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2001 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Sportster

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 2 of 6 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.

  • Visibility. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Child Seat. Review the 1 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.

2 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

1 reports
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11,300 miles · Mar 27, 2003
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

RIDING MY 2001 HARLEY-DAVIDSON 1200S (SPORTSTER 1200 SPORT) HOME FROM WORK AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP. WEATHER CONDITIONS: MIST/LIGHT RAIN. THE BIKE HAD JUST HAD ITS 10K SERVICE DONE A FEW WEEKS PRIOR AT LOCAL H-D DEALERSHIP AND THEY ALSO PUT ON NEW TIRES FRONT & REAR. THE BIKE SHOOK VIOLENTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND I ENDED UP …

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RIDING MY 2001 HARLEY-DAVIDSON 1200S (SPORTSTER 1200 SPORT) HOME FROM WORK AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP. WEATHER CONDITIONS: MIST/LIGHT RAIN. THE BIKE HAD JUST HAD ITS 10K SERVICE DONE A FEW WEEKS PRIOR AT LOCAL H-D DEALERSHIP AND THEY ALSO PUT ON NEW TIRES FRONT & REAR. THE BIKE SHOOK VIOLENTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND I ENDED UP LAYING IT DOWN. MY R KNEE WAS SCRAPED UP AND MY L HAND SWOLLEN AND L ANKLE BRUISED. VERY LUCKY AS I WAS WEARING LEATHER JACKET AND BOOTS. NO BROKEN BONES. INS CO (PROGRESSIVE) SUGGESTED A DIFFERENT SHOP (NOT DEALER) THAT THEY USE. THE SHOP IS STILL WAITING ON HANDLEBARS FROM H-D. OTHER PARTS FINALLY CAME IN. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES WERE LOCKED UP AND THE L FRONT ROTOR WAS WARPED. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, I'M NOT VERY HAPPY THAT THIS HAPPENED JUST AFTER SERVICING. I'VE BEEN WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION FOR OVER A MONTH NOW. DON'T KNOW WHY H-D CAN'T SUPPLY HANDLEBARS ANY QUICKER FOR A 2 YEAR OLD BIKE. NOTE: A SNAP-ON TOOL DEALER FRIEND IN COLORADO HAS A CLIENT THAT ALSO HAS A 2001 SPORTSTER (NOT THE SPORT MODEL) THAT THE BRAKES LOCKED UP ON DRY PAVEMENT. HE DID NOT CRASH, BUT HAS HAD OTHER BRAKE PROBLEMS AS IN NOT STOPPING VERY QUICKLY, ETC. ANOTHER NOTE: (RE: PERSONS COMPLAINT ON OIL LEAKS, LEAK AROUND AIR CLEANER) I GOT THE BIKE WHEN IT HAD 5 K MILES ON IT. BOUGHT IT IN AZ AND RODE TO HOUSTON, TX. THE BIKE STARTED LEAKING AROUND THE ROCKER BOXES AND LOCAL TX DEALER SAID IT WAS A "COMMON PROBLEM" ON SPORTSTERS. DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS, BUT WHATEVER THEY DID TO IT FIXED IT. (NO COST TO ME AS I HAD A 1 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY). MY BIKE HAS THE SCREAMIN' EAGLE CARB KIT AND I ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH OIL LEAKING ON THE AIR CLEANER. OCCASIONAL OIL DRIPPING ONTO THE EXHAUST ALSO. I DON'T HAVE VIN # OR PURCHASE DATE WITH ME AT THE MOMENT, BUT CAN GET IT FOR YOU. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10013564

Official recalls

0

No 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

1

PE02083 · 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.