my wife has an 04 sportster and when i try to lock the bars as long as i hold the key in the lock they won't move but as soon as i take the key out it just won't catch. is this some thing i can try to fix
or will it have to go to the dealer. thanks for any help

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There is nothing there, it has to be the lock cylinder itself.

 

I just bought a used 04 Sportster from a dealer and when I got it home I found that it has the exact same problem. As long as I hold a bit of pressure on the key in the clockwise direction, it stays locked. But as soon as I let go of the key or remove it, it is no longer locked.

Some searches through this forum turned up a possible fix: using a screwdriver to adjust the lock mechanism. However, I was not able to get this to work.

Searching also turned up a case where someone had a faulty fork lock engage while driving, causing them to go down. That is my main concern with the current state of my lock. I plan to get it fixed or removed as soon as possible.

 

Never use mine.

 

If you are concerned about theft take a look at a disk lock. More effective and almost as convenient

 

My sister just bought I 2007 Sportster and the lock doesn't work at all. The dealership says tough it was as is. apparently this is a somewhat normal problem if that is the case then I would think that Harley being the American classic and the best bike to buy would at least attempt to respond to the problem and hopefully come up with a solution.
I myself own a 2002 V-ROD thankfully I don't have any problems with my bike.
If there is anyone from Harley that is monitoring this page please contact me to at least say that you give a damn. Thank you.

 

In this pic, you can see the bolt (inside the steering neck) that locks the steering by engaging the neck stem via a hole in the stem. If the lock is engaged, and someone jerks the handlebars back and forth, the hole (bore) in the stem and the engaging bolt can/will be deformed, to the point that the locking action is rendered useless. This is how a thief can bypass the steering lock to push/ride your bike away. There may be zero external visual evidence of said back and forth, forceful, handlebar movement.
At the 10 o'clock position in the pic, you can see a small, silver dot (it's in-line with the lock/bolt and shows as a semi-circle)). That's the pin that holds the key/lock mechanism. When the lock is installed, that pin is hammered into its receiving bore, preventing the lock mechanism from spinning while you work the key and preventing the lock from coming out of the steering neck. This pin may be drilled out to remove the lock.


This is the bore in the steering stem that receives the lock's bolt:


Watch this video, and skip to 3:07 to see the thief jack the steering lock:

DO NOT expect a response from Mother Harley about your Sister's bike. Ain't gonna happen, if you're relying on Harley to monitor this forum. Get in touch with Harley, directly, and they will (most assuredly) be able to ignore your situation, first hand. Used bike - as is - unless you have a warranty in writing. I can't blame them. Even if you have a written warranty, you're probably still at the mercy of the particular dealership of purchase and could only file a complaint about the dealership with Mother Harley. An '07, is a few months shy of 10 years old. Let us know how you do.
EDIT: Welcome to the forum. Don't be afraid to ask questions.