THE FRAME IS CRACKED. HONDA HAD A RECALL THAT IS NO LONGER HONORED. HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID BIKE WAS REPAIRED BUT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF THAT OR IT RECRACKED. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. IT WAS DISCOVERED BY SERVICE ON 9/12/13
2003 Honda Honda Motorcycle
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Honda Motorcycle years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 16 of 28 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
28 reportsTHERE ARE CRITICAL NUTS AND BOLTS THAT MUST BE TORQUED TO SPECIFIC MANUFACTURER'S ASSEMBLY SPECIFICATIONS BY ALL HONDA POWERSPORTS DEALERS THAT ARE COMPLETING THE FINAL ASSEMBLY PROCESS FOR AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR COMPANY ON NEW HONDA MOTORCYCLES. IF THESE CRITICAL NUTS AND BOLTS ARE NOT TORQUED TO THE MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFIC SPECI…
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THERE ARE CRITICAL NUTS AND BOLTS THAT MUST BE TORQUED TO SPECIFIC MANUFACTURER'S ASSEMBLY SPECIFICATIONS BY ALL HONDA POWERSPORTS DEALERS THAT ARE COMPLETING THE FINAL ASSEMBLY PROCESS FOR AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR COMPANY ON NEW HONDA MOTORCYCLES. IF THESE CRITICAL NUTS AND BOLTS ARE NOT TORQUED TO THE MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFIC SPECIFICATIONS, THEN THEY CAN COME LOOSE IF UNDER TIGHTENED OR THEY CAN COME LOOSE IF OVERTIGHTENED AND THE TREADS STRIP. THIS CAN CAUSE A MALFUNCTION OF THE MOTORCYCLE THUS POSSIBLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT THAT CAN RESULT IN A SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. SOUTHERN HONDA POWERSPORTS IN CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE HAS NEVER USED ACTUAL TORQUE WRENCHES (THAT GAUGE THE POUNDS OF PRESSURE APPLIED WHEN TIGHTENING SPECIFIC NUTS AND BOLTS), AS REQUIRED IN THE FINAL ASSEMBLY PROCESS. THESE NUTS AND BOLTS IF NOT TORQUED CORRECTLY TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS (I.E. TO A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF POUNDS) CAN COME LOOSE THUS CAUSING THE MOTORCYCLE OPERATOR TO LOOSE CONTROL. THIS CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE AT SOUTHERN HONDA POWERSPORTS HAS BEEN CALLED TO AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR COMPANYS ATTENTION ON MANY OCCASIONS DURING THE LAST 5 YEARS BY A NUMBER OF PEOPLE. EVEN SIGNED, NOTARIZED, SWORN AFFIDAVITS BY INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE ASSEMBLED NEW HONDA MOTORCYCLES AT SOUTHERN HONDA POWERSPORTS, ATTESTING TO THE ABOVE, HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR COMPANY. NHTSA HAS PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED A PRECEDENT REQUIRING A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS IDENTICAL TYPE MOTORCYCLE ASSEMBLY SAFETY ISSUE, BY ISSUING A "SAFETY RECALL" ON VICTORY MOTORCYCLES, NHTSA ID # 12V457000. AS A RESULT OF THE CRITICAL SAFETY CONCERNS ABOVE, AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR COMPANY MUST BE REQUIRED BY NHTSA TO RECALL EVERY IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED HONDA MOTORCYCLE SOLD BY SOUTHERN HONDA POWERSPORTS, CHATTANOOGA, TN FROM FEBRUARY 2004 THRU CURRENT DATE 2012. *TR . .
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA 900F (NA). WHILE RIDING 20 MPH ON WET ROAD CONDITIONS, THE SHIFTER FELL OFF AND THE CONTACT COULD NOT CHANGE GEARS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING IN SIXTH GEAR. HE WAS INJURED WHILE GETTING OFF OF THE BIKE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT M…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA 900F (NA). WHILE RIDING 20 MPH ON WET ROAD CONDITIONS, THE SHIFTER FELL OFF AND THE CONTACT COULD NOT CHANGE GEARS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING IN SIXTH GEAR. HE WAS INJURED WHILE GETTING OFF OF THE BIKE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 2,321.
FINAL DRIVE FLANGE BEARING FAILURE,2003 HONDA VTX 1800 RETRO MODEL MOTORCYCLE, I WAS REPLACING A WORN TIRE AND INSPECTED THE FLANGE BEARINGS,BOTH WERE NO GOOD,BALL BEARINGS AND SEAL MISSING FROM ONE AND THE OTHER DID NOT TURN,MY DEALER REPLACED THEM BOTH UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY. *JB
DT: OWNS A HONDA GOLDWING WHICH HAS BEEN MODIFIED INTO A CONVERSION MOTOR BIKE WHICH TURNED THIS INTO A 3 WHEEL VEHICLE. CONSUMER FELT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKES. THE BRAKE PADS DESTROYED THE ROTORS. CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE A SENSOR LIKE THOSE ON A CAR ,BUT THERE WAS ONLY 4-5,000 MILES BEFORE THE ROTOR WERE DESTROYED.…
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DT: OWNS A HONDA GOLDWING WHICH HAS BEEN MODIFIED INTO A CONVERSION MOTOR BIKE WHICH TURNED THIS INTO A 3 WHEEL VEHICLE. CONSUMER FELT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKES. THE BRAKE PADS DESTROYED THE ROTORS. CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE A SENSOR LIKE THOSE ON A CAR ,BUT THERE WAS ONLY 4-5,000 MILES BEFORE THE ROTOR WERE DESTROYED. BECAUSE HONDA WAS A DUAL BRAKING SYSTEM ,SO IF LOSING THE REAR STILL HAS THE FRONT BRAKES, THE MOTOR BIKE CONVERSION FRONT BRAKES WERE NOT MODIFIED BUT REAR BRAKES WERE CONVERTED. THE DESIGN OF THE SOFT ROTORS WAS A PROBLEM, AND THEY USED A IRON ROTOR WITH A MOTORCYCLE DISC PAD WHICH WAS STRONG AND HARD WHICH DESTROYED THE ROTOR. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE PADS BEGAN TO WEAR AS WELL. HAS BEEN TO DEALER TO REPLACE ROTORS AND PADS, BUT THEY WERE REPLACED WITH THE SAME DEFECTIVE ROTORS AND PADS. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH FAILED TO OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY WHEN STARTING. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK
THE CONSUMER STATED HIS FRIEND CAN START HIS MOTORCYCLE WITH HIS KEYS, BOTH VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME VIN NUMBER. *JB
CONSUMER STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS INACCURATE. THE READING WAS OFF BY ABOUT 10%. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS COMMON AND THAT THEY WERE ALLOWED 10% DEVIATION. *AK *NM
2003 HONDA VTX1300S... DURING DECELERATION AT ABOUT 40-45 MPH THE FRONT END OF THE MOTORCYCLE WILL START TO SHAKE VIGOROUSLY. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY OVER TORQUED THE HEAD BEARING WHICH QUIETED IT DOWN A LITTLE. I FEEL THIS IS NOT A GOOD FIX, BUT INSTEAD A "RIG" OF SOME SORT TO SAY THAT THIS BIKE DOES NOT HAVE ANY PROBL…
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2003 HONDA VTX1300S... DURING DECELERATION AT ABOUT 40-45 MPH THE FRONT END OF THE MOTORCYCLE WILL START TO SHAKE VIGOROUSLY. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY OVER TORQUED THE HEAD BEARING WHICH QUIETED IT DOWN A LITTLE. I FEEL THIS IS NOT A GOOD FIX, BUT INSTEAD A "RIG" OF SOME SORT TO SAY THAT THIS BIKE DOES NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT END SHAKES. I, ALONG WITH OTHERS WHO OWN THIS BIKE, HAVE BROUGHT THIS UP TO OUR DEALERS AND TO HONDA THEMSELVES AND THEY CLAIM THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BIKE. *JB
(1) FRONT END WOBBLES EXCESSIVLY BETWEEN 30 AND 45 MILES PER HOUR (2) SO FAR NO CRASHES BUT THE WOBBLE IS DANGEROUS (3) HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT PROBLEM. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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