2014 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Flhtk

2014 HARLEY DAVIDSON ULTRA LIMITED. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE VIBRATION, THROTTLE ISSUES, CLUTCH COMPENSATOR AND POSSIBLE EITMS FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE NOTICED A VIBRATION FROM THE ENGINE WHICH WAS MORE THAN HE EXPECTED, AND AN INTERMITTENT KNOCK FROM THE ENGINE. THE HD PERSONNEL SAID IT WAS NORMAL. THE CONSUMER STATED HE LIKED THE POWER AND RIDE AS SPEED. HOWEVER, WHEN THE THROTTLE WAS ROLLED OFF, THE BIKE LUGGED AND SURGED AND AT IDLE THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT VIBRATION. ALSO, AT IDLE THERE WAS A HEAVY. LOUD INTERMITTENT CLUNKING SOUND MUCH LIKE A PRE-IGNITION KNOCK. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED DIFFERENT OPINIONS OF WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE TWIN OVERHEAD CAM ENGINE WAS AN ISSUE FOR THE MANUFACTURER. *JB

WHILE I WAS RIDING MY 2014 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTK MOTORCYCLE ON A 35 MPH TWO LANE CITY STREET, THE SHIFTER SHAFT LEVER BECAME STRIPPED. I WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE MOTORCYCLE OUT OF FIRST GEAR AFTER A STOP AND TRAFFIC WAS BACKING UP BEHIND AND PASSING ME CREATING SOMEWHAT OF A HAZARD. FORTUNATELY FOR ME I WAS IN AN AREA WHERE I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY EXIT THE ROADWAY. HAD THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ON A ROADWAY WITH LIMITED ACCESS/SIGHT LINES AND HIGHER SPEEDS AN INJURY COULD HAVE RESULTED.

YESTERDAY (04/03/16), I WAS TRAVELING THROUGH NORTHERN VA (ON ROUTE #66), ON MY WAY HOME. TRYING TO TAKE AN EXIT TO GAS UP, I WASN'T ABLE TO SHIFT AT ALL. SO I'M TRYING TO PULL OVER (VERY WORRIED I MIGHT BE HIT BY AN ANOTHER COMMUTER IN A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY / 1ST SAFETY ISSUE), TO CHECK THE BIKE, I COULDN'T USE MY LEFT FLOOR BOARD (AFFECTING MY BALANCE / 2ND SAFETY ISSUE), BECAUSE THE SHIFTER AND SHIFTER SHAFT WERE OUT OF THEIR POSITION AND LAYING ON MY FLOOR BOARD (THESE PARTS COULD HAVE JUST FLEW AWAY AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE ROAD / 3RD SAFETY ISSUE). FINALLY, I STOPPED THE MOTORCYCLE, CHECKED THE BIKE, PUT IT ON 3RD GEAR, USING LINKAGE AND MADE IT TO LOCAL HD DEALERSHIP. AFTER THIS SCARY EXPERIENCE A GENTLEMEN AT THE DEALERSHIP (JUST A CUSTOMER WITH A SIMILAR MOTORCYCLE RUSHMORE TOURING), TOLD ME THAT HE HAD THE SAME EXACT ISSUE AS WELL; THANKS!

WHEN APPLYING THE FRONT BRAKES, UNDER LIGHT BRAKING SITUATIONS, BRAKE LIGHT DOES NOT TURN ON. I BROUGHT THE MOTORCYCLE TO THE DEALER WITH MY CONCERN AND THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. SINCE I FIRST NOTICED THE BRAKE LIGHT NOT COMING ON WHEN THE FRONT BRAKE WAS APPLIED, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE EVENT WITH CONSISTENT RESULTS. I HAVE A STRONG CONCERN THAT WHILE HOLDING THE BRAKE AT A FULL STOP AND WITH NO BRAKE LIGHT ACTIVE, THAT I AM SUSCEPTIBLE TO A REAR END COLLISION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 H-D FLHTK MOTORCYCLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE RADIATOR EXPLODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE RADIATOR HOSE WAS WARPED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE CAP ON THE COOLANT SYSTEM DETACHED TWICE AND THE FLUID SPILLED WHEN DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

THE FRONT BRAKES MAKE A TERRIBLE NOISE WHEN APPLIED. NOT ALL THE TIME, BUT VERY OFTEN. WHILE BRAKE STOPPING IS CURRENTLY NORMAL, I HAVE NEVER HEARD THIS KIND OF NOISE ON ANY OF THE DOZENS OF MOTORCYCLES I HAVE OWNED OVER THE LAST 40+ YEARS. I HAVE HAD THE BIKE AT THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY SAY THEY ARE UNABLE TO RECREATE THE NOISE. YET IT HAPPENS ALMOST EVERY TIME I RIDE IT. I EVEN PROVIDED THEM AND H-D FACTORY WITH VIDEO OF IT HAPPENING OVER AND OVER. THE DEALER (HELLBENDER H-D, MARIETTA GA) SAID THEY WILL NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. H-D FACTORY CUSTOMER SERVICE BLAMED ME FOR THE PROBLEM, SAYING IT WAS BECAUSE I WAS NOT USING THE REAR BRAKE. THIS IS RIDICULOUS, AS I HAVE USE COORDINATED BRAKING ALL MY LIFE, AND BESIDES, NO BRAKE SYSTEM SHOULD MAKE THIS NOISE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. I AM CONCERNED THAT THERE IS A MATERIALS PROBLEM WITH THE ROTORS OR CALIPERS, OR THAT A MANUFACTURING ERROR HAS CAUSED A DEFECT THAT WILL PREVENT THE MOTORCYCLE FROM STOPPING. THE DEALER HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE ANY PARTS (EXCEPT BRAKE PADS) AND REFUSED TO SWAP A WHEEL ASSEMBLY FOR DIAGNOSTIC PURPOSES. THEY SIMPLY DO NOT WANT TO SPEND A PENNY, EVEN IF IT MAKES THE BIKE SAFE FOR ME TO RIDE. *TR

THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER HYDRAULIC PRESSURE SWITCH, WHICH ACTIVATES THE BRAKE LIGHT AND DISABLES THE CRUISE CONTROL, FAILS TO ACTIVATE BEFORE SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE IS APPLIED. THE BRAKES BEGIN TO FUNCTION LONG BEFORE THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON OR THE CRUISE DISCONNECTS. THIS CAUSES A PROBLEM WHEN STOPPED, AS THE BRAKE LIGHT DOESN'T COME ON WHEN USING THE FRONT BRAKE ALONE, UNLESS SERIOUS PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO THE LEVER, FAR MORE THAN NORMALLY REQUIRED TO HOLD THE BIKE STOPPED AGAINST A SLOPE. ALSO, CRUISE FAILS TO DISENGAGE IF ONLY THE FRONT LEVER IS GENTLY PULLED; THE BIKE BEGINS TO SLOW CONSIDERABLY BEFORE THE CRUISE DISENGAGES. BRAKE STOPPING ACTION IS NORMAL. REAR BRAKE FOOT PEDAL WORKS PROPERLY AND THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON NORMALLY, THAT IS WITH LIGHT PRESSURE, ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS BRAKING ACTION BEGINS. THE DEALER (SHOP MANAGER [XXX] , MARIETTA GA) COMPARED MY BRAKE ACTION TO SEVERAL OTHER 2014 BIKES AND HE SAID THEY ALL ARE LIKE THAT. BUT IT'S NOT NORMAL AND IT CAUSES ME DISTRESS THAT IT DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY. I WANT MY BRAKE LIGHT TO COME ON WHEN I PULL THE LEVER. I WORRY THAT I'LL GET HIT BY A CAR WHICH DOESN'T THINK I'M STOPPED. I WANT MY CRUISE TO DISENGAGE WHEN I PULL THE LEVER. THIS SWITCH IS A COMMON PART WITH ALL 2014 TOURING MODEL H-D MOTORCYCLES, AND MAYBE EARLIER MODELS. *TR

THE FRONT SPARK PLUG WIRE ON 2014 HARLEY DAVIDSON TOURING MOTORCYCLES IS ROUTED ALONG THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FRAME UNDER THE FUEL TANK. AT THE POINT WHERE THE FRONT SPARK PLUG WIRE EMERGES FROM BENEATH THE FUEL TANK, THE SPARK PLUG WIRE TOUCHES AND RUBS AGAINST THE FUEL TANK. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS FROM OWNERS OF THESE MOTORCYCLES OF THE INSULATION BEING DAMAGED OVER TIME BY THE CONTINUOUS RUBBING ON THE TANK CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT AND FIRE AT THE FUEL TANK. THE POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE IS FURTHER SUPPORTED BY THE FACT THAT THE MOTORCYCLE LEANS TO THE LEFT WHEN ON THE KICK STAND. THIS POSITIONING CAUSES ANY FUEL SPILL DURING RE-FUELING TO FLOW TO THE AREA OF THE POTENTIAL SHORT CIRCUIT INCREASING THE CHANCE FOR A FIRE WHEN THE MOTORCYCLE IS STARTED AFTER THE SPILL. *JS