Illustration2002 HONDA SHADOW 600 BACKFIRING AND HAS A GAS LEAK. UPON INSPECTION MECHANIC DETERMINED THEY NEEDED A NEW GAS TANK. *KB *JB
2002 Honda Shadow
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 Shadow 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: 3 of 10 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.
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Wheels. 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.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
10 reportsWHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT LENSES FELL OFF. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC REPLACED THE LENSES FIVE TIMES. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK THE STORE WHERE CONSUMER PURCHASED THIS HONDA HAVE 2005 HONDAS IN THEIR SHOWROOM MISSING TURN SIGNAL LENSES. THIS IS A CO…
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WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT LENSES FELL OFF. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC REPLACED THE LENSES FIVE TIMES. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK THE STORE WHERE CONSUMER PURCHASED THIS HONDA HAVE 2005 HONDAS IN THEIR SHOWROOM MISSING TURN SIGNAL LENSES. THIS IS A CONCERN FOR MOTORCYCLE RIDERS FOLLOWING THESE MOTORCYCLES HAVING TO SWERVE TO MISS FALLING PARTS OF THESE BIKES. AT NIGHT WHEN THIS HAPPENS YOU DO NOT HAVE AMBER TURN SIGNALS, YOU HAVE BRIGHT WHITE LIGHT. *BF
MY 2002 HONDA SABRE MOTORCYCLE CAME WITH A SEEDOMETER THAT READS APPROXIMATELY 10% HIGHER VELOCITY THAT ACTUAL VELOCITY. I HAVE CHECKED THIS BY TIMING AGAINST MILE MARKERS WHILE TRAVELING AT A SET SPEED (60 MPH) ON THE SPEEDOMETER, AND I HAVE ALSO CHECKED IT AGAINST SEVERAL OTHER CARS AND MOTORCYCLES. ALL TESTS TO DATE CONFIRM T…
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MY 2002 HONDA SABRE MOTORCYCLE CAME WITH A SEEDOMETER THAT READS APPROXIMATELY 10% HIGHER VELOCITY THAT ACTUAL VELOCITY. I HAVE CHECKED THIS BY TIMING AGAINST MILE MARKERS WHILE TRAVELING AT A SET SPEED (60 MPH) ON THE SPEEDOMETER, AND I HAVE ALSO CHECKED IT AGAINST SEVERAL OTHER CARS AND MOTORCYCLES. ALL TESTS TO DATE CONFIRM THE 10 % HIGH READING. I HAVE ALSO RESEARCHED OTHER HONDA SABRE OWNERS ON INTERNET AND ALMOST ALL OF THEM COMPLAIN OF THE SAME PROBLEM. HONDA'S RESPONSE TO DATE HAS BEEN TO CLAIM THAT IT IS LEAGAL TO BE OFF 10 %. I THINK THIS IS A SAFTEY HAZARD IN AT LEAST TWO WAYS. SINCE I AM ACTUALLY TRAVELING SLOWER THAN THE SPEEDOMETER SAYS THAT I AM, AT NIGHT TRAVELING HIGHWAYS, CARS CAN APPROACH ME FROM THE REAR VERY QUICKLY AND POSSIBLY OVER-RUN ME. THE OTHER PROBLEM CAUSED BY THIS IS THAT I NOW KNOW THAT IT IS READING TO FAST SO I NOW END UP HAVING TO GUESS/CALCULATE WHILE DRIVING IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN LEAGAL SPEEDS AND NOT IMPEDE THE SAFE FLOW OF TRAFFIC.*AK
TURN SIGNAL LENS WILL NOT STAY ON THE LIGHT IT IS ATTACHED TO. CONSUMER REPAIRED THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THREE TIMES ALREADY, AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED AGAIN.*AK
CONSUMER STATED THROTTLE BROKE. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE REGISTRATION CARD AND FURTHER INFORMATION SINCE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 1 MILE. SHADOW 2003. *AK
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT VEHICLE SHUTTING OFF.MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND HAD REPLACED DIFFERENT THINGS ON THE VEHICLE.*AK
MY HONDA SHADOW SABRE (VT1100C2) HAS A SPEEDOMETER THAT READS APPROXIMATELY 10% OFF ACTUAL SPEED. THIS IS S CONSISTENT PROBLEM WITH HONDA SHADOW SABRES FROM 2000 THROUGH 2003 MODEL YEARS.N *NLM
THE REAR TIRE RIM RUSTED. THE DEALER STATED IT WAS DUE TO DRIVER'S NEGLECT. *JB
BOTH FRONT TIRES WERE LOSING AIR. VEHICLE TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND INFORMED THAT BOTH FRONT WHEELS WERE OUT OF ROUND. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 45 TO 55 MILES PER HOUR, THERE IS AN EVIDENT SHAKE IN THE HANDLE BARS, THE FRONT WHEEL HOPS/BOUNCES. THE DEALER WAS INFORMED WHEN VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN FOR IT'…
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BOTH FRONT TIRES WERE LOSING AIR. VEHICLE TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND INFORMED THAT BOTH FRONT WHEELS WERE OUT OF ROUND. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 45 TO 55 MILES PER HOUR, THERE IS AN EVIDENT SHAKE IN THE HANDLE BARS, THE FRONT WHEEL HOPS/BOUNCES. THE DEALER WAS INFORMED WHEN VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN FOR IT'S 600 MILE CHECK. DEALER CHANGED THE WHEEL AND TIRE. THIS PROVIDED IMPROVEMENT SOME WHAT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO DEALER AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE WHEELS HAVE FLAT SPOTS. THE FACTORY WAS INFORMED. THERE ARE CONFLICTING STORIES REGARDING THIS VEHICLE. HONDA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS. *JG
WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY MOTORCYCLE SHUTDOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF 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.