2021 HARLEY-DAVIDSON RA1250S

The cam chain tensioner failed while driving down the road, resulting in reduced power during a pass that almost resulted in an accident. There are no maintenance requirements for this component and there are numerous reports of this failing in motorcycles equipped with the Revolution Max engine. On this engine, the cam chain tensioner is held in place with a bolt that is apparently a torque to spec item with no locking mechanism. During the course of normal operation, the bolt backs out and can have varying degrees of damage. In this case, the forward cylinder cam chain became dislodged from the cams, resulting in a dead cylinder and eventually destroying the intake cam. A cursory check was done approximately 4 weeks prior to the incident, and no excess play was noted at that time. Note that there is no spec that I am aware of for excess play or interval to check it. This is a large enough issue that there are aftermarket companies that sell kits that contain Lock Tite on bolts to remedy this.

The engine stalled when I was exiting the freeway due to the charging system failure. This is the second time the charging system failed. The first failure has been documented on NHTSA complaint number 11746092. I paid the Harley Davidson SLC dealership in April 2024 to have the charging system repaired and replaced. Harley Davidson had released a service bulletin acknowledging charging system deficiencies on 2021-2023 Pan America models and subsequently redesigned the entire charging system for the2024 model year. This is a documented pattern and not just an isolated failure. Regarding the repair in April 2024, the dealership replaced the failed stator with the same poorly designed part number instead of upgrading to the redesigned charging system. Now only two years and 9,000 miles later I'm experiencing the same problems as before.

The charging system for the battery failed when I was on an out of state road trip. The voltage of the bike would drop between 11 and 12 volts when slowing down. I slowed down to make a tight turn on a canyon highway when the bike lost power and stalled. The motorcycle continued to stall several more times while in motion on the highway and I had a difficult time restarting the motorcycle on the side of the highway each time. I ended up purchasing a new battery thinking it would solve the problem. It worked for another few hundred miles until the new battery was also depleted and I had the same issue on the side of the highway outside Sedona. I had to rent a Uhaul for $551 to be able to return home safely. I took the motorcycle to the Harley Davidson dealership in Salt Lake City and paid approx. $1,248 to have the Stator and charging system replaced. Harley Davidson had released a service bulletin acknowledging charging system deficiencies on 2021-2023 Pan America models and subsequently redesigned the entire charging system for the 2024 model year. This is a documented pattern and not just an isolated failure. Regarding the repair in April 2024, the dealership replaced the failed stator with the same poorly designed part number instead of upgrading to the redesigned charging system.

The fuel pump for the engine is known for failing due to ethanol in the fuel reacting with the bare aluminum. Harley Davidson has recognized this issue with the newer model but has not recalled any of its previous models. This could cause a serious safety risk for the rider or other pedestrians on the roadway as this could cause the bike to suddenly lose all power causing an accident. Many people have mentioned this known issue but Harley Davidson still refuses to seal the aluminum tanks or replace the tank with the later model ones that are already sealed. Harley Davidson’s solution for this problem has been to continue replacing the fuel pump with a new one identical to the one that failed at the customers expense. No warning lamps or messages appear when the pump is failing or completely failed occasionally riders have stated they begin hearing a growling or screeching sound from the tank soon before failure. Others have stated that the fuel pump has left them stranded or in a dangerous situation due to the pump failing while on the roadway with no warning. A recall to reseal or replace the tanks on older model years needs to be done to ensure the safety of the rider and others on the roadway.