2003 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTFI

199-2005 TWIN CAM HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES HAVE A DEFECTIVE CAM CHAIN TENSIONER DESIGN. THESE PARTS CAN WEAR OUT IN SOME CASE IN LESS THAN 15,000 MILES AND REQUIRE AN EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT COST RANGING FROM $800 TO OVER $8000. THE CAM CHAIN TENSIONER IS A SPRING DESIGN WITH A SMALL PLASTIC PAD. THERE ARE 2 CAM FOLLOWERS USED IN THE DESIGN. THE PADS WEAR AND THE PLASTIC IS DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THE OIL SYSTEM OF THE BIKE AND CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO FAIL. THIS IS THE FIRST TYPE OF FAILURE DUE TO THE CAM FOLLOWER. THE SECOND POSSIBLE FAILURE IS WHEN THE PAD WEARS OUT COMPLETELY AND THE SPRING GOES INTO THE CAM CHAIN WHICH CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO FAIL. IF THE ENGINE FAILS AND LOCKS UP DUE TO EITHER FAILURE THE REAR TIRE CAN LOCKUP AND SKID POSSIBLY CAUSING THE MOTORCYCLE TO CRASH BEFORE THE RIDER CAN DETERMINE WHAT IS HAPPENING AND REACT PROPERLY. HARLEY DAVIDSON RELEASED A SOMEWHAT BETTER DESIGN IN 2005 ON SELECT MODELS AND IN ALL MODELS IN 2006. THE NEW DESIGN IS SAID TO LAST FOR AT LEAST 50,000 MILE. THERE ARE OTHER 3RD PARTY DESIGNS ON THE MARKET THAT WILL LAST THE LIFE OF THE ENGINE. THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE NEED TO INSPECT/REPLACE THE CAM CHAIN TENSIONERS EVERY 15,000 MILES IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. I FOUND OUT FROM A FRIEND AND STARTED TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE. I SPOKE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT HARLEY DAVIDSON NOW CONSIDERS IT A WEAR PART. I AM SURE THAT IF IT WAS DISCLOSED WHEN THE MOTOR WAS FIRST RELEASED THAT SALES WOULD HAVE BEEN LESS THAN STELLAR. IF THIS WAS A CAR EXHIBITING A SORT OF PROBLEM THAT COULD CAUSE A FATAL CRASH AND EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT THERE WOULD BE A RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITH NO COST TO THE OWNER. WITHOUT AN INSPECTION OF MOTOR COSTING AT LEAST $150 THERE IS NO RELIABLE WAY TO DETECT THE FACT THAT THE PARTS MAY SOON FAIL SO IT IS LIKE A TICKING TIME BOMB.