RoadVitals

2003 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.
17
Latest Mar 28, 2017
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.
32%
of 53 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 2003 Honda VTX1800 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 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 Mar 28, 2017

JUST HAD REAR TIRE REPLACED ON MY VTX 1800R AT HONDA DEALER. WAS INFORMED BY TECHNICIAN THAT MY REAR BEARING NEEDS REPLACED. THE BIKE ONLY HAS 13,500 ORIGINAL MILES ON IT. THIS SEEMS WAY TO EARLY FOR THIS TO HAVE WORN OUT ALREADY. I SEE ON THIS FORUM THAT THIS PROBLEM IS ENORMOUSLY COMMON ON THE 1800S. PRETTY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS. ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS AND HOPING THE BEARINGS HAVE BEEN UPGRADED IN THE LAST 13 YEARS.

NHTSA ID
10969010
Incident
Mar 28, 2016
Suspension
Filed Jun 25, 2011

WHEN CHANGING REAR TIRE CHECKED FLANGE BEARING AND NOTICED BEARING WAS COMING APART. SEAL GONE AND METAL PIECES PRESENT ALONG WITH ROUGH AND LOOSE BEARINGS. 14,000 MILES ON 03 1800 VTX C. *TR

NHTSA ID
10408891
Incident
Jun 1, 2011
Mileage
14,200 mi
Suspension
Filed May 31, 2010

WHILE REMOVING THE REAR TIRE FOR REPLACEMENT I NOTICED THE FLANGE BEARING HAS FAILED. 11,000 MILES, FIRST TIME INSPECTING THE BEARING. WILL REPLACE WITH NEW BEARINGS AND POSSIBLY MACHINE THE FLANGE FOR BETTER FIT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10333977
Incident
May 31, 2010
Mileage
11,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Jun 28, 2009

HONDA MOTORCYCLE VTX-1800 REAR WHEEL FLANGE BEARING FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10275138
Incident
Jun 27, 2009
Mileage
27,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Dec 4, 2008

WHEN THE REAR TIRE WAS REPLACED, I HAD THE TECHNICIAN CHECK THE CONDITION OF THE REAR FLANGE BEARINGS. THEY WERE VERY ROUGH. I ORDERED TWO BEARINGS AND REPLACED THEM ON 12/04/2008 WITH 14,465 MILES ON THE MOTORCYCLE. UPON REMOVAL FROM THE FLANGE, THE BEARINGS WERE IN A STATE OF TOTAL FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10250777
Incident
Dec 4, 2008
Mileage
14,465 mi
Suspension
Filed Jul 25, 2008

HONDA VTX 1800C DURING REAR TIRE REPLACEMENT AT 8,371 MILES DISCOVERED WHEEL BEARING ON THE RIGHT SIDE (BRAKE SIDE) WAS VERY BAD...HAD NO WARNING BUT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN VERY LONG. LONGEST TRIP HAS BEEN 100 MILES REST IS ALL CITY. NO REASON FOR THIS FAILURE! *TR

NHTSA ID
10235727
Incident
Jul 23, 2008
Mileage
8,371 mi
Other / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed Jul 24, 2008

DRIVEN FLANGE BEARING SET FAILURE DISCOVERED WHEN REAR TIRE WAS REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10235654
Incident
Jul 19, 2008
Mileage
30,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Jun 29, 2008

FLANGE BEARING FAILURE APPROXIMATE DATE OF FAILURE: JUNE 2008 YEAR OF MANUFACTURE: 2003 MODEL: R MILEAGE: 36,000 BEARING CONDITION: INNER BEARING COMPLETELY DESTROYED...FOUND WHEN I CHANGED OUT THE TIRE....SEAL BULGED OUT AND METAL PIECES EVERYWHERE. ACCIDENT : NO HOW FIXED: PURCHASED PART FROM BEARING SUPPLY STORE AND REPLACED IT MYSELF.......HOPING IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN! *TR

NHTSA ID
10232657
Incident
Jun 29, 2008
Mileage
37,000 mi
Suspension
Filed May 9, 2008

FAILURE OF FLANGE BEARING, REAR WHEEL AT 9000 MILES CHECK BEARING AT TIRE REPLACEMENT REPLACE FLANGE BEARING UNIT-HONDA DOES NOT SELL BEARINGS ONLY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10227149
Incident
May 5, 2008
Mileage
9,000 mi
SuspensionTires & wheels
Filed Mar 19, 2008

HONDA MOTORCYCLE 2003 VTX C REAR WHEEL BEARING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10221801
Incident
Mar 19, 2008
Suspension
Filed Jan 16, 2008

REAR WHEEL FLANGE BEARING FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10215159
Incident
Jan 2, 2008
Mileage
31,300 mi
Suspension
Filed Jun 27, 2007

FAILURE OF FLANGE BEARING ON 2003 HONDA VTX 1800S MOTORCYCLE

NHTSA ID
10194756
Incident
Jun 17, 2007
Mileage
11,467 mi
Suspension
Filed Feb 20, 2007

2003 HONDA VTX 1800C ALL FLANGE BEARINGS DESTROYED NEAR 50K MILES INNER WHEEL BEARINGS STARTING TO HAVE PLAY FOUND WHEN CHANGING TIRE, I'VE BEEN ON A HONDA SINCE I WAS A KID NEVER SEEN HONDA HAVE THIS POOR A A DESIGN! ESPECIALLY ON A TWO WHEEL MACHINE. SHOULD BE A RECALL !! I DID NOT KNOW OR HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS OF FAILURE. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS HURT OR KILLED. *NM

NHTSA ID
10183004
Incident
Feb 19, 2007
Mileage
49,999 mi
SuspensionTires & wheels
Filed Jul 19, 2006

2003 HONDA VTX 1800C FLANGE BEARING FAILURE. DISCOVERED WHILE REAR WHEEL OFF FOR POLISHING. INNER 6905 BEARING OK, OUTER 6905RS BEARING ROUGH TO TURN. HATTIESBURG HONDA WOULD NOT EVEN TALK TO ME ABOUT IT, COLUMBIA HONDA REPLACED BOTH BEARINGS UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. *NM

NHTSA ID
10162920
Incident
Jun 20, 2006
Suspension
Filed Mar 20, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ADJUSTING THE VEHICLE FOR THE RIDERS HEIGHT THE REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS BROKE AT THE WELD. THE CONTACT WAS PERFORMING THE REPAIR WORK WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED.

NHTSA ID
10153163
Incident
Mar 20, 2006
Mileage
6,572 mi
Suspension
Filed Feb 12, 2006

2003 HONDA VTX 1800 RETRO REAR WHEEL WAS REMOVED FOR TIRE REPLACEMENT AND FOUND THE REAR FLANGE BEARING TO BE ROUGHLY TURNING INDICATING PREMATURE FAILURE. MANY CASES OF THIS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED IN THESE SAME MODELS AND NO FACTORY RECALL HAS BEEN DIRECTED. THIS BEARING FAILURE IF NOT DETECTED CAN CAUSE REAR AXLE DAMAGE AND FAILURE AND OR SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO BOTH OPERATOR AND PASSENGER. *JB

NHTSA ID
10150042
Incident
Feb 1, 2006
Mileage
24,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Mar 1, 2005

THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ON MY HONDA VTX 1800 MOTORCYCLE 2003 MODEL. MANY PEOPLE SAY THESE BEARINGS FAIL. SHOULD I BE CONCERNED? *JB

NHTSA ID
10112333
Incident
Mar 1, 2005

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 .