Recalls; Factory or safety items

[oldflatty]

With the years of motorcycles we are starting to deal with you can run into issues due to safety or Factory recalls. A motorcycle might leave the factory one way but due to a recall need to be modified or parts including frames exchanged.. Is a motorcycle less authentic after a safety or factory recall been done or in the case that a safety recall that has not been done are there points deducted??? Has any thought been given to this subject????

[Rooster]

I was at the shop of my frame restorer the other day, he was showing me a '67 frame that had a 'recall' job done on it, it was an added gusset near the swingarm pivot, don't remember which side of the bike. Forgive me if I get this wrong, but the gusset became a factory part of the frame in 1969 (?) and Harley issued a factory repair for shovelhead swingarm frames prior to then, which consisted of the gusset that was welded on by the dealer as part of the recall. He told me that when the frames came from the factory with the gusset, it was welded solid on both sides. The 'recall job' was skip-welded as instructed by the MoCo to the dealers doing the repair.
I assume this is the kind of thing you're talking about, oldflatty?

[Rubone]

Rooster,
That recall was for the early electric start models. They tended to break the frame at the left side casting to tubing connection from a combination of torque reaction and extra weight. The kit was available for a long time as a dealer fix. I think your years are a little off. I believe the gusset was added in late '66 production and the fix was for '65 and early '66 models. I'll llok it up in my shop dopes to be sure. But yes, those are the kind of judging issues in this thread.
Robbie

[Rooster]

Robbie, admittedly, I am not very familiar with the early swingarm frames, and I believe you have the correct years; I couldn't remember exactly what year my frame guy said it was. And as I think about how that frame was in the fixture on his table, Yes the left side was up, and we were looking at that gusset. Thanks for the clarification on that!

[Underdoggie]

My 65 frame broke about 10 years ago with about 15K on it. I made a part just like the one on my 75 frame and had it welded up. no problem any more.

[oldflatty]

Reply

Yes, that is the kind of thing I am talking about.. At about the same time the upper shock studs were also changed due to breakage, which changed the shock eye... But anyways has this been addressed at all???

[Rubone]

oldflatty,
I am not aware of anyone having points docked for a wrong item due to factory recall or repair, but I am sure it will eventually happen! I would expect that the burden of proof then would fall on the owner to show that it was done by a dealer or the factory and is NOT incorrect! Most of the judges are very willing to work with the owner but as in every activity there are those who think they know it all and won't budge. Then it would have to be protested. Kevin, any input on this issue?
Robbie

[oldflatty]

Reply

But I also have a concern about a safety recall not performed because it was not the way the motorcycle left the factory and God knows the bike has to be all original. But could cause serious injury to the rider or others around them..

[Rubone]

oldflatty,
I agree but let's not get too carried away! There are drugs and counseling for paranoia! Any issues with old bikes can be worked out.
Robbie

[kval]

Rub
you are correct, if it was a factory recall there will not be a deduction. and if the recall was not done there will also not be a deduction, because "that is the way it left the factory". how many of you have had a recall on a car that you never bothered to get done. if a judge does not know about the recall and deducts points, just show the factory documentation and we will fix it

[billpedalino]

Unless I'm mistaken, the 1958 swing arm frames came without the left side vertical gusset plates. Soon thereafer, the breaking problem became apparent and the gusset kit was provided for dealer installation. Recently, our shop came across an original 1958 frame missing the gusset plate but still intact. I believe that 1959 and later frames came with the gusset plate factory-installed, but I'm not positive as to the year that this became factory-installed, but I know it was way-before the 1965 electra Glide frames. Please advise.....

[oldflatty]

Thanks for the info

Thank you for answering my questions...

[Rubone]

Bill,
The gusset kit has a 47261-68 part # and wasn't introduced until after the electric start began and the breakage became common. It wasn't used on Duo-Glides.
Robbie

[koanes]

I have repaired several Duo-Glide frames broken in that location, so I don't believe the addition of the e-start caused the problem, although the extra weight of e-start components may have been a factor. It just took the folks a HD a while to deal with the problem. I broke the down tube loose on my 65FLH when I came around a corner early on a Sunday morning and hit a deep pothole that launched me in the air, I heard the weld snap when I landed and I soon had a couple of new wiggles. (Bent rim and broken frame) I cut a deep V with a burr and TIG welded it back together and it's held for over 15yrs and 100,000 miles.

[exeric]

I know this is out of place but Kyle's post put me in mind of a pothole story. I had a 1941 EL that I was riding on a Sunday morning. I was going past a Baptist church as paritioners were coming out. I hit a deep pothole that almost put me over the handlebars and by all rights should have bent the forks. I stopped the bike and a vile stream of cursing left my lips because I lost the red dot on my sidecar fender lamp. I didn't have a sidecar but I liked the red dot lamp. A very attractive woman approached me to see if I was okay. I assured her I was alright and I apologized for my foul mouth. She even helped me find the red dot. I didn't get Baptized that day but it did make me less critical of other peoples beliefs and less free with my pothole mouth.