Detroit, MI — April 27, 2015 — The Associated Press recently reported that a clutch issue with Harley-Davidson motorcycles triggered a recall that began last Thursday. Six different types of motorcycle models, including Electra Glide, Ultra Limited and Police Electra Glide, were targeted, having been linked to 27 crashes.
In total, the recall will affect around 46,000 different cycles. The specific defect involves the master cylinder in the clutch: Riders using these bikes will not be able to take them out of gear, leading to possible control issues. Dealers are reportedly going to address this problem by rebuilding the cylinder.
Harley-Davidson has issued multiple recalls recently for motorcycle faults. Earlier this month, the company also thousands of 2015 bikes that were manufactured without rear reflectors. While the remedy is simply to install a new one, the official recall document released through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that the reflector-less vehicles would violate the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.
“If the motorcycle is missing the rear reflector it can reduce the vehicle’s visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash,” the statement said. Like the clutch-related recall, this reflector one also began this month and concerned motorcycles produced between 2014 and 2015. The company also recalled motorcycles last December for brake cylinder issues, although the vehicles concerned in that case were from older manufacture years.
All recall notices need to follow the same consistent format to give consumers important details about the defect, consequences and remedy. Once they know this, they should turn to the well-informed dealers, who will make replacing the faulty parts and restoring the vehicle to its proper working state. Vehicles operated during the recall period without being fixed are possible hazards to owners and the people around them.
