2011 Harley-Davidson Flhtk Problems

The contact owns a 2011 Harley-Davidson FLHTK Electra Glide Ultra. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the recall repair for NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V076000 (Services Brakes, Hydraulic) was performed; however, while riding and coming to a complete stop, the front brake was engaged but failed to respond. The contact was able to stop the motorcycle by engaging the rear brake. The contact stated that the front brake was inoperable. The dealer was notified of the failure and charged a fee for the repair. The motorcycle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 22,000.

WHEN I WENT TO APPLY THE REAR BRAKE THE PEDAL WAS SOLID AND BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE. I NARROWLY AVOIDED CRASHING BUT NOT MY BIKE IS NOT SAFE TO RIDE. AFTER RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT HARLEY HAS BEEN AWARE OF ABS FAILURE FOR MANY YEARS THAT WAS CAUSED BY POOR DESIGN OF THEIR ABS SYSTEM. HOWEVER IT IS UP TO THE CONSUMER TO REPLACE THE PART. THEIR RECALL STATES TO CHANGE BRAKE FLUID EVERY TWO YEARS. HOWEVER OTHER VEHICLES WITH TH ESAME BRAKE FLUID HAVE NO ISSUES.

I WAS DRIVING MY MOTORCYCLE ON US 18/20 NEAR SHERIDAN, WY. I NOTICED FOR SEVERAL MILES THAT THERE WAS A VIBRATION/SHUTTER IN THE FRONT END OF THE MOTORCYCLE. I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT THAT A WHEEL WEIGHT FRONT FROM THE FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF CAUSING A TIRE IMBALANCE. AFTER ABOUT 5 MILES THE SHUTTER BECAME MORE VIOLENT AND I PULLED MY MOTORCYCLE OF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THE RIGHT SIDE, FRONT WHEEL BEARING RETAINER BECAME SEPERATED FROM THE WHEEL BEARING AND SEVERAL OF THE BALL BEARINGS CAME OUT AND THAT THE FRONT WHEE BEARING HAD FAILED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TOWED TO BLACK HILLS HARLEY DAVIDSON IN RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA FOR REPAIRS ON 8/5/2015. BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED AT A COST TO ME OF $170.60. TOWING OF $880.00 WAS COVERED BY MY INSURANCE THROUGH THE HARELY OWNERS GROUP/ROAD AMERICA. WHILE BEARING FAILURES ARE SOMEWHAT COMMON IN AN AUTOMOBILE, THEY CAN BE CATASTROPHIC ON A MOTORYCYCLE SHOULD THE FRONT WHEEL LOCK UP AND SIEZE. HARLEY SHOULD TAKE THE TIME TO DETERMINE IF THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER FAILURES OF SIMILAR PARTS WITHIN A SIMILAR VIN/LOT/VINTAGE OF MY MOTORCYCLE TO DETERMINE IF THERE HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS IN THEIR MOTORCYCLES BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED.

THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS STARTED MAKING METAL TO METAL NOISES OFF AND ON WHILE THE HANDLE BARS WOULD VIBRATE. IT IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET THAT HARLEY DAVIDSON CHANGED TO A SMALLER WHEEL BEARING AND THEY COME FROM SOUTH KOREA AND DELHI, INDIA. THERE IS NO SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE ON THIS EVER AND THEY SHOULD NOT GO BAD AT 11,000 MILES. THE BEARINGS RUINED THE WHEEL AND WILL COST $550 TO REPLACE IT AND A TOTAL OF $909 TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT THE FRONT WHEEL COULD HAVE LOCKED UP AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH INJURIES AND OR DEATH TO THE RIDER. IN THE PROCESS OF HARLEY DAVIDSON MAKING AN "OUT OF WARRANTY CONSIDERATION" ABOUT WHOSE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS. I'M EXPECTING THERE WILL BE A RECALL DOWN THE ROAD BEFORE IT BECOMES A CLASS ACTION SUIT AFTER SOMEONE GETS KILLED OR INJURED. IT APPEARS FROM THE INTERNET THAT THE REAL WHEEL BEARINGS ARE ALSO BECOMING A ISSUE. SINCE THERE IS NO MAINTENANCE ON WHEEL BEARINGS ONE WOULD EXPECT TO NOT HAVE TO HAVE THEM GO OUT EVERY 10K MILES AT A POSSIBLE COST OF UP TO $900 PER WHEEL.

I HAD JUST PULLED OUT ONTO THE HIGHWAY IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREA AND MY MOTORCYCLE STARTED PRODUCING A CLANKING NOISE FROM THE PRIMARY CASE AND AFTER DOING EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE PRIMARY COMPENSATOR WAS FAILING. AT THE TIME THIS HAPPENED, MY CYCLE ALSO DROPPED VOLTAGE FROM 14.8 VOLTS DC DOWN TO 8 OR 9 VOLTS DC AND CAUSED THE CYCLE TO BOG, AND LOST MECHANICAL POWER ON A HILL WITH HIGH TRAFFIC FROM BOTH DIRECTIONS ON A HEAVILY TRAFFICKED MAIN U.S. HIGHWAY. HAD IT BEEN DAYLIGHT, THE ISSUE COULD HAVE COSTED MY LIFE HAD IT NOT BEEN FROM THE GLOW OF MY EMERGENCY FLASHERS GLOWING IN THE DARK NIGHT, BLINKING. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WHERE TO PULL OFF OF THE ROAD DUE TO AN 11 FOOT DROP OFF. THIS IS AND HAS BEEN A COMMONLY KNOWN ISSUE FOR SEVERAL YEAR HARLEY DAVIDSON MODELS AND ARE ALL STILL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED FOR THE COMPENSATOR FAILING DANGEROUSLY. AT TIMES, THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN CASES OF THEM DISMANTLING THEMSELVES AND CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY AND DEATH BEFORE NOW AND ALMOST CAUSED DEATH OF MY OWN DUE TO WHEN AND WHERE IT HAPPENED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HARLEY DAVIDSON ULTRA GLIDE LIMITED (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE MOTORCYCLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE COMPENSATOR SPROCKET ATTACHED TO THE CRANKSHAFT RATTLED AND VIBRATED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A LOOSE BOLT FROM THE SPROCKET. THE COMPENSATOR SPROCKET WAS REPLACED BUT, APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED A THIRD TIME APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES LATER, WHICH DAMAGED THE CRANKSHAFT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE INITIAL FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

I HAD JUST PULLED OUT ONTO THE HIGHWAY IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREA AND MY MOTORCYCLE STARTED PRODUCING A CLANKING NOISE FROM THE PRIMARY CASE AND AFTER DOING EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE PRIMARY COMPENSATOR WAS FAILING. AT THE TIME THIS HAPPENED, MY CYCLE ALSO DROPPED VOLTAGE FROM 14.8 VOLTS DC DOWN TO 8 OR 9 VOLTS DC AND CAUSED THE CYCLE TO BOG, AND LOST MECHANICAL POWER ON A HILL WITH HIGH TRAFFIC FROM BOTH DIRECTIONS ON A HEAVILY TRAFFICKED MAIN U.S. HIGHWAY. HAD IT BEEN DAYLIGHT, THE ISSUE COULD HAVE COSTED MY LIFE HAD IT NOT BEEN FROM THE GLOW OF MY EMERGENCY FLASHERS GLOWING IN THE DARK NIGHT, BLINKING. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WHERE TO PULL OFF OF THE ROAD DUE TO AN 11 FOOT DROP OFF. THIS IS AND HAS BEEN A COMMONLY KNOWN ISSUE FOR SEVERAL YEAR HARLEY DAVIDSON MODELS AND ARE ALL STILL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED FOR THE COMPENSATOR FAILING DANGEROUSLY. AT TIMES, THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN CASES OF THEM DISMANTLING THEMSELVES AND CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY AND DEATH BEFORE NOW AND ALMOST CAUSED DEATH OF MY OWN DUE TO WHEN AND WHERE IT HAPPENED.

AT ALTITUDE - APPROXIMATELY 3700FT ABOVE SEA LEVEL - ONCE THE 2011 ELECTRA GLIDE ULTRA CLASSIC LIMITED HEATS UP, THE MOTOR KNOCKS AND PINGS SO BAD IT SOUNDS LIKE THE MOTOR IS GOING TO FALL APART. IF I TAKE BIKE TO SEA LEVEL, THE DETONATION ISSUE CLEARS UP. THE MOTORCYCLE IS UN-RIDEABLE IN THIS CONDITION. THE HARLEY DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM/TIMING MAPPING AND THAT HARLEY MOTOR COMPANY WAS 'LOOKING INTO IT', BUT NO FIX IS FORTHCOMING.

2011 HARLEY DAVIDSON ELECTRA-GLIDE ULTRA-LIMITED (103CU), BOUGHT NEW JUNE 2011. REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP THAT, THE FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY WITH HANDS REMOVED FROM HANDLEBARS AT AROUND 30 TO 35 MPH. THE VIBRATION FROM THE FRONT END CAUSES THE HANDLEBARS TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND WITHOUT IMMEDIATE HANDS BACK ON THE BARS THE VIBRATION INCREASES TO THE POINT OF POSSIBLE ?LOSS OF CONTROL? OF THE MOTORCYCLE; THIS ISSUE WILL CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO RIDER AND PASSENGER. DEALERSHIP CHECKED ALL SPECIFICATIONS FOR FRONT END AND REPORTED NO ISSUES OUT OF TOLERANCE, BUT DID SAY THAT THE FRONT TIRE WAS SLIGHTLY LOW IN AIR PRESSURE, OTHER THAN THE AIR PRESSURE DIFFERENCE THE DEALER REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES FOUND. THE FRONT TIRE WAS NOT REPLACED OR REPORTED AS FAULTY AND THE VIBRATION CONTINUES TO THIS DATE, THE MOTORCYCLE ONLY HAS 3500 MILES SINCE NEW JUNE 2011. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE INTERNET AND HAVE SEEN THAT MANY WITH THE SAME VIBRATION ISSUE HAVE REPLACED THEIR FRONT TIRES AND THE ISSUE SUBSIDED. HOW CAN US THE PUBLIC FORCE HARLEY DAVIDSON TO RELEASE A EMERGENCY SERVICE LETTER/RECALL NOTICE TO ALL 2011 TOURING MODEL HARLEY MOTORCYCLE OWNERS, FOR A REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT TIRE WITH A KNOWN GOOD TIRE TO SOLVE THE ISSUE. *TR

LEFT SADDLEBAG CAME OFF WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH ON 4 LANE ROAD. CAUSED MANY VEHICLES BEHIND ME TO QUICKLY AVOID HITTING IT. THE CONNECTING STUDS VIBRATED LOOSE CAUSING THIS TO FALL OFF. NOT TO MENTION AN ESTIMATE OF 600,00 DOLLARS TO REPAIR SADDLEBAG. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT FOR VEHICLES BEHIND.

2011 HARLEY DAVIDSON ELECTRA-GLIDE ULTRA-LIMITED (103CU), BOUGHT NEW JUNE 2011. REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP THAT, THE FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY WITH HANDS REMOVED FROM HANDLEBARS AT AROUND 30 TO 35 MPH. THE VIBRATION FROM THE FRONT END CAUSES THE HANDLEBARS TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND WITHOUT IMMEDIATE HANDS BACK ON THE BARS THE VIBRATION INCREASES TO THE POINT OF POSSIBLE ?LOSS OF CONTROL? OF THE MOTORCYCLE; THIS ISSUE WILL CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO RIDER AND PASSENGER. DEALERSHIP CHECKED ALL SPECIFICATIONS FOR FRONT END AND REPORTED NO ISSUES OUT OF TOLERANCE, BUT DID SAY THAT THE FRONT TIRE WAS SLIGHTLY LOW IN AIR PRESSURE, OTHER THAN THE AIR PRESSURE DIFFERENCE THE DEALER REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES FOUND. THE FRONT TIRE WAS NOT REPLACED OR REPORTED AS FAULTY AND THE VIBRATION CONTINUES TO THIS DATE, THE MOTORCYCLE ONLY HAS 3500 MILES SINCE NEW JUNE 2011. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE INTERNET AND HAVE SEEN THAT MANY WITH THE SAME VIBRATION ISSUE HAVE REPLACED THEIR FRONT TIRES AND THE ISSUE SUBSIDED. HOW CAN US THE PUBLIC FORCE HARLEY DAVIDSON TO RELEASE A EMERGENCY SERVICE LETTER/RECALL NOTICE TO ALL 2011 TOURING MODEL HARLEY MOTORCYCLE OWNERS, FOR A REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT TIRE WITH A KNOWN GOOD TIRE TO SOLVE THE ISSUE. *TR

I RECEIVED A LETTER ON NOV 9 MY DEALER ONLY GETS 8 OF 10 RECALL PARTS A WEEK IF THERE LUCKY. I CALL MAIN OFFICE OF HARLEY. THERE EXCUSE IS THEY CANT MAKE THEM FAST ENOUGH. IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH BRAKES ON MY BIKE YOU THINK THEY BE GETTING OUT MORE PARTS THEN WHAT THERE GIVING. THERE EXCUSES IS THERE GLOBAL. SO MAKE MORE PARTS .IF YOU DON'T CAMP OUT AT YOUR DEALER TO GET IT FIXED YOU'LL NEVER GET IT FIXED. THIS LETTER CAME OUT NOV 9 BUT IT WAS IN THE PAPERS A MONTH BEFORE AND STILL HASN'T BEEN RESOLVED .CANE YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED BECAUSE THEY CANT MEET THERE RESPONSIBILITY .. I HAVE A CASE [XXX] WITH MAIN OFFICE OF HARLEY [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I HAD JUST PULLED OUT ONTO THE HIGHWAY IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREA AND MY MOTORCYCLE STARTED PRODUCING A CLANKING NOISE FROM THE PRIMARY CASE AND AFTER DOING EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE PRIMARY COMPENSATOR WAS FAILING. AT THE TIME THIS HAPPENED, MY CYCLE ALSO DROPPED VOLTAGE FROM 14.8 VOLTS DC DOWN TO 8 OR 9 VOLTS DC AND CAUSED THE CYCLE TO BOG, AND LOST MECHANICAL POWER ON A HILL WITH HIGH TRAFFIC FROM BOTH DIRECTIONS ON A HEAVILY TRAFFICKED MAIN U.S. HIGHWAY. HAD IT BEEN DAYLIGHT, THE ISSUE COULD HAVE COSTED MY LIFE HAD IT NOT BEEN FROM THE GLOW OF MY EMERGENCY FLASHERS GLOWING IN THE DARK NIGHT, BLINKING. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WHERE TO PULL OFF OF THE ROAD DUE TO AN 11 FOOT DROP OFF. THIS IS AND HAS BEEN A COMMONLY KNOWN ISSUE FOR SEVERAL YEAR HARLEY DAVIDSON MODELS AND ARE ALL STILL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED FOR THE COMPENSATOR FAILING DANGEROUSLY. AT TIMES, THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN CASES OF THEM DISMANTLING THEMSELVES AND CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY AND DEATH BEFORE NOW AND ALMOST CAUSED DEATH OF MY OWN DUE TO WHEN AND WHERE IT HAPPENED.

AT ALTITUDE - APPROXIMATELY 3700FT ABOVE SEA LEVEL - ONCE THE 2011 ELECTRA GLIDE ULTRA CLASSIC LIMITED HEATS UP, THE MOTOR KNOCKS AND PINGS SO BAD IT SOUNDS LIKE THE MOTOR IS GOING TO FALL APART. IF I TAKE BIKE TO SEA LEVEL, THE DETONATION ISSUE CLEARS UP. THE MOTORCYCLE IS UN-RIDEABLE IN THIS CONDITION. THE HARLEY DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM/TIMING MAPPING AND THAT HARLEY MOTOR COMPANY WAS 'LOOKING INTO IT', BUT NO FIX IS FORTHCOMING.