2002 harley davidson 883 sportster. Used with 1600 miles. Purchased at sacramento harley davidson on 2-7-03. Riding on 2-11-03 when accelerator stuck. Lost control, rode guard rail, tried to slow bike, fell from bike, bike continued several yards over wire fence and up a hill. Later appears that sieves holding throttle cables into housing periodically slip out and pinch cables, not allowing throttle handle to return to neutral position. Because of surrounding circumstances, state farm pursued harley davidson for restitution of damages at which time harley davidson settled for a partial amount. I am still seeking council. No one is willing to investigate further, nor will anyone handle my case for fear of "getting a reputation". Are they all afraid of harley davidsons reputation? I am convinced that this bike is faulty. I was ordered to keep the bike in its after collision state till the issue is resolved or untill the 2 year statute has passed. I am at a loss of what to do next. The bike was under warranty at the time, but because of the request, I was unable to take advantage of it. Sacramento harley davidson is unwilling to provide proof of pre-purchase safety inspection or any other records that pertain to the bike. I cannot even get it fixed and no one will look at it without a hefty fee. I was severly injured in the crash. I fractured my l-4 vertebrae and ruptured a disc. I also broke my left collar bone and had massive road rash on my back, arms and legs. I was in a major trauma center hospital in our area for 6 days. I was fortunate to return to my job after 7 months without limitations per sey. I am an emt-paramedic and I feel that eventually things will catch up with me, as my job is very physically demanding. I still have a moderate amount of intermittent pain that I will have the rest of my life. Thank you for your time. I look forward to hopefully hearing from you soon.
The worst 2003 Harley-Davidson XL883HUG problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Acceleration1
- Engine1
- Suspension1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Acceleration1
- Engine1
- Suspension1
Recalls 1
Exterior lighting: tail lights
- What is wrong
- On certain dyna, xl, and touring motorcycles, the tail light bulb can fall out of the socket.
- Risk
- The tail light and the brake light become inoperative, which could lead to a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the bulbs. Owner notification began on june 3, 2004. Owners should contact harley-davidson at 1‑414‑342‑4680.
Recall number 04V218000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2003 Harley-Davidson XL883HUG 6
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Battery warranty guidelines
- Market specific battery introduction
- Digital technician II - updates and release notes
- Genuine motor parts and motor accessories bulletin PAB1158: oil filter packaging and case quantity update
- Digital technician II - updates and release notes
- Genuine motor parts and motor accessories bulletin PAB1146: 68193-95 bulb wedge, fender tip lamp.
What 2003 Harley-Davidson XL883HUG owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
While in motion, the customer states the motorcycle kept dying. It would restart and then die again with no sparks.
While driving vehicle will drift to the right even when the consumer can have handle bars pointing straight. Contacted dealer,and the dealer was not willing to do anything.
Compare the 2003 Harley-Davidson XL883HUG
Other model years
2003
Questions about the 2003 Harley-Davidson XL883HUG
Is the 2003 Harley-Davidson XL883HUG reliable?
Owners have filed 3 complaints about the 2003 Harley-Davidson XL883HUG, close to a typical XL883HUG model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Harley-Davidson XL883HUG?
Acceleration and speed control, with 1 complaint. Next is engine (1).
How many recalls does the 2003 Harley-Davidson XL883HUG have?
1 recall, covering exterior lighting.
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