Harley-Davidson Neutral Gear Recall 26V730: What Riders in Missouri and Illinois Should Know?

Short answer: Harley-Davidson is recalling 21,643 model year 2026 motorcycles (NHTSA recall 26V730, Harley-Davidson recall 0194) because the gear position sensor can tell the engine control module the bike is in neutral when it’s actually in gear. Harley-Davidson’s report says that can allow unintended forward motion and increase the risk of injury. The affected models are the 2026 FLHX, FLHXL, FLHXLSE, FLHXSE, FLHXSTSE, FLTRX, FLTRXL, FLTRXP and FLTRXSTSE. Dealers will replace the gear position sensor for free. Owner letters are scheduled to go out November 16 to 23, 2026, and you can check your VIN now at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Think about what neutral means on a motorcycle. It’s the light you trust when you’re at a stop, feet down, hand off the clutch. If that light says N and the bike is really in gear, the bike can move when you don’t expect it. At a stoplight. In a driveway. With a passenger climbing on.

That’s the problem in this recall. Here’s what the actual NHTSA filing says, and what to do if you own one of these bikes or you’ve already been hurt.

What the recall covers?

Harley-Davidson Motor Company filed its Part 573 Safety Recall Report with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on November 3, 2026. NHTSA assigned it recall number 26V730. Harley-Davidson’s own number is 0194. Here’s the population, by model, from that report:

• 2026 FLTRX: 7,794 (built Oct. 22, 2025 to Aug. 3, 2026)
• 2026 FLHX: 5,459 (built Oct. 22, 2025 to Aug. 3, 2026)
• 2026 FLTRXL: 3,013 (built Oct. 23, 2025 to July 29, 2026)
• 2026 FLHXL: 2,195 (built Oct. 27, 2025 to July 30, 2026)
• 2026 FLTRXSTSE: 1,360 (built Oct. 30, 2025 to July 30, 2026)
• 2026 FLHXLSE: 677 (built Dec. 3, 2025 to July 30, 2026)
• 2026 FLHXSTSE: 598 (built Oct. 30, 2025 to July 30, 2026)
• 2026 FLTRXP: 329 (built Oct. 23, 2025 to July 29, 2026)
• 2026 FLHXSE: 218 (built Oct. 27, 2025 to July 25, 2026)

That totals 21,643 motorcycles. Harley-Davidson’s dealer notice describes them as Touring and CVO Touring models. The company estimates about 0.1% of the recalled bikes actually have the defect. Not every bike on the list has the problem, but every bike on the list should get the fix.

The defect: a sensor that says neutral when it isn’t

According to the Part 573 report, the gear position sensor (part number 32700166), made by supplier SSI Technologies, LLC, may have been built with plastic molding flash. That’s leftover plastic from the molding process. It can cause the sensor to send the wrong gear signal to the engine control module, so the ECM reads neutral when the transmission is in gear.

The report lists the safety risk this way: the condition “can allow unintended forward motion of the motorcycle, potentially increasing the risk of an injury.”

Harley-Davidson’s chronology says the issue was first flagged on April 16, 2026, after a sensor flash condition was found on a 2026 FLTRX during a service visit. The company authorized the voluntary recall on October 27, 2026. The report also says Harley-Davidson is aware of two injuries potentially related to this condition. It doesn’t describe them.

Warning signs to watch for

The report names two things a rider or technician may notice:

• The gear indicator flickering between neutral and another gear.
• The gear indicator showing neutral while the motorcycle is moving forward.

If you see either one, don’t trust the neutral light. Get the bike to a Harley-Davidson dealer and tell them about recall 0194.

The fix, the owner letters and the VIN lookup

• Remedy: Dealers will replace the gear position sensor, free of charge. Harley-Davidson says the replacement sensor comes from a new tool that eliminates the flash condition.
• Dealer notice: Harley-Davidson’s dealer notice is dated November 6, 2026. It tells dealers they may sell but not deliver affected motorcycles until the recall repair is done.
• Owner letters: scheduled to be mailed November 16 to 23, 2026.
• VIN lookup: The Part 573 report says VINs became searchable on November 6, 2026. Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
• Questions: Harley-Davidson customer service is 1-800-258-2464.

Don’t wait for the letter if you own one of these models. Look up the VIN today.

If you were hurt: product liability claims in Missouri

A recall isn’t automatic proof that the defect caused your crash. But it is the manufacturer’s own determination, in a federal filing, that this condition is a safety-related defect in these bikes. That matters.

In Missouri, a products liability claim under RSMo 537.760 can be brought against a defendant anywhere in the chain of commerce that sold the product in the course of its business, if the product was used in a reasonably anticipated way and either:

• it was in a defective condition, unreasonably dangerous when put to a reasonably anticipated use, and you were damaged as a direct result; or
• it was unreasonably dangerous without an adequate warning, and you were damaged as a direct result.

Depending on the facts, that could mean the manufacturer, a component supplier or a dealer. Missouri also applies pure comparative fault to products cases (RSMo 537.765), but “fault” there is limited to specific things, like misusing the product, using it with knowledge of the danger, or failing to mitigate damages. Fault cuts your recovery. It doesn’t bar it.

The hard part of these cases is proof. Was this bike’s sensor defective? Did the false neutral cause the motion? That’s why the evidence matters so much:

• Keep the motorcycle. Don’t let it get repaired, salvaged or sold off by an insurer before it’s been inspected. The sensor itself is the most important piece of evidence.
• Photograph the gear display if it’s acting up, and write down when.
• Keep the paperwork: purchase records, service records, the recall letter and anything the dealer tells you.
• Write down what happened while it’s fresh: Were you stopped? Was the clutch out? What did the indicator show?

If you haven’t crashed, the advice flips. Get the recall repair done. Don’t ride on a sensor you can’t trust.

Some motorcycle injuries aren’t about the bike at all. If another driver turned in front of you, that’s a negligence claim against the driver. Missouri’s Supreme Court has held that a motorcyclist with the right-of-way can assume other drivers will yield until it’s reasonably apparent they won’t (Hayes v. Price, 313 S.W.3d 645 (Mo. banc 2010)). We wrote about how that plays out in insurer “careful lookout” arguments in our careful lookout comparative fault FAQ.

Missouri’s helmet law and your claim

Missouri changed its helmet law in 2020. Under RSMo 302.020, riders and passengers under 26 must wear protective headgear, and so must any operator 26 or older who has an instruction permit. Under RSMo 302.026, a qualified operator 26 or older may ride without a helmet if, in addition to the required auto liability coverage, he or she is covered by a health insurance policy or other insurance that provides medical benefits for motorcycle crash injuries. Police can’t stop you just to check.

Expect an insurer to bring up a missing helmet anyway, especially in a head injury case. Whether that argument goes anywhere depends on the facts, the law and the injuries. Don’t assume riding without a helmet ends your claim.

Illinois riders: shorter deadlines and the 50% line

If your crash happened in Illinois, two rules change:

• Deadlines: Most Illinois personal injury claims must be filed within two years (735 ILCS 5/13-202). Illinois wrongful death claims generally must be filed within two years after the death (740 ILCS 180/2).
• Fault: Illinois uses modified comparative fault (735 ILCS 5/2-1116). It applies to negligence claims and to product liability claims based on strict liability. If your fault is more than 50% of the cause, you recover nothing. At 50% or less, your damages are reduced by your share.

Missouri deadlines

In Missouri, most personal injury claims, including products claims for injuries, must be filed within five years (RSMo 516.120). Wrongful death claims must be filed within three years (RSMo 537.100). There are exceptions, so get advice about your situation early. Evidence like the motorcycle itself doesn’t last forever.

If you or someone in your family was hurt on a recalled motorcycle, or by a driver who didn’t see you, learn more on our St. Louis motorcycle accident lawyer, Columbia motorcycle accident lawyer, Illinois motorcycle accident lawyer and St. Louis product liability lawyer pages.

Frequently asked questions

Which Harley-Davidson motorcycles are in recall 26V730?

Model year 2026 FLHX, FLHXL, FLHXLSE, FLHXSE, FLHXSTSE, FLTRX, FLTRXL, FLTRXP and FLTRXSTSE motorcycles built within specific production date ranges, 21,643 bikes in total, according to Harley-Davidson’s Part 573 report to NHTSA. Harley-Davidson’s recall number is 0194.

What is wrong with the recalled motorcycles?

The gear position sensor may have plastic molding flash that causes an incorrect gear signal. The engine control module may then read neutral when the transmission is actually in gear, which can allow unintended forward motion and increase the risk of injury.

How do I know if my motorcycle is affected?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. According to the Part 573 report, VINs became searchable on November 6, 2026. Owner letters are scheduled to mail November 16 to 23, 2026.

Does the recall repair cost anything?

No. Harley-Davidson dealers will replace the gear position sensor free of charge.

Can I sue if a recalled motorcycle caused my injury?

Possibly. In Missouri, a products liability claim under RSMo 537.760 can be based on a defective, unreasonably dangerous product or an inadequate warning. A recall doesn’t prove the defect caused your crash, so preserving the motorcycle and its parts for inspection is critical.

How long do I have to file a motorcycle injury claim in Missouri or Illinois?

In Missouri, most personal injury claims must be filed within five years (RSMo 516.120), and wrongful death claims within three years (RSMo 537.100). In Illinois, most personal injury claims have a two-year deadline (735 ILCS 5/13-202), and wrongful death claims generally must be filed within two years after the death (740 ILCS 180/2). Exceptions exist.

Do I have to wear a helmet in Missouri?

Riders and passengers under 26 must wear a helmet, and so must operators 26 or older with an instruction permit (RSMo 302.020). A qualified operator 26 or older may ride without one if covered by health insurance or other insurance providing medical benefits for motorcycle crash injuries (RSMo 302.026).

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Hurt on a Recalled Motorcycle, or by a Driver Who Didn’t See You? Talk to a Missouri and Illinois Injury Lawyer

Whether a defective motorcycle part or a careless driver caused your crash, you may have more than one way to recover, and in a product case, the clock and the evidence both work against you. The bike itself is often the most important proof, so it needs to be preserved before an insurer repairs or salvages it. Mutrux Firm Injury Lawyers investigates both the product and the driver, and we move quickly to protect that evidence. We offer a free case investigation, and you pay nothing unless we win. Contact us or call (888) 550-4026 today.