Harley recalling a metric shit ton of bikes...

[chornbe]

... because the tanks may leak in a crash.  

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/14december09_hdrecall.htm

According to the report, the front fuel tank mounts may distort in a crash, causing the tank to leak and possibly catch fire or explode. H-D dealers will install braces to the mounts to keep that from happening.

[atadaskew]

I think the recall is a really bad idea.
Why fix an 'issue' that really in the greater scheme of things is irrelevant (if you cause that much front end damage to your bike, your bike is a total loss anyway)?

Instead Harley should embrace this as a safety feature!  Publicize it!  Let drivers of cars and trucks know that if they even dare to pull a left turn in front of an incoming Harley, they will be met with a fiery doom!

Seriously, people will think twice before pulling that maneouver..

[chornbe]

Yeah, I'm a little confused about it.

Yamaha had a similar issue on the R6s. I'm not sure there was a blanket recall, was there?

I mean, kudos and all that, but... a bike crashes and fuel might leak? Uhm... we all know how these things are designed, right?

[scramblerracer123]

http://www.southfloridainjuryattorneyblog.com/2009/04/man_survives_tampa_motorcycle.html

 Posted On:  April 15, 2009  by  Cohn, Smith & Cohn
Man Survives Tampa Motorcycle Accident But Loses Harley in Fire

A motorcyclist escaped a serious accident in the Tampa area without injuries, MSNBC reported March 10 through Tampa Bay Online. According to the article, the man was riding north on Interstate 75 when traffic ahead of him slowed. To avoid a rear-end collision -- which can throw motorcyclists from their bikes -- he laid down his 1998 Harley Davidson on its side in the grassy median of the highway. The man wasn’t injured, but the motorcycle caught fire, doing an estimated $10,000 in damage. No charges were filed and alcohol was not involved, the report said.
 
Yadda yadda yadda,

Needless to say, this man is lucky -- and may have also benefited from quick thinking if he intentionally chose to lay the bike down in the median. But as a South Florida product defects attorney, I wonder about the cause of the fire. By now, a 1998 model is 11 years old -- but even an 11-year-old motorcycle shouldn’t catch fire easily. If it turns out that the fire was caused by a manufacturing flaw in the motorcycle or one of its parts, the maker of the defective product could be legally liable for the accident -- including the thousands of dollars in property damage."

[chornbe]

 

[sargent]

dad got the call Sunday that his 2010 Trike was finally in and ready for pick up.  he called me last night to let me know, this morning I called him and let him know about the recall...he only said two things "ah" and "crap"  

i laugh, we call it the harley accord, but in reality, I'm just glad he's still riding and doing what he can to ensure he can still ride.  even if it's on a sortabike.

[st ryder]

Where does it end? Why shouldn't any bike be recalled because there's a possibility the fuel tank could rupture after a severe front end collision? This has been a concern re BMW's plastic tanks for years afaik, ie they don't pass safety standards but no "recall" for them. (Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong about that, but that's what I "heard.") It's a phucking joke and a half IMO. I think it's probably a case of somebody out there in a position of power who doesn't like HD. Probably a Buell owner.  

[chornbe]

That's kinda my take on it too (tho' with a little less subversive conspiracy theory ).

I don't get why people are so worked up about a small, welded tank might leak if *gasp* you drop a multi-hundred pound motorcycle on it and slide it down the pavement for a couple of hundred feet.

 

[Playinthestreet]

In a word.... Lawyers...

[chornbe]

those filthy sons-a-bitches!  

[Fourstring]

This is Harley.  Shouldn't they be recalling an SAE shit ton of bikes?

[chornbe]

This is Harley.  Shouldn't they be recalling an SAE shit ton of bikes?

Well, the forks are Showa and the brakes are Brembo... we'll have to do some crazy math to find the right blending of measurements.

[Geoff]

The recall is Harley's backhanded way of getting people into showrooms to see the 2010 models.

[chornbe]

The recall is Harley's backhanded way of getting people into showrooms to see the 2010 models.

[ConPilot1]

Well, the forks are Showa and the brakes are Brembo... we'll have to do some crazy math to find the right blending of measurements.

Don't forget the japanese carbs feeding those awesome big 'ole american iron V-twins.

[scottzilla]

I'm confused by the confusion.
It's pretty important that a fuel tank not rupture and explode, even in the event of an impact that destroys the bike.
This seems obvious to me.
My EX500 race bike's gas tank was held on with 1 bolt and zip ties, it never ruptured and exploded on impact.  Not once.

[MadMax96]

Don't forget the japanese carbs feeding those awesome big 'ole american iron V-twins.

Not anymore - all HD models have had FI for at least a couple model years now.  And I'm sure the FI systems are American made too.  

[st ryder]

I'm confused by the confusion.
It's pretty important that a fuel tank not rupture and explode, even in the event of an impact that destroys the bike.
This seems obvious to me.
My EX500 race bike's gas tank was held on with 1 bolt and zip ties, it never ruptured and exploded on impact.  Not once.

Are Harely tanks the only ones on record that have a possibility of exploding on severe front end collision? Are there no other bikes that have gone up in flames after a collision? I find that difficult to believe. AFAIK, all bikes have the *potential* to rupture their tanks upon a severe front end collision, including your zip tie special, which is reason for the HD recall, ie the possibility it could rupture.  

[scottzilla]

Are Harely tanks the only ones on record that have a possibility of exploding on severe front end collision? Are there no other bikes that have gone up in flames after a collision? I find that difficult to believe. AFAIK, all bikes have the *potential* to rupture their tanks upon a severe front end collision, including your zip tie special, which is reason for the HD recall, ie the possibility it could rupture.  

I may not be understanding your point.  HD obvioulsy had a larger "Potential" to have a rupture than other brands.  I doubt they would have issued a recall (And offered a fix) if this statement wasn't true.
My EX500 tank was tested and passed multiple times.  

[atadaskew]

The recall is not for exploding tanks, but tanks that could leak after a massive head on crash.

Honestly, I couldn't care less.  At that point my insurance has bought the bike from me.

I don't get it though, every bike I've dropped (not crashed) has had fuel leak out of the gas cap, or carbs etc.
My Guzzi leaks fuel out of it's left carb if parked on it's side stand for a while!  And they all do that sir (the old ones).  I just turn that fuel tap off..

[chornbe]

Are Harely tanks the only ones on record that have a possibility of exploding on severe front end collision? Are there no other bikes that have gone up in flames after a collision? I find that difficult to believe. AFAIK, all bikes have the *potential* to rupture their tanks upon a severe front end collision, including your zip tie special, which is reason for the HD recall, ie the possibility it could rupture.  

*cough*R6*cough*

[st ryder]

I may not be understanding your point.  HD obvioulsy had a larger "Potential" to have a rupture than other brands.  I doubt they would have issued a recall (And offered a fix) if this statement wasn't true.
My EX500 tank was tested and passed multiple times.  

My point is twofold: 1) what motorcycle does not have the potential of a fuel leak and possible fire after a severe head on collision? and 2) Is HD the only bike on record for having fuel tank leaks and fires after severe head-on collisions? And okay, I'll make a 3rd point, where's the independent lab or field tests that show HD's potenial is more than any other bike to warrant a recall, as opposed to reaching an understanding that such risks are inherent in mc deisgn?

[squeezer]

H-D dealers will install braces to the mounts to keep that from happening.

That's the crummy part. Won't those braces make the bikes heavy?

[atadaskew]

That's the crummy part. Won't those braces make the bikes heavy?

It's ok, they compensate for it by putting less air in the tyres.  Before they would put 30lbs in the front, 40 lbs pressure in the rear.
Now they are cutting it down to 28/35 for a weight savings of 7lbs.
Those braces (high tech lead/cast iron/chrome alloy) only weigh about 5lbs altogether.  Harley also offers a carbon fiber cover in it's Screaming Eagle catalogue that you can glue on top of the braces.  As carbon fiber is amazingly light, it makes the braces lighter.

[chornbe]

BWAHAHAHAHAH nice.  

[Geoff]

That's the crummy part. Won't those braces make the bikes heavy?

Heavy is a design objective.  

[bikerstarfjr08]

That's the crummy part. Won't those braces make the bikes heavy?

Ah, errr.....you meant HEAVIER, RIGHT? Those bikes already approach the weight of a fully loaded Hummer.

[Geoff]

Ah, errr.....you meant HEAVIER, RIGHT? Those bikes already approach the weight of a fully loaded Hummer.

In running order, the Ultra Classic weighs 889 lbs. and the Gold Wing weighs 928 lbs.  

[chornbe]

Wait, you're suggesting that a large-framed, heavily built bike that's designed to take 2 people and weeks of provisions on long trips should actually weigh more than a, say, 370 pound sport bike whose sole purpose is to go really fast around turns for an hour at a time while being ridden by guys who are 5-foot-nuthin' and weight 128 pounds?

Hmm..

[atadaskew]

Ah, errr.....you meant HEAVIER, RIGHT? Those bikes already approach the weight of a fully loaded Hummer.

It's funny when someone who rides a fat bike complains about other fat bikes.

[squeezer]

It's funny when someone who rides a fat bike complains about other fat bikes.

Whew! About time. I was waiting for someone to take my little one liner and point out I ride an FJR. I mean, come on -- I'm serving up slow pitch softballs here, gang.  

[atadaskew]

Whew! About time. I was waiting for someone to take my little one liner and point out I ride an FJR. I mean, come on -- I'm serving up slow pitch softballs here, gang.  

It's like standing around the last donut in the lunch room.  If no-one else is gonna take it....
 

[Tpoppa]

Narrator: A new car built by my company leaves somewhere traveling at 60 mph. The rear differential locks up. The car crashes and burns with everyone trapped inside. Now, should we initiate a recall? Take the number of vehicles in the field, A, multiply by the probable rate of failure, B, multiply by the average out-of-court settlement, C. A times B times C equals X. If X is less than the cost of a recall, we don't do one.

Woman on plane: Are there a lot of these kinds of accidents?

Narrator: You wouldn't believe.

Woman on plane: Which car company do you work for?

Narrator: A major one.

[Uncle Leo]

"According to the article, the man was riding north on Interstate 75 when traffic ahead of him slowed. To avoid a rear-end collision -- which can throw motorcyclists from their bikes -- he laid down his 1998 Harley Davidson on its side in the grassy median of the highway."

This tool shouldn't be allowed near a Schwinn, let alone a motorcycle. But because he acted like an ass, it is, of course, the motorcycle manufacturers fault that he INTENTIONALLY crashed his ride.

[chornbe]

 

Thanks for making us *all* look bad.

Guess what... you run into the back of something in your car, it's YOUR fault, not the stopped traffic's fault. Why would ANYONE expect it to be different for bikes?  

[JoeyBones]

 Guess what... you run into the back of something in your car, it's YOUR fault, not the stopped traffic's fault. Why would ANYONE expect it to be different for bikes?  

+ 1

If I wrecked every time traffic in front of me "slowed".....  Well, I don't guess I'd be sitting here typing this....