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2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Soft Tail

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

About this comparison →
23Owner complaints

Model-year median: 23

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
23
2009
Compare all Soft Tail years →

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

What owners reported most

Electrical System
6Fuel System, Gasoline
4Power Train
3Engine And Engine Cooling
2Exterior Lighting
2
All reported categories
Seats
2Service Brakes, Hydraulic
2Tires
2Fuel System, Other
1Fuel/propulsion System
1Vehicle Speed Control
1

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

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

21 reports with mileage · 2 unknown

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 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

2 reports
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13,250 miles · Apr 1, 2014
Engine And Engine Cooling

MOTORCYCLE DIED IN INTERSECTION. WHEN I WENT TO RESTART IT, IT TOOK SEVERAL TRIES AND EACH TIME I TRIED I GOT A GRINDING NOISE. FINALLY STARTED BUT LIGHT HAD ALREADY TURNED AND I WAS IN INTERSECTION PAST RED. THIS HAS BECOME MORE FREQUENT. ONLY HAPPENS WHEN MOTOR IS WARMED UP. STARTER? COMPENSATOR? I HAVE READ ON LINE THE B…

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MOTORCYCLE DIED IN INTERSECTION. WHEN I WENT TO RESTART IT, IT TOOK SEVERAL TRIES AND EACH TIME I TRIED I GOT A GRINDING NOISE. FINALLY STARTED BUT LIGHT HAD ALREADY TURNED AND I WAS IN INTERSECTION PAST RED. THIS HAS BECOME MORE FREQUENT. ONLY HAPPENS WHEN MOTOR IS WARMED UP. STARTER? COMPENSATOR? I HAVE READ ON LINE THE BIKES OF THAT TIME PERIOD HAVE THIS PROBLEM. COULD HAVE BEEN HIT BY A CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10576540

Mileage unknown · Jun 22, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

I HAVE A 2009 HARLEYDAVIDSON ULTRA THAT RUNS SO HOT IT IS SOMETIMES UNBEARABLE TO SIT ON AT LONG TRAFFIC LIGHTS. I KNOW THAT IF I HAD SHORTS ON MY RIGHT LEG WOULD GET BURNED,IT IS THAT HOT. I KNOW THAT THIS HEAT HAS TO AFFECT THE LONGEVITY OF THE MOTOR AND AFTER PAYING $20,000 FOR A MOTORCYCLE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I SHOULD HAVE …

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I HAVE A 2009 HARLEYDAVIDSON ULTRA THAT RUNS SO HOT IT IS SOMETIMES UNBEARABLE TO SIT ON AT LONG TRAFFIC LIGHTS. I KNOW THAT IF I HAD SHORTS ON MY RIGHT LEG WOULD GET BURNED,IT IS THAT HOT. I KNOW THAT THIS HEAT HAS TO AFFECT THE LONGEVITY OF THE MOTOR AND AFTER PAYING $20,000 FOR A MOTORCYCLE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO SPEND ANOTHER $2,000 TO TRY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WHILE VOIDING THE FACTORY WARRANTY. I ALSO KNOW THAT IT IS AN AIR COOLED MOTOR SINCE I HAVE TWO OTHERS A1986, AND A 1996 BOTH RUN MUCH COOLER THAN THIS 2009. I REMOVED THE LOWER FAIRINGS WHICH ALLOW MORE AIR TO FLOW TO THE MOTOR WHEN MOVING BUT IT IS STILL HOTTER THAN ANY OTHER MOTORCYCLE THAT I HAVE EVER RIDDEN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10339571

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.