2011 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Fltruse

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLTRUSE (ROAD GLIDE). THE CONTACT STATED THE MOTORCYCLE'S REAR BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HCU WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO ROANOKE VALLEY HARLEY-DAVIDSON TO GET NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V076000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) REMEDIED HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE HCU WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED PRIOR TO THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN BEING PERFORMED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY DEALER WOULD NOT SELL THEM THE PART FOR HCU REPLACEMENT DUE TO THE PART COINCIDES WITH THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 18,000.

I TWISTED THE ACCELERATOR GRIP AND SLIPPED THE CLUTCH TO PROCEED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION WHEN A RED LIGHT TURNED GREEN. WHEN I GOT TO THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION, THE THROTTLE SUDDENLY FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE BIKE CAME TO A STOP. I THEN TRIED TO PUSH MY 900 LB. MOTORCYCLE TO THE CURB BEFORE THE LIGHT FOR OPPOSING TRAFFIC TURNED GREEN. I DIDN'T MAKE IT IN TIME AND WAS NEARLY HIT BY A VEHICLE. THE THROTTLE CONTROL ISSUES WITH HARLEY MODELS FROM 2008-2011 ARE WIDELY KNOWN AND ATTRIBUTED TO A CONDITION KNOWN AS "FRETTING" IN THE METAL CONNECTORS OF ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS THAT CONTROL THROTTLE OPERATION. HARLEY APPARENTLY CHANGED THE METAL MATERIAL USED IN THE CONNECTORS IN 2011, RESULTING IN BETTER ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS. THE FOLLOWING ID NUMBERS ARE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS REGARDING HARLEY'S "THROTTLE BY WIRE" SYSTEM: 10396505, 10423668, 10428104,10432529, 10432707, 10438369, 104434471, 10455951, 10482185, 10502754, 10510385, 10515560, 10520570, 10521224, 10521801, 10555386. THESE COMPLAINTS ARE FROM VARIOUS 2008-2011 HARLEY MODELS. INTERESTINGLY, THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS ON RECORD FROM 2012-2013 MODELS WHICH TENDS TO CONFIRM DESIGN CHANGES WERE MADE IN 2011. HARLEY ISSUED AN INTERNAL SERVICE BULLETIN #TT418 REGARDING THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER, IT HAS NOT ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN OR VOLUNTARILY RECALLED 2008-11 MODELS TO INSTALL THE UPDATED CONNECTORS AT NO CHARGE. GIVEN THE SERIOUS NATURE OF THIS DEFECT AND THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE NHTSA CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION OF THIS PROBLEM WHICH, HOPEFULLY, WILL RESULT IN A RECALL FOR AFFECTED 2008-2011 MODELS. TO FURTHER MAGNIFY THE IMPORTANT OF THIS ISSUE, IT HAS BEEN REPORTED IN THE MEDIA THAT A WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT HAS ALREADY BEEN FILED IN TEXAS AGAINST HARLEY BASED ON THE FAILURE OF THE "THROTTLE BY WIRE" SYSTEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HARLEY DAVIDSON CBO ROAD GLIDE ULTRA MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 5 MPH WHEN THE HANDLE BARS BEGAN SHAKING ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT AND A PASSENGER WERE BOTH THROWN FROM THE VEHICLE HOWEVER THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A NECK INJURY AS A RESULT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE STEERING HEAD BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE HANDLE BAR RISER BUSHING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,100.

DURING ROUTINE OPERATION, NEW TOURING MODEL MOTORCYCLES HAVE REAR CYLINDER EXHAUST HEADER PIPE THAT GENERATES EXTREME AMOUNT OF HEAT WHICH IMPACTS OPERATOR'S RIGHT UPPER INNER THIGH REGION. CONDITION IS MORE THAN A DISCOMFORT. IT HAS BECOME A DISTRACTION TO THE OPERATOR AND THUS, A HAZARD TO THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE MOTORCYCLE. TO BE EPA COMPLIANT, AMONG OTHER THINGS---HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS HAD TO LEAN OUT THE FUEL/AIR MIXTURE. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE THE MAJOR CAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE HEAT. HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS DESIGNED/INSTALLED A PLASTIC HEAT DEFLECTOR WHICH PROVIDES LITTLE, IF ANY, RELIEF. MOST OWNERS HAVE PURCHASED AFTER-MARKET EXHAUST SYSTEMS AND FUEL INJECTION TUNERS TO PROVIDE A REMEDY TO THIS CONDITION. HOWEVER; DOING THIS MAY ADVERSELY AFFECT NEW VEHICLE WARRANTY AND IMPACT VARIOUS LAWS REGARDING EXHAUST AND NOISE. SO, TO SAFELY OPERATE & ENJOY THEIR MOTORCYCLE, THEY HAVE TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY TO HAVE A MOTORCYCLE THAT IS NO LONGER EPA COMPLIANT AND SUBJECT TO FINES, IMPOUNDMENT, ETC. OR, THEY CAN JUST CONTINUE TO OPERATE THE MOTORCYCLE IN STOCK CONDITION, AND BE DISTRACTED BY WHAT WILL PROBABLY BECOME A FIRST OR SECOND DEGREE BURN TO THEIR UPPER LEG WITH THE RESULT POTENTIALLY BEING A MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL, COLLISION, ETC.