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[tazmun]

JC,
After doing a magnify I have to say it looks like a bad bolt. Either a bad batch either from the heat treat or bad steel.
It could have been over torqued if the previous owner moved them. I can't believe it happened at the factory because the are
SUPPOSED to use preset torque wrenches. I've got the Kury adjustable passenger boards and have taken them off numerous times
just to clean them up, but the base are the chrome HD and the bolts never showed what you have, so I believe the bolt is defective.
I do believe they may come from a vendor overseas!
Just my opinion, because I have been in manufacturing engineering for 40 years! Glad no one was hurt.

Tazum

[Chains]

There is the possibility of Hydrogen Embrittlement if the plated parts skipped the bake after plating.  Especially if MOCO is using 3rd world countries to buy cheap parts from.

Hydrogen embrittlement is a phenomenon that affects high-strength steel. Hydrogen--often from pickling or plating--invades the grain structure of a high strength steel, making it brittle and subject to catastrophic failure.

The best approach is to avoid or minimize processes that cause hydrogen embrittlement. The second best approach is to bake the parts to drive the hydrogen out, preferably very soon after plating. Some people feel that some degree of permanent damage occurs during the time between plating and baking, and that it is thus vital to bake immediately. Others feel that the old standard "bake within 24 hours" is sufficient. ASTM Committee B-8 spent a lot of time on this problem, so I think their specs are highly trustable.

[nytryder]

If it were me I'd replace the bolts on both footrests with new HD bolts and make ever so sure to torque them properly. As I recall the torque value for those bolts is 40 ft #s.

[redrodo]

I had both sides break off on my 2013 which resulted in lost floorboards. Dealership replaced them under warranty, seem to think they were  over torqued. It happened on another 13 CVO from the dealership also.

[Chains]

If the bolts from Harley are suspect and they probably are, I would buy an American made grade 8 socket head cap screw and torque properly. In no way would I use bolts from Harley after having one break.

Here is a chart to go by on torgue values on different grades of bolts. It is a reference to start from.

http://www.portlandbolt.com/technical/bolt-torque-chart/

[mark]

If the bolts from Harley are suspect and they probably are, I would buy an American made grade 8 socket head cap screw and torque properly. In no way would I use bolts from Harley after having one break.

Here is a chart to go by on torgue values on different grades of bolts. It is a reference to start from.

http://www.portlandbolt.com/technical/bolt-torque-chart/

X2.  Wouldn't buy replacements from HD, and for piece of mind, I'd go with Grade 8.

[JCZ]

Seen one break while getting gas. Just hit ground. Hot as hell that day and bikes were about 600 miles on them that day. Blamed heat. 
Saw one break on highway peg and on shifter linkage at highway speed. Both parts flew back at next rider. Broken bike cleared them easy. All needed drilled out as broke off flush to hole

Was talking to a rider at the dealership Sat. morning.  He suggested that it might be a combination of things coupled with the heat of the day (100F +) and the fact that it's right above the right exhaust (although my bike runs much, much cooler with the Fullsac X pipe and baffles) and possible factory defective bolt.  Dealing with new construction in building these apartment buildings over the past couple of decades, I know all to well about factory defective. 

I'll probably never know.  Was sure I'd read about this issue on this forum but maybe not.  I'm getting up close to that age where I can imagine something and swear to it as fact......and then believe it as fact. 

[TinSpinner]

To my trained eye you had a bad bolt. It had probably been cracked for a while and finally just gave way. The part the bolt screws into is cast iron and would likely have stripped out if a sound bolt had been over torqued to the point of failure.