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Motorcycle Accident Attorney
by Andrew L. Shapiro
(818) 907-3270

One important part of motorcycle safety for most riders  includes keeping current on bike maintenance and motorcycle recalls. If your machine doesn’t run smoothly, you run an even higher risk of getting into a motorcycle accident.

“Hog” manufacturer Harley Davidson will attempt to do their part to keep their customers safe, following two reported incidents that may have been caused by poorly-designed brake light switches on their bikes, according to an ABC affiliate in San Francisco. They issued a motorcycle recall on Monday, which will go into effect on October 31. Here’s the problem:

It is reported that the switches for the brake lights may malfunction when they’re exposed to too much heat form the bike’s exhaust. This may cause the brake lights to glow when no brake is applied, or to not light up at all when the rider does engage the brake.

Another problem may be even more dangerous, as brake fluid may leak from the over-heated switch area. Apparently that was the case with one of the two incidents mentioned above – a Trike rider lost rear brakes in June of 2010.

The other incident, a motorcycle accident in Louisiana, is still under investigation.

If you’re a Harley owner, you should be getting a notification letter from the manufacturer soon. You can also check recall information on the Harley Davidson website by clicking on the “Owners” tab and then looking for the link to “Check Recalls.” You’ll need to sign in to get Harley Davidson recall information.

The motorcycle recall affects over 300,000 Touring, CVO Touring and Trike models rolling off the production line between 2008 and 2011. Consumer Reports website lists these models in particular:

FLHP 2009-2012
FLHPE 2009-2011
FLHR 2009-2012
FLHRC 2009-2012
FLHT 2009-2010
FLHTC 2009-2012
FLHTCU 2009-2012
FLHTCUSE4 2009
FLHTCUSE5 2010
FLHTCUSE6 2011
FLHTCUSE7 2012
FLHTCUTG 2009-2012
FLHTK 2010-2012
FLHTP 2009-2012
FLHX 2009-2012
FLHXSE 2010
FLHXSE2 2011
FLHXSE3 2012
FLHXXX 2011
FLTR 2009
FLTRSE3 2009
FLTRU 2010-2012
FLTRUSE 2011
FLTRX 2010-2012
FLTRXSE 2012

If you own one of the models affected, you’ll be able to take your Harley back to the dealership for a replacement brake light switch, free of charge.

But in the meantime, it’s probably best to find an alternate means of transportation until you do. When it comes to motorcycle safety, you don’t want to take any unnecessary risks.

Andrew L. Shapiro is the Chair of the Personal Injury Practice Group at Lewitt Hackman in Los Angeles, and has ridden motorcycles for over 30 years. You can reach him by calling 818.990.2120.

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