Harley-Davidson Motor Company: Safety Recalls in 1980

THE WHEEL BEARINGS ON THE INVOLVED MOTORCYCLES MAY HAVE HAD INADEQUATE INITIAL BEARING LUBRICATIONS AND SEALING. DEPENDING ON THE DEGREE OF INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION, THIS PROBLEM COULD CAUSE FAILURE OF THE FRONT AND/OR REAR WHEEL BEARINGS.

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE REAR BRAKE CONTROL MAY DISENGAGE FROM THE FRAME DUE TO STRESSES PRIMARILY CAUSED BY THE LENGTH OF THE BRAKE CONTROL MOUNTING BOLTS.

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES THERE MAY BE A GRADUAL LOOSENING OF THE REAR SPROCKET BOLT(S) AND A DECREASE IN THE CLAMPING FORCE NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN A SECURE ATTACHMENT OF THE REAR WHEEL SPROCKET TO THE WHEEL.

THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE USE OF A NON-SPECIFIED MATERIAL IN THE PLASTIC PISTON OF THE MASTER CYLINDER ASSEMBLY MAY ALLOW A GREATER DEGREE OF WATER ABSORPTION THAN INTENDED BY HARLEY DAVIDSON.

THE ADJUSTING SCREW, WHICH MOUNTS THROUGH A FORK LOCK LEVER ASSEMBLY INTO THE FORK LOCK ITSELF, MAY NOT BE FULLY AND SECURELY ENGAGED BECAUSE THE SCREW MAY NOT BE LONG ENOUGH. THIS MAY ALLOW THE FORK PIN TO DROP AND ACCIDENTALLY ENGAGE THE FORK LOCK.

THERE IS A POTENTIAL MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE FORK LOCK PIN RETURN MECHANISM WHICH MIGHT ALLOW THE FORK PIN TO DROP AND INADVERTENTLY ENGAGE THE FORK LOCK DURING LEFT HAND TURNS AT LOW SPEEDS.

ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE HEAD OF THE REAR WHEEL SPROCKET MOUNTING BOLT COULD BREAK OFF AND EVENTUALLY WEDGE ITSELF BETWEEN THE ALUMINUM CHAIN HOUSING AND THE SPROCKET. THIS DEFECT IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURING PROCESS WHICH MAY CAUSE THE BOLTS TO BECOME BRITTLE.

THE REAR BRAKE CALIPER CASTING ON CERTAIN VEHICLES COULD BE POROUS AND COULD ALLOW BRAKE FLUID TO SEEP FROM THE CALIPER ASSEMBLY. IF THIS OCCURS, THE REAR BRAKES WILL GRADUALLY LOSE FLUID AND PRESSURE.