Model year record
2001 Harley-Davidson Sportster recalls & problems
The 2001 Harley-Davidson Sportster has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 6 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is visibility (2 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2001 Harley-Davidson Sportster.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| VisibilityRearview mirrors/devices; Rearview mirrors/devices › Exterior | 2 | — |
| SteeringSteering wheel/handle bar | 1 | — |
| Power trainManual transmission | 1 | — |
| Service brakes, hydraulicFoundation components › Disc › Rotor | 1 | — |
| Electrical systemWiring | 1 | — |
| Unknown or other | 1 | — |
| Child seat | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Unknown or otherCrash
MY 6 YEAR OLD SON AND MY EX-HUSBAND WERE KILLED BY ANOTHER DRIVER WHILE THEY WERE ON A MOTORCYCLE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THERE IS NOT A LAW PROHIBITING CHILDREN FROM RIDING AS A PASSENGER ON A MOTORCYCLE. I WAS NOT ALLOWED BY LAW TO PUT AARON IN THE CAR WITHOUT BEING PLACED IN A CAR SEAT, YET HIS FATHER, EVEN AFTER MY REPEATED REQUEST FOR HIM NOT TO WAS ABLE TO PUT HIM ON THE BACK OF HIS HARLEY. WE ARE TRYING TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN WITH ALL OF THESE LAWS, EVEN AN ADULT CAN NOT RIDE IN A CAR WITHOUT A SEAT BELT, BUT A MOTORCYCLE RIDER CAN RIDE WITHOUT A HELMET AND HE CAN EVEN RIDE WITH HIS CHILD. ARE THEY ABOVE THE LAW? WHY IS THERE NOT A LAW PROHIBITING CHILDREN FROM RIDING AS…
- Visibility › Rearview mirrors/devices › Exterior
WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE LEFT REAR VIEW MIRROR SNAPPED OFF. A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE 2002 MODEL INSTEAD.*AK *NM
- Electrical system › Wiring
WHILE DRIVING, THE MOTORCYCLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART THE MOTORCYCLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE CIRCUIT BREAKER ON TO RESTART. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT IDLE PROPERLY AND THE MOTORCYCLE LOST POWER. *SC THE CONSUMER THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING. *JB
- Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc › RotorCrash1 injury
RIDING MY 2001 HARLEY-DAVIDSON 1200S (SPORTSTER 1200 SPORT) HOME FROM WORK AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP. WEATHER CONDITIONS: MIST/LIGHT RAIN. THE BIKE HAD JUST HAD ITS 10K SERVICE DONE A FEW WEEKS PRIOR AT LOCAL H-D DEALERSHIP AND THEY ALSO PUT ON NEW TIRES FRONT & REAR. THE BIKE SHOOK VIOLENTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND I ENDED UP LAYING IT DOWN. MY R KNEE WAS SCRAPED UP AND MY L HAND SWOLLEN AND L ANKLE BRUISED. VERY LUCKY AS I WAS WEARING LEATHER JACKET AND BOOTS. NO BROKEN BONES. INS CO (PROGRESSIVE) SUGGESTED A DIFFERENT SHOP (NOT DEALER) THAT THEY USE. THE SHOP IS STILL WAITING ON HANDLEBARS FROM H-D. OTHER PARTS FINALLY CAME IN. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES WERE…
- Visibility › Rearview mirrors/devices
I PURCHASED THE MOTORCYCLE NEW AND IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A MAJOR PROBLEM FROM THE MIRRORS FALLING OFF WILL MOVING, HEAD LIGHT AIMED AT THE SKY NOT TOO THE ROAD, PART OF THE FORWARD GEAR SHIFT CONTROL FALLING OFF OVER AND OVER, LEAKING OIL FROM THE HEAD AND THE LOWER END AND FROM THE AIR CLEANER. I KEEP TAKING THE BIKE BACK TO THE DEALER AND HAVE BEEN TOLD ITS NOT LEAKING BUT THERE IS OIL ALL OVER THE BIKE(THEY ACT LIKE I MAY BE DUMPING IT ON TIL THEY PUT A DYE IN IT THEN ITS WILL THIS PART IS BAD AND THIS PART IS BAD), ON THE MIRRIOR I HAD TO FIX IT AND THEN THEY LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THE BOLTS NEEDED TO REPLACED AND THEY WHERE NOT, THE SHIFTER I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO WAY IT COULD…
- Steering › Steering wheel/handle bar
THE SCREWS CAME LOOSE FROM THE BRACKET ON THE HANDLE BAR WHICH HOLDS THE CLULTCH LEVER AND REAR VIEW MIRROR. *YH
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
- REAR VIEW MIRROR STEM FAILURESClosedLed to recall 03V058000
PROMPTED BY THE REFERENCED OWNER COMPLAINT, ODI OPENED THIS PE AFTER DETERMINING THAT HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERS HAD FREQUENTLY REPLACED THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT (OE) MIRRORS ON 2002 SPORTSTER 1200 CUSTOM MODEL MOTORCYCLES BECAUSE OF STEM FRACTURES ON THE MIRROR ASSEMBLY.THE STEMBEING THE TUBULAR STRUCTURE WHICH CONNECTS THE ACTUAL MIRROR HEAD ASSEMBLY TO THE MOTORCYCLE.THE SINGLE CRASH ALLEGATION HAS NOT BEEN CONFIRMED.OF THE TWO INJURIES, ONE OCCURRED WHEN THE SEPARATED MIRROR STRUCK THE OPERATOR.THE OTHER OCCURRED DURING THE UNCONFIRMED CRASH. SUBSEQUENTLY, HARLEY DAVIDSON NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WAS RECALLING THE SUBJECT MOTORCYCLES TO ADDRESS THE STEM FAILURES.