2021 Harley-Davidson RA1250 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2021 Harley-Davidson RA1250, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical635.3%
- Engine529.4%
- Fuel system423.5%
- Driver assistance211.8%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
The motorcycle has no power when passing a vehicle do to a bad stator and charging system. The motorcycle is currently at the dealer Loss of power when passing a vehicle Yes this issue has been confirmed by the dealer No warning lights or messages. There are no replacement parts for this issue other then upgrading the charging system to the 24 model
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the electronics of the motorcycle malfunction with many (more than 10) DTCs. Yes its available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? I am at risk when the this happens because the motorcycles throttle no longer responds to inputs. The engine will continue to run bu the throttle does not work. Very dangerous to have a motorcycle in traffic that stops working. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? yes Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? yes. This problem has been continuous for 2.5 years (since the motorcycle was brand new).
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
The fuel pump on my HD motorcycle had been making lots of noise. I had it in the shop for this reason before.. The bike was supposed to be fixed.. I went for a ride with my son and when I pulled out on the highway getting up to highway speed the bike quit without warning.. This was on a two-lane Highway and the cars behind me Layed on their horns.. everyone was was upset with me.. I didn't have much room to pull off the road and there was oncoming traffic in the other lane, I could have been ran over..
The radiator hose on the right side is not tightly clamped to the radiator hose mount. Vibration causes it to slip backward and contact the exhaust header which burns the radiator hose and causing catastrophic loss of coolant which can lead to engine seizure. Engine seizure while riding puts the rider, any passengers, and other motorists at risk.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
Harley Davidson did not coat the inside of the Fuel Tanks on the Panamerica from the 1st model year in 2021 until the mid-2024 model year. Because of these uncoated fuel tanks, people are experiencing a high rate of fuel pump failures at low mileage (5-10K) due to the interaction of the ethanol in today's fuels, and the uncoated aluminum motorcycle gas tanks. Harley Davidson essentially acknowledged the mistake by starting to coat the inside of the fuel tanks from the mid-2024 model and on. A new Fuel Pump from Harley is $400 here in CA, and that does not include installation, which requires the removal of the entire fuel tank. In the end, the fuel pump issues which is a direct result of Harley's lack of coating the inside of their tanks is nearly a $1000 repair for a motorcycle that cost $20,000 new. The government needs to make Harley Davidson fix this for all the people who purchased these motorcycles between 2021 and 2024.
Fuel pump and filtration System filter getting plugged and creating a fuel starvation, not allowing for more than 50% power. Created an issue of merging and accelerating into traffic and the need to maneuver and speed up to avoid dangerous situations or diminished or our are actually gone as the bike will totally cut out and stop running. That occurrence of the vehicle cutting out has occurred several dozen times The belief is in the community for Panama Harley Davidson motorcycles. There’s a nonreplaceable fuel filter that is getting plugged up due to a fuel tank made out of aluminum that has not been sealed and is reacting to ethanol fuel, causing contaminants..
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the electronics of the motorcycle malfunction with many (more than 10) DTCs. Yes its available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? I am at risk when the this happens because the motorcycles throttle no longer responds to inputs. The engine will continue to run bu the throttle does not work. Very dangerous to have a motorcycle in traffic that stops working. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? yes Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? yes. This problem has been continuous for 2.5 years (since the motorcycle was brand new).
While riding this motorcycle, I stopped for gas and then went to restart the motorcycle and the starter just "screeched" rather that starting the engine. On second attempt, the bike started however the normal idle RPMs of around 1200 went up to 4000 and would not drop back to normal RPM. (I have had this bike take as many as 4 start attempts, twice while stuck in busy intersections and previously reported to NHTSA the failure to start at busy intersections as a safety concern, This complaint is for a second/different safety concern.) Following the restart on the second attempt, and the RPMs around 4000, warning lights and the check engine light would not go out, which has been a common occurrence with this model motorcycle. The motorcycle then went into "limp Mode" whereas it would not exceed 20-30 MPH (slower on hills) on the ride home and to the dealer for another repair attempt. The safety risk is that while riding the motorcycle home at 20-30 MPH, other traffic is swerving around and passing at 40-50-60 MPH, creating a hazard for the rider. In addition, the 4000 RPM idle makes control of the motorcycle more difficult when stopping and starting.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .