I'm sure your tires are hard as a rock, not pliable and very dangerous. Good plan to get replaced! Think you should also check for % water content in brake fluid.

 

Yep, time to change out the brake fluid in both brake cylinders. Probably hasn't been done as of yet .

 

June 13/17
I was riding the bike at low speed btw turns
15-20km/hr
The road was damp after a rain
I did what I think was a modest even brake application of both front and back .
The brakes immediately locked up causing the bike to slide out from under me.
Broke my right foot in the crash!
What happened?
I'm an experienced rider and I feel I was
Brought down by mechanical failure.
Anyone else have this happen to them?
Thx for reading

 

I had the same experience with my Fatboy several times. I solved the problem by putting on a performance machine 6 piston front brake caliper, floating brake disc, and stainless brake line.

Problem solved. You might not want to spend the money but the harley 2 piston caliper on your bike is horrible and if you have the original brake line it is garbage.

 

I would also be taking a serious look at the brake pads on the bike. Replacing the tires,flushing out the brake fluid and checking for free moving pistons in the calibers might not hurt at all.
Before you bought the bike when was it ridden last? Do you know? I hope you changed out all other fluids before riding it? Run seafoam through the tank?

 

Thanks guys !!!
I'm having the bike independently inspected today at my place by the insurance company!
I have one shot at finding the cause of the brake lockup...
It's a new bike I'm the only one that's ever road it !
It's got 1960 km on it .....had it's first full service and checkup at 1524 km.
I'm confident Harley Davidson knows what failed
They can't wait to get there hands on it!!
Wish me some luck here !!
For all those that haven't gone down yet
Thx Tim

 

To OP (S/G Racer),

I believe the tires are the likely culprits, followed by/combo with, threshold braking being different on this bike than you're used to.

A mechanical cause is always possible.... the brakes should be checked.


1) If those tires are original to the bike..... the rubber compound will be all dried out. At a high brake pressure when they would usually grip, they could be sliding.... tires start losing their grip at a few years old. Ever notice how new tires, same make & manufacture, are so much better than the old ones? It's not just better tread, a lot has to do with the fresh rubber compound of the tire...

Replace those tires ASAP.......

You can check the tire code to see their age. Date codes follow the DOT number and go back to the 1970's... Since 2000, the date code is 4 digits . First two digits are the week and last two are the year of manufacture. Prior to 2000, it was only 3 digits. The first two digits were the week and last digit was the year of manufacture... eg: "239" means the 23rd week of '79, '89, or '99.

2) Good advice about changing the brake fluid. Also, check the brake caliper pistons .... If the caliper pistons are very dirty, they could stick... It shouldn't cause them to over grip and cause a lockup.... but it can cause braking issues and very hot rotors, which would then affect braking feel, action....

3) As for the fender causing a lock up, don't see how that can happen on a bike with proper parts and assembled correctly. The fender is attached to the lower leg of the front fork. The distance between the tire and fender is constant throughout the shock range... Been on Harley forums for many years. I have never heard, nor read, of a fender locking up a front tire....

Good luck... it's a good bike, albeit different than you're used to... Change tires, check/service/clean brakes, practice controlled environment threshold braking, and enjoy!


To Harleywood52,

Let us know how your bike inspection goes.... I'll be surprised if they find anything. I believe your crash was user error.... the wet roads caused your tires to slide when they usually would grip. I believe you used too much brake while doing turns an a wet road=wipe out... experienced riders always find it hard to admit a mistake... Of course, I have been wrong before.... keep us posted...

 

Thanks for that info!!
Bike is only 2 months old but who knows maybe they put old stock on it!
I'm going to try and convince the insurance company to spend the dough (aprox 5 grand)
And reverse engineer the bike !!
Take the sucker down to the frame!
I feel so strongly that this wasn't rider error
But a mechanical failure!!
Thanks for reading Tim

 

My post was for the originator of the thread, I believe YOU are chasing a ghost, I amended my reply to address you also (you realize you hijacked another guys thread, right?)



OOPs...
MY bad... I just realized you resurrected an old thread... my advice for you is still different than for the OP... I hate when I fall for the old thread resurrection trick...

 

My apologies to all new to this form stuff
Tim