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Harley Davidson Flhtcu Engine And Engine Cooling Exhaust System Safety Report | Sept 15, 2006
Reported on Sept 15, 2006
| THE SITUATION: ON A MOTORCYCLE, DRIVETRAIN FAILURE AT TYPICAL OPERATING SPEEDS COULD VERY WELL MEAN SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH OF THE RIDER. ABNORMAL HEAT OR NOISE COMING FROM THE MOTORCYCLE'S DRIVETRAIN ARE NOT ISSUES TO BE IGNORED BY A PRUDENT RIDER OR BY THE MANUFACTURER OF THE MOTORCYCLE. FOR EXAMPLE THE DRIVETRAIN ON MY 2007 FLHTCU IS EXCESSIVELY NOISY WHEN OPERATED IN GEAR. THIS IMPLIES EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AND/OR ABNORMAL WEAR OCCURRING SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE SYSTEM. IN ADDITION, THE EXHAUST RUNS SO HOT AS TO PRESENT A BURN HAZARD TO THE RIDER AND PASSENGER EVEN WHEN PROPERLY CLOTHED. WHILE RIDING EVEN IN WINTER TEMPERATURES I SUSTAINED A SEVERE BURN TO MY LEFT LEG, LEAVING A PERMENAT 4 SCAR. IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT EXCESSIVE HEAT WILL ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO LONGTERM PROBLEMS WITH ANY DRIVETRAIN, INCREASING THE LIKELYHOOD OF FAILURE. WHAT HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS DONE: TO DATE, THE ONLY HALF-HEARTED SOLUTION TO THESE MALADIES OFFERED BY THE HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY HAS BEEN THE TORQUE SMOOTHING DOWNLOAD WHICH ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING WHEN INSTALLED ON MY BIKE. HD HAS ASSERTED THAT THE NOISE AND HEAT ARE NORMAL. ON THE CONTRARY, MANY 2007 HD UNITS DO NOT HAVE THESE ISSUES, THUS THEY ARE CLEARLY NOT NORMAL. MANY OWNERS HAVE RESORTED TO COSTLY AFTERMARKET SOLUTIONS SUCH AS REPLACEMENT GEARSETS AND FUEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ALL INSTALLED A THEIR OWN EXPENSE. I ESSENCE, HD HAS OFFLOADED THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ONTO THEIR CUSTOMERS. WHAT HD SHOULD DO: HD SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL. HD SHOULD RETROFIT ALL AFFECTED 2007 MODELS WITH THE IDS RUBBERMOUNT REAR SPROCKET (NOW STANDARD ON THE 2008 TOURING MODELS) TO REDUCE DRIVETRAIN VIBRATION AND WEAR. THEY SHOULD ALSO PROVIDE ADJUSTMENTS AND/OR MODIFICATIONS AS NEEDED TO THE FUEL SYSTEM TO REDUCE DRIVETRAIN HEAT. THEY SHOULD EXTEND THE WARRANTY OF ALL AFFECTED 2007 MOTORCYCLES APPROPRIATELY. *TR | |
| Make: | Harley Davidson |
| Model: | Flhtcu |
| Manufactured by: | HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY |
| Year: | 2007 |
| Was a crash reported? | N |
| Was an injury reported? | 1 person(s) were injured. |
| Was a death reported? | 0 person(s) died. |
| Was a fire reported? | N |
| Location: | IUKA MS |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | 1HD1FC4187Y |
| Mileage: | 10 miles. |
| Speed: | |
| Number of cylinders: | 2 |
| Vehicle type: | RWD |
| Vehicle fuel: | GAS Fuel injection. |
| Was a police report filed? | N |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | BUMPUS HARLEY DAVIDSON JACKSON TN 38305 |
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