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1987 Harley-Davidson XL SeriesProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1 owner complaint about the 1987 Harley-Davidson XL Series, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls2Free fix at dealersOwner complaints10 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem1Engine and engine cooling

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 24, 2000. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1987 Harley-Davidson XL Series has problems

1 complaint grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

1987 Harley-Davidson XL Series recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Harley-Davidson.

Best & worst years

1987 vs. every other XL Series year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the XL Series median. How we score

'82'84'87'89'91'92'95'99
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1987 Harley-Davidson XL Series, and the recalls they led to.

  1. HANDLEBAR LOWER CLAMP FRACTURINGPE95015 · closed Jul 7, 1995
    No recall
In owners' words

What XL Series owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

THE PART MANUFACTURED FROM JIMSUSA FAILED CAUSING A DESTRUCTION OF THE ENGINE. THIS COULD HAVE LOCKED THE MOTOR CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. A JIMSUSA EMPLOYEE COLIN KATELY CLAIMED THAT THEY KNEW ABOUT THE DEFECT AS THEY HAD LET THEIR TOOLING BECOME WORN. THEY REQUESTED RETURN OF THE UNSAFE PART AND…
Complaint 725906 · Jul 24, 2000

Own a 1987 XL Series?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.