RoadVitals

2015 Honda GL1800 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
8
Latest May 3, 2025
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
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Dec 2, 2015

What this page shows

Our database holds 8 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2015 Honda GL1800. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–8 of 8

Exterior lighting
Filed May 3, 2025

The speedometer is faded and the lense is cloudy and the driver is unable to see the speed of the vehicle during the day at all.

NHTSA ID
11658628
Incident
May 3, 2025
Brakes
Filed Jul 18, 2024

The contact owns a 2015 Honda GL1800 Motorcycle. The contact stated while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the contact depressed the hand brake lever on the handlebar and the rear brake foot pedal to slow for traffic. The contact stated that the rear wheel locked up and caused the motorcycle to stall. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, while using the front and rear brakes to stop the motorcycle, the rear wheel locked up. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed and was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V700000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was informed of the failure and advised the contact that the recall repair had been completed in 2016. The failure mileage was approximately 31,000.

NHTSA ID
11603180
Incident
Jul 17, 2024
Mileage
31,000 mi
Steering
Filed Nov 17, 2019

TO WHOM IT CONCERNS, I AM INQUIRING IF NHTSA HAS HAD ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT HONDA GL1800 MOTORCYCLES HAVING THE WOBBLE IN THEIR STEERING HANDLEBARS? I SEE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS OF THIS STEERING DEFECT ON THE INTERNET AND I HAD EXPERIENCED FIRST HAND WITH MY 2015 GL1800. I CONTACTED HONDA ABOUT THIS SERIOUS HANDLEBAR WOBBLE THAT IT WAS GETTING SO BAD BETWEEN 30-45MPH THAT IT WAS CAUSING TAKING CORNERS AT THESE SPEEDS THE ENTIRE MOTORCYCLE SHAKE TERRIBLY AND ALMOST OUT OF CONTROL. HONDA SAID THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM EVEN UNDER MY PURCHASED 5-YEAR WARRANTY POLICY. I WENT AROUND AND AROUND WITH THEM WITH NO HELP. I HAD TO TAKE SOME OF THE INTERNET GOLDWING FORUMS SUGGESTIONS: FORK BRACE, NEW MATCHED AND BALANCED TIRES, AND THE MOST RECOMMENDED SOLUTION TO GO WITH AFTERMARKET TAPERED BEARINGS REPLACING HONDA'S ROUND BALL-TYPE BEARINGS. THIS IN FACT FIXED THE PROBLEM. I CONTACTED HONDA AGAIN TO GIVE THIS FEEDBACK AND THEY WOULDN'T PAY FOR THE PARTS OR LABOR THAT FIXED THE 'DEATH WOBBLE'. HONDA JUST DON'T WANT TO ADMIT THEY HAVE A VERY SERIOUS ENGINEERED FLAW! THE INTERNET IS FULL OF COMPLAINTS OF THIS SPECIFIC DANGEROUS HANDLEBAR SHAKING/WOBBLE. HONDA WILL NOT OWE UP TO THIS POTENTIAL DEADLY ENGINEERED BEARING PROBLEM. I FEEL IT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND FORCE HONDA TO DO A RECALL TO FIX THESE BEARINGS BEFORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED, IF NOT ALREADY. I HAVE ALL MY PAPERWORK ON CONTACTING HONDA AND THE OLD REPLACED BEARINGS THAT ARE VERY LOOSE. THE FIXED COST ABOUT $400 WITH THE LOCAL MOTORCYCLE SHOP'S DISCOUNT THEY GAVE ME FOR ALL THE TROUBLES. THE SHOP SAID THEY HAVE DONE SO MANY OF THESE GL1800 OVER YEARS ALREADY HERE IN OUR SMALL COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO COMMUNITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,

NHTSA ID
11280624
Incident
Oct 8, 2019
Mileage
14,000 mi
Steering
Filed Sep 12, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HONDA GL1800 GOLDWING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRE GAUGE INDICATED THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS LOW. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HANDLE BAR SHIMMIED AND MOVED UNCONTROLLABLY WHILE MAKING TURNS AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT NO FAILURES WERE FOUND. THROUGH RESEARCH, THE CONTACT FOUND SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME DEFECT FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,730.

NHTSA ID
11255085
Incident
Sep 1, 2019
Mileage
31,730 mi
Steering
Filed Jul 17, 2019

THE FRONT FORKS, WHEEL, AND HANDLEBARS SHAKE BADLY AND CONSTANTLY WHILE TRAVELING BETWEEN 32 AND 42 MILES PER HOUR, ON ANY ROAD SURFACE. A QUICK LOOK ON THE INTERNET SHOWS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MOTORCYCLE. THE HONDA DEALER TOLD ME THAT THIS SHAKING WAS DUE TO "FLAT SPOTS" ON THE MAIN STEERING BEARING CAUSED BY ALLOWING THE MOTORCYCLE TO SIT FOR LONG PERIODS WITHOUT MOVING IT. I SCHEDULED REPLACEMENT OF THAT BEARING, AND AFTER LEAVING THE BIKE WITH THE DEALER, THE DEALER ADMITTED THAT THE BEARING DID NOT NEED REPLACING. SEVERAL OWNERS OF THE SAME MODEL REPORT THE SAME PROBLEM ON WEBSITES CATERING TO SUCH SUBJECTS. SOME SUGGESTED THE OEM FRONT TIRE IS FAULTY, AND REPLACING IT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I REPLACED THE FRONT TIRE WITH A MICHELIN TIRE, WHICH DID NOTHING TO SOLVE OR HELP THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER NOW STATES THAT THIS TERRIBLE SHAKING IS "WITHIN ACCEPTABLE RANGES". I BELIEVE THIS DANGEROUS SHAKING IS CAUSED BY AN INHERENT DESIGN DEFECT, THAT HONDA IS AWARE OF THIS DEFECT, AND THAT HONDA HAS NO INTENTION OF CORRECTING IT.

NHTSA ID
11232894
Incident
Jul 3, 2019
Mileage
2,300 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 12, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HONDA GL1800 GOLDWING F6B MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE, THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED ALL THE WAY DOWN. THE CONTACT HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED EVER SINCE THE MOTORCYCLE WAS PURCHASED IN AUGUST OF 2018. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS DRIVEN TO WORLD OF POWERSPORTS (2700 W PIONEER PKWY, PEORIA, IL 61615) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE WAS REPAIRED PER AN UNKNOWN RECALL BY A DIFFERENT DEALER IN 2015. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT OBLIGATED TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,300. *TR*JB

NHTSA ID
11231441
Incident
Jun 8, 2019
Mileage
2,300 mi
Steering
Filed Mar 28, 2016

WHEN DECLARATION FROM 40MPH TO 30 MPH THE FRONT END (HANDLE BARS) WOBBLE BAD. THE BIKE ONLY HAS 2550 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ID
10852084
Incident
Nov 18, 2015
Mileage
1,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Dec 2, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HONDA GL1800. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE REAR BRAKES OF THE VEHICLE SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V700000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 99,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10807963
Incident
Sep 23, 2015
Mileage
99,000 mi

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .