO BOLTS THREADED INTO TRANSMISSION CASE THAT HOLDS MUFFLER BRACKET, ,BOLT BACKS OUT CAUSING TRANSMISSION OIL TO LEAK ONTO MUFFLER BRACKET WHICH IS EXTREMELY HOT CAUSING A POSSIBLE FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10631376

38,600 miles · Oct 2, 2013

Wheels

FRONT RIGHT WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. (MISSING BALLS - LOSS OF CONTROL). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10546525

12,000 miles · Sep 30, 2013

Wheels

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FRONT AND REAR WHEEL BEARINGS PREMATURELY FAILING. MANY PEOPLE ARE REPORTING FAILURES ON THESE BEARINGS WITH LESS THAN 2000 MILES. I HAVE REPORTED MY COMPLAINTS DIRECTLY TO HARLEY DAVIDSON CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENT WHO HAVE LOGGED AGAINST MY VIN. THEY SAY THEY ARE NOT REPLACING WHEEL BEARINGS AT NO COST TO THE CUSTOMER REGARDLESS OF THE MILEAGE FAILURE. THIS IS A MOTORCYCLE MANUFACTURED FOR TOURING, WHICH MY WIFE AND I RIDE WITH LUGGAGE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. I CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO US AT 65 MILES PER HOUR AND HAVING A BEARING FREEZE UP, CHEWING THREW AND AXLE. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE WHICH HARLEY DAVIDSON MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10546182

13,124 miles · Jul 8, 2013

SteeringWheels

MY FRONT WHEEL BEARING ON MY FLHTK CAME APART AND FRONT AXLE SEIZED. CAUSING FRONT END TO WOBBLE. ALMOST CAUSING ME AND MY PASSENGER TO CRASH. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID ONLY BECAUSE I AM A VERY EXPERIENCED MOTORCYCLE OPERATOR. THIS FLHTK IS EQUIPPED WITH THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10523661

20,910 miles · Mar 23, 2013

Service Brakes

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THIS MOTORCYCLE WAS DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 20,650 MILES WITHOUT INCIDENT. I RODE THE MOTORCYCLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 950 MILES WITHOUT INCIDENT AND EVERYTHING WORKED PROPERLY. I RODE APPROXIMATELY 145 MILES THEN STOPPED FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS. WHEN I RESUMED RIDING UPON APPLYING THE REAR BRAKE AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH THE MOTORCYCLE REAR BRAKE CAUSED THE MOTORCYCLE TO SHUDDER VIOLENTLY. I MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE BIKE AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP UTILIZING THE FRONT BRAKE ONLY WHICH PRESENTED NO ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR. MY PASSENGER FELT THE MOTORCYCLE WAS UNSAFE AND REFUSED TO RIDE AND TOOK A CAB HOME. THE MOTORCYCLE RECIEVED A 20,000 MILES SERIVICE AND THE REAR BRAKE WAS ALSO CHECKED FOR PROPER OPERATION. THE REAR BRAKE WHILE IT DOES NOT SHUDDER VIOLENTLY IT DOES PULSE AND SHUDDER AND LOW OR HIGH SPEED WHEN APPLYING THE REAR BRAKE.THE DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGES THEY FEEL THE PULSING OR SHUDDER BUT MAINTAINS IT IS NORMAL AND IS SAFE. I DISAGREED AND CONTACTED HARLEY-DAVIDSON AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT HELP ME THAT THEY WERE RELIANT UPON THEIR DEALERSHIPS TO IDENTIFY PROBLEMS AND WORK ON THE MOTORCYCLES IF THEY DETERMINED THERE WAS A PROBLEM THAT REQUIRED ATTENTION. I DISAGREED AND ASKED FOR A FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE TO EVALUATE MY MOTORCYCLE. THE FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE RODE MY MOTORCYCLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 6 MILES AND ALSO INDICATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE MOTORCYCLE. I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREED AND LEFT THE DEALERSHIP. SINCE HARLEY-DAVIDSON CLAIMS THIS IS A NORMAL CONDITION I PLACED THE MOTORCYCLE FOR SALE AND SOLD IT THE NEXT DAY. I DO SEE THIS EXACT SAFETY ISSUE EXPRESSED ON MANY OF THE MOTORCYCLE ONLINE FORUMS AND HARLEY-DAVIDSON CONSISTENTLY DENYING IT IS A PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY HARLEY-DAVIDSON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10504276

Official recalls

18V076000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:fluid

Jan 29, 2018

Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling all 2008-2011 Touring, CVO Touring and VSRC motorcycles equipped with anti-lock brakes (ABS), including Road King (FLHR), Road King Police (EFI) (FLHP), Road King Police (EFI) (FLHPE), Electra Glide Standard Police (EFI) (FLHTP), Electra Glide Classic (EFI) (FLHTC), Electra Glide Ultra Classic (EFI) (FLHTCU) and Street Glide (EFI) (FLHX), 2008 VROD (VRSCAWA), CVO Road King 4 (FLHRSE4), Night Rod (VRSCDA), CVO Ultra Classic 3 (FLHTCUSE3), Night Rod Special (VRSCDXA), 2008-2010 Road King Classic (EFI) (FLHRC), 2008-2009 Road Glide (EFI) (FLTR) and Electra Glide Standard (EFI) (FLHT), 2009-2010 V-Rod (VRSCAW), 2009 CVO Ultra Classic (FLHTCUSE4) and CVO Road Glide 3 (FLTRSE3), 2009-2011 Night Rod Special (VRSCDX) and V-Rod Muscle (VRSCF), 2010 CVO Ultra Classic 5 (FLHTCUSE5) and CVO Street Glide (FLHXSE), 2010-2011 Electra Glide Ultra Limited (FLHTK) and Road Glide Custom (FLTRX), 2011 Road Glide Ultra 103 (FLTRU103), Street Glide 103 (FLHX103), Road King Classic 103 (FLHRC103), CVO Ultra Classic 6 (FLHTCUSE6), CVO Road Glide Ultra (FLTRUSE), Road Glide Custom 103 (FLTRX103), and CVO Street Glide 2 (FLHXSE2) motorcycles. Deposits may form on components within the brake system if the DOT 4 brake fluid is not replaced for a prolonged period of time beyond the 2-year maintenance schedule specified in the Owners Manual.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: These deposits may cause a valve within the ABS Hydraulic Control Unit to stick, reducing braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will flush the entire brake system with new Platinum Label DOT 4 brake fluid, free of charge. The recall began on February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0171.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip

Consequence: These deposits may cause a valve within the ABS Hydraulic Control Unit to stick, reducing braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will flush the entire brake system with new Platinum Label DOT 4 brake fluid, free of charge. The recall began on February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0171.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:fluid

Consequence: These deposits may cause a valve within the ABS Hydraulic Control Unit to stick, reducing braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash.

11V506000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Oct 19, 2011

HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2012 TOURING, CVO TOURING AND TRIKE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 6, 2008, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 16, 2011. SEE THE ABOVE LIST FOR THE MODELS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY BE EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE EXCESSIVE HEAT MAY CAUSE THE SWITCH TO NOT ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LAMP OR ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LAMP WHEN NO BRAKE IS APPLIED AND/OR CAUSE A BRAKE FLUID LEAK AT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, AFFECTING REAR BRAKE PERFORMANCE. EITHER CONDITION MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: HARLEY-DAVIDSON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL A INSTALL A REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH KIT, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING OCTOBER 31, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

09V457000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:mounting

Dec 1, 2009

HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 TOURING FAMILY MOTORCYCLES, INCLUDING CVO TOURING AND TRIKE PRODUCTS, MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 6, 2008 THROUGH NOVEMBER 19, 2009. THE FRONT FUEL TANK MOUNTS MAY DISTORT IN REACTION TO SEVERE FRAME DAMAGE FROM A FRONTAL COLLISION. THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE A FUEL LEAK AT THE WELD OF THE FRONT BRACKET TO THE TUNNEL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE, WHICH COULD LEAD TO INJURY OR DEATH TO THE RIDER.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LEFT AND RIGHT BRACE, WHICH ARE INTENDED TO REDUCE FRONT MOUNT DISTORTION DURING CERTAIN CRASH CONDITIONS. THIS REPAIR WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

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

PE16009 · Sudden Brake Failure - Motorcycle

Opened Jul 6, 2016 · Closed Apr 23, 2018

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation in July 2016 based on forty-three (43) Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ).During the course of this investigation ODI received a total of 145 VOQs related to the alleged defect on the subject motorcycles.Owners allege they experience a sudden and complete loss of brakes on one or both wheels.To better understand the cause of the braking issue on the subject motorcycles, ODI requested NHTSA's Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) conduct inspections and testing of affected vehicle braking systems.Through its work, VRTC determined that deposits were forming on the valves in the Hydraulic Control Unit (HCU) of the Antilock Braking System (ABS). These deposits could prevent the proper function of the HCU and render the brakes ineffective.To understand why deposits were forming in the HCU, Harley Davidson completed an analysis of the Dow 460 brake fluid used as original equipment on the subject motorcycles and determined that it had stability issues if left in the brake system for an extended period of time.Harley Davidson found that if a brake fluid flush was not conducted as outlined in the owner?s manual for the motorcycles, and was left in the system for a period of time beyond their recommendation; deposits could form in the HCU.Through further testing, Harley Davidson identified an alternate, commercially available, brake fluid that did not have the same stability issues as the original fluid and could stop the proliferation of any current brake system deposits.ODI sent Information Request (IR) letters to Harley Davidson and Dow Chemical (the supplier of the brake fluid on the subject motorcycles) to collect information about the subject bikes and the alleged defect.Harley Davidson responded in full on Sept 30, 2016 and Dow responded with a confidential submission on October 25, 2017.ODI analyzed the information contained in both IR responses and concluded that motorcycles manufactured during Model Years (MY) 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 were failing at a rate greater than their peers.Based on this analysis and the brake fluid study conducted by Harley Davidson, a group of motorcycles was identified that were potentially affected by the instability of the original brake fluid.2008 marked the introduction of ABS on Harley Davidson motorcycles and a change in the Dow 460 brake fluid used in the 2012 MY vehicles provided the bases for the scope of the affected population.With recall action 18V-076 taken by Harley Davidson this investigation is closed as further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at: https://www.nhtsa.gov/ using the complaint identification numbers attached to this resume.