Summary
The Harley-Davidson Sportster 1000 has 5 recalls spanning 1976 to 1991, with the most serious being a positive battery cable defect on 1989 models where chafing and wear can cause a short circuit that overheats the cable and starts a vehicle fire.
The 1991 model year has a right-side footrest that can fracture after high-impact loads, such as when the motorcycle falls on its right side, and then detach from the bike while riding and strike the rider. On 1987 models, the seven-spoke cast wheels, front and rear, can develop cracks that spread through the spokes until the hub and rim separate without warning, causing sudden loss of control. The 1984 model year has an alternator rotor magnet that can contact the stator, shear the alternator mounting bolts, and allow transmission gears to engage incorrectly, locking up the drivetrain and rear wheel. Going back to the earliest production covered here, 1976 models have rear brake shoe linings that can separate from the brake shoes due to adhesive failure, causing the rear wheel to stop abruptly and the rider to lose control.
