Stop Riding Your Harley-Davidson Softail Right Now
The past few months haven’t been kind to Harley-Davidson. And things just got worse. The bikemaker has announced a massive recall for its popular Softail models, with the number of affected units well over 50,000. The issue is quite serious as well, so you need to stop riding your Softail and read this.
A Faulty Rear Shock Hub Has Caused The Harley-Davidson Recall
Softail models from 2018 to 2024 reportedly have a faulty rear shock hub. This sits on the pre-load adjuster and can break/fracture due to fatigue. Once broken, the pieces can damage the rear wheel, which can cause a serious crash. The official explanation reads:
The rear shock pre-load adjuster mounting tab installed on certain Model Year 2018-2024 Softail motorcycles may fracture under normal use, potentially allowing the rear shock adjuster to contact the rear tire. If the defect condition occurs and remains undetected, contact between the adjuster and tire may create a groove in the tire, which may eventually lead to a sudden loss of pressure, increasing the risk of a crash.
Several Popular Harley-Davidson Models Are Affected From The Recall
The Softail lineup has birthed some brilliant motorcycles in the timespan we mentioned above, and some of your favorite examples fall under the recall. That also takes the total tally of potentially affected bikes really high. The list below paints a clear picture, and if your bike falls under this, you’ll appreciate the free-of-cost remedy. The Harley-Davidson dealer near your place will contact you and install a recall kit on your machine. This includes a new bracket that limits the movement of the pre-load adjuster and also prevents the adjuster from making contact with the rear tire.
- FLDE/2018-2019 (3,875 units)
- FLHCS/2018-2024 (24,718 units)
- FLHC/2018-2021 (8,756 units)
- FXLRS/2020-2024 (25,887 units)
- FXLRST/2022-2024 (16,058 units)
- FLHCS ANV/2018, 2023 (2,084 units)
- FXRST/2022 (739 units)
