2005 Big Dog Pitbull Problems
- Complaints
- 7filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 3,000miles, 3 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 5campaigns on record
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2005 Big Dog Pitbull (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error
NHTSA recorded 7 consumer complaints for the 2005 Big Dog Pitbull. The part named most often is electrical system, with 3 complaints (43% of the total), followed by brakes (1) and engine cooling (1). 3 of the complaints include a mileage, and 100% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 3,000 miles. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 21 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 2 recall campaigns and 7 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.
This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Electrical system3 43%
- Brakes1 14%
- Engine cooling1 14%
- Fuel system1 14%
- Tires1 14%
- Wheels1 14%
Example complaints
Electrical system: “The contact owns a 2005 big dog Pitbull motorcycle. While the contact was driving 60 MPH the vehicle shut off without warning. There was a recall under NHTSA campaign id number 06v305000 (electrical system). The VIN was not included in the recall. The contact experienced the same symptoms stated in the recall. The manufacturer refused to repair the vehicle under the recall remedy repair. There were concerns of the safety issues. The failure mileage was 2,242. Updated 04-15-10 updated 07/07/10.”
NHTSA complaint #10319043, filed 2010-03, 2,242 milesBrakes: “Dt: consumer had purchased a big dog pit bull 2005 motorcycle on may 16, 2005. Fuel delivery system did not pump fuel through the vehicle and vehicle would shut down and not move, on june 30, 2005 the vehicle was replaced, the replaced vehicle had the same problem. The back disc brakes locked up, the brake was smoking, VIN number was for the replacement vehicle, none of the problems have been repaired as of now, when consumer contacted the manufacturer, they told him that they would get back to him.”
NHTSA complaint #10127482, filed 2005-07Mileage when problems were reported
100% of the 3 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 2,242 and 19,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
Recalls and investigations
- 07V356000Aug 8, 2007Electrical system › Alternator/generator/regulatorCovers: Big Dog Pitbull 2005–2006, Mastiff 2005–2006, Ridgeback 2005–2006 +3 more
On certain motorcycles, a warped bus bar within the voltage regulator can cause a short circuit.
- 06V305000Aug 11, 2006Electrical systemCovers: Big Dog Pitbull 2005, Mastiff 2005–2006, Chopper 2005–2006 +4 more
On certain motorcycles, the electronic harness control (ehc) module can fail resulting in a total shut down of the vehicle's electronic power.
- 06V019000Jan 25, 2006Structure › Motorcycle › Kickstand/center standCovers: Big Dog Pitbull 2004–2006, Chopper 2004–2006, Ridgeback 2004–2006 +5 more
On certain motorcycles, the kickstand spring may stretch and detach from the mounting bracket or the kickstand.
- 05V432000Sep 28, 2005Wheels › Lugs/nuts/bolts/studsCovers: Big Dog Pitbull 2005, Chopper DT 2005, Mastiff 2005 +3 more
On certain motorcycles, the rear wheel hub bolts could loosen and back out allowing the hub and brake rotor to detach from the wheel with an associated loss of stopping power.
- 05V149000Apr 14, 2005Power trainCovers: Big Dog Pitbull 2005, Chopper DT 2005, Mastiff 2005 +2 more
On certain motorcycles, the primary drive sprocket nut may back off the engine main shaft.
Recall details for the 2005 Big Dog Pitbull → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 21 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 10026442May 11, 2008Equipment. Big dog motorcycle: electrical side cover contact with belt guard. A wire bundle may protrude into the right electrical side cover.
- 10026833Apr 18, 2008Equipment. Bigdog motorcycle: new primary inspection cover gasket. Install new inspection cover gasket on all 2005-2008 big dog motorcycles.
- 10026428Apr 18, 2008Equipment. Bigdog motorcycles: this letter highlights the difference between the various electronic harness controllers (ehcs). For models years 2005-2009 motorcycles.
- 10027045Apr 11, 2008Equipment. Bigdog motorcycle: hidden shock electrical cover hardware replacement. Electrical side covers may crack or break. 243-000011-00 for all models except 2006 k9. 243-000013-00 for 2006 k9 model.
- 10026832Jan 11, 2008Fuel system. Bigdog motorcycle: fuel tank vent may become flooded with fuel, causing the motorcycle to run poorly due to a fuel mixture that is too rich.
- 10020064Nov 3, 2006Electrical system. Intermittent printed circuit board operation.
- 10020374Aug 25, 2006Transmission and drivetrain. Rough shifting, or noisy transmission caused by loose transmission countershaft screw.
- 10020152Jun 30, 2006Electrical system. Horn harness wires may break.
- 10020045Jun 23, 2006Electrical system. Ehc contact improvement procedure (revised). Current seal does not allow connector pins to seat properly and moisture may be present in connector.
- 10020065Jun 16, 2006Exterior lighting. Headlamp connector may melt, making bulb replacement difficult.
Other model years of the Big Dog Pitbull
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 7 | 3,000 | 5 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1999 | 5 | 4,100 | 1 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
All Big Dog Pitbull model years
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2005 Big Dog Pitbull have?
NHTSA recorded 7 consumer complaints for the 2005 Big Dog Pitbull as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2005 Big Dog Pitbull is reported most often?
Electrical system is named most often, in 3 complaints (43% of the total), followed by brakes with 1.
Has the 2005 Big Dog Pitbull been recalled?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
At what mileage are problems with the 2005 Big Dog Pitbull reported?
Among the 3 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 3,000 miles and the middle half falls between 2,242 and 19,000 miles; 100% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.