FaultScore

Honda VTX1300 suspension problems

58 of the 279 complaints filed about the Honda VTX1300 are about the suspension — 21% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2004.

58

Complaints

21%

Share of all complaints

2

Crashes

0

Fires

Suspension complaints by model year

2003 VTX1300 11 19.0%

Median failure at 8,500 miles

2004 VTX1300 25 43.1%

Median failure at 1,351 miles

2005 VTX1300 5 8.6%

Median failure at 537 miles

2006 VTX1300 5 8.6%

Median failure at 16,118 miles

2007 VTX1300 12 20.7%

Median failure at 7,000 miles

What owners said

2006 Honda VTX1300 at 30,000 miles Broken Arrow, OK

SUSPENSION

THE FRONT END STARTS TO GET THE DEATH WOBBLE WHEN LET OFF THE GAS GOING AROUND 45 MPH. AND IT IS STARTING TO DO IT AT MORE SPEEDS NOW. BUT THAT IS WHEN IT IS THE WORST. CAN'T TAKE BOTH HANDS OF THE HANDLE BARS OR GRIP IT LIGHTLY OR ELSE IT WILL SHAKE TO MUCH AND CAUSE ME TO WRECK.

NHTSA complaint #11364765 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Honda VTX1300 at 5,500 miles MT Pleasant, SC

SUSPENSION

THERE IS A SEVERE FRONT END WOBBLE WHEN DECELERATING FROM 50+ MPH. THE ENTIRE FRONT END SHAKES TO THE POINT THAT CONTROL IS ALMOST LOST. IT IS ALSO CAUSING THE TIRE ON THE FRONT TO WEAR UNEVENLY AND AT A VERY FAST RATE. THE BIKE HAS LESS THAN 6000 MILES ON IT AS OF MARCH OF 2018.

NHTSA complaint #11076127 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2006 Honda VTX1300 at 30,000 miles Winchester, TN

SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HONDA VTX1300 MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35-55 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOBBLED WHILE ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING. THE PIONEER EQUIPMENT HONDA DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE COULD BE DUE TO THE WHEEL BEARING OR TIRES; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA complaint #10992480 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 Honda VTX1300 at 7,200 miles Choctaw, OK

SUSPENSION

MY 2007 HONDA 1300 VTX DEVELOPS A VIOLENT WHEEL WOBBLE UPON ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION AT AROUND 40MPH. THIS ISSUE WEARS TIRES AND IS VERY DANGEROUS IF YOU ARE NOT PREPARED TO REACT TO THE PROBLEM.I HAVE SPOKEN WITH OTHER 1300 VTX OWNERS AND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL. HONDA DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM AND DOES NOTHING TO CORRECT IT. HONDA SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT OF PARTS AND REPLACEMENT OF FRONT TIRES WHICH SHOW UNREASONABLE WEAR IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND LOW MILEAGE ON HE TIRES.

NHTSA complaint #10909408 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 Honda VTX1300 at 9,007 miles Clarksville, TN

SUSPENSION

WHEN DECELERATING TO BELOW 50MPH THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT WOBBLE IN THE FRONT END. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC IT IS A VERY CONCERNING FEELING TO THINK IT MIGHT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #10706033 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Honda VTX1300 at 15,000 miles Denham Springs, LA

SUSPENSION

REMOVED THE FRONT AND REAR WHEELS TO HAVE NEW TIRES INSTALLED. NOTICED THE FINAL DRIVE FLANGE BEARINGS SEAL TOWARD WHEEL, WAS TORN OPEN AS IF THE SEAL HAD MELTED AND THE BEARINGS WERE DRY AND VERY ROUGH TO TURN. PROBLEM IS, I REPLACED THE BEARINGS AND FELT RESISTANCE WHEN TURNING THE NEW BEARINGS. READ ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN ONE OF THE FORUMS, REMOVED THE NEW BEARINGS AND ORDERED A SECOND SET. MEASURED THE BEARING FIT IN THE FLANGE AND IT WAS .001" TOO CLOSE AT THE TOP AND .002" AT THE BOTTOM. HAD THE FLANGE MACHINED TO CORRECT CLEARANCE AND INSTALLED NEW BEARINGS. JUST LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FROM THE FACTORY, AND I AM VERY GLAD I FOUND THE PROBLEM BEFORE A DEADLY OR COSTLY INCIDENT OCCURRED.

NHTSA complaint #10609741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 Honda VTX1300 at 4,000 miles Holiday, FL

SUSPENSION

FRONT END SHAKES, WOBBLES AND VIBRATES VIOLENTLY, WHEN YOU LOOSEN YOUR HAND PRESSURE FROM THE HANDLE BAR GRIPS. IT WILL ABSOLUTELY GO "OUT OF CONTROL" IF YOU DON'T HOLD ON TIGHTLY TO THE HANDLE BARS. THIS OCCURS AT ANY AND ALL SPEEDS. (20 TO 90 MPH). THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG HERE. THE PREVIOUS OWNER NOW ADMITS HE NOTICED THIS PROBLEM AT 300 MILES, AND DIDN'T FEEL SAFE TO RIDE IT ANY MORE! HENCE THE LOW MILEAGE, FOR A 7 YEAR OLD MOTORCYCLE. I CAN NOW SEE EXCESSIVE FRONT TIRE TREAD WEAR, ON THE LEFT SIDE OF CENTER. I HAVE TO REPLACE THIS TIRE NOW.

NHTSA complaint #10568665 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 Honda VTX1300 at 6,000 miles Fort Collins, CO

SUSPENSION

SEVERE WOBBLE STARTED AT ONLY 6000 MILES ON THE BIKE! IT HITS AT AROUND 40 MPH; IT IS SO BAD THAT THE HANDLEBARS WILL 'HOP' BACK AND FORTH AND THE BIKE WILL SHAKE. THE STOCK STEERING BEARINGS ARE FAULTY YET HONDA CLAIMS NOTHING IS WRONG AND WILL ONLY REPLACE IT WITH ANOTHER STOCK BEARING. THIS IS A KNOWN MAJOR ISSUE AMONG VTX OWNERS.

NHTSA complaint #10471880 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2003 Honda VTX1300 at 16,000 miles GIG Harbor, WA

SUSPENSION

BAD WOBBLE IN STEERING/BEARING BETWEEN 30 AND 50 MPH. WHEN THIS IS GOING ON IN A CURVE YOU NEARLY LOOSE CONTROL IT CONVULSIVE WOBBLE GROWS. NOT HARD TO FIND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS CONDITION EVEN ON THESE BIKES RIGHT FROM THE DEALER.

NHTSA complaint #10468388 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2006 Honda VTX1300 at 16,118 miles Holbrook, AZ Crash 2 injured

SUSPENSION

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HONDA VT1300S MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE AT 75 MPH, HE HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR AND THE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT AND THE PASSENGER WERE EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAD THE MOTORCYCLE TOWED TO A TOWING YARD. THE FAILURE WAS NOT INVESTIGATED. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE BEARING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 16,118. SM. UPDATED 6/20/12

NHTSA complaint #10457806 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Honda VTX1300 at 25 miles Levittown, NY

SUSPENSION

THERE IS A FRONT FORK WOBBLE ON MY 2004 HONDA VTX MOTORCYCLE. THIS IS COUPLED WITH EXTREMELY FAST WEAR ON THE FRONT TIRES. THE WOBBLE IS MOST NOTICEABLE BETWEEN 20 - 50 MPH, AND MORE PREVALENT WHEN COASTING TO A STOP. IT IS BAD ENOUGH AT TIME TO CAUSE A CONTROL ISSUE WHEN GOING AROUND TURNS.

NHTSA complaint #10414996 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Honda VTX1300 at 16,400 miles Hays, KS

SUSPENSION:REAR

REPLACING REAR TIRE ON 2004 HONDA VTX 1300C. CHECKING WHEEL AND FLANGE BEARINGS AT THIS TIME. THE FLANGE BEARINGS ARE ROUGH TURNING AND ONE BEARING IS FALLING APART. THE MOTORCYCLE HAS ONLY 16,000 MILES ON IT. REPLACING FLANGE BEARINGS WITH A NEW SET OF AFTERMARKET BEARINGS. LUCKY TO FIND THE BEARING PROBLEM WHEN I DID. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT IF THE REAR WHEEL WOULD HAVE LOCKED UP DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS!!! THIS IS NOT THE FIRST REPORTED FLANGE BEARING FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #10414698 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 Honda VTX1300 at 5,000 miles Gwent, 00

SUSPENSION

I OWN A 2007 VTX1300 PURCHASED WITH 5 MILES ON THE CLOCK - IT NOW HAS NEARLY 12000. AT APPROX 2000 MILES I EXPERIENCED WOBBLE ON THE HANDLEBARS WHEN I SLIGHTLY MOVED MY HANDS FROM THE GRIP, THIS WOULD GET EXTREME IF MY HANDS WERE LEFT OFF OR HELD LIGHTLY TO THE EXTENT THAT I WOULD HAVE CRASHED IF NOT REGRIPPED AND HELD FIRMLY SO NOT DONE AGAIN, HOWEVER AS I PUT MORE MILES ON THE BIKE THE WOBBLE IS PERMANANT AT AROUND 5000 MILES WHICH IS MORE PRONOUNCED ON DEACCELERATION AT APPROX 40 MPH, I ALSO EXPERIENCED A FRIGHTENING OCCURANCE WHILE TOURING IN GERMANY ON THE MOTORWAY THERE WAS A SWEEPING LONG BEND WHICH THE BIKE STARTED WOBBLING ON THE FRONT HANDLEBARS AND NEARLY LOST CONTROL, I ALSO EXPERIENCE THE ODD CLUNK WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, LOOKING AT INFO ON THE NET IT POINTS TO A FAULT IN THE NECK/STEERING BEARINGS WHERE THE BALL TYPE BEARINGS HAVE BEEN USED AS OPPOSED TO THE 1800 VTX WHICH HAD THE ROLLER TYPE FITTED AND APPEAR NOT TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM, THERE IS A LOT OF INFO ON THE NET WHERE VTX1300 OWNERS HAVE CHANGED TO THIS ROLLER TYPE TO FIND THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN ELIMINATED.. I HAVE TO EMPHASISE THAT THIS FAULT APPEARS TO BE COMMON AND LIVES PUT AT RISK - I CERTAINLY CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY THAT TIME IN GERMANY AND SO DOES MY WIFE WHO WAS SAT ON THE BACK (ALL TYRE PRESSURES CORRECT AND GOOD, NOT OVERLOADED) I WILL BE CHANGING MY FRONT TYRE AS A START BUT AS THIS WOBBLE WAS THERE WITH LITTLE MILEAGE IT CERTAINLY WILL STILL BE THERE.

NHTSA complaint #10390215 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 Honda VTX1300 at 8,000 miles Newport Richey, FL

SUSPENSION:REAR

HONDA MOTORCYCLE WOBBLE AT 40 - 50 MPH. DEALER SAYS NO DEFECT HOWEVER CONDITION IS NOT SAFE.

NHTSA complaint #10384259 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 Honda VTX1300 at 8,000 miles SAN Jose, CA

SUSPENSION:FRONT

2007 HONDA VTX EXPERIENCES SEVERE FRONT END WOBBLE WHEN LETTING OFF THE THROTTLE AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. I DISCOVERED THROUGH RESEARCH THAT THIS PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED BY REPLACING THE STOCK STEERING BEARINGS WITH AN AFTERMARKET BRAND.

NHTSA complaint #10368065 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2006 Honda VTX1300 at 2,000 miles Piscataway, NJ

SUSPENSION

HONDA 2006 VTX 1300R - FRONT WHEEL WOBBLES IN THE SPEED RANGE OF APPROXIMATELY 35-50 MILES PER HOUR, AND IS WORSE ON DECELERATION. STEERING HEAD BEARING ARE SUSPECTED. WOBBLE STARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 2000 MILES OF VEHICLE SERVICE AND HAVE GOTTEN WORSE. DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO WARRANTY REPAIR THE VEHICLE, AND DENIES THE PROBLEM DESPITE REPEATED COMPLAINTS.

NHTSA complaint #10318934 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Honda VTX1300 at 9,000 miles Longmont, CO

SUSPENSION

FRONT END WOBBLE.

NHTSA complaint #10290996 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Honda VTX1300 at 1 miles Lewisburg, OH

SUSPENSION

WHEN SLOWING DOWN ON MY 2005 HONDA VTX1300 I HAVE A VERY BAD WOBBLE IN THE FRONT END AROUND 45MPH. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR DIES DUE TO THEIR NEGLECT.

NHTSA complaint #10272426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 Honda VTX1300 at 435 miles Goose Creek, SC

SUSPENSION

2007 HONDA VTX 1300 M/C HAS SEVERE FRONT END WOBBLE AT APPROXIMATELY 38 TO 42 MPH. IT IS EXPERIENCE BOTH ON ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION. REQUIRES A FIRM GRIP ON BOTH SIDES OF THE HANDLEBAR TO MAINTAIN STEADINESS. THE PROBLEM BECAME NOTICEABLE AFTER ON APPROX. 435 MILES ON THE VEHICLE DURING THE SUMMER OF 2007. IT IS LIKELY TO BE THE CAUSE OF SEVERE LOPSIDED WEAR ON FRONT TIRE ALSO. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REPAIR ARE REPLACING THE STEERING NECK BEARINGS WITH HONDA VTX "1800" BEARINGS OR AFTER MARKET "ALL BALLS" BRAND BEARINGS AND REPLACING THE FRONT FORK SPRINGS WITH PROGRESSIVE ONES (AFTER MARKET) AND ONLY USING METZLER TIRES WITH BALANCE BEADS IN THEM. THIS ISSUE WILL NO DOUBT BE THE CAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT TO AN UNAWARE RIDER AND HONDA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE THE REPAIRS.

NHTSA complaint #10269833 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 Honda VTX1300 at 7,800 miles Vancouver, WA Crash 1 injured

SUSPENSION:FRONT

SLOWING DOWN BRAKING FROM 40 HANDLE BARS STARTED TO WIGGLE BIKE FELL OVER ON LEG BREAKING IT IN TWO PLACES , NOW HAVE A PLATE IN THE LEG AND 16 SCREWS.

NHTSA complaint #10265122 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Honda VTX1300 problems