AI DamageHarley-Davidson Flhrci: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Harley-Davidson Flhrci across 7 model years: 29 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 28% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 17% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel system 10% of all complaints
- 5 Wheels 10% of all complaints
- 6 Equipment 3% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel/propulsion system 3% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 3% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 8 complaints (28% of all).
- Service brakes: 5 complaints (17% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (14% of all).
- Fuel system: 3 complaints (10% of all).
- Wheels: 3 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 29 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
My wife and I were riding on a 2005 harley davidson road king classic without abs. We were at highway speeds on interstate 275 when the car in front of us slammed on his brakes. We lost control of the bike as we attempted to rapidly stop and avoid hitting him. I sustained minor injuries.
Rear brake failure, riding in high altitudes. On several occasions after riding this motorcycle 500+ miles a day, and traveling through mountains, the rear brake will suddenly not work, the pedal just drops to the floorboard. After sitting for about 2 min. Brake operation returns to normal.
Motorcycle hesitates, sputters, stalls when accelerating usually when its cold. I found a service bulletin m-1185 from harley davidson. I called their customer care [ref], told me to drop it off at a dealership. Then dealership said hd denied replacement of the updated / mod fuel injectors. The bike has 5k miles on it.
Front brake locked up at low speeds on multiple occasions. I thought it was a tire issue and replaced them. Bike continued to have brake(s) lock up at low to medium speeds (35 or less) just brought vehicle to the dealer who reset the brake pistons and stated that it was not uncommon for the brake calipers to "loose…
I have fear that if others are not notified of this failure could have a transmission failure causing an accident, that could end in a death.
While driving approximately 5 mph attempting to park, the contact noticed fuel leaking from the bottom of the fuel tank. The contact performed the repair which consisted of replacing the quick connect coupling. The manufacturer was made aware of failure. The approximate failure mileage was 6,800.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other models of this make
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.