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2003 Honda VT1100

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: 3 of 4 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 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. 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.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

2 reports
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1 miles · Aug 25, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

THERE IS A LOUD TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE LOWER RIGHT SIDE OF MY ENGINE THAT ENDS AT THE RIGHT FRONT HEAD.THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FROM THE FIRST DAY I TOOK DELIVERY OF MY NEW MOTORCYCLE. WHEN YOU FIRST START IT UP IT MAKES A SLIGHT TICKING NOISE AND IT GETS WORSE THE LONGER YOU RIDE IT. I HAVE TRIED TO GET THIS FIXED ON MY WA…

Read full complaint

THERE IS A LOUD TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE LOWER RIGHT SIDE OF MY ENGINE THAT ENDS AT THE RIGHT FRONT HEAD.THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FROM THE FIRST DAY I TOOK DELIVERY OF MY NEW MOTORCYCLE. WHEN YOU FIRST START IT UP IT MAKES A SLIGHT TICKING NOISE AND IT GETS WORSE THE LONGER YOU RIDE IT. I HAVE TRIED TO GET THIS FIXED ON MY WARRANTY AND ALL I HAVE BEEN TOLD IS THAT IT IS A HONDA TRAIT AND JUST ONE OF THERE QUIRKS AND TO JUST "RIDE IT AND ENJOY THE BIKE". IT IS NOT A QUIRK. IT IS A SERIOUS VALVE TRAIN PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CLEARENCES ARE NOT CORRECT WHEN IT CAME FROM THE FACTORY AND AS THE MOTOR GETS HOTTER THE LOOSER THE VALVE TRAIN GETS. I HAVE TALKED TO 2 OTHER HONDA TECHNITIONS AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THAT SAID THAT HONDA KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THAT THEY ARE NOT FIXING IT. I HAD ASKED THEM IF THEY WOULD PUT IT IN WRITEING FOR ME AND BOTH SAID NO BECAUSE THEY WOULD LOOSE THERE JOBS. I HAVE CHANGED DIFFERENT WEIGHT OF OILS " AS PER HONDAS REQUEST " AND NO CHANGE. IT JUST GETS WORSE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE VT1100C ENGINES. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY HONDA TRAINED PERSONAL; TO GO AND TRY THERE DIFFERENT WEIGHTS OF OIL TRYING TO QUIT THIS UP AND IT JUST GETS WORSE THE MORE MILES YOU PUT ON IT.THIS BIKE NEEDS TO BE IN THE SHOP AND TORN DOWN TO FIND THE PROBLEM. I TOOK DELIVERY OF THIS BIKE, MARCH-15-2003. IT IS NOW AUGUST-25-2003 AND I ONLY HAVE 2,600 MILES ON IT. THIS BIKE WAS BOUGHT FOR MY SUMMER TRANSPORTATION AND I AM SCARED TO RIDE IT BECAUSE THE VALVE TRAIN COULD LET LOOSE AND THE ENGINE COULD LOCK UP AND CAUSE AN INJURY OR A DEATH.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10033475

1 miles · Aug 25, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

THERE IS A LOUD TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE LOWER RIGHT SIDE OF MY ENGINE THAT ENDS AT THE RIGHT FRONT HEAD.THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FROM THE FIRST DAY I TOOK DELIVERY OF MY NEW MOTORCYCLE. WHEN YOU FIRST START IT UP IT MAKES A SLIGHT TICKING NOISE AND IT GETS WORSE THE LONGER YOU RIDE IT. I HAVE TRIED TO GET THIS FIXED ON MY WA…

Read full complaint

THERE IS A LOUD TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE LOWER RIGHT SIDE OF MY ENGINE THAT ENDS AT THE RIGHT FRONT HEAD.THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FROM THE FIRST DAY I TOOK DELIVERY OF MY NEW MOTORCYCLE. WHEN YOU FIRST START IT UP IT MAKES A SLIGHT TICKING NOISE AND IT GETS WORSE THE LONGER YOU RIDE IT. I HAVE TRIED TO GET THIS FIXED ON MY WARRANTY AND ALL I HAVE BEEN TOLD IS THAT IT IS A HONDA TRAIT AND JUST ONE OF THERE QUIRKS AND TO JUST "RIDE IT AND ENJOY THE BIKE". IT IS NOT A QUIRK. IT IS A SERIOUS VALVE TRAIN PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CLEARENCES ARE NOT CORRECT WHEN IT CAME FROM THE FACTORY AND AS THE MOTOR GETS HOTTER THE LOOSER THE VALVE TRAIN GETS. I HAVE TALKED TO 2 OTHER HONDA TECHNITIONS AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THAT SAID THAT HONDA KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THAT THEY ARE NOT FIXING IT. I HAD ASKED THEM IF THEY WOULD PUT IT IN WRITEING FOR ME AND BOTH SAID NO BECAUSE THEY WOULD LOOSE THERE JOBS. I HAVE CHANGED DIFFERENT WEIGHT OF OILS " AS PER HONDAS REQUEST " AND NO CHANGE. IT JUST GETS WORSE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE VT1100C ENGINES. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY HONDA TRAINED PERSONAL; TO GO AND TRY THERE DIFFERENT WEIGHTS OF OIL TRYING TO QUIT THIS UP AND IT JUST GETS WORSE THE MORE MILES YOU PUT ON IT.THIS BIKE NEEDS TO BE IN THE SHOP AND TORN DOWN TO FIND THE PROBLEM. I TOOK DELIVERY OF THIS BIKE, MARCH-15-2003. IT IS NOW AUGUST-25-2003 AND I ONLY HAVE 2,600 MILES ON IT. THIS BIKE WAS BOUGHT FOR MY SUMMER TRANSPORTATION AND I AM SCARED TO RIDE IT BECAUSE THE VALVE TRAIN COULD LET LOOSE AND THE ENGINE COULD LOCK UP AND CAUSE AN INJURY OR A DEATH.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10033432

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.