Embarrassing setback for Harley-Davidson: Because of brake problems, the iconicmotorcycle manufacturer to launch massive recall. Alone in the home market, the USAhave more than 250,000 machines and trikes in the workshops - the equivalent of an entire year's production.
Washington / Milwaukee - The producer of the cult-bike is in trouble: Harley-Davidson calls its 300,000 machines back to the workshop. Among the motorcycles, the heat of the exhaust system set the switch for the brake light out of action. In the worst case caneven brake fluid leak and thus interfere with the brakes themselves.
Were affected and around 308,000 touring trike motorcycles from the years 2009 through 2011, Harley said on Monday in a note to the U.S. authorities. 250,000 of themachines were approved in the U.S. and the rest in other countries around the world.
The recall affects far more machines than Harley-Davidson in building. 2010, the company had been producing around 222,000 motorcycles. The action will burden thebalance sheet in the fourth quarter with ten to twelve million dollars, it said.
Harley for the recall is expensive and embarrassing at the same time. Just recently, themotorcycle manufacturer has recovered somewhat from the effects of the economiccrisis, in which sales of the expensive machines were broken into. Harley CEO KeithWandell had fought properly in the doldrums for the preservation of the company. The company needed in an emergency, the MV Agusta brand and Buell give up andremove thousands of jobs.
Meanwhile, the customer returned and the manufacturer is back in profits. Only in the second quarter, sales were again increased by 7.5 percent. Harley-Davidson expects to deliver this year 228000-235000 machines. Two-thirds of the bikes stay in the U.S.
