2009 Harley-Davidson Soft Tail Problems

WHILE GETTING OFF OF THE BIKE PASSENGER NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL LINE AT THE GAS TANK CONNECTION. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION FOUND THAT THE QUICK CONNECT FITTING AT THE FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING.UPON CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE QUICK CONNECT IT APPEARS TO HAVE TWO INTERNAL "O" RINGS. PRIOR TO THIS ISSUE I HAVE NEVER DISCONNECTED THE FUEL LINE, BIKE HAS NEVER BEEN DROPPED AND THERE HAS BEEN NO OTHER ADVERSE EVENTS TO THIS AREA. WITH THE EXTREMELY LOW MILEAGE (LESS THAN 3,000), METICULOUS CARE AND RUNNING THE FUEL TANK DRY BEFORE STORAGE THERE SHOULD NOT BE A FAILURE OF THIS NATURE. FUEL LEAKING FROM THIS FITTING DRIPS DIRECTLY ON THE ENGINE. ON-LINE RESEARCH SHOWS THIS TO BE SOMEWHAT COMMON. YOU TUBE VIDEO AND SELF HELP MECHANICAL SITES HAVE MANY DISCUSSIONS ON THIS PROBLEM. IRONICALLY, WHEN I CONTACTED MY LOCAL H-D DEALER I WAS TOLD THE REPLACEMENT PART IS LISTED "DISCONTINUED" AS "OBSOLETE". REALLY, IT'S A 2009. FUEL LEAKING ON AN ENGINE DUE TO MECHANICAL FAILURE BY ENGINEERED DESIGN SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER WITHOUT ANY DEBATE. NOTE THAT THE FUEL CAP ALSO LEAKS BUT AT LEAST I CAN SEE THE FUEL RUNNING DOWN THE TANK BEFORE IT GETS TO THE ENGINE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON SOFT TAIL. AFTER REFUELING HE WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED HE NOTICED FUEL BEGAN TO LEAK FROM THE FUEL TANK NEAR THE CAP. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE FUEL TANK WAS APPROXIMATELY HALF FULL. HE ALSO MENTIONED FUEL WOULD INTERMITTENTLY SPRAY OUT OF THE FUEL TANK WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE AND IT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE CONTINUES. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 1,300.

TURN SIGNALS FAIL TO FLASH AFTER THE APPLICATION OF THE SERVICE BRAKES ON HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE. *TR

REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILURE < THAN 8000 MILES (NO BRAKE LIGHTS) HARLEY DAVIDSON KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT FIX. *TR

CLUTCH LEVER SEEMED FAR TO REACH, TOOK IN FOR INSPECTION AND/OR POSSIBLE ADJUSTMENT. CAME BACK WITH CLUTCH LEVER STICKING OR RATCHETING, NO LONGER SMOOTH TO OPERATE. THIS MADE IT VERY HARD TO OPERATE IN THE FRICTION ZONE NEEDED FOR SLOW OPERATION AND TURNING AROUND. CLUTCH WOULD POP AND JUMP FORWARD ALMOST CAUSING TO FALL OVER MANY TIMES. TOOK IN FOR REPAIR.....LUBED AND GROUND OUT THE INSIDE OF WEAR AREA ON LEVER AND UNIT THAT THE CLUTCH CABLE COMES INTO. WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD WEAR DOWN IN TIME AND BECOME SMOOTH, THAT THIS IS TYPICAL OF THIS MODEL OF MOTORCYCLE. PROBLEM NOT FIXED AND DEALER DOES NOT KNOW OF ANY WAY TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE DUMPED THE BIKE SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO THE LACK OF A SMOOTH CLUTCH, IT IS HARD TO CONTROL AND MUST BE ABLE TO CONTROL FOR TURNING AROUND OR PARKING, ETC. THERE IS NO KNOWN RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETINS ON THIS KIND OF PROBLEM AND I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THIS BIKE IF IT HAD THIS PROBLEM WHEN I TEST RODE IT. *TR

HARLEY DAVIDSON 2009 FLHTCU (PLACED HERE AS VEHICLE SECTION ONLY LISTS 5 MODELS AND NOT THIS ONE) AUDIBLE LOUD KNOCK COMING FROM THE PRIMARY CHAIN CASE ON EACH ENGINE STARTUP. KNOCK APPEARS TO ORIGINATE FROM THE COMPENSATOR SPROCKET ASSEMBLY WHICH CUSHIONS THE DRIVE SIDE CRANKSHAFT SPROCKET AND THE PRIMARY DRIVE ASSEMBLY WHEN STRIKING EACH OTHER AT ENGINE STARTUP. MANY COMPENSATOR SPROCKET ASSEMBLIES HAVE BEEN FOUND IN FAILURE MODE AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH A MORE ROBUST UNIT (FACTORY INSTALLED ON 2010 AND LATER MODELS) UNDER WARRANTY. FAILURE IN SERVICE COULD BE CATASTROPHIC AND OPERATOR INJURY OR DEATH COULD RESULT. MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF ISSUES BUT HAVE NOT RECALLED ANY UNITS FOR REFIT OF UPGRADED COMPONENT. *TR

TURN SIGNALS FAIL TO FLASH AFTER THE APPLICATION OF THE SERVICE BRAKES ON HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON SOFT TAIL. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE PASSENGER SIDE TURN SIGNAL AND WAS ALMOST STRUCK BY ANOTHER DRIVER. THE OTHER DRIVER INFORMED HIM THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SIGNAL DID NOT ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT CHECKED THE SIGNAL AND NOTICED THAT THE INDICATOR DID NOT ILLUMINATE AND THE SIGNAL LIGHT WAS BLOWN. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THE FAILURES. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE DEFECT IS UNSAFE BECAUSE WHEN THE LIGHT BULB IS BLOWN AND THE SIGNAL INDICATOR STILL ILLUMINATES, THERE IS NO WAY TO DETERMINE THAT THE SIGNAL IS NOT ILLUMINATING IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO CURRENT RECALLS; THEREFORE, NO COMPENSATION WOULD BE PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,900 AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 3,000. UPDATED 03-06-09 *BF UPDATED 03/09/09. *JB

I OWN A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON SOFTAIL CUSTOM FXSTC WITH 5,800 MILES ON IT AND THE FRONT TIRE IS SHOWING NOTABLE CUPPING AND EXCESSIVE WEAR. THIS MODEL OF TIRE DUNLOP D407F IS NO LONGER BEING SOLD AND IS SUPERSEDED BY THE D408F. SERVICE BULLETIN M-1258A COVERS OTHER HARLEY MODELS WITH A SIMILAR TIRE AND ISSUE. SINCE A MOTORCYCLE ONLY HAS TWO WHEELS THE CUPPING AND PREMATURE WEAR ARE A HAZARD THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS A SAFETY CONCERN. REPORTED AS CASE #[XXX] TO HARLEY DAVIDSON. THIS ISSUE IS MENTIONED ON SEVERAL HARLEY DAVIDSON RIDER FORUMS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *KB

2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXSTSSE3 HD OEM DUNLOP D407 TIRES SHOWING WEAR AT 5,000 MILES, LOCAL DEALER & EMAIL TO DUNLOP WOULD NOT COVER THEM. LATER, PROVIDED LOCAL DEALER SERVICE MANAGER PRINTED COPIES OF HD BULLETINS & INTERNET COMMENTS FROM HD FORUMS ON PROBLEM AND HE GOT APPROVAL TO REPLACE FRONT TIRE WITH D408 AT NO CHARGE BECAUSE IT HAD SIGNS OF CUPPING. WOULD NOT COVER REAR D407 240/40R18 TIRE EVEN THOUGH AT 6,000 MILES SHOWING EARLY WEAR. DUNLOP WEB SITE ADVERTISES THE D407 & D408 TIRES HAVE MT FOR LONGER LIFE, YET MANY 2008 - 2009 HD OWNERS WIT THIS BRAND TIRE ARE HAVING PROBLEMS. ON THEIR WEBSITE HTTP://WWW.DUNLOPMOTORCYCLE.COM/TIRECATALOG_TIRE.ASP?ID=107 : "THE NEW D407 TIRE IS MADE FOR 2009 FL TOURING MODELS, AND THEREAR TIRES FEATURE DUNLOP'S ADVANCED MT MULTI-TREAD TECHNOLOGY. MT MULTI-TREAD REAR TIRE INCORPORATES A TOUGH TREAD COMPOUND IN THE CENTER THAT RUNS COOLER TO PROVIDE STABILITY, EXCELLENT TRACTION UNDER BRAKING AND LONG LIFE, AND TO EACH SIDE IS A SECTION OF LATERAL-GRIP COMPOUND THAT ENHANCES TRACTION AT HIGHER LEAN ANGLES FOR GREAT GRIP WHILE CORNERING.". HD & DUNLOP WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE REAR D407'S. *TR

MOTORCYCLE DIED IN INTERSECTION. WHEN I WENT TO RESTART IT, IT TOOK SEVERAL TRIES AND EACH TIME I TRIED I GOT A GRINDING NOISE. FINALLY STARTED BUT LIGHT HAD ALREADY TURNED AND I WAS IN INTERSECTION PAST RED. THIS HAS BECOME MORE FREQUENT. ONLY HAPPENS WHEN MOTOR IS WARMED UP. STARTER? COMPENSATOR? I HAVE READ ON LINE THE BIKES OF THAT TIME PERIOD HAVE THIS PROBLEM. COULD HAVE BEEN HIT BY A CAR. *TR

I HAVE A 2009 HARLEYDAVIDSON ULTRA THAT RUNS SO HOT IT IS SOMETIMES UNBEARABLE TO SIT ON AT LONG TRAFFIC LIGHTS. I KNOW THAT IF I HAD SHORTS ON MY RIGHT LEG WOULD GET BURNED,IT IS THAT HOT. I KNOW THAT THIS HEAT HAS TO AFFECT THE LONGEVITY OF THE MOTOR AND AFTER PAYING $20,000 FOR A MOTORCYCLE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO SPEND ANOTHER $2,000 TO TRY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WHILE VOIDING THE FACTORY WARRANTY. I ALSO KNOW THAT IT IS AN AIR COOLED MOTOR SINCE I HAVE TWO OTHERS A1986, AND A 1996 BOTH RUN MUCH COOLER THAN THIS 2009. I REMOVED THE LOWER FAIRINGS WHICH ALLOW MORE AIR TO FLOW TO THE MOTOR WHEN MOVING BUT IT IS STILL HOTTER THAN ANY OTHER MOTORCYCLE THAT I HAVE EVER RIDDEN. *TR

IMPROPER SEAT FITMENT (SIZING) CAUSED SEAT TO BECOME UNATTACHED DURING NORMAL RIDING. AFTER HITTING A BUMP ON THE HIGHWAY, THE FRONT PORTION OF MY SEAT BECAME UNHOOKED CAUSING A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. HAD I NOT BEEN GOING IN A STRAIGHT LINE, THE SEAT COULD HAVE SLID OFF THE BIKE. *TR

WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE, THE SEAT GOT DETACHED FROM THE MOTORCYCLE. THE MOTORCYCLE SEAT IS ATTACHED AT TWO POINTS. THERE IS A TAB AT THE REAR OF THE SEAT WHICH ATTACHES TO THE FENDER. THE OTHER ATTACHMENT POINT IS UNDER THE SEAT, WHERE A FRAME MOUNTED TAB SLIDES INTO A HOLE IN THE SEAT. THE ATTACHMENT POINT UNDER THE SEAT IS WHERE THE SEAT DETACHED. THE SEAT PAN FOR THIS MODEL BIKE (FLTRSE3) IS QUITE FLEXIBLE. WHEN A RIDER SITS ON THE SEAT, IT ALLOWS THE SEAT TO FLEX. THE FLEXION OF THE SEAT CAUSES THE SEAT TO PULL AWAY FROM THE FRAME MOUNTED SEAT TANG. I HIT A SHARP BUMP AT ABOUT 60 MPH AND THE SEAT FLEXED ENOUGH TO ALLOW IT TO DETACH FROM THE UNDER SEAT MOUNT POINT. THIS FAILURE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO OCCUR AT ANY TIME WHILE RIDING SEATED ON THE MOTORCYCLE. IT OCCURRED TWICE IN ONE DAY (PERHAPS TWO TO THREE HOURS RIDING). I AM ABLE TO REATTACH THE SEAT. I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE SEAT THE DAY THIS OCCURRED. THERE IS NO RESOLUTION AT THIS POINT. I AM FAIRLY CERTAIN HARLEY WILL REPLACE THE SEAT BUT I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE ON ALL FLTRSE3 MODELS AND THAT THE SEATS SHOULD BE RECALLED. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE A RIDER TO LOSE CONTROL IF THE MOTORCYCLE SEAT DETACHES WHILE RIDING. THIS DEFECT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. THE MOTORCYCLE IN QUESTION IS A 2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLTRSE3. THIS INFORMATION IS NOT AVAILABLE TO SELECT IN THE COMPLAINT TYPE SECTION. *TR

APPLIED THE REAR BRAKE TO STOP, PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN, FIRE STARTED BY REAR BRAKE LITE SWITCH BY BRAKE FLUID ON HOT EXHAUST. *TR

REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILURE < THAN 8000 MILES (NO BRAKE LIGHTS) HARLEY DAVIDSON KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT FIX. *TR

CLUTCH LEVER SEEMED FAR TO REACH, TOOK IN FOR INSPECTION AND/OR POSSIBLE ADJUSTMENT. CAME BACK WITH CLUTCH LEVER STICKING OR RATCHETING, NO LONGER SMOOTH TO OPERATE. THIS MADE IT VERY HARD TO OPERATE IN THE FRICTION ZONE NEEDED FOR SLOW OPERATION AND TURNING AROUND. CLUTCH WOULD POP AND JUMP FORWARD ALMOST CAUSING TO FALL OVER MANY TIMES. TOOK IN FOR REPAIR.....LUBED AND GROUND OUT THE INSIDE OF WEAR AREA ON LEVER AND UNIT THAT THE CLUTCH CABLE COMES INTO. WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD WEAR DOWN IN TIME AND BECOME SMOOTH, THAT THIS IS TYPICAL OF THIS MODEL OF MOTORCYCLE. PROBLEM NOT FIXED AND DEALER DOES NOT KNOW OF ANY WAY TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE DUMPED THE BIKE SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO THE LACK OF A SMOOTH CLUTCH, IT IS HARD TO CONTROL AND MUST BE ABLE TO CONTROL FOR TURNING AROUND OR PARKING, ETC. THERE IS NO KNOWN RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETINS ON THIS KIND OF PROBLEM AND I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THIS BIKE IF IT HAD THIS PROBLEM WHEN I TEST RODE IT. *TR