2004 Bigdog Chopper problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Electrical System (2) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder (1) · Power Train:driveline (1)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Bigdog Chopper model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year (campaigns announced since 2010).
Service bulletins (10)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Fuel System, Other:storage:tank Assembly 2008-01-11 · SB-1099 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
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. *pe
Electrical System:horn 2006-06-30 · 1088 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
horn harness wires may break. *tt
Electrical System 2006-06-23 · 1078 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
ehc contact improvement procedure (revised). current seal does not allow connector pins to seat properly and moisture may be present in connector. *tt
Exterior Lighting:headlights 2006-06-16 · 1077 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
headlamp connector may melt, making bulb replacement difficult. *tt
Electrical System 2006-05-03 · 1075 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
dielectric grease addition to connectors. *tt
Structure 2006-04-27 · 1080 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
tachometer board replacement - inaccurate tachometer readings or fluctuation in readings due to moisture. *ak
Showing the 6 most recent of 10 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2008-06-05 · Electrical System · 5,345 mi“the 2004 big dog chopper i was operating electrically shut down while i was traveling on the interstate at 70 mph nearly causing me to crash in traffic. i called the manufacturer and was told the electronic harness control module needed dieletric grease in the connector to keep water from shorting it out. i applied their fix and the unit still does…”
2007-11-14 · Power Train:driveline · 800 mi“recurring squeaks from drive belt. 4 trips to the 1st dealer for adjustment until rear pulley was replaced by 2nd dealer due to incompatibility with belt. squeak continued after 3 additional trips to 2nd dealer. mfg felt that belt should be replaced but would not cover under warranty because belt was considered a wear item. with less than 3000 orig…”
2007-10-21 · Electrical System:ignition:module · 11,000 mi“1) signal lights quit working,then headlight blew out, then speedometer quit working, then all electrical went out and bike will not start and all electrical is out. 3) called bigdog motorcycle dealer. was told the 2004 ehc module has been discontinued and must up grade to an 07 with harness. cost difference $202.00 for 2004 and 650.00 for an 20…”
2007-08-01 · Electrical System · 12,000 mi“2004 big dog motorcycle. motorcycle keeps losing all electrical power when riding on the interstate due to an inherently defective electronic harness controller. this same ehc had been recalled in 2005 and 2006 for the same problem. there was no crash but i hit construction cones and almost crashed trying to get off the highway and out of the way o…”
2005-02-16 · Exterior Lighting:turn Signal:switch · 50 mi“while driving in rainy weather the motorcycle's turn signal engaged without warning. dealer was fully aware of the problem, and stated that the turn signal shorted out because water ran down the coil wire. *ak…”
2005-01-13 · Power Train“while riding, the consumer noticed a retching sound coming from the transmission area which took place of the power being transferred to rear wheel during acceleration. *bf the dealer tightened the belt on several occasions in the first month of ownership, but this did not correct the problem. *sc …”
2005-01-07 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder“consumer received nhtsa recall 04v137000 concerning rear master cylinder pistol. after having the rear master cylinder pistol replaced the rear brakes failed. while applying the brake pedal consumer heard a loud knocking noise and the vehicle failed to stop completely. vehicle was taken back to the dealer for inspection, but mechanic mecha…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.