2022 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Fxlrst

On August 12, 2026, at 5,826 miles, my 2022 Harley-Davidson FXLRST M8 117 suffered catastrophic engine failure while traveling 65 mph on the freeway. I lost motive power and had to reach the shoulder, creating a serious crash hazard. About five miles into the ride, severe metallic clanging/pinging began. The engine shut down, locked completely and would not restart. No oil-pressure or other warning light illuminated. No engine/oil DTC was stored; only a battery fault was found. Harley-Davidson of Sacramento performed the 1,000-mile service at 1,004 miles and returned the bike at 1,007. Its invoice documents an oil/filter change and five quarts of oil. The engine failed 4,819 miles later. Afterward, I found the oil extremely low. Less than one quart was recovered from a roughly 5-quart system, with no external leak observed. Two independent mechanics, including a former Harley-Davidson technician, disassembled the engine. A rear-cylinder exhaust-valve head had separated from its stem, causing extensive piston, cylinder/liner, spark-plug and internal engine damage. The springs and keepers remained intact. The failed parts are preserved for inspection. NHTSA data I reviewed shows about 244 M8-era complaints involving stalls, power loss or engine/powertrain issues; about 81 hard mechanical/oiling failures, including about 15 sumping/oil-pump complaints. Harley has made numerous M8 engineering changes, including exhaust-valve and valve-spring changes for 2023 and later cylinder-head revisions. In 2026, approximately 88,000 M8-family motorcycles were recalled for an oil/breather defect. Given the freeway power loss, seizure, dangerously low oil without warning, confirmed exhaust-valve separation and broader M8 failure history, I believe this warrants a formal safety investigation.