IllustrationTHE CAM CHAIN TENSIONER SKIPPED AT AROUND 35000 MILES ON MY 1998 HONDA SUPERHAWK. THERE IS MUCH DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC AT SUPERHAWKFORUM.COM. MY ENGINE WAS DESTROYED. *JB
1998 Honda VTR1000F
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
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When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 1 of 5 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 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
5 reportsSECOND FAILURE OF CAMCHAIN TENSIONER WITH ENGINE BREAKDOWN OCCURRED AT 25720 MILES. THIS WAS ALSO REPORTED TO HONDA WITH HONDA AGAIN DENYING THAT A CAMCHAIN PROBLEM EXISTS. DT
THIS PROBLEM IS FAIRLY COMMON WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. THE CHAIN DRIVING THE CAMS GOES LAX AND THE ENGINE DIES. SOMETIMES THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING AND POSES A DANGER TO THE OPERATOR. I WAS FORTUNATE IN THAT MINE FAILED WHILE THE ENGINE WAS WARMING UP.
THIS CAM CHAIN TENSIONER PROBLEM IS POPULAR AMONG VTR1000F OWNERS, PARTICULARLY 1999 MODELS AND EARLIER. FAILURE OF THE TENSIONER COULD CAUSE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF ENGINE AT SPEED, CAUSING LOCKUP OF REAR WHEEL AND PROBABLE ACCIDENT WITH INJURY. DT
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.