NHTSA complaint: HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLAME — EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL
INSTALLED KURYAKYN BOSS BLADE HAND CONTROL LEVERS ON MY HARLEY DAVIDSON V-ROD. NO APPARENT PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE LEVER AS BRAKE APPEARED TO FUNCTION NORMALLY AND NO ADDITIONAL RESISTANCE ON FRONT WHEEL. RODE A FEW MILES, MERGED ONTO THE INTERSTATE AND WITHIN 4 MILES, THE FRONT BRAKE LOCKED UP CAUSING A SINGLE BIKE ACCIDENT WITH PERSONAL INJURIES WHICH INCLUDED EXTREME ABRASIONS, A BROKEN WRIST AND SEVERE KNEE DAMAGE REQUIRING RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY AND PHYSICAL THERAPY.THE ENTIRE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM WAS DISASSEMBLED AND INSPECTED AND THE PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED TO BE AN INCORRECTLY MACHINED BRAKE CONTROL LEVER.THIS CAUSED THE PISTON IN THE MASTER CYLINDER TO COMPRESS SLIGHTLY APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES AND BLOCKED THE PRESSURE RELIEF HOLE WHICH CAUSED EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILDUP,BRAKE FLUID EXPANSION AND UNCONTROLLED APPLICATION OF THE FRONT BRAKE. REPLACING THE CONTROL LEVER RESOLVED THE PROBLEM. FAULTY PART HAS BEEN SAVED FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. SINCE THE EVENT, I HAVE INDETIFIED OTHERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation