There are few things more concerning and problematic than having the handlebars on your motorcycle break, but that’s exactly the situation a Harley-Davidson owner found themselves in August.
That’s when the motorcycle manufacturer became aware of an issue that has now led to a recall. The rider claimed that the left-side handlebar on their 2022 RH975 Nightster broke off the bike while riding.
Harley-Davidson launched an investigation into the root cause of what allowed the weld connecting the middle part of the handlebars to the left side to come asunder. The team looked at parts recovered from the field, inspected and analyzed them, commissioned lab tests, and contacted its supplier.
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Following its investigation into the issue, Harley-Davidson determined that the manufacturing variability in the welds was at the root of this issue and could affect 1.63 percent of the handlebars included in a voluntary recall campaign it launched on October 6.
Specifically, the recall includes 1,074 2022 Harley-Davidson Nightsters produced between December 6, 2021, and September 9, 2022. Motorcycles produced after September 9 have handlebars that were produced with enhanced manufacturing controls and are, therefore, not likely to fail in the same way.
Fortunately, despite the serious nature of the recall, Harley-Davidson says it is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this issue. Starting on October 18, it will notify owners, who will be invited back to the dealership in order to have their handlebars replaced where necessary. The new handlebars will be manufactured with the same enhanced controls as those used for motorcycles produced after September 9. These will, therefore, not break, and can be identified with a blue paint mark located on each end of the handlebar.
