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2008 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 →
2Owner complaints

Model-year median: 3

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
4
20051
20072
2008
Compare all Sportster years →

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

What owners reported most

Steering
1Wheels
1

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: 2 of 2 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.

  • Steering. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Wheels. 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

Wheels complaints

1 reports
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8,500 miles · Jun 3, 2011
Wheels

2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C MOTORCYCLE REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED WHILE RIDING RESULTING IN EXTENSIVE REAR WHEEL DAMAGE AND A NEAR-ACCIDENT. RIDER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE MOTORCYCLE HAD 8,500 MILES ON IT AND WAS 1-YEAR OUT OF DEALER WARRANTY. EXTENDED WARANTY ON THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD ONLY COVER LO…

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2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C MOTORCYCLE REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED WHILE RIDING RESULTING IN EXTENSIVE REAR WHEEL DAMAGE AND A NEAR-ACCIDENT. RIDER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE MOTORCYCLE HAD 8,500 MILES ON IT AND WAS 1-YEAR OUT OF DEALER WARRANTY. EXTENDED WARANTY ON THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD ONLY COVER LOCALIZED DAMAGE NOT THE EXTENSIVE DOWN-STREAM DAMAGE. HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY 'CUSTOMER CARE' WAS UN-RESPONSIVE TO THIS COMPLAINT, ADVISING THAT THE BEARINGS ARE A WEARABLE PART AND THERE WAS NO RECORD OF A RECALL ON THE BEARING OR SIMILAR FAILURE COMPLAINTS. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT A NEW STYLE BEARING WAS THE CALLED-FOR REPLACEMENT PART. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10404341

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.