RoadVitals

2002 Buell X1

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
1
Latest Jun 15, 2007
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Jan 4, 2002
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 2002 Buell X1, most frequently naming the engine category. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Engine1100.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
02V003000

SUSPENSION:FRONT:SHOCK ABSORBER

Jan 4, 2002
387 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES WERE BUILT WITH A FRONT SHOCK MOUNT THAT IS CRACKED AND COULD BREAK ALLOWING THE SUSPENSION TO DROP UNEXPECTEDLY.
The risk: THIS COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BROKEN SHOCK MOUNT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 9, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT BUELL AT 1-414-342-4680.
BUELL MOTORCYCLE CO.View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Engine
Filed Jun 15, 2007

ON MAY 19, 2007 WHILE TRAVELING SOUTH ON US-283, 15 MILES NORTH OF BRADY TX AT ROUGHLY 70 MPH, IN 5TH GEAR ON THE 2002 BUELL X1 WHITE LIGHTNING, AND HOLDING THE THROTTLE STEADY THE MOTOR STOPPED RUNNING. *AK ALL LIGHTS WORKED INDICATING ELECTRICAL POWER WAS NOT LOST. THE ?CHECK ENGINE? LIGHT DID NOT COME ON INDICTING THAT FAILURE WAS NOT THE RESULT OF THE ON BOARD COMPUTER OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE MOTORCYCLE ROLLED TO A STOP. THE MOTOR DID NOT SEIZE AND AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO RESTART, THE BATTERY RAN OUT OF ELECTRICAL POWER AND I WAS FORCED TO FIND OTHER MEANS TO RETURN TO HOUSTON ABOUT 260 MILES AWAY. UPON RETURNING TO HOUSTON, I TOOK MY BUELL 2002, X1 WHITE LIGHTNING TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED WHEN THE OIL PUMP DRIVE GEAR, WHICH IS THE WORM GEAR ON THE DRIVE SHAFT, PART NUMBER 26318-88A, DISINTEGRATED. CHIPS FROM THE GEAR WENT INTO THE OIL PUMP DESTROYING IT. CHIPS GOT CAUGHT BETWEEN THE CAM GEARS DESTROYING THEM, WHICH IN TURN, THROUGH-OFF THE CAM TIMING, CAUSING THE VALVES TO HIT THE PISTONS. A COMPLETE REBUILD WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER AT A COST ESTIMATED AT $4,000 WHICH INCLUDED, NEW CASES, REBUILD HEADS, NEW PISTONS, NEW CAMS, NEW PINION GEAR, NEW LIFTERS AND THIS COST COULD RISE IF THERE WAS HIDDEN DAMAGE NOT DISCOVERED IN THE INITIAL INVESTIGATION. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT APPEARS THAT THE SQUARE KEY, PART #11317, FAILED CAUSING THE PINION GEAR TO ROTATE ON THE DRIVE SHAFT WHICH THEN SET UP THE CHAIN REACTION FOR ALL THE OTHER FAILED PARTS AND DAMAGE. THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS ONLY BEEN SERVICE BY THE HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER AND HAS 6,086 MILES ON THE MOTOR. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN FAILURE AND HARLEY DAVIDSON AND BUELL SHOULD TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM AS EVIDENT BY DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET.

NHTSA ID
10193434
Incident
May 19, 2007
Mileage
6,086 mi

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Buell X1 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2002Viewing110—
2000201—
1999111—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.