AI DamageHarley-Davidson Soft Tail: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Harley-Davidson Soft Tail across 1 model years: 23 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
| Year | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) | YouTube repair videos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 26% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel system 22% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 9% of all complaints
- 5 Exterior lighting 9% of all complaints
- 6 Seats 9% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 9% of all complaints
- 8 Tires 9% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 6 complaints (26% of all).
- Fuel system: 5 complaints (22% of all).
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (13% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (9% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 2 complaints (9% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 23 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 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.
While getting off of the bike passenger noticed fuel leaking from the fuel line at the gas tank connection. Upon closer inspection found that the quick connect fitting at the fuel tank was leaking.upon closer inspection of the quick connect it appears to have two internal "o" rings.
When I went to restart it, it took several tries and each time I tried I got a grinding noise. Finally started but light had already turned and I was in intersection past red. This has become more frequent. Only happens when motor is warmed up. Starter? Compensator?
Applied the rear brake to stop, pedal went all the way down, fire started by rear brake lite switch by brake fluid on hot exhaust.
Clutch lever seemed far to reach, took in for inspection and/or possible adjustment. Came back with clutch lever sticking or ratcheting, no longer smooth to operate. This made it very hard to operate in the friction zone needed for slow operation and turning around.
This model of tire dunlop d407f is no longer being sold and is superseded by the d408f. Service bulletin m-1258a covers other harley models with a similar tire and issue. Since a motorcycle only has two wheels the cupping and premature wear are a hazard that needs to be addressed as a safety concern.
Harley davidson 2009 flhtcu (placed here as vehicle section only lists 5 models and not this one) audible loud knock coming from the primary chain case on each engine startup.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- 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.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
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.