Harley-Davidson recall: 'Do not ride' some '14 bikes
Harley-Davidson recalls more than 29,000 touring motorcycles built between May and October of this year. Problems with a hydraulic clutch, which could make it difficult to stop or slow the bikes, prompted the Harley-Davidson recall.
Tens of thousands of Harley- Davidson enthusiasts from all corners of the globe made the pilgrimage to Milwaukee for the motorcycle maker's 110th anniversary celebration over Labor Day weekend. A new Harley-Davidson recall involves 25,185 touring motorcycles and 3,861 Custom Vehicle Operations and Trikes built this year.
Sara Stathas/Reuters/File
U.S. motorcycle maker聽Harley-Davidson聽Inc said on Wednesday it is voluntarily recalling more than 29,000 of its聽2014 touring motorcycles聽because of a problem with their hydraulic clutch system.
Recalled models include 25,185 touring聽motorcycles聽and 3,861 Custom Vehicle Operations and Trikes built between May 3 and Oct. 14, 2013.
The recalls include a "Do Not Ride" notice to owners and a "Do Not Deliver" notice to聽Harley-Davidson聽dealers until the motorcycle is fixed.
"Some of these聽motorcycles聽may exhibit a condition in which the hydraulic clutch system may lose the ability to generate enough lift to disengage the clutch," the聽Milwaukee-based company said in a statement.
Harley-Davidson聽said it is proceeding with the recalls consistent with National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's process, though the聽U.S. government聽body is closed due to the partial government shutdown.
Harley-Davidson聽said if the clutch does not disengage as intended, the rider may have difficulty slowing or stopping the motorcycle, which could result in an accident. "The repairs have been identified and should take less than one hour."
Harley-Davidson聽recalled more than 300,000聽motorcycles聽worldwide in 2011 due to problems with the rear brake light switch.
Harley-Davidson聽said in July that it expects to ship 259,000 to 264,000聽motorcycles聽to dealers worldwide in 2013, up from 247,625 in 2012.