Harley recalling 57,000 bikes

Harley-Davidson Inc. is recalling about 57,000 motorcycles worldwide because an oil line can come loose, spewing oil into the path of the rear tire.

The recall covers certain 2017 Electra Glide Ultra Classic, Police Electra Glide, Police Road King, Road King, Road King Special, Street Glide, Street Glide Special, Road Glide and Road Glide Special motorcycles built from July 2 through May 9.

Milwaukee-based Harley says a clamp on an engine oil cooler line may not have been installed correctly. The company says it has nine reports of oil lines coming off. The problem caused two crashes and one minor injury.

Dealers will inspect the clamps and fix them free of charge. The recall is expected to start Tuesday.

“This is a voluntary recall in the interest of customer safety,” Harley said in a statement.

Separately, federal regulators said last summer that they were investigating complaints from Harley owners who said their motorcycle brakes failed without warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the investigation covered 430,000 motorcycles with model years from 2008 through 2011. The investigation stemmed from bikes with an anti-lock braking system, according to NHTSA. Government regulators said they received 43 complaints, three reports of crashes and two reports of injuries.

They said it was possible that some riders did not change the motorcycle’s brake fluid as recommended by Harley.