2003 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Vrsca

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR AND A PORTION OF THE STRUCTURE NEAR THE ENGINE BECAME DISLODGED AND DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND PUSHED THE VEHICLE TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE NEARBY. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

THE FRONT BRAKES LOCKED WHEN I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN. I FELL OVER AND BROKE 3 RIBS. I SENT MY BIKE TO THE HD DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY FIXED THE DAMAGE TO MY BIKE. THE TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE MY BIKE AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO HIM. THE DEALERSHIP SAID HE WAS GOING ABOUT 25 MPH WENT THE FRONT BRAKES LOCKED ON HIM. HD HAD MY BIKE FOR 5 MONTHS. ALL THEY DID WAS CHARGE ME FOR A WHOLE NEW FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM. I TOLD THEM THIS WAS NOT NORMAL AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM SO I HAD TO PAY FOR A NEW FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM. I HAVE PICS OF THE DAMAGE, BUT IT'S JUST DAMAGE FROM FALLING OVER. I DID AN INSURANCE CLAIM SO I HAVE THAT DOCUMENTATION AS WELL.

FUEL GAUGE ON MY 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON V-ROD IS NOT ACCURATE. THE GAUGE WILL DISPLAY FULL WHEN IN FACT THE BIKE IS EMPTY. AFTER FILLING THE BIKE THE GAUGE WILL READ ?? (ANYWHERE). THERE IS NO RHYME OR REASON WITH THE FAILURE. I HAVE TAKEN IT AND HAVE HAD IT SERVICE, UNDER WARRANTY, "2" TIMES AND EACH TIME IT BREAKS WITHIN A MONTH OR TWO. THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD WITH THIS MODEL HARLEY DAVIDSON AND THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURE REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2003 100TH ANNIVERSARY HARLEY DAVIDSON VRSCA (VROD) AND THE GAS GAUGE INCORRECTLY REPORTS LEVEL (LESS MILES TO EMPTY THAN ACTUALLY CAPABLE). AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET AND VROD GAS GAUGE IS A COMMON ISSUE. BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE, I CAN NOT DETERMINE WHEN THE GAS TANK IS LOW AND REQUIRING FUEL. I REPORTED THE ISSUE TO MY LOCAL HD DEALER AND THEY WERE OF NO HELP. VERY FRUSTRATING AND DISAPPOINTING FOR AN AMERICAN COMPANY. *TR

1) NORMAL DRIVING UNDER PARTIAL THROTTLE (PARTIAL ENGINE LOAD) 2) ENGINE HESITATES, STUTTERS AND LOSES POWER (SINCE THIS IS A 2-WHEELED MOTORCYCLE, THE BIKE BECOMES UNSTABLE AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN THIS OCCURS IN A CORNER, LUCKILY I COULD CONTROL THE VEHICLE EACH TIME THIS HAPPENED, BUT MORE INEXPERIENCED RIDERS MIGHT LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE) 3) THERE IS A TSB FOR THIS PROBLEM "FUEL MODULE FLANGE REPLACEMENT PRODUCT PROGRAM" M-1141A ISSUED ON OCTOBER30, 2003. SINCE THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION, AND LOOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE CAN EASILY RESULT FROM THIS PROBLEM, THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY E MANDATORY RECALL, NOT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET PROVES THAT THIS IS A VERY WIDE-SPREAD ISSUE CAN EASILY TAKE OVER 5 YEARS TO OCCUR, SINCE MOTORCYCLES ARE OFTEN RIDDEN VERY LITTLE FOR PLEASURE PURPOSES ONLY. *TR

I WAS TRAVELING AT 30-MPH WHEN A SIDE WIND BLOWING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 30 MPH BLEW ME AND THE MOTORCYCLE ACROSS MULTIPLE LANES INTO THE CURB. GIVEN MY EXPERIENCE I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE MOTORCYCLE UPRIGHT AND RODE THE CURB FOR ABOUT 20-FT UNTIL I COULD GET OFF THE MOTORCYCLE. PARKED AND CHECKED FOR DAMAGES. THE CONCRETE CURB GROUND THE FRAME DOWN AND ALSO TORE THE RADIATOR SHROUD AND EXHAUST PIPES. WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY NOT HAVE BEEN BLOWN OVER AND INJURED. VROD IS TO LIGHT FOR THE SOLID WHEELS THAT CATCH WIND LIKE A SAIL. *JB