On August 27, 2026, after riding approximately 6 miles and less than two hours after taking delivery of this brand-new 2026 Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide ST (5 miles on the odometer from the factory), VIN [XXX], I came to a complete stop at [XXX]. When I attempted to turn right after stopping, the handlebars suddenly locked or jammed, preventing the motorcycle from turning. The bike continued on a semi-straight path toward the curb, and I collided with a small tree. The motorcycle sustained minor damage consistent with a low-speed incident, but I suffered a cut on my left cheek, significant swelling in my right knee, and minor scrapes on my hand and leg. I was transported by ambulance to Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center. The police documented the incident under case number XXX. Harley-Davidson of The Woodlands never offered a test ride prior to delivery; I was apparently the first person to ride it. The following day, after hearing my account, the sales manager acknowledged that the steering stem/fork tube (the "triple tree") could be related to a factory defect, along with other factors he said required investigation. I had the motorcycle towed to the dealership's service department on XXX, for evaluation. Since then, the dealership has not provided any written explanation regarding the cause. Communication has broken down: the salesperson stopped responding, the sales manager did not answer emails, and I received only one call from the service department providing a repair estimate, without addressing the safety-related factory defect. The motorcycle remains at the dealership awaiting evaluation. This motorcycle had zero miles on it at delivery, and the dealership did not offer a prior test ride. I am concerned the handlebars might lock again, at higher speed, causing serious injury or death INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- NHTSA ID
- 11762190
- Incident
- Aug 27, 2026