NHTSA vehicle safety data

2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R Recalls & Complaints

The 2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 3 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 2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R owner complaints

Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R, describing incidents dated June 15, 2005 to January 8, 2013.

Most-cited components

Service Brakes 2 complaints
Engine 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #10493098 · Filed January 15, 2013
MY HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE THE MOTOR LOCKED UP, CAUSING A SKID, THIS HAPPENED AT LOW SPEEDS BUT HAD IT HAPPENED ON THE INTERSTATE SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED, OR HURT FOR LIFE. THE REASON THE MOTOR LOCKED UP WAS BECAUSE SCREWS FROM THE AIR FILTER VIBRATED LOSE AND WERE SUCKED INTO THE MOTOR…
ODI #10167853 · Filed September 11, 2006
FAILURE OF FRONT BRAKE. NEAR WRECK WITH STOPPING CAR. CANNOT CORRECT PROBLEM. DEALER CANNOT GET REPAIR PARTS. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT IS GETTING WORSE. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT BUT GETTING MORE FREQUENT. *JB
ODI #10166370 · Filed August 23, 2006
SAFETY RECALL ON 2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER1200R--- DEFECTIVE FRONT MASTER CYLINDER ASSEMBLY RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE ON 7/05/06. PROMISED RECALL KIT BY 7/10/06. AS OF TODAY ( 8/23/06 ) DEALER HAS STILL NOT RECEIVED RECALL KIT RESULTING IN ME DRIVING AN UNSAFE MOTORCYCLE!!! I WANT MY BIKE FIXED…

Read all 3 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 2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

3 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R.

Engine

ODI #10493098

Incident: January 8, 2013 · Filed: January 15, 2013

MY HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE THE MOTOR LOCKED UP, CAUSING A SKID, THIS HAPPENED AT LOW SPEEDS BUT HAD IT HAPPENED ON THE INTERSTATE SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED, OR HURT FOR LIFE. THE REASON THE MOTOR LOCKED UP WAS BECAUSE SCREWS FROM THE AIR FILTER VIBRATED LOSE AND WERE SUCKED INTO THE MOTOR CAUSING THE MOTOR TO LOCK UP. HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH VIBRATIONS, SO PUTTING SCREWS IN A PLACE THAT CAN BE SUCKED INTO THE MOTOR IS A FLAW, AND THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED BEFORE SOMEONE DOES GET KILLED. THESE SCREWS CAN'T BEEN SEEN, AND THE DRIVER HAS NO IDEA THEY MAY BE LOSE. *TR

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ODI #10167853

Incident: September 11, 2006 · Filed: September 11, 2006

FAILURE OF FRONT BRAKE. NEAR WRECK WITH STOPPING CAR. CANNOT CORRECT PROBLEM. DEALER CANNOT GET REPAIR PARTS. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT IS GETTING WORSE. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT BUT GETTING MORE FREQUENT. *JB

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ODI #10166370

Incident: June 15, 2005 · Filed: August 23, 2006

SAFETY RECALL ON 2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER1200R--- DEFECTIVE FRONT MASTER CYLINDER ASSEMBLY RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE ON 7/05/06. PROMISED RECALL KIT BY 7/10/06. AS OF TODAY ( 8/23/06 ) DEALER HAS STILL NOT RECEIVED RECALL KIT RESULTING IN ME DRIVING AN UNSAFE MOTORCYCLE!!! I WANT MY BIKE FIXED NOW!!!*JB

Other Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R model years

Check your 2005 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