Complaint 701831

Complaint Summary

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

Owner Narrative

I PURCHASE MY 2002 HARLEY DEUCE FROM A LOCAL DEALER ROSSITERS IN THE SUMMER OF 2008 JUST AFTER IT RECEIVED ITS 30K SERVICE FROM THIS DEALER. ONE DAY AFTER PURCHASE WE TOOK A RIDE WITH FRIENDS TO LEESBURG BIKEFEST THIS SUMMER 2008. ON THE WAY BACK APPROX 300 MILES ON THE NEW (TO ME) BIKE THE REAR WHEEL SPROCKET STARTED MAKING NOISE. AFTER PULLING OVER WE FOUND THAT ALL FIVE OF THE BOLTS HAD NOT ONLY WORKED LOOSE BUT WERE MISSING ABOUT HALF OF THEIR HEAD DEPTH FROM GRINDING INTO THE SWING ARM. TIGHTENING IS ALL UP GOT ME HOME. RETURNED THE BIKE TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOOK CARE OF IT, MEANING THEY NEVER GAVE ME A REASON ON THE HOW OR THE WHY THIS COULD OF HAPPENED AND HOW THEY OR I COULD PREVENT THIS IN THE FUTURE. AFTER PUTTING ON A CHROME SPROCKET COVER FOR ME AND NEW CHROME BOLTS. I PICKED UP MY BIKE AND HAD A LIFTER PIN COME LOOSE WITHIN 400 MILES AND CRACK THE CASE BUT THAT'S NOT THE STORY I'M WRITING ABOUT. AFTER FIXING THE SPROCKET I PUT APPROX 3K MILES ON THE BIKE AND WAS CRUISING HOME WHEN MY BUDDY HEARD MY ALL TO FAMILIAR NOISE COMING FROM MY BIKE AGAIN. 3 OF THE CHROME BOLTS WERE LOOSE,1/2", AND 2 WERE BROKEN RIGHT OFF. AGAIN TIGHTENING GOT ME HOME. I TOOK IT TO THE SAME DEALER AND WAS BASICALLY TOLD @#$%@#$^#$&%^ . THEY WANTED MONEY TO FIX THE BIKE AND WOULD NOT CONSIDER THIS A COMEBACK ON THEIR PREVIOUS WORK. AS MUCH OF A SAFETY ISSUE THIS IS AND WHAT LITTLE REGARD, OR CONCERN I GOT IN RESPONSE FROM THEM HORRIFIES ME TO THINK OF WHAT ELSE THEY HAVE DONE. IF IT IS CAUSED BY A BAD PART IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED. IF THIS IS A MECHANIC'S ERROR, SCARY IT HAPPENED TWICE. HELP. I AM HAVING A QUALIFIED PERSON LOOK AT IT NOW TO TRY TO DETERMINE HOW AND WHY THIS HAPPENED, TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. *TR

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.