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Transmission and drivetrainPart report

2021 Harley-Davidson RA1250S Transmission and drivetrain Problems

Complaints
4about this part
Share
31%of 13 total for the year
Median mileage
—not reported
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 4 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2021 Harley-Davidson RA1250S, 31% of the 13 complaints for this model year.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“The charging system for the battery failed when I was on an out of state road trip. The voltage of the bike would drop between 11 and 12 volts when slowing down. I slowed down to make a tight turn on a canyon highway when the bike lost power and stalled. The motorcycle continued to stall several more times while in motion on the highway and I had a difficult time restarting the motorcycle on the side of the highway each time. I ended up purchasing a new battery thinking it would solve the problem. …”

NHTSA complaint #11746092, filed 2026-06

“The cam chain tensioner failed while driving down the road, resulting in reduced power during a pass that almost resulted in an accident. There are no maintenance requirements for this component and there are numerous reports of this failing in motorcycles equipped with the Revolution Max engine. On this engine, the cam chain tensioner is held in place with a bolt that is apparently a torque to spec item with no locking mechanism. During the course of normal operation, the bolt backs out and can have varying degrees of damage. …”

NHTSA complaint #11764364, filed 2026-09

“The fuel pump for the engine is known for failing due to ethanol in the fuel reacting with the bare aluminum. Harley Davidson has recognized this issue with the newer model but has not recalled any of its previous models. This could cause a serious safety risk for the rider or other pedestrians on the roadway as this could cause the bike to suddenly lose all power causing an accident. Many people have mentioned this known issue but Harley Davidson still refuses to seal the aluminum tanks or replace the tank with the later model ones that are already sealed. …”

NHTSA complaint #11713121, filed 2026-01

Related service bulletins

Transmission and drivetrain: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
2023110%
2021431%

Other parts of the 2021 Harley-Davidson RA1250S

Electrical system
9 complaintsEngine
5 complaintsFuel system
1 complaintsOther or unknown
1 complaintsVehicle speed control
1 complaintsWheels
1 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2021 Harley-Davidson RA1250S

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology