2016 Clutch issue
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1st Gear
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Virginia
2016 Clutch issue
Hello all. Recently bought a new 2016 Road Glide. At about 500 miles the bike sat for a couple weeks and when I went to ride it the clutch wouldn't disengageYou could feel the issue in the lever. It was mooshy and not giving a good firm springy feedback. I gave it a little gas and took off with the known issue. After warming up it seemed to work fine. Fast forward another 500 miles and the bike sat again... Same issue. I dropped it off for the 1k and they said it was low on fluid and they had to adjust the baffles. I've worked on clutches on dirtbikes and I'm not aware of baffles. Also if it was low on fluid why does time affect it. If it's low it's low. Hydraulic fluid isn't affected much by heat, right? Are 2016 affected by the clutch recall?
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 320
Likes: 21
From: Central Iowa
I had this problem around the same mileage. Its due to air bubbles in the line which will eventually work themselves out entirely. Service manager recommended when first starting the bike to tilt the bike to the left a little and feather the lever to work out the bubbles. I had to do this sporadically a few times then eventually the problem went away
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1st Gear
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Virginia
No kidding, seems kind of shifty for $20k+ bike. So was yours the same issue as the "do not ride" recall? And your fix was shake the bike around? I'm not a super picky person and I am a mechanic so I have a certain level of understanding here, but it just seems a little off to me. Thanks for the quick reply.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 320
Likes: 21
From: Central Iowa
No kidding, seems kind of shifty for $20k+ bike. So was yours the same issue as the "do not ride" recall? And your fix was shake the bike around? I'm not a super picky person and I am a mechanic so I have a certain level of understanding here, but it just seems a little off to me. Thanks for the quick reply.
4th Gear
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 8
Likes: 1
From: Earth
That sounds like a place to start .. 
I had this problem around the same mileage. Its due to air bubbles in the line which will eventually work themselves out entirely. Service manager recommended when first starting the bike to tilt the bike to the left a little and feather the lever to work out the bubbles. I had to do this sporadically a few times then eventually the problem went away
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 3,490
Likes: 610
From: USA
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 117
From: Southeast NC
sad. hydraulic clutch is not a new invention. this is half a"" on HD,s part. just saying. actually pathetic
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 3,490
Likes: 610
From: USA
Although this recall from April 2015 does not apply to your bike the description of the problem is very similar to what you are describing:
Description of Defect :
Description of the Defect : Harley-Davidson has learned that the hydraulic clutch system equipped with master
cylinder part numbers 36700056 and 36700049 on certain model year 2014 and
2015 Touring model motorcycles may exhibit a condition in which it may lose the
ability to generate enough lift to disengage the clutch after being parked for an
extended period.
Description of the Safety Risk : If this condition remains undetected it could lead to a loss of control of the
vehicle when started in gear or first shifted into gear after being parked for an
extended period.
Description of the Cause : A chemical reaction inside the sealed clutch system creates gas bubbles which may
cause loss of clutch lift.
Identification of Any Warning that can Occur : In vehicles in which this condition is present, the customer may
notice a large amount of "free play" in the clutch lever when
they first squeeze the clutch after being parked for an extended
period of time.
I would contact HD Customer Service to ask for their assistance in getting this problem corrected. I would also try a different dealer if your dealer doesn't acknowledge the problem. I think the info I listed is from recall# 15V216.
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs...5V216-1092.PDF
Description of Defect :
Description of the Defect : Harley-Davidson has learned that the hydraulic clutch system equipped with master
cylinder part numbers 36700056 and 36700049 on certain model year 2014 and
2015 Touring model motorcycles may exhibit a condition in which it may lose the
ability to generate enough lift to disengage the clutch after being parked for an
extended period.
Description of the Safety Risk : If this condition remains undetected it could lead to a loss of control of the
vehicle when started in gear or first shifted into gear after being parked for an
extended period.
Description of the Cause : A chemical reaction inside the sealed clutch system creates gas bubbles which may
cause loss of clutch lift.
Identification of Any Warning that can Occur : In vehicles in which this condition is present, the customer may
notice a large amount of "free play" in the clutch lever when
they first squeeze the clutch after being parked for an extended
period of time.
I would contact HD Customer Service to ask for their assistance in getting this problem corrected. I would also try a different dealer if your dealer doesn't acknowledge the problem. I think the info I listed is from recall# 15V216.
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs...5V216-1092.PDF
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Thread Starter
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1st Gear
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Virginia
Agree. Just left the shop and there is a service bulletin. Their fix is to pump the clutch lever until the pressure builds back up. Horse....!
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