RoadVitals

2006 Kawasaki VN900B6F Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
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Latest Mar 29, 2017
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
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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.
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What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2006 Kawasaki VN900B6F, 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

  • Engine228.6%
  • Body & structure114.3%
  • Driver assistance114.3%
  • Electrical114.3%
  • Exterior lighting114.3%
  • Transmission114.3%

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.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

STALLING: BIKE STALLS WHEN HOLDING CLUTCH AND STOP SIGN OR RED LIGHT BUT CRANKS BACK UP. ALSO WHEN I WARM IT UP IT RUNS HIGH UNTIL ITS WARM AND THEN MISSES AND SOMETIMES CUTS OFF WHILE BEING STATIONARY. ALMOST GOT RAN OVER AT STOP LIGHT WHEN THIS HAPPENED ONCE.

NHTSA ID 10969372 · filed Mar 29, 2017

THE THROTTLE ON MY 2006 KAWASAKI 900 MOTORCYCLE WILL PERIODICALLY STICK WHILE IN THIRD GEAR WHEN TRAVELING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 25 MPH. FOR EXAMPLE, THIS OCCURRED TO ME FOUR TIMES IN A TWO HOUR PERIOD ON 8/19/2007. THIS IS VERY TYPICAL AND HAS HAPPENED TO ME DOZENS OF TIMES SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE. THIS FAILURE IS A VERY DISCONCERTING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS EVENT, PARTICULARLY ON ROAD CURVES OR IN CONGESTED TRAFFIC AREAS. IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE TO THE MANUFACTURER AS WELL AS THE MOTORCYCLE COMMUNITY. (FOR EXAMPLE, NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF THIS SAME COMPLAINT OCCUR ON THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE: HTTP://WWW.KAWASAKIMOTORCYCLE.ORG/FORUM/KAWASAKI-CRUISERS/41931-900-THROTTLE-STUCK-TODAY.HTML). TO DATE, HOWEVER, KAWASAKI HAS TAKEN NO ACTION TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALERS WILL NOT TAKE ACTION BECAUSE THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. FURTHER, MY PARTICULAR BIKE IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR UPDATED 02-01-08 *BF UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR

NHTSA ID 10200352 · filed Aug 21, 2007

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

2006 KAWASAKI VN900B6F WITH SEAT SUB-FRAME BROKE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SEAT SUB-FRAME BROKE AT A WEAK POINT WHERE THE TUBULAR METAL WAS STAMPED FLAT AND CURVED DOWNWARD. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED HE NOTICED THE REAR FENDER SHAKING AND MOVING WITH AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF PLAY.

NHTSA ID 10230649 · filed Jun 6, 2008

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

1. IN THIRD GEAR AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE WILL MAINTAIN SPEED AFTER RELEASING THE THROTTLE. 2. THIS HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES A MONTH, MAYBE 5-6 TIMES A MONTH EVER SINCE OWING THE VEHICLE. THE TIME BEFORE LAST, I ALMOST RAN INTO A CAR THAT WAS BREAKING HARD IN FRONT OF ME. 3. PULLING IN ON THE CLUTCH IS THE PRIMARY WAY TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. ONCE I TESTED IT BY GOING UP A FAIRLY STEEP HILL. THE ENGINE ATTEMPTED TO CONTINUE THE SAME THROTTLE AMOUNT UNTIL THE BIKE SLOWED TO AROUND 15 MPH. IT THEN FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL. *TR

NHTSA ID 10243458 · filed Sep 25, 2008

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

MY MOTORCYCLE BEGAN TO LOSE BATTERY POWER IN MID-DECEMBER 2008 AND I THOUGHT THE BATTERY MAY BE FAILING. I REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE MOTORCYCLE STARTED EASILY FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF. ON NEW YEAR'S DAY I WENT OUT TO RIDE AND THE MOTORCYCLE STARTED SLUGGISHLY. I GOT TO THE FIRST STOPPING POINT AND IT FAILED TO START. I RECEIVED A JUMP START AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE MOTORCYCLE HOME. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND DISCOVERED THAT ON 2006 MODEL KAWASAKI VULCAN 900 CLASSIC, THE STATOR HAS A HISTORY OF FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID 10254223 · filed Jan 8, 2009

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Exterior lighting

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

PREMATURE HEADLIGHT FAILURE OCCURRED---LESS THAN 12 MONTHS FROM ORIGINAL (NEW) PURCHASE. THE PHYSICALLY LARGE HEADLIGHT HOUSING IS ATTACHED TO THE MOTORCYCLE FRAME IN ONLY TWO LOCATIONS, BOTH ON THE BOTTOM OF THE HOUSING. THIS ALLOWS THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING TO VIBRATE SIGNIFICANTLY FROM NORMAL ROAD VIBRATION. THIS VIBRATION IS ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE DURING NIGHTTIME OPERATION, SO MUCH SO THAT THE SHAKING OF THE HEADLIGHT BEAM ITSELF IS VERY DISTRACTING TO THE RIDER AND COULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY HAZARD. SINCE THE LAMP WITHIN THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING ALSO VIBRATES, THIS CAUSES VERY EARLY FAILURE OF THE LAMP FILAMENT. ALSO, SINCE THE HEADLIGHT IS USED IN A "DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT" FASHION, THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD WHICH MAY NOT BE QUICKLY DETECTED BY THE OWNER, ESPECIALLY DUE TO THE UNUSUALLY SHORT LIFETIME OF THE HEADLAMP. AND OF COURSE, A HEADLIGHT FAILURE DURING NIGHTTIME OPERATION DUE THIS EXCESSIVE VIBRATION WOULD BE VERY DANGEROUS TO THE OPERATOR. THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY SHOULD BE DESIGNED WITH ADDITIONAL STRUCTURAL SUPPORT ATTACHMENT TO THE MOTORCYCLE FRAME, SO THAT THE ASSEMBLY WILL NOT VIBRATE AND CAUSE PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE LAMP FILAMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID 10209388 · filed Nov 19, 2007

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

THE ENGINE SOMETIMES STAYS AT SPEED IN 3RD GEAR AT AROUND 40 MPH. THIS HAPPENS WHEN SPEEDING UP AND GETTING TO 40 THEN LETTING GO OF THROTTLE TO SLOW DOWN. IT ALSO SOMETIMES HAPPENS WHEN ENTERING AN EXIT RAMP OFF THE INTERSTATE. *AK THE QUICK FIX IS TO PULL IN ON THE THROTTLE. ALSO, ON TWO SEPARATE COLD DAYS, THE BIKE HAS ALMOST STALLED WHILE GOING UP A HILL CLOSE TO MY HOUSE. I PULLED OVER, SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, RESTARTED IT AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE AFTER THAT. THE BIKE WAS WARMED UP PROPERLY AND HAD ALREADY TRAVELED ABOUT A MILE BEFORE THE EVENTS.

NHTSA ID 10193810 · filed Jun 20, 2007

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

Data on this page last refreshed .