AFTER I PULLED MY BIKE OUT OF WINTER STORAGE, THE BRAKES FELT LIKE THEY HAD AIR IN THEM. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE TOLD ME THE ABS HCU SYSTEM HAS FAILED. I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND OUT THERE ISN'T A BYPASS SYSTEM AND THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED DURING RIDING. I HAVE TO SQUEEZE THE BRAKES A NUMBER OF TIMES TO STOP.
2014 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Vrscf
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 Vrscf years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
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: 4 of 4 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.
- Service Brakes. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel/propulsion 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.
Service Brakes complaints
3 reportsI HAVE BASICALLY A COMPLAINT. I AM BEEN HEARING A LOT IM FORUMS ABOUT ABS ISSUES WITH HARLEY DAVIDSON MODELS UP TO 2011. I BELEIVE THE NHTSA SHOULD FORCE HARLEY DAVIDSON TO REPLACE WITH NO COST ALL THE MODULES. THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT THE COMPANY IS BLAMING THE OWNERS ON A LACK OF MAINTANANCE NOT FLUSSHING THE BRAKE LINES …
Read full complaint
I HAVE BASICALLY A COMPLAINT. I AM BEEN HEARING A LOT IM FORUMS ABOUT ABS ISSUES WITH HARLEY DAVIDSON MODELS UP TO 2011. I BELEIVE THE NHTSA SHOULD FORCE HARLEY DAVIDSON TO REPLACE WITH NO COST ALL THE MODULES. THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT THE COMPANY IS BLAMING THE OWNERS ON A LACK OF MAINTANANCE NOT FLUSSHING THE BRAKE LINES EVERY TWO YEARS. LACK OF MAINTANANCE? I BELEIVE IS A POOR EXCUSE FOR A DEFFECTIVE PART. I HAVE A 2014 VROD NOT INCLUDED ON THE RECALL WITH ONLY 5000 MILES ON IT AND ALWAYS COVERED WHEN I AM NOT USING IT. IT IS VERY ODD THAT BECAUSE I DO NOT GO TO HARLEY DAVIDSON (VERY EXPENSIVE TECH SERVICE) MY BRAKE LINES ARE APPERANTLY NOT FLUSH CORRECTLY BECAUSE ARE NOT DONE IN A COMPUTER... RIPOFF ! MY HARLEY HAS THE REAR BRAKES LOCKED IT WONT MATTER HOW HARD I TRY TO PRESS THE PEDAL DOES NOT BRAKE AT ALL. I HAVE HAD CARS IN THE PAST WITH ABS SYSTEM, NEVER FLUSHED LINES AND STILL WORKING FINE. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS THAT A MOTORCYCLE LOSES BRAKES FUNCTIONALITY DO TO AN ABS DEFECT, IT SHOULD ONLY LOSE THE PROGRESSIVE PRESSING AND RELEASING FOR WHICH THE ABS IS DESIGN. NEVER THE POSSIBILITY TO BRAKE AT ALL. I CANNOT AFFORT AT THE MOMENT EXPENDING $1,600.00 WITH HARLEY WHICH IT WAS THE ESTIMATED VALUE I WAS QUOTED. FOR SOMETHING DEFECTIVE THAT IT SEEMS IS AN ISSUE FROM QUITE A WHILE. SO I AM WONDERING? DOES SOMEONE (GOD FORBID) HAVE TO DIE FOR COMPANIES TAKE OWNERSHIP ON ISSUES THAT SHOULD BE PART OF LEMON LAW AND POOR QUALITY?
IN JUNE 2016, I WAS RIDING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, WHEN MY REAR MOTORCYCLE BRAKE SUDDENLY FAILED. WHEN THE CALIPER FAILED, THE PADS WERE LOCKED AGAINST THE ROTOR AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. I EXPERIENCE EXTREME LOSS OF POWER AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD, LUCKILY WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE ROTOR WAS ALREADY RED HOT AND THE BIKE WAS UN…
Read full complaint
IN JUNE 2016, I WAS RIDING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, WHEN MY REAR MOTORCYCLE BRAKE SUDDENLY FAILED. WHEN THE CALIPER FAILED, THE PADS WERE LOCKED AGAINST THE ROTOR AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. I EXPERIENCE EXTREME LOSS OF POWER AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD, LUCKILY WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE ROTOR WAS ALREADY RED HOT AND THE BIKE WAS UNRIDEABLE AS THE REAR BRAKE WAS UNABLE TO BE DISENGAGED. I WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER. THEY REPLACED THE REAR MASTER CYCLINDER, ROTOR AND ALL BRAKE LINES. FEB 2014: STARTED BIKE TO TAKE IT FOR ITS FIRST SPRING RIDE. PULLED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND WHEN I GOT TO THE END OF MY ROAD, I GRABBED THE FRONT BRAKE. THE LEVER WAS ROCK HARD AND INMOVEABLE EVEN IN THE SLIGHTEST WAY. CALIPER AND PADS FROZEN, I HAD NO FRONT BRAKE AT ALL! TOOK TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO HAS NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. EVEN AFTER REMOVING THE LINE ALL THE WAY UP TO THE ABS UNIT, THE LEVER NOR THE CALIPER WOULD ENGAGE. HE THEN TOWED TO THE LOCAL HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER, WHO HAS YET TO CONTACT ME. THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS ABS, ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM AND I'VE HAD CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE TWICE IN 6 MONTHS. I AM REPORTING THIS AS AN UNSAFE VEHICLE TO DRIVE IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
Illustration