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NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2004–2005

Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 7 owner complaints for the Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R, covering model years 2004 to 2005. The 2004 model year drew the most complaints (4), and Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

  • 1 recall campaign on file
  • 7 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
  • 2 model years with data (2004–2005)
  • most complaints: 2004 (4 for that model year)
  • top component: Service Brakes, Hydraulic (6 complaints)
  • latest recall 06V201000 (reported Jun 8, 2006)
  • 1 complaint reporting a crash (14.3%)
  • 0 complaints reporting a fire (0.0%)
  • 1 complaint reporting an injury (14.3%)
  • 0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R complaints by model year

2 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2004 model year has the most complaints: 4 of 7, or 57.1%. Next come 2005 (3).

Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model yearComplaintsReporting a crashReporting a fireReporting an injuryReporting a death
200441010
200530000
All model years71010

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R components

top 2 · NHTSA categories

Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the component named most often, in 6 complaints (85.7% of all 7), followed by Engine (1).

Components named most often in Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R complaints (top 2)
Components named most often in Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R complaints (top 2)
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints
Service Brakes, Hydraulic685.7%
Engine114.3%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

  • They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
  • Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
  • Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
  • One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
  • Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R recalls

1 campaign · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name Sportster 1200R, newest first. The only campaign, 06V201000, covers model years 2004 and 2005.

  • 1 recall campaign
Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R recall campaigns covering each model year
2004: 1 campaign2005: 1 campaign

  1. NHTSA campaign 06V201000

    Reported

    Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder

    Model years 2004–2005

    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.

    Consequence:
    The piston may not return completely. If this happens, the rear brake light could remain illuminated which could cause a crash or injuries.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will rebuild the master cylinder. The recall began on July 10, 2006. Owners may contact Harley Davidson at 1-414-343-4056.

    Filed by Harley-Davidson Motor Company

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means
What each recall field means
FieldWhat it tells you
Campaign numberNHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
ComponentThe system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
SummaryWhat the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
ConsequenceThe safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
RemedyWhat the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.
  • Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
  • A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
  • Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R have?

NHTSA lists 1 vehicle recall campaign for the Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R, covering model years 2004 to 2005. The campaign, 06V201000, was reported on June 8, 2006 and is filed under “Service brakes, hydraulic”. The 2004 and 2005 model years are covered by the most campaigns (1 each).

Which Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R model year has the most complaints?

The 2004 model year, with 4 of the 7 complaints in NHTSA’s file (57.1%). The next is 2005 (3). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R complaint?

Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the component named most often: 6 complaints, or 85.7% of all 7. Engine (1) follows. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Harley-Davidson dealer.

How many Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 7 complaints, 1 report a crash, 0 a fire, 1 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

Other Harley-Davidson models

8 models · most complaints first

The Harley-Davidson models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Harley-Davidson VIN decoder with every Harley-Davidson model page, WMI code and VIN note.

All Harley-Davidson models and WMI codesLook up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.