NHTSA vehicle safety data

2004 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R Recalls & Complaints

The 2004 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 4 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Harley-Davidson dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2004 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2004 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R owner complaints

Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R, describing incidents dated June 30, 2006 to March 30, 2008.

Most-cited components

Service Brakes 4 complaints

Of the 4 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash; across all 4 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #10229060 · Filed May 28, 2008
TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN, BUT THE BRAKES LOCKED AND NEVER UNLOCKED. THE VEHICLE SLID TO A STOP ON ITS SIDE AND THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THERE WAS…
ODI #10166552 · Filed August 25, 2006
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES WERE INOPERABLE. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, #06V201000, REGARDING THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
ODI #10164537 · Filed August 4, 2006
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED NHTSA RECALL LETTER, #06V201000 WAS RECEIVED REGARDING THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT EXHIBITED PROBLEMS RELATING TO THE RECALL…

Read all 4 complaints

FRONT MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER

NHTSA #06V201000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Foundation Components — Master Cylinder · NHTSA notice

Reported June 8, 2006 · HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY

Potentially affected: 9,506 vehicles

Harley-Davidson campaign 0125 · Owners notified July 10, 2006 · Vehicles built June 25, 2003 – June 3, 2005 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE FRONT MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN BUILT WITH INADEQUATE LUBRICATION ON THE SECONDARY CUP. THIS COULD CAUSE THE SLIDING RESISTANCE OF THE PISTON TO BE EXCESSIVE, WHICH IN TURN COULD CAUSE THE RETURN OF THE PISTON TO BE SLOW UPON RELEASE OF THE BRAKE.

Safety consequence

THE PISTON MAY NOT RETURN COMPLETELY. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT COULD REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH OR INJURIES.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REBUILD THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 10, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

Notes

HARLEY-DAVIDSON RECALL NO. 0125.CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2004 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

4 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ODI #10229060

Crash 1 injury

Incident: March 30, 2008 · Filed: May 28, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN, BUT THE BRAKES LOCKED AND NEVER UNLOCKED. THE VEHICLE SLID TO A STOP ON ITS SIDE AND THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THERE WAS NO POLICE REPORT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 13,400. UPDATED 07/08/08. *BF UPDATED *JB

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ODI #10166552

Incident: August 25, 2006 · Filed: August 25, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES WERE INOPERABLE. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, #06V201000, REGARDING THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ODI #10164537

Incident: July 8, 2006 · Filed: August 4, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED NHTSA RECALL LETTER, #06V201000 WAS RECEIVED REGARDING THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT EXHIBITED PROBLEMS RELATING TO THE RECALL DEFECT.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ODI #10164321

Incident: June 30, 2006 · Filed: August 3, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT A RECALL LETTER WAS RECEIVED PERTAINING TO THE FRONT MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER ASSEMBLY. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE BACK BRAKE LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED AND WOULD NOT WARN VEHICLES TRAVELING FROM BEHIND THE MOTORCYCLE THAT IT WAS ABOUT TO STOP. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALERS FOR REPAIRS AND THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE A TIME FRAME FOR WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR OVER TWO MONTHS FOR REMEDY ON THE RECALL.

Other Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R model years

Check your 2004 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Harley-Davidson VIN