Owners have filed 14 complaints
about the 2023 Harley-Davidson RA1250S with NHTSA between 2025 and 2026.
The largest single group is the fuel & propulsion.
Across this model's run it ranks 2 of 3 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 51
Against the median year of the Harley-Davidson RA1250S. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 0
0% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — not reported
Too few complaints recorded a mileage to measure this.
How 2023 compares with every other Harley-Davidson RA1250S
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2023 Harley-Davidson RA1250S
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Fuel & Propulsion
535.7%
Electrical System
428.6%
Engine & Cooling
321.4%
Other & Unspecified
17.1%
Transmission & Drivetrain
17.1%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Jan 2025peak 3Jun 2026
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Mansfield, TX
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Multiple electrical issues -TFT screen going out while riding, voltage fluctuating dramatically while riding and bike wants to stop running once at idle engine shuts off and won’t restart. Once it’s cooled down or been on trickle charger for couple hours it might restart. Diagnosis was stator failure with complete electrical system repair at my expense. This is a known issue by Harley. Second issue bike not shutting off when turned off. Right hand control module failed dealer said this is also a known issue and they have replaced several. No recall or assistance to repair by Harley Motor Company.
NHTSA complaint #11742809 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Marion, OH
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Bike has been at the dealer for almost 3 weeks now chasing electrical issues. HD corporate techs can’t even understand what’s wrong. The are running another diagnostic test on it today that will cost me another 3.5hr of labor on top of the other diagnostics they’ve already done. Luckily I wasn’t on a trip and stranded for weeks.
NHTSA complaint #11740392 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Marion, OH
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Bike has been at the dealer for almost 3 weeks now chasing electrical issues. HD corporate techs can’t even understand what’s wrong. The are running another diagnostic test on it today that will cost me another 3.5hr of labor on top of the other diagnostics they’ve already done. Luckily I wasn’t on a trip and stranded for weeks.
NHTSA complaint #11740392 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Canyon Country, CA
POWER TRAIN
I purchased a 2023 Harley Davidson Pan America only to find out that the motorcycle has a known issue with the charging system. The motorcycle model years 2021 through 2023 have a faulty charging systems which was fixed for 2024 and beyond models by a redesign of the entire charging system. The faulty older system causes the motorcycle to stall randomly and eventually deplete the battery on the vehicle. The issues is as follows: 1. When the motorcycle has become warm it no longer generates enough voltage at idle to keep the Variable Valve Timing system on the motorcycle functioning properly. 2. Once the Variable Valve Timing system starts to malfunction by turning off and on repeatedly the motorcycle will eventually stall leaving you stuck in the middle of traffic. It is a very well documented issue with these motorcycle and be assured it is dangerous. Harley Davidson is unfortunately profiting on the issue by charging customers upwards of $4000 to $5500 dollars to fix it by upgrading their motorcycles to the latest version of the "fixed" system for the later models. This should absolutely be a recall as it is very dangerous to have your motorcycle randomly stall because of a faulty design of a charging system. Harley Davidson has vast knowledge about this issue but only wants to fleece customers for the profit to fix. Example of the issue: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11714825 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Canyon Country, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I purchased a 2023 Harley Davidson Pan America only to find out that the motorcycle has a known issue with the charging system. The motorcycle model years 2021 through 2023 have a faulty charging systems which was fixed for 2024 and beyond models by a redesign of the entire charging system. The faulty older system causes the motorcycle to stall randomly and eventually deplete the battery on the vehicle. The issues is as follows: 1. When the motorcycle has become warm it no longer generates enough voltage at idle to keep the Variable Valve Timing system on the motorcycle functioning properly. 2. Once the Variable Valve Timing system starts to malfunction by turning off and on repeatedly the motorcycle will eventually stall leaving you stuck in the middle of traffic. It is a very well documented issue with these motorcycle and be assured it is dangerous. Harley Davidson is unfortunately profiting on the issue by charging customers upwards of $4000 to $5500 dollars to fix it by upgrading their motorcycles to the latest version of the "fixed" system for the later models. This should absolutely be a recall as it is very dangerous to have your motorcycle randomly stall because of a faulty design of a charging system. Harley Davidson has vast knowledge about this issue but only wants to fleece customers for the profit to fix. Example of the issue: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11714825 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Canyon Country, CA
ENGINE
I purchased a 2023 Harley Davidson Pan America only to find out that the motorcycle has a known issue with the charging system. The motorcycle model years 2021 through 2023 have a faulty charging systems which was fixed for 2024 and beyond models by a redesign of the entire charging system. The faulty older system causes the motorcycle to stall randomly and eventually deplete the battery on the vehicle. The issues is as follows: 1. When the motorcycle has become warm it no longer generates enough voltage at idle to keep the Variable Valve Timing system on the motorcycle functioning properly. 2. Once the Variable Valve Timing system starts to malfunction by turning off and on repeatedly the motorcycle will eventually stall leaving you stuck in the middle of traffic. It is a very well documented issue with these motorcycle and be assured it is dangerous. Harley Davidson is unfortunately profiting on the issue by charging customers upwards of $4000 to $5500 dollars to fix it by upgrading their motorcycles to the latest version of the "fixed" system for the later models. This should absolutely be a recall as it is very dangerous to have your motorcycle randomly stall because of a faulty design of a charging system. Harley Davidson has vast knowledge about this issue but only wants to fleece customers for the profit to fix. Example of the issue: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11714825 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sacramento, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The charging system failed which caused the engine to stall multiple times.
NHTSA complaint #11705576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sacramento, CA
ENGINE
The charging system failed which caused the engine to stall multiple times.
NHTSA complaint #11705576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Frederick, MD
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Harley-Davidson knowingly did not coat the inside of the aluminum fuel tanks on 2023 and older model Pan Americas, leading to rust and particle breakdown from ethanol exposure. Those particles have led to fuel pump failure and replacement, but replacing the fuel pump is only a temporary fix as the tank will continue to rust and cause the same failure and replacement loop for the life-cycle of the bike. This issue has been reported by hundreds of Pan America owners in the lower 48, where ethanol is used as a fuel additive. Harley should recall all 2023 and older model gas tanks, and provide a solution (coating or replacing the tank) that does not lead to thousands of dollars in repair and replacement costs for the fuel pump, as the pump is not the issue.
NHTSA complaint #11688304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Poulsbo, WA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Fuel pump failure caused by improper factory fuel tank coating that leads to sudden and abrupt fuel pump failures. Harley fixed the issue in 2024 by coating the fuel tank, but 2021-2023 Pan America’s have repeated and frequent sudden fuel pump failures that can cause the bike to shut down, even when travelling at highway speeds.
NHTSA complaint #11660811 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Poulsbo, WA
ENGINE
Fuel pump failure caused by improper factory fuel tank coating that leads to sudden and abrupt fuel pump failures. Harley fixed the issue in 2024 by coating the fuel tank, but 2021-2023 Pan America’s have repeated and frequent sudden fuel pump failures that can cause the bike to shut down, even when travelling at highway speeds.
NHTSA complaint #11660811 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Poulsbo, WA
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fuel pump failure caused by improper factory fuel tank coating that leads to sudden and abrupt fuel pump failures. Harley fixed the issue in 2024 by coating the fuel tank, but 2021-2023 Pan America’s have repeated and frequent sudden fuel pump failures that can cause the bike to shut down, even when travelling at highway speeds.
NHTSA complaint #11660811 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Goldendale, WA
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
MY 2021 Harley Pan America died on the side of the ALCAN hiway 200 miles out of Fairbanks in June 2023, was able to restart, Fairbanks dealer diagnosed faulty fuel pump, no pump available before departure date so left for home in Washington state. 150 miles from home it went in to limp mode in heavy traffic narrowly avoided collision to get out of traffic. Limp mode to purchasing dealer at 40 mph. Diagnosed faulty fuel pump, couldn't fix for 2 weeks due to backordered parts. Traded the 2021 for a (current) 2023 Pan America because of pump, reliability issues. Now the 2023 making same screeching noises as 2021 did prior to failure. Reading online forums pump failure caused by ethanol fuel reacting with the aluminum fuel tank causing pump failure. I narrowly escaped collision on the 2021. Would seem this is a safety issue with unanticipated engine failure
NHTSA complaint #11653426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
King George, VA
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Starting at 10,000 miles the fuel pump started making intermittent screeching noise that progressively got worse till it was constant on startup and running at 15,000 miles. Fuel pump screen appears to have been clogged with black material which may have been oxidized aluminum from the uncoated factory tank. Pump was replaced by dealer under warranty but chance of future failures remain. Failure of fuel pump could result in loss of vehicle control on the highway. Other than noise from the pump the only other indicator was a decrease in battery voltage noted over time. As the pump got worse battery voltage decreased.
NHTSA complaint #11638694 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.