2009 Buell 1125R Owner Complaints

STATOR FAILED IN TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY, HAD TO PUSH BIKE ACROSS A LANE OF TRAFFIC ON HWY 95 FLORIDA.

NHTSA ID

10785876

Incident

Oct 6, 2015

Mileage

7,016 mi

RIDING MY 2009 BUELL 1125R, THE OEM STATOR OVERHEATED AND FRIED 1 LEG OF THE 3 LEG STATOR. I HAD THE HARLEY DAVIDSON RECALL DONE ON THE BIKE AND THIS MADE IT WORSE, WHEN GOING UNDER 5K RPMS THE BIKE WOULD OVERHEAT; WHICH EVENTUALLY LED TO THE STATOR FRYING. THIS CAUSED THE REGULATOR TO BE FRIED AS WELL SINCE THE STATOR GOES DIRECTLY TO THE STATOR. THIS ALSO ALMOST KILLED MY BATTERY. THE HARLEY DAVIDSON FIX DOESN'T WORK AND THEY SHOULD IMPLEMENT A BETTER FIX FOR THE BIKE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10702678

Incident

Mar 30, 2015

Mileage

3,450 mi

VOLTAGE LIGHT CAME ON WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. ENGINE DIED. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE STATOR HAS WENT OUT. ONE TIME THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR WENT OUT. HARLEY REFUSED TO FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE 2 OF THESE MOTORCYCLES & BOTH HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10577764

Incident

Apr 30, 2013

Mileage

4,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BUELL 1125R. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE BECAME HOT AND THE ENGINE FAN WOULD ENGAGE, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE STATOR AND THE CLUTCH HAD FAILED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ORIGINAL CLUTCH AND CHANGED THE WIRING HARNESS FROM A 4-CHARGE TO A 3-CHARGE STATOR AND CLUTCH. THE WIRING HARNESS FAILURE ALSO DRAINED THE BATTERY PREMATURELY. THE CONTACT CHANGED THE BATTERY THREE TIMES BEFORE DISCOVERING THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAD THREE DIFFERENT COMPANIES PRODUCING THE WIRING HARNESS AND STATOR FOR THE CLUTCH, BUT THE FAILURE HAD NOT BEEN CORRECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,400 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,509. *TR

NHTSA ID

10510420

Incident

Mar 5, 2012

Mileage

1,400 mi

BIKE HAS HAD MULTIPLE CHARGING ISSUES: STATOR, VOLTAGE REGULATOR, AND OTHER COMPONENTS. CURRENTLY GOING TO REPAIR IN SPRING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10500994

Incident

Jul 11, 2012

Mileage

9,000 mi

WHILE RIDING BUELL 1125R 2009 I EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE POWER FAILURE WHILE RIDING. LOSING POWER IN TRAFFIC IS DANGEROUS. AFTER DOING RESEARCH IT APPEARS THIS IS A VERY WIDESPREAD ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL YEAR BUELL. IT IS DANGEROUS AND COSTLY TO THE CONSUMER AND SHOULD BE RESOLVED BY THE COMPANY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10497949

Incident

Jan 18, 2013

Mileage

5,164 mi

STATOR FAILURE CHARGING SYSTEM FAILED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10497643

Incident

Oct 5, 2011

Mileage

8,370 mi

2009 BUELL 1125R - I BOUGHT IT FROM AN HD DEALERSHIP (LIKE NEW) WITH 2,500 MILES ON IT. THE BIKE HAD NO WARRANTY. THEY TRIED TO SELL ME AN 'EXTENDED WARRANTY' WHICH I DID NOT BUY (FOR ABOUT $2K). THIS WAS EITHER STANDARD PROCEDURE, OR SUSPICIOUS - I DON'T KNOW WHICH, BECAUSE THE BIKE'S CHARGING SYSTEM (STATOR) FAILED ON ME AT 3,586 MILES. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NEARLY HOME. LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER COMPLAINTS, THE ENGINE DIED AMID TRAFFIC (LOW SPEED, THANKFULLY). THE BATTERY & ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON ABOUT A MILE BEFOREHAND. I HAD THE BIKE DIAGNOSED/REPAIRED (STATOR REPLACEMENT) AT AN HD/BUELL CERTIFIED DEALERSHIP. COST (PARTS & LABOR) $1,045 !!! I HAVE SINCE READ THAT THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE ISSUE ESPECIALLY WITH THE 09 1125R BUELL'S. I HAVE HEARD OF OWNERS THAT ARE CAPABLE OF DOING THEIR OWN MECHANIC WORK, PULLING THE (BAD) STATOR AND ROTOR, AND SENDING THEM TO (EBR) ERIC BUELL RACING - FOR A 'RE-WIND' ON THE STATOR FOR AROUND $150 - TO - $175. EBR ALSO SELLS AN 'UPGRADED' ROTOR FOR $450 THAT SUPPOSEDLY DOES A BETTER JOB OF LUBRICATING THE STATOR, THUS ELIMINATING THE PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD DEFINITELY BE A TOTAL RECALL ! *TR

NHTSA ID

10496957

Incident

Dec 22, 2012

Mileage

3,586 mi

IT WAS A FRIDAY IN SEPTEMBER AND I WAS LOOKING AT BUYING A 2009 BUELL 1125CR, I HAD DONE LOTS OF RESEARCH ABOUT THE BIKE AND KNEW ABOUT THE STATOR/CHARGING PROBLEM. I KNEW THAT IT DID HAPPEN WHILE SOME PEOPLE WHERE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLES. I WENT INTO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP THAT WAS SELLING ONE AND WAS GRANTED A TEST DRIVE OF THE BIKE. I TOOK IT OUT ON SOME BACK ROADS TO SEE HOW IT WOULD HANDLE AND I ALSO TOOK IT ON THE FREEWAY TO SEE HOW IT WOULD RIDE IN TRAFFIC. SO WHILE I WAS GETTING ONTO THE FREEWAY OF I WAS GETTING UP TO SPEED AROUND 50 OR SO TRYING TO GET UP TO 70. THE BIKE STARTED TO HESITATE THEN CHUG AT AROUND 50, I COULD NOT GET UP TO SPEED AS THE BIKE DIED AND I WAS LEFT COASTING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I HAD TRAFFIC AT 70 MPH RUNNING UP MY BACK AND WAS IN A "PANIC MODE" TRYING TO GET THE BIKE OVER WITHOUT GETTING HIT.I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY WHERE I GOT OFF THE BIKE AND LET IT SIT. AFTER A MINUTE OR TWO I TRIED TO START IT UP WITH NO SUCCESS AND THEN REPEATED UNTIL IT STARTED. IT FINALLY STARTED REALLY HEAVILY AND DOGGY. I WAS ABLE TO RIDE IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND INEVITABLY NOT BUY THE BIKE. I KNOW THE BIKE HAS PROBLEMS BECAUSE THERE IS MULTIPLE COMPLAINS ON BUELL FORUMS ON THE INTERNET. *TR

NHTSA ID

10496557

Incident

Sep 7, 2012

Mileage

5,870 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BUELL 1125R MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LOW BATTERY WARNING LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE STATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT HAD OVERHEATED AND BURNED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10479428

Incident

Aug 15, 2012

Mileage

10,000 mi

THIS 2009 BUELL 1125R HAD THE STATOR REPLACED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY AT ABOUT 8000 MILES. NOW AT 12000 MILES THE STATOR HAS FAILED AGAIN WITH THE BIKE JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. WHEN THE STATOR FAILS THE BATTERY CAN NOT CHARGE AND WHEN THE CHARGE ON THE BATTERY IS DEPLETED THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN LEAVING THE RIDER STRANDED. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM BECAUSE WHEN THE ENGINE DIES SUDDENLY THE RIDER MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT SERIOUS RISK. I BELIEVE HARLEY DAVIDSON IS AWARE THAT THE 2009 BUELL 1125R HAS A FAULTY STATOR, THERE ARE MANY INSTANCES OF THIS FAILURE ON INTERNET CHAT SITES. APPARENTLY HARLEY DAVIDSON REFUSES TO SERIOUSLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE WITH A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10474363

Incident

Jul 27, 2012

Mileage

12,504 mi

THE CHARGING SYSTEM DID NOT KEEP THE BATTERY CHARGED, I BOUGHT THE BIKE BRAND NEW IN MARCH 2010. AT 5660 MILES ON AUGUST 26TH 2011 THE STATOR WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, AT 6786 MILES ON JANUARY 28TH 2012 THE HEADLIGHTS BURNED OUT ALL AT ONCE WHILE ON MY WAY TO WORK AT 5:00 AM ROTOR, VOLT REGULATOR, AND LIGHT BULBS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY EXPIRED IN MARCH OF 2012. BIKE NOW HAS 8600 MILES AND THE CHARGING SYSTEM IS NOT KEEPING BATTERY CHARGED. I SPOKE WITH SERVICE MANAGER EACH TIME WHEN THE BIKE WAS BEING REPAIRED AND HE STATED THAT HE HAD REPLACED THE STATOR ON MORE THAN ONE OF THE SAME BIKE AS I HAVE MULTIPLE TIMES. WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS BIKE ARE NOT ONLY DANGEROUS BUT ALSO APPEAR TO BE DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. I FILED COMPLAINTS EACH TIME I HAD THE BIKE IN FOR THESE ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND CAN'T FIND MY COMPLAINTS ON YOUR WEBSITE, THERE ARE ALSO MANY OTHER OWNERS ON BLOGS ALL OVER THE INTERNET FILLED WITH OTHER 2009 BUELL 1125R AND 1125CR'S DEALING WITH THE SAME ISSUES AS I AM HAVING. DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE WITH HARLEY DAVIDSON ON THIS ISSUE OR NOT? YOUR HELP IN PURSUING A SAFE AND FAIR SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10470428

Incident

Aug 10, 2012

Mileage

8,300 mi

****AFFECTED PARTS: VOLTAGE REGULATOR. (WAS UNABLE TO PUT IN SPACE PROVIDED) I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH ON 8/24/2010 WHEN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WOULD GO OUT & IT WOULD READ VOLTAGE SERVICE. DIRECTIONALS WOULD SOMETIME STICK. BATTERY LIGHT WOULD GO ON & OFF. TOOK IT TO TNTACTION SPORT FOR REPAIR AND THIS IS THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTION THEY GAVE..:"UOOO1: CAN BUS LINE CONNECTION REMOVED CONNECTORS & DIELECTRIC GREASED: CHECKED CHARGING SYSTEM: INSTALLED NEW REGULATOR & REFLASHED ECM: CHECKED CHARGING SYSTEM: CHARGING AT 14.0 AT IDLE, 14.2 AT 5000RPM." ***AFFECTED PART: BURNED OUT STATOR AND ECM: MILEAGE 6553, I WAS CROSSING THE BRIDGE ON 10/17/2011 WHEN THE SYSTEM VOLTAGE CAME ON AND I SHIFTED DOWN, IT BACKFIRED AND SHUT OFF. I THEN PUSHED IT ACROSS THE 2 LANE BRIDGE APPROXIMATELY 150-200 YDS. TOOK IT TO TNT ACTION SPORTS AGAIN FOR REPAIR AND THIS IS THEIR FOLLOWING DESCRIPTION: STATOR SHORTED TO GROUND 4.5VAC AT 4000 RPM. HARLEY DAVIDSON TOLD ME IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, WHEN ACTUALLY IT WAS NOT, WAITED UNTIL 3/24/2012 TO FIX IT DUE TO THE COST OF $1300. WHEN I TOOK IT IN TNT ACTION SPORTS FOUND THAT IT WAS NOT OUT OF WARRANTY. ON 3/24/2012 THEY BEGAN WORKING ON IT & FINAL DESCRIPTION (FOR THE 10/17/2011 INCIDENT): REPLACED STATOR: INSTALLED ROTOR DRILLED BY BUELL TO COOL STATOR: REPLACED ECM-CODE P0604-ECM RAM FAILURE REPLACED CLUTCH ACTUATOR PISTONS: BLED CLUTCH SYSTEM. ***AFFECTED PART: STATOR/ROTOR MILEAGE 8830. I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD ON 7/26/2012 WHEN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SHUT DOWN, DIRECTIONALS WOULDN'T WORK, IT READ 'SYSTEM VOLTAGE'. WHEN I PULLED OVER OFF THE HIGHWAY & PULLED THE CLUTCH IN THE CLUSTER CAME BACK ON AT NORMAL & THE BATTERY LIGHT APPEARED FOR 3-5 SECONDS. I TURNED AROUND TO GO BACK HOME THE SYSTEM VOLTAGE STAYED ON & THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BLACKED OUT AGAIN. DEALER INFORMED BURNED STATOR/VOLTAGE REGULATOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10470386

Incident

Aug 4, 2010

Mileage

3,065 mi

BEEN HAVING A SYSTEM VOLTAGE ERROR FOR A WHILE. IT WOULD COME AND GO. SO IN JUNE I HAD TO CHANGE THE BATTERY BECAUSE IT WAS SO LOW. THE DAY AFTER I CHANGED THE BATTERY THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET HOME FROM WORK. THE WHEEL LOCKED UP ON ME WHEN I DOWN SHIFTED THROUGH THE GEARS. FOUND OUT THE STATOR FRIED WHICH THESE BIKES ARE KNOWN FOR. THE REASON IT LOCKED UP I'M ASSUMING IS THAT SINCE THE STATOR DRAINED THE NEW BATTERY ALL THE WAY DOWN THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM SHUT OFF THEN WHEN I PULLED THE CLUTCH IN TO DOWN SHIFT THE MOTOR SHUT OFF THEN IT DIDN'T ALLOW THE REAR WHEEL TO SPIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10466505

Incident

Jun 20, 2012

Mileage

8,000 mi

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE DUE TO FAILED STATOR (SECOND TIME). *TR

NHTSA ID

10465226

Incident

May 26, 2012

Mileage

10,008 mi

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE DUE TO BAD STATOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10465225

Incident

Jul 8, 2011

Mileage

5,080 mi

THE CHARGING SYSTEM STATOR FAILED AND STOPPED CHARGING THE MOTORCYCLE, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A POSSIBLE STALL IN TRAFFIC. *TT

NHTSA ID

10462834

Incident

Jun 16, 2012

Mileage

13,572 mi

I WAS RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE IN A 70 MPH ZONE. THE SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER STARTED TO 'FLAKE OUT'. THEN THE BIKE STARTED TO MISS AND RUN ROUGH ALL OF THE SUDDEN. I WAS 'BOXED' INTO TRAFFIC SO I TRIED TO SPEED UP TO GET A QUICK GAP TO BE ABLE TO STOP BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT A SUITABLE SHOULDER WHERE I WAS TO SAFELY GET ASIDE. UPON TRYING TO SPEED UP, THE BIKE STOPPED RUNNING ALTOGETHER. I TRIED TO RESTART THE BIKE BY PULLING IN THE CLUTCH AND THEN 'DROPPING' THE CLUTCH TO BUMP THE ENGINE OVER. IT DID NOT. THE REAR WHEEL LOCKED AND THE BIKE SKIDDED UNTIL I PULLED THE CLUTCH BACK IN. BY THAT TIME I WAS NEARLY REAR-ENDED AND WHEN THE CARS BEHIND ME SWERVED AWAY, I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE ENOUGH TO SAFELY STOP. *JS

NHTSA ID

10462439

Incident

Jun 5, 2012

Mileage

8,000 mi

I WAS GETTING ONTO THE HIGHWAY VIA AN ON RAMP AND STARTED ACCELERATING WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO SPUTTER AND BACKFIRE THEN IT JUST LOST ALL POWER AND ROLLED TO A STOP. INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SHOWED VOLTAGE ERROR AND ABOUT 9 VOLTS. GOT THE MOTORCYCLE BACK AND IT DIED ABOUT FIVE MILES DOWN THE ROAD WITH SAME PROBLEM. HARLEY DAVIDSON HAD MY BIKE FOR THE WHOLE SUMMER!

NHTSA ID

10462420

Incident

Jun 23, 2011

Mileage

4,800 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BUELL 1125R. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE STATOR AND REGULATOR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,051.

NHTSA ID

10457815

Incident

May 5, 2012

Mileage

4,051 mi

APPLIED REAR BRAKE AND IT DIDN'T WORK SO I PUSHED HARDER AND IT ENGAGED BUT LOCKED ON, CAUSING A NEAR CRASH DUE TO REAR TIRE LOCKING UP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10456601

Incident

Apr 12, 2012

Mileage

6,600 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON BUELL 1125R MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL FREQUENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE TURN SIGNALS AND GAUGES WOULD BECOME INOPERATIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED PARTS THAT WERE UNKNOWN TO THE CONTACT. THE REPAIR DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,400 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 8,242.

NHTSA ID

10452480

Incident

Mar 21, 2011

Mileage

1,400 mi

I HAVE HAD THREE EXPERIENCES WITH THE STATOR FAILING. THE FIRST TIME WAS AUGUST OF 2011 THE BIKE HAD 5660 MILES, AND I HAD OWNED IT FOR ABOUT 16 MOS. IT STARTED WITH A SYSTEM VOLTAGE READING AND THE BATTERY WAS LOSING ITS CHARGE MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO START WITHOUT JUMPING OR PUTTING A CHARGER ON THE BATTERY. THE NEXT EPISODES WERE TWICE IN JANUARY OF 2012 AT 6786 MILES, WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF AND THE SPEEDOMETER BEGAN FLICKERING AND THE TURN SIGNALS ALSO QUIT WORKING. I CHECKED ALL FUSES AND NOW I HAVE TURN SIGNALS AND SPEEDO LIGHTS BUT NO HEADLIGHTS WHETHER ON HI OR LOW BEAM, AND I AM AGAIN GETTING A SYSTEM VOLTAGE READING ON THE SPEEDO. HOW MANY TIMES WILL THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE HARLEY DAVIDSON IS FORCED TO COME UP WITH A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM? MUST SOMEONE DIE FIRST? I HAVE READ ONLINE OF PEOPLE USING A 2008 STATOR AND HAVING NO MORE PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10445118

Incident

Aug 18, 2010

Mileage

5,660 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BUELL 1125R MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHEN HE WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A SMALL HOLE IN THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND ALL OF THE CLUTCH FLUIDS HAD LEAKED. THE DEALER ORDERED THE PARTS NEEDED FOR REPAIRS AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE BUT THE PARTS HAD NOT YET BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO FILED A CLAIM ON BEHALF OF THE CONTACT BUT OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,400.

NHTSA ID

10433815

Incident

Aug 1, 2011

Mileage

1,400 mi

THE STATOR FAILED, SO THE ENGINE CUT-OUT AS I WAS RIDING WHEN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE ENOUGH POWER TO RUN THE CONTROL SYSTEMS. THE CHARGING SYSTEM WAS ALSO AFFECTED, RESULTING IN A DRAINED BATTERY. WHEN THE ENGINE CUT-OUT, THE REAR WHEEL SKIDDED (JUST SHORT OF LOCKING UP) UNTIL I PULLED THE CLUTCH TO TAKE THE ENGINE OUT OF GEAR. I HAD TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, PRESUMABLY WITH NO BRAKE LIGHTS OR INDICATOR LIGHTS. *TT

NHTSA ID

10432891

Incident

Jun 27, 2011

Mileage

4,400 mi