2009 Honda GL1800 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2009 Honda GL1800, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes150.0%
- Transmission150.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE HONDA GL1800 HAS EXHIBITED A BRAKING PROBLEM SINCE 2001. SOMETIME, WHEN USING THE REAR BRAKE, A SHUDDERING TAKES PLACE THAT FEELS LIKE YOU ARE DRIVING OVER RUMBLE STRIPS. IT IS ENOUGH TO SHAKE THE WINDSHIELD AND MIRRORS. IT CAN BE FELT THROUGH THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL. IT HAPPENS MORE OFTEN IN HOT WEATHER. THERE ARE FORUMS FOR THE GL1800 AND THEY ALL HAVE MANY POSTS OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING IT ON DIFFERENT YEAR MODELS. MANY HAVE TAKEN THEIR MOTORCYCLES TO THE DEALERS WHILE UNDER WARRANTY (INCLUDING MYSELF). A WIDE VARIETY OF FIXES HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTED WITH NOTHING REALLY FIXING THE PROBLEM. HONDA'S AREA SERVICE TECH SAID THE REAR BRAKE DISC ROTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT MY OWN EXPENSE. (ABOUT $800). HOWEVER, I HAVE ALREADY READ ON THESE FORUMS WHERE THE DISC ROTORS HAD BEEN REPLACED AND STILL DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. HONDA'S LATEST RESPONSE IS THAT 1. IT IS JUST A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE MOTORCYCLE AND 2. USING MORE FRONT BRAKE WILL STOP THE PROBLEM. BOTH OF THOSE STATEMENTS ARE TRUE, HOWEVER, SOME OF THE GL1800'S NEVER EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, SOMETIMES IT IS BEST NOT TO USE TOO MUCH FRONT BRAKE UNDER CERTAIN RIDING CONDITIONS AND COULD BE DANGEROUS. THIS IS A 20K-24K DOLLAR MOTORCYCLE. THE BRAKES SHOULD WORK WITHOUT SHAKING THE MOTORCYCLE. REQUIRING THE FRONT BRAKE TO BE USED JUST TO STOP THIS VIBRATION IS JUST IGNORING THE REAL PROBLEM. A PROSPECTIVE BUYER MAY BE HESITANT TO BUY A MOTORCYCLE WITH THIS SYMPTOM, THUS LOWERING THE RESALE VALUE. HONDA'S MC WARRANTY MANAGER POLITELY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE HONDA WOULD DO. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HONDA FINALLY INVESTIGATE AND FIX THIS PROBLEM WITH A RECALL. A CAR MANUFACTURER WOULD NEVER GET AWAY WITH THIS AND NEITHER SHOULD A MOTORCYCLE MANUFACTURER. INCLUDED IS JUST ONE LINK TO A FORUM ON THIS PROBLEM. HTTP://GL1800RIDERS.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?118643-REAR-BRAKE-SHUDDER. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
2009 HONDA GOLDWING JUMPS OUT OF OVER DRIVE GEAR UNDER LOAD. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .