"I bought a Sportster Iron 883, as my first motorcycle. I out grew that in a week. Next summer I lost a ton of money trading up to a Fat Bob 114. This was a gorgeous machine, tons of power and I was so comfortable racking up miles on this bike.
Buuuuuuuuut, the bike was a mechanical disaster. It spent the 183 days of its first summer in the shop as they tinkered trying to fix (rather than just replace the parts and get me on the road) a bike that wouldn't downshift. I had been stuck at quite a few traffic lights stomping on the shifter hoping it will go down from 4th gear, as I give up and push it to the side. They didn't give me a loaner, I was just without a bike that whole first summer.
Then I got an inner primary seal leak.
Then the bike decided it would just shut off on me randomly. On the Highway at 120km/h, at stop lights, while accelerating, just any time. It gave me a fuel pump overload code, I took it into 2 shops over 5 separate times explaining to them that I think there is a fuel pump issue. They never listen, they always assume you're stupid and how could you possibly know. They always told me it was fine. I had them check it before a long ride, they gave it a clean bill... It died and refused to start at all 900km from home. It was pouring rain, as I sat beside my dead bike. Called the dealer, he said it "sounds like a fuel pump running too lean and overheating the engine". So the local dealer picked it up, they kept it for a week, told me the ECM just needed an update, and gave it back to me, after I protested all week to replace the fuel pump. It died 8km later, I waited 2 more hours in the pouring rain for them then to tow it back, guess what they found? Needed a new fuel pump, 1 week to order. I had to rent a car and drive 900km to get back home for work leaving my bike behind.

After retrieving the bike, it developed an "electrical gremlin".... I couldn't take it any more. I had to rid myself of this bike that when it ran, I loved it. Mostly because I couldn't deal with the service department at any of the 6 dealerships I had tried. They don't listen and they don't care.

Harley's biggest problem is they don't care. They don't see a problem with me spending $30k on a bike and letting it sit in their shop all summer. I wrote a penned letter after trading in my Fat Bob for a BMW R1300GS and I got an emailed response saying "We'll try harder in the future", I don't think they even read my letter, they just don't care. Has my BMW R1300GS been perfect? Nope, but the bike hasn't left me stranded and BMW takes care of you, they listen and they replace parts that might possibly even start to cause an issue. That is where Harley is lacking."

Erik

"Harley Davidson produsess the worst bike in America! Never owned another bike that requires so many repairs, before every ride. Harley Davidson engineering should be prosecuted! Do better Harley. You used to be something to talk about. I have two Harley Davidson's, less than 10 years old always down. I have a Honda, and Kawasaki both 20 years old, and never one issue. Come on Harley, show us America's best motorcycle. Right now it's not you."

John Luper

"SCAM!!
I was told by staff at my local HD dealership (Freedom Valley HD in Sellersville, PA who are excellent by the way) that the “Screamin’ Eagle Street Tuner” was a do-it-yourself through an app tuner. Turns out, Harley took down the app from the AppStore because IT WAS JUNK AND RUINING BIKES. I called my dealership back to try to return it, but since I opened it, I was unable to return. They advised that Harley Davidson NEVER advised them of the app’s removal and that they had A BUNCH of customers come back to them with the same problem. Now, I’m stuck HAVING TO PAY A SHOP RATE for the dealer to do the install of the tune. Love my HD, but the company DROPPED THE BALL. STAY AWAY FROM THE SE STREET TUNER UNLESS YOU LIKE TO BE SCAMMED!"

KH