2002 Honda Honda Motorcycle 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 2002 Honda Honda Motorcycle, 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
- Engine541.7%
- Body & structure325.0%
- Fuel system216.7%
- Brakes18.3%
- Tires & wheels18.3%
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
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
2003 HONDA VFR INTERCEPTOR (MOTORCYCLE) CAUGHT ON FIRE APPROXIMATELY 4-5 MILES INTO RIDE. THE FIRE WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE ONLY, AT THE MUFFLER AND REAR PLASTIC COWLING. APPROXIMATELY 1-1.5 MILES PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING "ROUGH" OR "BOGGED DOWN" WITH REDUCED POWER.*AK
HONDA CB900F (919) MOTORCYCLE. UNUSUAL EXHAUST SMELL (SMELLS OVERLY RICH) AT IDLE AND WHILE MOVING. THE TURBULENCE CAUSED BY THE MOVING RIDER CAUSES THE EXHAUST TO SURROUND THE RIDER AND PASSENGER. ON 9/14/03 (AND OTHER TIMES), I HAVE GONE ON RIDES AND HAVE COME HOME FEELING ILL, SIMILAR TO CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. MY WIFE HAS THE SAME SYMPTOMS EVERY TIME SHE RIDES WITH ME. THROUGH AN INTERNET BULLETIN BOARD I AM AWARE OF A CHANGE MADE BY HONDA TO A WOMAN'S MOTORCYCLE IN THE UK. THIS CHANGE FIXED HER COMPLAINTS OF SEVERE EXHAUST SMELL. THE CHANGE WAS TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND ECM. *LA
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
MOTORCYCLE HONDA RC51 2002 MOTORCYCLE BATTERY LEAKS CORROSIVE FLUID WHICH IS CHANNELED ONTO THE SWINGARM OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE SWINGARM WHICH IS A VITAL STRUCTURAL ELEMENT OF THE BIKE. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER FOR RESOLUTION OF THE MATTER, HOWEVER, HONDA FELT THAT THIS WAS ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE AND REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. *TR
MOTORCYCLE'S MODEL NUMBER XR650L FRAME DEVELOPED A CRACK. DEALER REPLACED THE FRAME. HOWEVER, REAR TIRES WOBBLED WHEN DRIVING. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAVE A 2002 HONDA SHADOW VLX MOTORCYCLE. I STARTED IT, WAS SITTING ON IT, IT HAD BEEN RUNNING FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND MOTOR WAS HOT AND PIPES WERE HOT -- GASOLINE STARTING GUSHING DOWN INTO THE V-ENGINE BELOW THE SEAT. UNDER RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES COULD HAVE IGNITED/BLOWN. THE GAS ON/OFF SWITCH BOLT HAD COME LOOSE (WHICH IS ON A ROD THAT GOES UNDER THE SEAT) ALLOWING GAS TO FLOW ONTO THE MOTOR. WAS QUITE SCARY. WANTED IT TO BE DOCUMENTED IN CASE THERE WAS AN EXPLOSITION UNDER THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES -- SOMEWHAT OF A DESIGN DEFECT IF A BOLT BECOMES LOOSE ALLOWING GAS TO FLOW. I'M GLAD I WASN'T DOING 60 MILES AN HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY OR IN AN ENCLOSED AREA, ETC. *AK
2003 HONDA VFR INTERCEPTOR (MOTORCYCLE) CAUGHT ON FIRE APPROXIMATELY 4-5 MILES INTO RIDE. THE FIRE WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE ONLY, AT THE MUFFLER AND REAR PLASTIC COWLING. APPROXIMATELY 1-1.5 MILES PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING "ROUGH" OR "BOGGED DOWN" WITH REDUCED POWER.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
HAVE 2002 HONDA MOTORCYCLE ST1100, 10,000 MILES, RETAINING BOLT ON RIGHT FRONT CALIPER BROKE, ALMOST KILLED SELF. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
PURCHASED SET OF DEFECT METZELER/PIRELLI MOTORCYCLE TIRES FOR HONDA GL1800 GOLD WING MOTORCYCLE. TIRES HAVE A LOW SPEED WOBBLE AND PRODUCE VIBRATION. TIRES COULD LEAD TO MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT WHILE CORNERING/LEANING. TALKED TO JEFF SELBERT CUSTOMER SERVICE REP FOR PIRELLI. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THEY HAVE LOGGED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER RIDERS WHO HAVE PUCHASED THESE TIRES. EACH TIME I CALL, I RECEIVE A RUN-A-ROUND. PIRELLI REFUSES TO PROVIDE NEW TIRES OR A REFUND. TIRES HAVE LESS THAT 200 MILES ON THEM. PIRELLI CUSTOMER SERVICE CAN BE CONTACTED AT 706-368-5826. *AK
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 .