2021 Harley-Davidson RA1250S
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 13 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 3 RA1250S model years with reports.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Electrical system, instrument cluster/panelJan 25, 2022
Harley Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling certain 2021 Pan America 1250S (RA1250S), Pan America 1250 (RA1250), and Sportster S (RH1250S) motorcycles. The instrument cluster module may not display the speedometer and neutral indicator at start-up when the module is below freezing temperatures. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 123, "Motorcycle Controls and Displays."
Operating a motorcycle without a visible speedometer or neutral indicator may increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will update the instrument cluster module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 8, 2022. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0631.
Campaign 22V030000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: wheels
1 report, newest first. Show all
Vehicle speed control, Wheels, Engine, Sep 23, 2026
My motorcycle suffered a serious engine failure at approximately 12,500 km (7,800 miles) while I was riding. Before the failure, I noticed an unusual ticking/rattling noise coming from the engine, especially when the engine was under load or when the throttle was closed. The failure occurred while riding and caused a sudden loss of engine performance. This happened while I was in traffic and I was extremely close to having an accident because the motorcycle did not respond as expected when I needed power. After the motorcycle was inspected, the failure was found to be related to the camshaft/cam chain tensioning system. The cam chain tensioner had become loose and the resulting failure caused internal engine damage, including damage to components in the valve train. The motorcycle had been properly maintained and serviced, and there was no missed scheduled maintenance that could explain the failure. The mileage was also relatively low for such a serious internal engine failure. What concerns me is that I am now finding other reports describing similar failures on Revolution Max engines, particularly involving the cam chain tensioner and its retaining bolt. If a tensioner can lose its position during normal operation and cause the cam timing to fail, the consequences can be extremely serious. In my case, this was not simply a mechanical failure that left me stranded. It created an actual safety risk while riding and nearly caused an accident. I am sharing this as a separate report because I believe these incidents should be documented individually. If other Pan America owners have experienced similar cam chain tensioner, cam chain, camshaft or valve train failures, especially on 2021–2022 models, please share your mileage, symptoms and the exact components that failed. I hope Harley-Davidson and the relevant authorities will look at these reports collectively rather than treating each failure as an isolated incident.