NHTSA vehicle safety data

2006 Harley-Davidson XL883R Recalls & Complaints

The 2006 Harley-Davidson XL883R has no NHTSA recall campaigns 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 2006 Harley-Davidson XL883R. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2006 Harley-Davidson XL883R owner complaints

Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Harley-Davidson XL883R, describing incidents dated September 3, 2006 to April 4, 2010.

Most-cited components

Engine 3 complaints
Service Brakes 1 complaint

Of the 4 complaints on file, 1 reports a fire (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #10330883 · Filed May 17, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE BRAKE LEVER WAS LOOSE. THE BRAKES WERE BLED; HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE DEALER THEN REPLACED THE BRAKE LEVER AND REBUILT MASTER CYLINDER. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO…
ODI #10193918 · Filed June 21, 2007
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HARLEY DAVIDSON XL883R. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TYPE OF FUEL HE USED CAUSED THE SMOKE. THE ENGINE SIZE, PURCHASE DATE, AND # OF CYLINDERS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE…
ODI #10167865 · Filed September 11, 2006
IN MAY OF 2006 I PURCHASED A NEW HARLEY DAVIDSON 883R SPORTSTER. SINCE THE FIRST DAY THE VEHICLE HAS HAD AN ONGOING BACK FIRE THAT THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT OR IS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT. THE BACK FIRING ISSUE OCCURS WHEN THROTTLING OFF OF IDLE. ON OCCASION, THE BACK FIRE WILL CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL AND…

Read all 4 complaints

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2006 Harley-Davidson XL883R as of November 3, 2026. New recalls can be issued at any time, so check the specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before buying.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2006 Harley-Davidson XL883R. 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 2006 Harley-Davidson XL883R.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ODI #10330883

Incident: April 4, 2010 · Filed: May 17, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE BRAKE LEVER WAS LOOSE. THE BRAKES WERE BLED; HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE DEALER THEN REPLACED THE BRAKE LEVER AND REBUILT MASTER CYLINDER. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,800. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,200. UPDATED 7/16/10 *CN UPDATED 07/22/10*JB

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10193918

Fire

Incident: October 1, 2006 · Filed: June 21, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HARLEY DAVIDSON XL883R. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TYPE OF FUEL HE USED CAUSED THE SMOKE. THE ENGINE SIZE, PURCHASE DATE, AND # OF CYLINDERS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 1,600.

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10167865

Incident: September 3, 2006 · Filed: September 11, 2006

IN MAY OF 2006 I PURCHASED A NEW HARLEY DAVIDSON 883R SPORTSTER. SINCE THE FIRST DAY THE VEHICLE HAS HAD AN ONGOING BACK FIRE THAT THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT OR IS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT. THE BACK FIRING ISSUE OCCURS WHEN THROTTLING OFF OF IDLE. ON OCCASION, THE BACK FIRE WILL CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL AND STOP RUNNING. THIS HAS OCCURRED REGULARLY AND IN ONE INSTANCE THE DEAD ENGINE CAUSED ME TO BE STOPPED AT A BUSY TRAFFIC LIGHT CONTROLLED INTERSECTION WITH TRAFFIC BEARING DOWN ON ME AND MY STOPPED VEHICLE. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE THE WIT TO ENGAGE THE STARTER, START THE VEHICLE AND AVOID A REAR END COLLISION WHICH SURELY WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURY OR DEATH. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND HAVE BEEN TOLD "THEY ALL DO IT". IF THIS IS THE CASE, THE LONGER THE MANUFACTURER, HARLEY DAVIDSON, IGNORES THE PROBLEM THE OUTCOME OF SUCH AN EVENT WILL SURELY BE BODILY INJURY TO SOME DEGREE. *JB

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10167858

Incident: September 8, 2006 · Filed: September 11, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE COMING TO A STOP AND ALSO WHILE IDLING, THE VEHICLE BACK FIRED. THE DEALER DETERMINED THIS WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE.

Other Harley-Davidson XL883R model years

Check your 2006 Harley-Davidson XL883R VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Harley-Davidson XL883R at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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