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Subscribe to RSSHarley-Davidson is recalling about 308,000 motorcycles to fix a switch problem that can cause failure of the brake lights and possibly even the rear brakes themselves.
The company says in government documents that brake light switches can be exposed to too much heat from the exhaust system. The brake lights can fail, and the problem also can cause fluid leaks and the loss of rear brakes.
The problem affects Touring, CVO Touring and Trike vehicles from the 2009 through 2012 model years.
Harley says it will notify owners of the recall. Dealers will install a rear brake light switch kit free of charge.
The recall affects about 251,000 motorcycles in the U.S. alone.
The company says it's aware of only one crash from the problem. It was unclear if anyone was hurt.
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that's Made in America for you!
Toyota had to go through the same thing recently, so shut up.
Buy yourself a nice Chinese made motorcycle.
Sorry for any rude awakening, Harley has a plant in India now, too.http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/568/8352/Motorcycle-Article/Harley-Davidson-Opening-Assembly-Plant-in-India.aspx
Also they have one in Brazil.
Harley is manufacturing their motorcycles in India now..
Made in America, for the moment...Harley is laying off so many starting next year for the sake of company profit...this is just the beginning
Harley is manufacturing in India for the Indian market. It's the only way to compete in that market, just like GM builds Buicks in China for the Chinese market. Neither of these offshore vehicles will ever see our shores. Anyone that thinks they are is ignorant of the way modern worldwide manufacturing works.
What percentage of Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts are foreign-made?
Best Answer - Chosen by Voters
In all honesty, about 60%.
Pistons, Austria
Forks, Japan
Wiring harness, Mexico
Various, electrical components, Mexico and China
Some brake components, Italy
Evolution, Twin Cam and V-Rod engines designed by engineers from HD and Porsche....
just to name a few
Source(s):
Master Tech and Engine Builder
Your Hardly-Ableson is Hardly Made in the USA........PPFFTT!!
Made in America but by who? Probably not by proud AMERICANS. Wiring harness, & electrical components Mexicans.
Right, because you NEVER see "made in China" or "made in India" labels on products sold in the US. Uh huh.
What do you ride Bobby. a North Korean 3 speed. Just keep peddling down the road.
Who cares. Harleys and Harley riders are such a joke. They claim they want loud pipes for "safety", even though they do not wear a helmet when they ride. They rev their bikes late at night near and through neighborhoods waking up children.
If a young African American kid pumps his stereo too loud the cops pull him over and give him a ticket. Ever see a cop pull over a Harley rider for loud pipes? They are louder than the bassed up stereo, but no.
I don't care what you guys say, Harley makes a fine motorcycle. I've traveled in just about every state in this country with no serious trouble. It doesn't bother me who made the components.
When you travel on a Harley you meet a lot of good people who love to talk about bikes. We were in a national park in Utah once and a bus full of Asian tourists pulled up to the view point we were at. They were more excited about our bikes than the view. They were all smiles when we let them sit on the bikes. They must have taken hundreds of pictures of themselves sitting on our bikes. We met some new friends and couldn't understand a word they said. It was great.
army - don't let a few bad ones spoil your life. It's too short.
Honestly? The same can be true with a bike of just about ANY make. Doesn't matter so much what you ride. . .
Harley parts are NOT manufactured in America. Some are only assembled in US to make it look as if they are US made. typical overseas, slave labor, junk. But hey, profits are soaring.
As a Harley owner I'd say those BMW guys are the biggest snobs....
J/K....J/K... : ))
army-3854635 Uhm yes, I have been pulled over butt he didnt have a decible meter And I let him know this. Know why do you think were auch a joke, Cause maybe you ride a crap-rocket, GET A LIFE jokes on you!!!
In response to Bobby, it's not a Made-In-America issue when it comes to Harley Davidson motorcycles, Harleys are just Harleys, know to break relatively frequently. Nothing but antiquated, out-of-date motorcycle garbage for the LOOK-AT-ME crowd, pretend tough-guy, because they're wooseys. Loud pipes don't save lives, but you're broken down old POS Harley will bring yours to an end.
Every Harley should come with a secret compartment that stores about 50 pounds worth of tools. If you own a Harely, get AAA, you'll need it, guaranteed!
As for the "Baldman", that probably rides a Harley too, get your facts straight... the Toyota's you are referring too were Made In America..... now go fix your Harley, before you crash and burn, and cause expense to the American Taxpayers.
Harley Davidson has been using substandard parts since they flooded the market with new motorcycles - 2003.
The tolerances have become bigger to for less rejects and downtime fixing the machinery. Harley's are ASSEMBLED IN AMERICA using Chinese parts.
I love the motorcycle but hate the company that makes them.
Moderate Dem,
You may want to speak on what you know.
If you want to be honest about it, there is very little that is 100% from any specific country. You are going to find light bulbs made in one country, wires made in another country, and so on. The point is where it was designed and assembled. If the frame and steel work is from the US and many of the perifrial parts are made somewhere else, it will still be an American product. Just as you can find Honda Motorcycles built in the US, Toyota Cars built in the US, there are many others out there.
You'd be surprised how many foreign car makers ship parts to the US and assemble their cars here, because it costs them too much to ship the finished products here. They are still listed as made in Germany, Denmark, Japan and Korea.
Only US companies would manufacture their product in another country, with foreign labor and call it "made in America" but Harley is not one of them.
At least H-D realised there was a problem and adressed it pretty quickly- only one known crash and they put out a recall, unlike Toyota who after several crashed kept denying there was a problem, then said it was due to floor mats then finally had to admit it was a faulty pedal assembly after being brought before congress over the whole matter.
Harley-Davidson gets my respect for adressing and fixing a problem with their bikes quickly.
oh one more thing- those crotch rockets are every bit as loud and obnoxious as any harley ive ever heard. in fact the higher pitch tone is just flat out annoying. that and i rarely see harley riders weaving in and out of traffic, riding between lanes on the highway or pulling wheelies at 80+ mph, or blowing past me doing well over 120 on the highway, but i see that out of most crotch rocket riders i see on the road.
Gee Dufus, perhaps you should take your own medicine and get your own facts straight before challenging others. Dumbass.
First sentence of this article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8505402.stm
Eh, dont bother 99% wont ride past Halloween anyway. That and if they are on a trailer or on the back of a truck, the brakes don't matter anyhoo!
RATS! I was hoping the recall would be to fix them because they are LOUD and OBNOXIOUS!
B.TODD!! You realize, don't you..... that customers pay dearly for that Harley LOUD part [trade marked, by the way], and were born with that OBNOXIOUS part! LOL!! It comes with the territory.. :-)
Wish we could do that with people.
They are loud and obnoxious but unlike the high tech crotch rockets, they take forever to pass you house.
Harleys just suck. Over rated, over priced, antiquated pieces of shyt motorcycles.
AMEN!! Harley should just fade out, seriously, the rider dont obey the rules of the road like all other motorcycle riders. especailly the LOUD ones, they hsould be ticketed everytime they are started.
i frankly dont care if youre riding a harley. if you get between me and the other vehicle guess who going to lose the fight.
Harley rider's should be a symbol of respect not chaos.
Duphas (or is it Doofus?) - What do you ride, a Schwinn? With or without training wheels? Have you ever owned a motorcycle? Mom drive you wherever you want to go? What a maroon.
No that's s damn hot Harley exhaust for you..... Most Harley riders have a burn on their right inside calf from riding with shorts (but then that's another story).... after you burn yourself once... you tend not to do it again.... it sure as heck gets your attention....
This is a critical issue for Harley riders because they don't use the front brake :)
How do you know, Chaz, you been riding bitch on my bike?
It's a good thing Christine O'Donnell rides a broom. At her age, she cannot afford to be burned again.
Ever notice how highway pegs look like OB-GYN stirrups? Just sayin is all.
I've still got the scar on my leg from a 'damn hot' Kawa exhaust. Harley ain't got a leg up on anyone else when it comes to hot exhaust. BMW had a covering on their pipes, but you still didn't want to go around feeling it.
In the way of re-calls, this is the 1st one I've heard of from Harley. Not a bad record, if you ask me.
Well, there was another as recently as January this year (of some softtails), another in July 2010 for FXDF's, another in Dec 2009 for CVO touring and Trikes, another in June 2009, Feb 2009, Dec 2008. . .the list is available from unsafemotorcycles.com
I wouldn't say their record is bad (compared with other manufacturers), but neither is it stellar.
I've grown up around Harley's, been riding since before I could walk.
I've never once burned my leg on an exhaust.
Do you rest your hand on the stove too?
And that's exactly why I don't wear shorts when I ride!
My comment above was meant for Kevin Bitz' post.
Apologies to the OP.
Hey, just like everything else, there is always a dumba$$ in the bunch. I've seen a Hell-ova-lot more wearing shorts on bullet-bikes than I have on Harleys. I wouldn't relish the road rash on either bike, since Harley drivers need to pay attention to other drivers around them, and not so much doing something stupid on one, I don't wear shorts when I ride, ever. Most of us have more issues with people changing lanes into us without looking, or pulling out of driveways without checking traffic.
Yeah, there's alway some poser who who lays one down wearing shorts and flip-flops. I knew a guy who hit a patch of sand on his Ducati wearing that outfit. Looked like somebody belt-sanded him from head to toe on one side and tore off a big toenail, too. Just plain stupid. And painful.
My siblings hassle me for always wearing leathers when I ride. They've all gone down in shorts/t-shirts and spent their time with road rash. I've been down once (mechanical failure mid-turn) and walked away completely unscathed, just a little bruised from impact with the ground.
Every time someone sees me putting on my jacket in 90º+ weather they ask, "Isn't that hot?" My reply is always the same, "I'd rather sweat in my jacket than get asphalt in my skin."
The company says in government documents that brake light switches can be exposed to too much heat from the exhaust system.
Harley's have exhaust systems?
Stirrups or not, at least I'm relaxed and comfortable Gliding down the road. I don't have my ass up in the air like I'm waiting for a broomstick to be inserted.
Well put Art. For those American made haters try living and eating your foreign vehicle.
You prefer to eat domestic vehicles?
Hanging on, what sane motorcyclist eats while riding?
The same ones who ride without a helmet, in shorts, shower shoes, gym shorts and no shirt.
And the only reason you would see if the rider was "waiting for a broom stick" was if he passed you...lol!
There are two types of motorcycle riders; head first, and feet first.
I prefer feet first. I'm not in that big of a hurry, and I like being comfortable. And if/when I have to take it down, I want the chance to use my feet to keep from going under the car that pulled out in front of me. That's my preference.
My head first friends tend to like fast driving and maneuvering, but they also tend to wear better protective gear. But even so, a friend of mine was unconscious for a half hour before someone spotted him and helped. That was a one vehicle "accident" on a curvy road. He attributed it to a worn out tire.
I think it reflects differences in personality type. I prefer to get my hot rodding jollies in my 70 Challenger.
The company says in government documents that brake light switches can be exposed to too much heat from the exhaust system.
Harley's have exhaust systems?
Yes, it's the two hollow chrome tubes that weigh a couple of hundred pounds.
Wow! A couple of hundred pounds? With that much weight you'd think they would be more effective.
You're right, I should have said it's the two chrome megaphones that weigh a couple of hundred pounds.
just like the coffee cans the teenagers put on their hopped up Honda cars, but they sound more like a tractor that needs a tuneup
They do not weigh a couple hundred pounds, get your head out of your ass.
A straight pipe, no matter how hollow or baffled, that moves the exhaust from the engine away from it...is an exhaust system by definition.
elfried....Thanks for reminding me it's not Harley's I dislike so much, it's the morons with their loud "exhaust" that ride them!
Loud and Proud!
You dislike others for pointing out the 'facts' by which you base your opinion are wrong?
Furthermore...rarely are they megaphones. A megaphone exhaust is highly impractical for anything other than race engines running at wide open throttle 99% of the time. The drop in performance on a street engine, even a Harley rider wouldn't tolerate. They may have a megaphone shape, but if you look at the exhaust opening, it's much smaller than the end of the 'megaphone'; there's actually baffling inside there.
Regardless of what I ride (despite growing up on Harleys, I ride a sportbike, not a cruiser), my argument was about an engine component regardless of make. Even my RX-7 exhaust doesn't weigh 'a couple hundred pounds'...I know because I've lifted it.
Please continue to show your ignorance on the subject.
Thank you for digging the hole you're in a little deeper. Get a sense of humor and a life to go with it. My comment about them weighing a couple of hundred pounds was a joke just like I assume your earlier comment about riding Harley's since before you could walk was a joke. You really are a moron.
More like Loud and obnoxious...
P.S. If loud pipes save lives, imagine what learning how to ride properly and professionally would do!
I'm the one stating facts while you force insults on me because I challenged your opinion.
...and I'm the moron.
I hear it is because there are some nuts loose behind the handlebars.
Here in South Texas the bike can get that hot just sitting in the sun and you can burn everything. About made in America thats a bunch of hooey. Most everything I have found is made in Mexico or some other country so its all a bunch of crap. My next bike is going to be a Meteric cruiser. A lot cheaper also and just as good. I have had 5 HD's NO more.
Tom Williams-2715993 Thats why America going to he!!, yes there are some parts made out side here butt why would you want to give your hard earned money away to another country. I dont get you people why dont you all start being a little more American instead of foreign AND GROW UP PEOPLE you all sound childish!!!
If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand! Don't be a hater unless you have owned one!
Harleys are over rated, and waaaaay overpriced. I'll take a reliable German made Beemer ANY day. But I will say it is nice to see a restored Harley from the 40's or 50's.
Agreed. Those oilhead Beemers last for freakin' ever. 50k miles commuting on mine has required no repairs aside from replacing brake pads and tires (and a rear turn signal that got snapped off by some moron in a parking lot).
Harley-Davidson Ride the best, ride a mile walk the rest.
Thank you Harley-Davidson for having the guts to let us know.Have two HD's and I don't get burned.
Eh. Happens to all manufacurers. My suzuki had a recall on it too. Something about a circuit board overheating and not charging the battery properly. One hour at the dealership and it was fixed. Funny enough, that dealership also sells harleys. Wish they weren't so expensive. Especially compared to Japanese bikes.
Hey, I've got nothing against metrics. I use to ride one. When I was poor.
Well you know the saying. If you are riding a Harley then you deserve to be burned. Have you ever notice that Harley riders look awfully uncomfortable riding. It looks like the riders are riding an old wooden lawn chair sitting sraight up. It can not be comfortable riding this way. You think Harley would redesign the uncomfortable ride. Look at several bikes side by side you will see what I'am refering too. The seating is as dumb as the Harley riders.
Leaning forward or lying on your stomach while riding across the country is the way to ride in style.....yeah right!!
Better than looking like you're going in for a pelvic exam! At least I look like I'm piloting something not "this may be a bit cold.."
nah they were airing their armpits you have to see some of those braids under the arms
Nothing against Beemer's either. They say almost 90% of them ever made area still on the road.
The other 10% actually made it to their destination.
That's funny.
Ooh, creative way to take a joke about Harley's, and apply it to another make.
I see the Nobel Prize for comedy in your future :)
What percentage of Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts are foreign-made?
theharle...
Best Answer - Chosen by Voters
In all honesty, about 60%.
Pistons, Austria
Forks, Japan
Wiring harness, Mexico
Various, electrical components, Mexico and China
Some brake components, Italy
Evolution, Twin Cam and V-Rod engines designed by engineers from HD and Porsche....
just to name a few
Source(s):
Master Tech and Engine Builder
We need to stop buying products from companies that manufacture overseas. ONLY buy American made.....If a company sells in the USA then MAKE IT IN THE USA!!
One thing they never recall are their t-shirts. They've got that down to a science. HD has to be the best t-shirt maker in the world.
Would you really want to recall a XXXL HD shirt with a lone wolf or a crying eagle on it from some guy named Glarg who hasnt a clue what speed stick is much less bath soap?!?! ...WURF!
i was wroking on my 2011 ultra classic th e other day and found a part stamped with made in mexico, and another one stamped with made in india,bike is a piece of crap,gutless, doesnt even sound good,i have maybe 900 miles on it and i dont like it, rear jug still gets super hot , and at 650 miles the belt broke, however, the honda goldwing is made right here in the states, think it i the only true made in america bike anymore, honda has a drive sharft, so no belt breaking,maynot look as good as a harley but im beginning not to care anymore
!
zippy,,the gold wing is assymbled here not made,,650 miles ? the belt broke cause of a rider malifunction
Hond Goldwing made right here in the States?? Japs moved this assembly line back to Japan over 2 years ago. Nothing USA about the Gold Wing.
$hit happens I had Two Honda Goldwings, on both of them the whole electrical system went up in smoke, no easy cheep fix. Harley probably bought their switches from Honda! at least Harley is fixing the problem they have my respect. Honda just cost me allot of money and no resale value. but you ride what you can afford at least you have your face in the wind, I live in the Inland North West and yes we ride after Halloween I don't know of a month that I haven't had the bike out.