2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDB

MESSAGE: TO WHO IT MAY CONCERN, HAS ANYONE EVERY MENTIONED THE PROBLEM WITH HARLEY DAVIDSON MODEL FAT BOB 2008 AND ON, THE PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT TIRE DUNLAP 427 MADE ESPECIALLY FOR FAT BOB CUPPING (LUMPING OF TREAD) CAUSING VIBRATIONS BAD UNEVEN WEAR CAN CAUSE FRONT TIRE NOT FLUSH TO PAVEMENT IN CORNERING. EVERY HD FAT BOB BIKES I HAVE COME ACROSS HAS THIS SAME PROBLEM. MY OWN GUESS IT IS CAUSED BY FRONT FORK SUSPENSION/SPRINGS NOT CORRECT.MY TIRE PRESSURES ARE ALWAYS CHECKED AT LEAST 2 TIMES PER WEEK ...SO IT IS NOT CAUSED BY UNDER OR OVER INFLATION. *TR

I ACTUALLY HAVE A 2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON SUPER GLIDE CUSTOM (FXDC) WITH A HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET BOB (FXDB) REAR FENDER ASSEMBLY. THE REAR FENDER WAS INSTALLED IN 2011 BY A HARLEY-DAVIDSON DEALERSHIP IN DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA. SINCE I HAD THE REAR FENDER INSTALLED, I HAVE PUT APPROXIMATELY 2000 MILES ON THE MOTORCYCLE. ON NOVEMBER 16, 2013, I WAS WASHING THE MOTORCYCLE AND NOTICES A SPLIT IN THE REAR FENDER AT THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY, STARTING AT THE REAR BOTTOM AND RUNNING UP THE BACK OF THE FENDER, TO THE RIGHT AND PARALLEL TO THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY. IN RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS CASES OF THIS DEFECT. I CALLED AND TALKED TO A HARLEY-DAVIDSON CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, BUT WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THERE IS NO RECALL ISSUED FOR THIS DEFECT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. SOME OF THE OTHER FENDERS I HAVE SEEN PICTURES OF HAVE MULTIPLE SPLITS UP BOTH SIDES OF THE FENDER PARALLEL TO THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY. THIS IS POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS DEFECT DUE TO THE CHANCE THE REAR LIGHT COULD DETACH FROM THE FENDER CAUSING DAMAGE OR EVEN INJURY. I HAVE PICTURES OF MY REAR FENDER AND MULTIPLE PICTURES OF OTHER FENDERS WITH THIS PROBLEM IN CASE YOU NEED THEM TO SEE THE POTENTIAL DANGER IN THIS DEFECT. *TR

WHEN THE MOTORCYCLE IS PARKED AND THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE BEGINS TO RISE, USUALLY AROUND 80 DEGREES F AND UP, THERE IS A STEADY DRIP OF GAS FROM THE TANK OVERFLOW TUBE. THIS OCCURS WITH THE FUEL LEVEL AT FULL, 3/4, 1/2 AND SOMETIMES EVEN LOWER. I HAVE TAKEN THE BIKE IN TO THE LOCAL HD DEALERSHIP(04/30/2013) AND THEY REPLACED AN ANTI-SLOSH VALVE AND FUEL CAP AND INSPECTED THE OTHER COMPONENTS ON THE BIKE WITH NO IMPROVEMENTS. READING ON VARIOUS FORUMS THIS ISSUE IS NOTED SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO SOLUTIONS NOTED CURRENTLY. I HAVE CONTACTED HD CUSTOMER SERVICE(05/06/2013) AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE BIKE BACK INTO THE SHOP FOR TESTING. I HAVE ENTERED A DATE OF MARCH 1 FOR THE FIRST OCCURRENCE, BUT, THIS MAY HAVE BEEN HAPPENING FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME AS I HAVE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO MONITOR IT WITHIN THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, ALTHOUGH SEVERAL TIMES PRIOR TO THIS DATE I HAVE NOTED THE SCENT OF GASOLINE AROUND THE BIKE WHEN IT HAS BEE PARKED. *TR

THE BIKES FUEL GAUGE HAS NEVER WORKED SINCE THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE OF THIS BIKE. IT HAS NEVER BEEN TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE "FIXED" BECAUSE AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS NO FIX FOR THE FAULTY GAUGE. *KB

DEAR SIRS: ON DECEMBER 5, 2010 WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO A DRIVEWAY MY HARLEY DAVIDSON TRI-GLIDE (VIN [XXX]) MODEL FLHTCUTG (THIS MODEL # WAS NOT ALLOWED IN A FOLLOWING FIELD) ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY AND TIPPED ON ITS SIDE THROWING ME OFF AND THEN INTO A FENCE. I WAS TRANSPORTED FROM THE SCENE BY AMBULANCE WITH MINOR INJURIES (BROKEN RIBS) AND THE BIKE WAS TOWED TO A STORAGE YARD. THE NEXT DAY I CALLED HARLEY DAVIDSON OF SACRAMENTO TO ARRANGE FOR THE BIKE TO BE TOWED THERE AND REPAIRED. I WAS TOLD BY THEM THAT THEY DID NOT PERFORM INSURANCE REPAIRS AND WAS REFERRED TO MID-CAL CYCLE OF WEST SACRAMENTO TO DO THE FACTORY AUTHORIZED REPAIRS. I INFORMED MID-CAL THAT THE THROTTLE HAD ADVANCED ON ITS OWN AND THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE WIRING, THROTTLE PN 56304-08 AND THE SENSOR THROTTLE PN 32305-08A (I HAVE BOTH PARTS). I PICKED THE BIKE UP ON FEBRUARY 25, 2011 AND HAVE BEEN RIDING IT SINCE. ON APRIL 7, 2011 WHILE RIDING IN TRAFFIC IN THE CITY OF CITRUS HEIGHTS THE THROTTLE AGAIN ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY CAUSING ME TO REAR-END THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH WHEN THIS STARTED SO THE IMPACT SPEED WAS KEPT DOWN. I CLUTCHED THE BIKE AFTER IMPACT AND THE ENGINE RPM?S INCREASED ABOVE 4000 BEFORE I HIT THE KILL SWITCH. NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THIS ACCIDENT. THE CAR SUSTAINED BUMPER DAMAGE AND MY BIKE REQUIRES $2000 IN REPAIRS. THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SO I HAVE LISTED IT AS AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

FOR THE THIRD TIME I HAVE SUSTAINED A SECOND DEGREE BURN ON MY LOWER RIGHT LEG WHEN ABOARD MY 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE. THIS OCCURS WHEN I STOP THE BIKE TO PARK IT OR GET GAS AND MY LEG CONTACTS THE EXHAUST PIPE JUNCTURE JUST AFT OF THE RIDER FLOORBOARD. THE BURN IS SUSTAINED IMMEDIATELY ON ANY CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST PIPE WHICH IS PROTECTED BY A HEAT SHIELD PROVIDED BY HARLEY DAVIDSON. THE HEAT SHIELD IS INADEQUATE FOR THE TASK, AS THIS IS WHAT I AM ACTUALLY CONTACTING WHEN I AM BURNED. I QUESTIONED THE SELLING DEALER, AND THERE SOLUTION WAS TO WRAP THE AREA IN A HEAT RESISTANT TAPE, WHICH WOULD NOT LOOK GOOD AND MAY NOT BE EFFECTIVE ANYWAY. I WEAR AN ANKLE HIGH LEATHER BOOT WHEN I RIDE, WHICH I FEEL SHOULD BE ADEQUATE PROTECTION. I FEEL THAT HARLEY SHOULD DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE A GUARD OR AUXILIARY SHIELD TO PROTECT THE OPERATOR, AND PROVIDE THIS TO ALL OWNERS OF 2009 AND 2010 TOURING MODELS WHICH HAVE THE REDESIGNED EXHAUST SYSTEM THAT CAUSES THIS PROBLEM. NOT ONLY ARE THE BURNS PAINFUL BUT COULD BECOME INFECTED. THE CORRECT MODEL IS FLHTCU. *TR

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY DAVISON ROAD GLIDE MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING 55-65 MPH THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WENT INTO A LIMP HOME MODE. HE STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE MORE THAN 200 RMPS. HE STATED THIS WAS VERY UNSAFE WHEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY. HE STATED THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED FOUR TIMES. HE STATED THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE FAILURE ON THE OTHER OCASSIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS AT AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AT THE TIME ON THE COMPLAINT AND HE STATED THEY WERE REPLACING THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,000. VWB

EXCESSIVE ENGINE HEAT ON THE 2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ULTRA TRI-GLIDE MOTOR CYCLE, MODEL FLHTCUTG! ENGINE OIL TEMPERATURES RUN AROUND 300 DEGREES AND INFRARED TEMPERATURE READINGS ON RIDER'S JEAN PANT LEG ARE 140 DEGREES! HARLEY SAYS THIS IS NORMAL! I HAVE BURN SCARE ON MY LEG THAT SAYS THIS SHOULD NOT BE NORMAL! *TR

WHILE RIDING MY 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON STREETGLIDE MY ABS BRAKING SYSTEM APPEARED TO FAIL. I WAS AT A STOP WAITING FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR SO THAT I COULD SAFELY PULL OUT. WHEN I STARTED TO PULL OUT A CAR "FROM NOWHERE" APPEARED. I HAD TO BRAKE. WHEN I DID, THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM ACTIVATED AND CAUSED THE MOTORCYCLE TO "FREEWHEEL" .IN OTHER WORDS MY BRAKES DID NOT WORK. I HAD TO STOP THE BIKE BY PUTTING MY FEET DOWN. THE PAVEMENT WAS DRY AND CLEAN AND I WAS GOING LESS THAN 5 MPH...NO REASON FOR THE ABS BRAKES TO ACTIVATE. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO STOP I HAD THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED TO IT'S FULLEST EXTENT BUT NO BRAKING OCCURRED. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING SIMILAR INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED WITH OTHER PEOPLE. THE ABS IS A FACTORY INSTALLED OPTION AND NO MODIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO IT. THE MOTORCYCLE HAD APPROX. 5200 MILES ON IT WHEN THIS OCCURRED. I STRONGLY SUGGEST YOUR ORGANIZATION LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. THE MOTORCYCLE IS PRESENTLY IN STORAGE AT MY LOCAL HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER AND I HAVE VOICED MY COMPLAINT TO THEM. I HAD ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH MY FRONT TIRE AND HARLEY SEEMS SLOW TO RESPOND TO THESES TYPES OF COMPLAINTS. ALTHOUGH AFTER A CALL TO HD DIRECTLY I DID GET THE TIRE PROBLEM RESOLVED. AND THEY DID SEND OUT A BULLETIN TO THEIR DEALERS ON THE SUBJECT. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN LOOK INTO THIS MATTER BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON SCREAMING EAGLE ROAD GLIDE FLTRSE3. HE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN AFTER EXITING A PARKING SPACE, BUT THE ENGINE MISFIRED. HE LOST VEHICLE CONTROL, AND THEN CRASHED ONTO THE ROADWAY. THERE WERE PERSONAL INJURIES INCLUDING FRACTURES TO THE LEFT ANKLE AND RIBS. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE HEAT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,800. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON TRI-GLIDE. REAR BRAKES WON'T PROPERLY STOP BIKE. ALL STOPPING IS COUNTING ON FRONT BRAKES (ONE WHEEL). REAR BRAKE PADS WORE OUT AT 6000 MILES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON VRSCF. HE STATED THAT THE HEADER PIPE FROM THE MOTOR TO THE MUFFLER TURNS CHERRY RED DUE TO HEAT EXPOSURE OF 1600-1800 DEGREES. HIS LEGS ARE POSITIONED DIRECTLY ABOVE THE HEAT, WHICH MAY IGNITE HIS CLOTHING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THE TECHNICIANS CONCLUDED THAT THE HIGH TEMPERATURES FROM THE COMPONENT IS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,200. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,600. BL

I HAVE A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON ULTRA CLASSIC ELECTRA GLIDE. THIS MODEL ALONG WITH THE "TOURING" LINE OF HD MOTORCYLES ARE NEWLY REDESIGNED AND USES THE NEW DUNLOP 407F MOTORCYCLE TIRES. THESE TIRES ARE THE ONLY TIRES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR THIS LINE OF MOTORCYCLES. MY TIRES ARE "CUPPING" AFTER 7,000 MILES. THE CUPPING IS CAUSING VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND NOISES WHILE CORNERING. I HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT THIS ISSUE ON HARLEY DAVIDSON FORUMS AND I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THERE ARE REPORTS OF 407F TIRES CUPPING WITH JUST 1500 MILES OF USE. I FEEL THAT THE CUPPING PROBLEM OF THE DUNLOP 407F TIRES MAY LEAD TO A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND THAT THIS ISSUE HAS TO BE INVESTIGATED. *TR

SEVERAL TIMES I CAME VERY VERY CLOSE TO REAR ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE.THE REAR BRAKING POWER OF THE REAR BRAKES IS FAR BELOW ADEQUATE THE REAR BRAKES WON'T EVEN LOCK UP IF PEDDLE IS STOOD ON WITH ALL ONE'S WEIGHT. THE REAR ROTOR WAS REPLACED ON ONE SIDE OF THE HARLEY DAVIDSON TRIKE ONLY WITH THE SAME RESULTS, NO BRAKING POWER. APPARENTLY THE PROBLEM RELAYS IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM ITSELF. 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCUTG TRI GLIDE TRIKE (NEW MODEL). *TR

2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHX (STREETGLIDE) RIDES EXCESSIVELY HARD. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE REAR AIR SHOCKS ARE NOT WORKING. AIR PRESSURE HAS BEEN ADJUSTED FROM MINIMUM TO MAXIMUM PRESSURES WITH LITTLE TO NO CHANGE IN RIDE QUALITY. THE IMPLICATION IS...AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS EVEN HITTING A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD THE BIKE TENDS TO GO AIRBORN. THE SUSPENSION IS SO UNYIELDING IT'S CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD FOR THE RIDER AND PASSENGER. I TEST RODE A YAMAHA ALONG THE SAME ROUTE AS THE HARLEY . THE DIFFERENCE WAS REMARKABLE. THE YAHAMA ABSORBED THE BUMPS AND UNEVEN PAVEMENT EXTREMELY WELL. A 1000% DIFFERENCE IN RIDE QUALITY. HARLEY NEEDS TO RE EVALUATE THE 2009 FLHX. I HAD A 2008 FLHX AND IT DID NOT RIDE AT ALL LIKE THE NEW 2009 WITH A NEW RIDGID CHASSIS. ALSO THE FRONT TIRE IS CUPPING. HARLEY KNOWS ABOUT IT AND CHANGED THE TREAD PATTERN BY REVERSING THE DIRECTION OF THE RAIN GROOVES. IT KNOW SEEMS AS THOUGH THE TIRES WILL NOT CHANNEL THE RAIN FROM UNDER THE TIRE BUT RATHER WILL ENCOURAGE THE WATER TO STAY UNDER IT THUS PROMOTING HYDROPLANING. *TR

2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHX (STREETGLIDE) RIDES EXCESSIVELY HARD. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE REAR AIR SHOCKS ARE NOT WORKING. AIR PRESSURE HAS BEEN ADJUSTED FROM MINIMUM TO MAXIMUM PRESSURES WITH LITTLE TO NO CHANGE IN RIDE QUALITY. THE IMPLICATION IS...AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS EVEN HITTING A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD THE BIKE TENDS TO GO AIRBORN. THE SUSPENSION IS SO UNYIELDING IT'S CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD FOR THE RIDER AND PASSENGER. I TEST RODE A YAMAHA ALONG THE SAME ROUTE AS THE HARLEY . THE DIFFERENCE WAS REMARKABLE. THE YAHAMA ABSORBED THE BUMPS AND UNEVEN PAVEMENT EXTREMELY WELL. A 1000% DIFFERENCE IN RIDE QUALITY. HARLEY NEEDS TO RE EVALUATE THE 2009 FLHX. I HAD A 2008 FLHX AND IT DID NOT RIDE AT ALL LIKE THE NEW 2009 WITH A NEW RIDGID CHASSIS. ALSO THE FRONT TIRE IS CUPPING. HARLEY KNOWS ABOUT IT AND CHANGED THE TREAD PATTERN BY REVERSING THE DIRECTION OF THE RAIN GROOVES. IT KNOW SEEMS AS THOUGH THE TIRES WILL NOT CHANNEL THE RAIN FROM UNDER THE TIRE BUT RATHER WILL ENCOURAGE THE WATER TO STAY UNDER IT THUS PROMOTING HYDROPLANING. *TR

DUNLOP D407 TIRE (FRONT) FOR THE HARLEY DAVIDSON 2009 FL TOURING MODELS INSTALLED ON MY2009 SCREAMING EGALE FLTRSE3 THE BOLD ANGLED LATERAL GROOVES EXHIBIT ABNORMAL WEAR AND UNEVEN TIRE TREAD CUPPING. VIBRATION DURING CORNERING AND LANE CHANGES, THE UNEVENLY WORN AREAS ARE NEARLY WORN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LATERAL GROVES ON THE LEADING EDGE AND THE OTHER SIDE IS CUPPED. THE CENTER OF THE TREAD APPEARS TO BE NORMAL. THIS WAS FIRST NOTICED AND REPORTED TO A HARLEY DAVIDSON CALIFORNIA DEALER TWICE ONCE AT 3000 MILES AND 4100 MILES OF WEAR. NOW AT 5000 MILES THE VIBRATIONS PRESENT WHILE CHANGING DIRECTIONS OR CORNERING IS UNSAFE. *TR

MOTORCYCLE HAS SET CODES FROM THE DAY I PICKED IT UP FROM DEALER. SETS TWIST GRIP CODES P2127 & 2138. WOULD CLEAR CODES AND THEY WOULD RETURN EVERY FEW RIDES FOR THE FIRST 500 MILES AND THEN THE BIKE STARTED ACCELERATING ON IT'S OWN IN ANY GEAR OR SPEED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT ABLE OR WILLING TO LOOK AT IT IN A TIMELY MANNER. CHECKED OUT ALL CONNECTIONS FOR THE THROTTLE SENSOR MY SELF. DIDN'T FIND ANY OBVIOUS PROBLEMS. APPLIED COMPUTER CONNECTION STABALENT TO THE ECM CONNECTOR AND PROBLEM WAS GONE FOR 1000 MILES. BIKE STARTED ACCELERATING BY IT'S SELF AGAIN AND THEN SET THE CHECK ENG. LIGHT. SOMETIMES A SLIGHT ACELERATION AND OTHER TIMES IT WOULD ACCELL HARD. WAS 55 MILES FROM HOME THIS LAST TIME. THE LOCAL DEALER CLOSED SO AM NOW TAKING IT 25 MILES TO THE DEALER. *TR