AI Damage2022 Harley-Davidson Nightster (RH1250) reliability: common problems
Owners of the 2022 Harley-Davidson Nightster (RH1250) filed 3 complaints with NHTSA, most often about exterior lighting and electrical system. The maker issued 4 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 3
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Exterior lighting 67% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 33% of all complaints
- Exterior lighting: 2 complaints (67% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (33% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 3 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Electronic stability control | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tires | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Other | 2 | 0 | 4 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I bought the Nightster in February 2022 and didn't start riding it until April/May 2022. The problem existed immediately. The dealer where I purchased the motorcycle has ridden this motorcycle and has confirmed the problem. I have written three letters to Harley-Davidson and no corrective action has been taken.
This is on a motorcycle: The right hand turn signal/License plate vibrated off. July 5, 2024 I had just got back from my girlfriendâs house and I had planned on riding the bike to her house on Sunday.
Vehicle had a no start 3 weeks after purchasing, dealer inspected said to charge battery. 2 weeks after getting bike back, no start again. Dealer picked up said right hand module was bad and was replaced. Same night we picked it up, bike had another no start.
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 15,523 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 48% most complained about).
What to check before buying
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Electronic stability control. ABS/ESC sensors, steering angle, codes after suspension repair.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- SERVICE BULLETIN M1555 (REV E)
BATTERY WARRANTY GUIDELINES. PURPOSE: Revision E. Added: Added procedures for the DCA-8000 E Battery Tester.* Updated: All sections. This bulletin informs the dealership network that Harley-Davidson has provided…
- SERVICE BULLETIN M1490 (V 24.8.8)
DIGITAL TECHNICIAN II - UPDATES AND RELEASE NOTES. PURPOSE: This bulletin informs dealers that Harley-Davidson has made a software update to Digital Technician II (DT II). DIGITAL TECHNICIAN II (PART NUMBER: HD-48650)…
- SERVICE BULLETIN M1490 (V 24.6.4)
DIGITAL TECHNICIAN II - UPDATES AND RELEASE NOTES. PURPOSE: Revision. This bulletin informs dealers that Harley-Davidson has made a software update to Digital Technician II (DT II). DIGITAL TECHNICIAN II (PART NUMBER…
- M1490
DIGITAL TECHNICIAN II - UPDATES AND RELEASE NOTES. PURPOSE: Revision. This bulletin informs dealers that Harley-Davidson has made a software update to Digital Technician II (DT II). DIGITAL TECHNICIAN II (PART NUMBER…
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2022 Harley-Davidson Nightster (RH1250)?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: exterior lighting, electrical system. Total complaints: 3. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: won't start (67%), vibration (33%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2022 Harley-Davidson Nightster (RH1250)?
NHTSA lists 4 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 2022 Harley-Davidson Nightster (RH1250) 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 2022 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 2026-11-06.