AI Damage2002 Harley-Davidson 1200: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Harley-Davidson 1200 filed 6 complaints with NHTSA, most often about visibility and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 6
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Visibility 33% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 17% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 17% of all complaints
- 4 Suspension 17% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 17% of all complaints
- Visibility: 2 complaints (33% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Suspension: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
While driving the throttle would not come down causing the bike to stay at a high speed causing accident. Ts
The person driving this vehicle is not the owner of this motorcycle and is driving this motorcycle on a suspended license. The suspended license is for excessive duis and has been using this vehicle (a friend of theirs) to go out and party.
Consumer received a recall notice for replacement of the circuit breaker between battery and ignition. No parts were available. Service manager dennis maas.
Consumer is still having problems with side mirror after given the repair parts which caused the bolts to loosen. Recall number unknown. Please provide the dealer name, number and address.
The front and rear brake made a noise when applied, also the rear brakes did not hold. The front brakes made noise continuously and there was inadequate effectiveness of the rear brakes and remain a problem.
While ridding the motorcycle, at the speed of 50mph the left mirror broke and hit the chest loosing the control. Manufacturer has been notified. Nlm
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 13,278 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 36% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 1200 has 4 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 6, above average.
What to check before buying
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Harley-Davidson 1200?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: visibility, electrical system, service brakes. Total complaints: 6.
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 Harley-Davidson 1200?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2002 Harley-Davidson 1200 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2002 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.