RoadVitals

2002 Honda VTX1800 Suspension Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Suspension reportsComplaints 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.
14
Latest May 20, 2010
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
22%
of 63 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Honda VTX1800 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming suspension

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Suspension
Filed May 20, 2010

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! *TR

NHTSA ID
10331363
Incident
May 15, 2010
Mileage
36,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Nov 14, 2008

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 ID
10248795
Incident
Nov 13, 2008
Mileage
17,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Apr 5, 2008

1. GRINDING NOISE IN REAR 2. FLANGE BEARING COMPLETELY DESTROYED 3. BEARING REPLACED AT DEALER(HAVE OLD BEARING IN HAND). *TR

NHTSA ID
10223466
Incident
Apr 5, 2008
Mileage
13,500 mi
Suspension
Filed Jul 23, 2007

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) *TR

NHTSA ID
10197242
Incident
Jul 6, 2007
Mileage
67,856 mi
Suspension
Filed Apr 20, 2007

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. *JB

NHTSA ID
10188409
Incident
Apr 19, 2007
Mileage
12,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Apr 19, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE REAR TIRE WAS BEING REPLACED, THE CONTACT REQUESTED THE REAR FLANGE BEARING BE INSPECTED, BECAUSE OF FAILURE INFORMATION FOUND ON THE INTERNET. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE REAR FLANGE BEARINGS, BECAUSE THEY HAD DISINTEGRATED.

NHTSA ID
10155679
Incident
Apr 18, 2006
Mileage
34,500 mi
Suspension
Filed Apr 18, 2006

I HAVE A 2002 HONDA VTX1800R MOTORCYCLE. WHILE REMOVING REAR WHEEL AND TIRE FOR A TIRE REPLACEMENT I FOUND ONE OF THE FLANGE BEARINGS DAMAGED. THE INNER CAGE OF THE BEARING WAS COMPLETELY TORN APART AND THE BALLS WHILE STILL IN THE RACE OF THE BEARING HOUSING WERE WORN. I HAD BEEN BATTLING A VIBRATION ON THIS MOTORCYCLE FOR NEARLY 8000 MILES. I WAS NOT ABLE TO DETECT THIS WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL WITH THE MOTORCYCLE ON JACK. I HAD THOUGHT IT WAS TIRE RELATED BUT I KNOW NOW THAT THIS WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH I HAD REPORTED MY VIBRATION PROBLEM TO MY LOCAL HONDA DEALER SEVERAL TIMES THEY NEVER DEVELOPED THIS INFORMATION TO ME EVEN THOUGH I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN MANY VTX'S WITH THIS PROBLEM. I AM ANGRY THAT A DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WOULD PUT PEOPLE IN DANGER TO SAVE A BUCK. I HAVE AT MY OWN COST REPLACED BOTH BEARINGS AND HAD THE FLANGE MACHINED TO PREVENT THE BINDING OF THE INNER BEARING WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE REASON FOR THE BEARING FAILURE. I HAD A MACHINIST MEASURE THE FLANGE BEARING SLEEVE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE INNER SURFACE OF THE SLEEVE IS SMALLER IN DIAMETER BY .0015 OF AN INCH MAKING THE BEARING TOO TIGHT WHEN INSTALLED. THIS CAUSES WHAT MANY HAVE REPORTED AS A BEARING THAT FEELS LIKE IT GRABS OR IS ROUGH WHILE TURNING YET WHEN IT IS REMOVED FROM THE FLANGE IT SPINS FREELY. *NM

NHTSA ID
10155645
Incident
Apr 15, 2006
Mileage
9,800 mi
Suspension
Filed Mar 29, 2006

I WAS HAVING THE REAR TIRE CHANGED AND I CHECKED THE BEARINGS. IT HAS BEEN REPORTED ON THE HONDA WEB SITE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL PROBLEMS. THE BEARINGS WERE REPLACED AND IT WAS FOUND THAT ONE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. I HAVE THE BEARING AND PHOTOS. *NM

NHTSA ID
10154043
Incident
Mar 29, 2006
Mileage
29,223 mi
Suspension
Filed Sep 26, 2005

THE FLANGE BEARING ON THE REAR WHEEL FAILED. THE BEARING WAS ROUGH AND VERY HARD TO TURN. MANY, MANY METAL SHAVINGS WERE FOUND IN THE REAR HUB ASSEMBLY. THESE SHAVINGS WERE FROM THE BEARING. THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND WHEN INSTALLING A NEW TIRE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ENTIRE FLANGE ASSEMBLY. THEY ONLY CHARGED ME LABOR, DID NOT CHARGE ME FOR THE PART. THEY ARE A VERY, VERY GOOD DEALERSHIP. *NM

NHTSA ID
10137695
Incident
Sep 24, 2005
Mileage
26,628 mi
Suspension
Filed Aug 31, 2005

MY 2002 VTX 1800 EXPERIENCED REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILURE WITH LESS THAN 10,000 MILES ON THE BIKE. THE BEARING WAS CHECKED BY A HONDA DEALER AND WAS FOUND TO BE LOCKED UP. REPAIR IS BEING COMPLETED BY DEALER WITH EXPENSE OUT OF MY POCKET. *JB

NHTSA ID
10134864
Incident
Aug 27, 2005
Mileage
9,600 mi
Suspension
Filed Aug 13, 2005

BEARING FAILURES ON THE FLANGE OR WHEEL BEARINGS OF 2002 HONDA VTX 1800C MOTORCYCLE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10132708
Incident
Jan 14, 2005
Mileage
14,200 mi
Suspension
Filed May 10, 2005

1. REAR TIRE REPLACMENT. 2. REAR BEARING FLANGE FAILURE, 3. DEALER REPLACED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY

NHTSA ID
10120612
Incident
Aug 25, 2004
Mileage
21,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Apr 13, 2005

NOISE IN REAR WHEN RIDING, REMOVED REAR WHEEL TO INSPECT AND REPLACED REAR TIRE, FOUND FLANGE BEARING COMING APART, CAGE DESTROYED, AND BALL BEARINGS MISSING, HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN BAD FOR SOME TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID
10116873
Incident
Apr 12, 2005
Mileage
30,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Apr 9, 2005

READ DRIVE FLANGE BEARING FAILURE WAS FOUND DURING ROUTINE MAINTENENCE. BEING AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, I HAD THE DEALER INSPECT THE BEARING. IT WAS FOUND TO BE VERY ROUGH, AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. FOR MORE INFORMATION VTXOA.COM/FORUMS/VIEWTOPIC.PHP?T=62787. *AK

NHTSA ID
10116679
Incident
Apr 7, 2005
Mileage
23,400 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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .