Harley-Davidson recalls 57,138 motorcycles over oil leak hazard
Harley-Davidson has issued a voluntary recall for 57,138 units of its 2017 Touring motorcycles after discovering that a possible engine oil leak could cause crashes.
The Milwaukee motorcycle company determined that an improperly installed clamp on the oil cooling system could cause an oil line to detach.
That situation, Harley said, “could lead to oil on the rear tire, which may result in loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.”
The affected Touring motorcycles are:
- Road King
- Road Glide
- Street Glide
- Road King Special
- Road Glide Special
- Street Glide Special
- Electra Glide Ultra Classic
- Road King Classic
A Harley spokesperson said owners of the affected 2017 Touring models, 45,599 of which were sold within the U.S., are urged to see their dealers immediately and schedule appointments to have the questionable clamps inspected.
Motorcycles requiring repairs will be fixed at no cost to the customer, the company said.
The recall comes at an inconvenient time. The venerable motorcycle company recently reported drops in revenue and profit in its first-quarter earnings report in April and has seen its stock price fall markedly since, from $62 a share in March to $53 a share Monday.
This is the second large recall for Harley in the last year. In July 2016 the company recalled nearly 30,000 bikes for clutch problems. That followed a 2014 recall of 60,000 motorcycles with brake issues.
The Touring motorcycles are among the best-selling, and most expensive, in the Harley-Davidson family.
A new Road Glide Special, for example, retails for just under $24,000.
