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1998 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Fl Series

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
6Owner complaints

Model-year median: 1

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
2
19951
19961
19976
19981
1999
Compare all Fl Series years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Electrical System
2Power Train
1Suspension
1Tires
1Visibility
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 1 of 6 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

6 reports
48,700 miles · Oct 21, 2007
Suspension

REAR FORK CRACK NOTED ABOVE REAR AXEL ON DRIVE SIDE OF FORK. COMPLETE FAILURE WOULD/COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND CRASH. THIS PROBLEM IS NOTED IN WEB INFO AVAILABLE BY RESEARCHING GOOGLE SEARCH HARLEY DAVIDSON REAR FORK CRACKS. THIS RESEARCH REVEALED THAR IN FLH MODELS FROM 1996 TO 2002 THIS IS OCCURRING. I NOTED THE CRACK…

Read full complaint

REAR FORK CRACK NOTED ABOVE REAR AXEL ON DRIVE SIDE OF FORK. COMPLETE FAILURE WOULD/COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND CRASH. THIS PROBLEM IS NOTED IN WEB INFO AVAILABLE BY RESEARCHING GOOGLE SEARCH HARLEY DAVIDSON REAR FORK CRACKS. THIS RESEARCH REVEALED THAR IN FLH MODELS FROM 1996 TO 2002 THIS IS OCCURRING. I NOTED THE CRACK IN MY REAR FORK FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY IN A CLOSE FRIENDS 1999 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHT MODEL. WEB RESEARCH INDICATES THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON MAJOR STRUCTURE FAILURE. HARLEY DAVIDSON 2003 AND NEWER MODELS HAVE STRENGTHENED THIS AREA OF THE REAR FORK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10206458

Mileage unknown · Jul 21, 2006
TiresCrashInjury

1998 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLH REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. *TS THE MOTORCYCLE OVERTURNED WHILE PULLING OVER ONTO THE BERM. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE EJECTED OFF OF THE MOTORCYCLE WHICH THEN STRUCK A SIGN. *NM UPDATED 07/20/06

NHTSA ODI #10163682

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Electrical SystemInjury

THE MOTORCYCLE'S IGNITION SYSTEM FAILURE CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL AND DAMAGE. YH

NHTSA ODI #609919

Mileage unknown · Sep 15, 1998
Visibility

CURVED WINDSHIELD DISTORTS VISION, ALSO MOTORCYCLE REFLECTS IN WINDSHIELD. QCAW

NHTSA ODI #540016

Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 1998
Power Train

SPEEDOMETER STICKS AT 33 MPH WHEN WEATHER IS COOL (75 DEGRESS OF LOWER).

NHTSA ODI #539416

Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 1998
Electrical System

INTERMITTENTLY AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 5 MILES MOTORCYCLE LOSES ALL POWER. THE SPARK PLUGS DO NOT GET ANY ELECTRICITY. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. MODEL ULTRA CLASSIC.

NHTSA ODI #825472

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.