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1998 Buell M2

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 0 of 1 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

1 reports
Mileage unknown · Jun 1, 2001
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

REAR BRAKE IS SO INEFFECTIVE IT CAN NOT LOCK UP TIRE ABOVE 25 MPH, MANUFACTURE CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THIS IS HOW THEY INTENDED THE DESIGN TO BE "HIGH EFFORT". THEY HAVE NO FIX AND DO NOT INTEND TO PURSUE ONE. ALTHOUGH REAR BRAKE IS ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE STOPPING POWER IN A STRAIGHT LINE STOP, IT IS MUCH MORE IMPOR…

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REAR BRAKE IS SO INEFFECTIVE IT CAN NOT LOCK UP TIRE ABOVE 25 MPH, MANUFACTURE CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THIS IS HOW THEY INTENDED THE DESIGN TO BE "HIGH EFFORT". THEY HAVE NO FIX AND DO NOT INTEND TO PURSUE ONE. ALTHOUGH REAR BRAKE IS ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE STOPPING POWER IN A STRAIGHT LINE STOP, IT IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT IN A TURN SUCH AS AN EMERGENCY MANEUVER. I HOPE THAT THE REQUIREMENT FOR A REAR BRAKE ON A MOTORCYCLE INCLUDES THAT IT FUNCTIONS TO A MINIMAL LEVEL, ABLE TO STOP OR LOCK-UP THE REAR TIRE AT SPEEDS ABOVE 25 MPH. *SCC ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****746249

NHTSA ODI #10006446

Official recalls

1

98V036000 · Exterior Lighting:turn Signal

Feb 23, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. FAILURE OF ONE OR MORE TURN SIGNAL LAMPS WOULD NOT BE INDICATED TO THE OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE (NO NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN THE FLASHING RATE OF THE TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR LIGHT). THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: AN OPERATOR WOULD NOT BE AWARE THAT THE TURN SIGNAL LAMPS WERE NOT WORKING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TURN SIGNAL LAMPS ON THESE MOTORCYCLES.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE03043 · Throttle Fails To Return To Idle

Opened Sep 23, 2003 · Closed Oct 30, 2003

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:cables

TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED ABOVE, BUELL IS RECALLING THOSE FUEL-INJECTED MOTORCYCLES THAT IT BUILT WITHOUT A THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL CLAMP.FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS SUBJECT, PLEASE REFER TO THE MEMORANDUM ENTITLED THE SCOPE OF BUELL'S SAFETY RECALL, 03V-427 COPY ATTACHED.