Harley recalls nearly 46,000 motorcycles

[Bike44]

My name is **** and I'm a recovering motorcycleholic. Owned 51 since 1960 and am now riding a 2014 HD Road King.

However I'm considering going back to my 2013 Red F6B Deluxe which I've owned twice before...3rd time's a charm? Not sure why we separated twice, maybe it was me and not her. I'll know more next week about reconciling.

If I'm going to own an Asian/ASEAN motorcycle it may as well be made there. HD's come with many outsourced parts (China primarily) yet claim USA proudly on my fuel tank.

BTW I escaped the current recall as the Road King still uses a cable clutch, unlike the up-market CVO's that have hydraulics and this recall.

[Trike lady]

Honda has been using hydraulic clutches on Wings since 1984 on the GL1200 and they don't seem to be a problem if the fluid is changed and the system flushed. How can new vehicles have a problem with technology that has been used on a motorcycle since 1984? My guess is cheap components, seals that cannot stand up to DOT4 brake fluid, poor tolerances of the internals?

[taxfree4]

Had a 2004 Road King, never had a problem with that bike and probably was my favorite of all my Harleys. I could sit on it all day, I used to call it the Road Sofa.

[Bike44]

Had a 2004 Road King, never had a problem with that bike and probably was my favorite of all my Harleys. I could sit on it all day, I used to call it the Road Sofa.

Like us they've matured, primarily due to upgrades in the frame and changes to the new Rushmore engine line (both air and water cooled models).

No more loose rear suspension wallowing their way through a turn. And with upgraded cams and ECM programming, Stage upgrades aren't really required to get average performance from the dated engine design.

Still they are what they are...a sheep in wolves clothing that mid-life Boomers feel satisfy their last wave to shore ride. They do maintain residual value. But with all the recent recalls (several on clutches and other components) the love affair may be loosing that *spark* for some, and resale value may as well.

However HD isn't immune...The recent BMW's I had all required component change outs due to infant mortality caused by outsourced components that failed. The parts bin of the World contains some crappy stuff today.

Edit: Per HD SB M-1402A simply removing the master cylinder and rinsing it in distilled water, followed by an Isopropyl alcohol flush, will neutralize the offending problem...bubbles formed in the brake fluid reducing the available clutch hydraulic system pressure.