36 of the
149 complaints filed about the Honda VTX1800
are about the suspension —
24% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2003.
JUST HAD REAR TIRE REPLACED ON MY VTX 1800R AT HONDA DEALER. WAS INFORMED BY TECHNICIAN THAT MY REAR BEARING NEEDS REPLACED. THE BIKE ONLY HAS 13,500 ORIGINAL MILES ON IT. THIS SEEMS WAY TO EARLY FOR THIS TO HAVE WORN OUT ALREADY. I SEE ON THIS FORUM THAT THIS PROBLEM IS ENORMOUSLY COMMON ON THE 1800S. PRETTY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS. ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS AND HOPING THE BEARINGS HAVE BEEN UPGRADED IN THE LAST 13 YEARS.
NHTSA complaint #10969010 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN CHANGING REAR TIRE CHECKED FLANGE BEARING AND NOTICED BEARING WAS COMING APART. SEAL GONE AND METAL PIECES PRESENT ALONG WITH ROUGH AND LOOSE BEARINGS. 14,000 MILES ON 03 1800 VTX C.
NHTSA complaint #10408891 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE REMOVING THE REAR TIRE FOR REPLACEMENT I NOTICED THE FLANGE BEARING HAS FAILED. 11,000 MILES, FIRST TIME INSPECTING THE BEARING. WILL REPLACE WITH NEW BEARINGS AND POSSIBLY MACHINE THE FLANGE FOR BETTER FIT.
NHTSA complaint #10333977 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HONDA 2002 VTX 1800RS DURING REAR TIRE REPLACEMENT AT 36K MILES DISCOVERED WHEEL BEARING ON THE RIGHT SIDE (BRAKE SIDE) WAS VERY BAD...HAD NO WARNING, NO WHEEL WOBBLE, WHEEL TURNED FREE, BUT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN VERY LONG. AXLE SHAFT DISCOLORED, NO REASON FOR THIS FAILURE! ALL REAR BEARINGS REPLACED! FRONT BEARINGS REPLACED FOR SAFETY!
NHTSA complaint #10331363 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA VTX1800 BC MOTORCYCLE. HIS MOTORCYCLE IS LEANING TO ONE SIDE DUE TO THE TIRES. THE TIRES ARE WORN AND UNEVEN. THE DRIVER IS REQUIRED TO PURCHASE TWO NEW TIRES EVERY TWO WEEKS. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHY THE TIRE WEAR IS SO FREQUENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,700.
NHTSA complaint #10280625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN THE REAR TIRE WAS REPLACED, I HAD THE TECHNICIAN CHECK THE CONDITION OF THE REAR FLANGE BEARINGS. THEY WERE VERY ROUGH. I ORDERED TWO BEARINGS AND REPLACED THEM ON 12/04/2008 WITH 14,465 MILES ON THE MOTORCYCLE. UPON REMOVAL FROM THE FLANGE, THE BEARINGS WERE IN A STATE OF TOTAL FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #10250777 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA VTX1800C. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH, HE NOTICED THAT THE REAR TIRE FELT DIFFERENT AS IF IT WERE NOT PROPERLY ALIGNED. THE VEHICLE ALSO PULLED TO THE LEFT. HE HEARD CLUNKING NOISES AND THE WELD ON THE SWING ARM DRIVESHAFT HOUSING FAILED. THE CONTACT TOOK PICTURES AND NOTIFIED THE DEALER. THE DEALER THEN ADVISED HIM TO CALL NHTSA AND THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 17,000.
NHTSA complaint #10248795 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HONDA VTX 1800C DURING REAR TIRE REPLACEMENT AT 8,371 MILES DISCOVERED WHEEL BEARING ON THE RIGHT SIDE (BRAKE SIDE) WAS VERY BAD...HAD NO WARNING BUT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN VERY LONG. LONGEST TRIP HAS BEEN 100 MILES REST IS ALL CITY. NO REASON FOR THIS FAILURE!
NHTSA complaint #10235727 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FLANGE BEARING FAILURE APPROXIMATE DATE OF FAILURE: JUNE 2008 YEAR OF MANUFACTURE: 2003 MODEL: R MILEAGE: 36,000 BEARING CONDITION: INNER BEARING COMPLETELY DESTROYED...FOUND WHEN I CHANGED OUT THE TIRE....SEAL BULGED OUT AND METAL PIECES EVERYWHERE. ACCIDENT : NO HOW FIXED: PURCHASED PART FROM BEARING SUPPLY STORE AND REPLACED IT MYSELF.......HOPING IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN!
NHTSA complaint #10232657 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN MY MOTORCYCLE REACHED 8,000 MILES IT HAD A HIGH SPEED WHINE, WHEN I HAD A NEW TIRE INSTALLED , I FOUND THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS WERE IN PIECES. I NOW HAVE 18,000 MILES ON IT AND AGAIN THE BEARINGS ARE OUT. I BELIEVE THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT HONDA KNOWS ABOUT . IF ONE OF THESE MOTORCYCLES HAS A BEARING LOCK UP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT COULD BE FATAL.
NHTSA complaint #10230882 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
APPROXIMATE DATE OF FAILURE: JULY 6 2007 YEAR OF MANUFACTURE: 2002 MODEL:VTX 1800 S BEARING CONDITION: BEARING TOTALLY TRASHED (IN PIECES) DISCOVERED WHILE REMOVING WHEEL TO HAVE TIRE REPAIRED/REPLACED ACCIDENT : NONE HOW FIXED: LOCATING PARTS NOW ADDITIONAL REMARKS: (ANY OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION)
NHTSA complaint #10197242 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I OWN A 2002 HONDA VT1800C MOTORCYCLE AND THERE IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT ON THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS. I ONLY HAVE 12,000 MILES ON THIS MOTORCYCLE AND THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ARE SHOT TO HELL. I HAVE DONE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON THIS SUBJECT WITH OWNER FORUMS AND SEE THAT MANY OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM BUT YET HONDA REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE THAT THEY HAVE A DEFECT OR NEED A RECALL. IT IS MY OPINION THAT HONDA IS NOT RECALLING THIS PARTICULAR FACTORY DEFECT DUE TO LACK OF A QUALITY FIX. MANY OWNERS REPORT BUYING BRAND NEW FACTORY BEARING SETS ONLY TO FIND THAT THEY ARE DEFECTIVE EVEN BEFORE INSTALLING THE NEW REPLACEMENT BEARINGS. SOME ONE NEEDS TO MAKE HONDA FIX THIS SITUATION AT THEIR EXPENSE BEFORE SOME ONE GETS KILLED RIDING THEIR MOTORCYCLE DUE TO REAR WHEEL LOCK UP.
NHTSA complaint #10188409 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.