IllustrationPE 02-083/REAR VIEW MIRROR STEM FAILURES: THE LEFT SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT ISSUE WAS COVERED UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL.*AK
2000 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Sportster
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sportster years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 1 of 9 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 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. 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 reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
9 reportsMOTORCYCLE CAN BE TURNED ON JUST BY TURNING ON IGNITION SWITCH WITHOUT PUSHING STARTER BUTTON. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
ENGINE ROCKER BOX GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL WHILE DRIVING, DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
XL883C MODEL HAS STALLED OUT SEVERAL TIMES SINCE DATE OF PURCHASE, USUALLY AT 50 MPH. CONTACTED DEALER, WHO IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE PROBLEM, CONSUMER IS NOW EXPERIENCING GAS LEAKS AND FEELS THIS VEHICLE HAS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT.*AK *TT
MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN INTO DEALER 25 TIMES FOR REPAIRS IN THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP, DUE TO MANUFACTURING DESIGN. *AK
THE TAIL LIGHT FELL OFF AND WAS HANGING BY THE WIRE, LEAVING NO REAR TAIL OR BRAKE LIGHT VISABLE. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY THERE IS A NEUTRAL POSITION BETWEEN ALL GEARS. MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 6 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DUPLICATE THIS PROBELM, NOTHING COULD BE DONE. *AK *SLC
R SIDE MIRROR BROKE UPON ACCELERATION FROM A TURN. MIRRORS ON THIS BIKE ARE A KNOWN PROBLEM.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
1PE02083 · Rear View Mirror Stem Failures
Opened Nov 12, 2002 · Closed Feb 26, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility
PROMPTED BY THE REFERENCED OWNER COMPLAINT, ODI OPENED THIS PE AFTER DETERMINING THAT HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERS HAD FREQUENTLY REPLACED THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT (OE) MIRRORS ON 2002 SPORTSTER 1200 CUSTOM MODEL MOTORCYCLES BECAUSE OF STEM FRACTURES ON THE MIRROR ASSEMBLY.THE STEMBEING THE TUBULAR STRUCTURE WHICH CONNECTS THE ACTUAL MIRROR HEAD ASSEMBLY TO THE MOTORCYCLE.THE SINGLE CRASH ALLEGATION HAS NOT BEEN CONFIRMED.OF THE TWO INJURIES, ONE OCCURRED WHEN THE SEPARATED MIRROR STRUCK THE OPERATOR.THE OTHER OCCURRED DURING THE UNCONFIRMED CRASH. SUBSEQUENTLY, HARLEY DAVIDSON NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WAS RECALLING THE SUBJECT MOTORCYCLES TO ADDRESS THE STEM FAILURES.