2006 Harley-Davidson XL883R 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 2006 Harley-Davidson XL883R, 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
- Engine375.0%
- Brakes125.0%
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
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HARLEY DAVIDSON XL883R. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TYPE OF FUEL HE USED CAUSED THE SMOKE. THE ENGINE SIZE, PURCHASE DATE, AND # OF CYLINDERS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 1,600.
IN MAY OF 2006 I PURCHASED A NEW HARLEY DAVIDSON 883R SPORTSTER. SINCE THE FIRST DAY THE VEHICLE HAS HAD AN ONGOING BACK FIRE THAT THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT OR IS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT. THE BACK FIRING ISSUE OCCURS WHEN THROTTLING OFF OF IDLE. ON OCCASION, THE BACK FIRE WILL CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL AND STOP RUNNING. THIS HAS OCCURRED REGULARLY AND IN ONE INSTANCE THE DEAD ENGINE CAUSED ME TO BE STOPPED AT A BUSY TRAFFIC LIGHT CONTROLLED INTERSECTION WITH TRAFFIC BEARING DOWN ON ME AND MY STOPPED VEHICLE. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE THE WIT TO ENGAGE THE STARTER, START THE VEHICLE AND AVOID A REAR END COLLISION WHICH SURELY WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURY OR DEATH. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND HAVE BEEN TOLD "THEY ALL DO IT". IF THIS IS THE CASE, THE LONGER THE MANUFACTURER, HARLEY DAVIDSON, IGNORES THE PROBLEM THE OUTCOME OF SUCH AN EVENT WILL SURELY BE BODILY INJURY TO SOME DEGREE. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE BRAKE LEVER WAS LOOSE. THE BRAKES WERE BLED; HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE DEALER THEN REPLACED THE BRAKE LEVER AND REBUILT MASTER CYLINDER. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,800. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,200. UPDATED 7/16/10 *CN UPDATED 07/22/10*JB
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 .