2004 Honda VTX1800 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 2004 Honda VTX1800, 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
- Other / unspecified333.3%
- Powertrain (other)333.3%
- Suspension222.2%
- Transmission111.1%
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
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
FLANGE BEARING FAILURE, TOTALLY DISINTEGRATED. NO ADVANCED WARNING. WAS IN PROCESS OF REPLACING REAR TIRE. 12,400 MILES ON A 2004 HONDA VTX TOOK HOURS TO REMOVE SHREDDED METAL. REPLACED WITH REPAIRED UNIT. *TR
CHANGE TIRE ON 2004 HONDA VTX1800. BAD BEARINGS IN REAR TIRE. THE BEARING FLANGE WAS COMPLETELY GONE. TRYING TO FIND THE BEST BEARINGS RIGHT NOW TO PUT BACK IN. THERE IS 22,000 MILES ON THE MOTORCYCLE, DID NOT NOTICE THE BAD BEARINGS THE LAST TIRE CHANGE. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
FLANGE BEARING FAILURE, TOTALLY DISINTEGRATED. NO ADVANCED WARNING. WAS IN PROCESS OF REPLACING REAR TIRE. 12,400 MILES ON A 2004 HONDA VTX TOOK HOURS TO REMOVE SHREDDED METAL. REPLACED WITH REPAIRED UNIT. *TR
WHEN MY MOTORCYCLE REACHED 8,000 MILES IT HAD A HIGH SPEED WHINE, WHEN I HAD A NEW TIRE INSTALLED , I FOUND THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS WERE IN PIECES. I NOW HAVE 18,000 MILES ON IT AND AGAIN THE BEARINGS ARE OUT. I BELIEVE THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT HONDA KNOWS ABOUT . IF ONE OF THESE MOTORCYCLES HAS A BEARING LOCK UP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT COULD BE FATAL. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
FINAL DRIVE WHEEL BEARING FAILURE FOUND DURING TIRE CHANGE. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS COMMOM FAILURE ON VTX1800. *TR
WHEN MY MOTORCYCLE REACHED 8,000 MILES IT HAD A HIGH SPEED WHINE, WHEN I HAD A NEW TIRE INSTALLED , I FOUND THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS WERE IN PIECES. I NOW HAVE 18,000 MILES ON IT AND AGAIN THE BEARINGS ARE OUT. I BELIEVE THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT HONDA KNOWS ABOUT . IF ONE OF THESE MOTORCYCLES HAS A BEARING LOCK UP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT COULD BE FATAL. *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
2004 HONDA VTX 1800C MOTORCYCLE WITH 57,000 MILES. WHILE REPLACING REAR TIRE, I INSPECTED REAR FLANGE BEARING AND BY SIMPLE OBSERVATION NOTED THAT ABOUT HALF THE BALL BEARINGS WERE MISSING. FIRST TIME FAILURE ON THIS MOTORCYCLE. HAVING THE FLANGE BEARINGS AND THE MAIN WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED WITH NEW BEARINGS. *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 .