← New search

2004 Honda VTX1300

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Honda VTX1300 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 35.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all VTX1300 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

52 reports with mileage · 26 unknown

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.

  • Steering. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports

Suspension complaints

25 reports
Clear category filter
5,500 miles · Mar 4, 2018
Suspension

THERE IS A SEVERE FRONT END WOBBLE WHEN DECELERATING FROM 50+ MPH. THE ENTIRE FRONT END SHAKES TO THE POINT THAT CONTROL IS ALMOST LOST. IT IS ALSO CAUSING THE TIRE ON THE FRONT TO WEAR UNEVENLY AND AT A VERY FAST RATE. THE BIKE HAS LESS THAN 6000 MILES ON IT AS OF MARCH OF 2018.

NHTSA ODI #11076127

15,000 miles · Jul 10, 2014
Power TrainSuspension

REMOVED THE FRONT AND REAR WHEELS TO HAVE NEW TIRES INSTALLED. NOTICED THE FINAL DRIVE FLANGE BEARINGS SEAL TOWARD WHEEL, WAS TORN OPEN AS IF THE SEAL HAD MELTED AND THE BEARINGS WERE DRY AND VERY ROUGH TO TURN. PROBLEM IS, I REPLACED THE BEARINGS AND FELT RESISTANCE WHEN TURNING THE NEW BEARINGS. READ ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN O…

Read full complaint

REMOVED THE FRONT AND REAR WHEELS TO HAVE NEW TIRES INSTALLED. NOTICED THE FINAL DRIVE FLANGE BEARINGS SEAL TOWARD WHEEL, WAS TORN OPEN AS IF THE SEAL HAD MELTED AND THE BEARINGS WERE DRY AND VERY ROUGH TO TURN. PROBLEM IS, I REPLACED THE BEARINGS AND FELT RESISTANCE WHEN TURNING THE NEW BEARINGS. READ ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN ONE OF THE FORUMS, REMOVED THE NEW BEARINGS AND ORDERED A SECOND SET. MEASURED THE BEARING FIT IN THE FLANGE AND IT WAS .001" TOO CLOSE AT THE TOP AND .002" AT THE BOTTOM. HAD THE FLANGE MACHINED TO CORRECT CLEARANCE AND INSTALLED NEW BEARINGS. JUST LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FROM THE FACTORY, AND I AM VERY GLAD I FOUND THE PROBLEM BEFORE A DEADLY OR COSTLY INCIDENT OCCURRED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10609741

25 miles · Jul 25, 2011
SteeringSuspension

THERE IS A FRONT FORK WOBBLE ON MY 2004 HONDA VTX MOTORCYCLE. THIS IS COUPLED WITH EXTREMELY FAST WEAR ON THE FRONT TIRES. THE WOBBLE IS MOST NOTICEABLE BETWEEN 20 - 50 MPH, AND MORE PREVALENT WHEN COASTING TO A STOP. IT IS BAD ENOUGH AT TIME TO CAUSE A CONTROL ISSUE WHEN GOING AROUND TURNS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10414996

16,400 miles · Jul 22, 2011
SuspensionWheels

REPLACING REAR TIRE ON 2004 HONDA VTX 1300C. CHECKING WHEEL AND FLANGE BEARINGS AT THIS TIME. THE FLANGE BEARINGS ARE ROUGH TURNING AND ONE BEARING IS FALLING APART. THE MOTORCYCLE HAS ONLY 16,000 MILES ON IT. REPLACING FLANGE BEARINGS WITH A NEW SET OF AFTERMARKET BEARINGS. LUCKY TO FIND THE BEARING PROBLEM WHEN I DID. TH…

Read full complaint

REPLACING REAR TIRE ON 2004 HONDA VTX 1300C. CHECKING WHEEL AND FLANGE BEARINGS AT THIS TIME. THE FLANGE BEARINGS ARE ROUGH TURNING AND ONE BEARING IS FALLING APART. THE MOTORCYCLE HAS ONLY 16,000 MILES ON IT. REPLACING FLANGE BEARINGS WITH A NEW SET OF AFTERMARKET BEARINGS. LUCKY TO FIND THE BEARING PROBLEM WHEN I DID. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT IF THE REAR WHEEL WOULD HAVE LOCKED UP DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS!!! THIS IS NOT THE FIRST REPORTED FLANGE BEARING FAILURE. *TT

NHTSA ODI #10414698

8,000 miles · Jul 22, 2008
SteeringSuspensionInjury

I HAVE A 2004 HONDA VTX 1300CC MOTORCYCLE, WHICH HAS DEVELOPED A LARGE PROBLEM IN THE STEERING (WOBBLE). THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN NOTED BY HUNDREDS OF OWNERS THAT I HAVE SEEN ON THE WEB. I AM REPLACING THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS AND THE STEERING STEM BEARINGS TO AVOID BEING KILLED. THAT FAILURE OF THE NHTSA TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE WITH…

Read full complaint

I HAVE A 2004 HONDA VTX 1300CC MOTORCYCLE, WHICH HAS DEVELOPED A LARGE PROBLEM IN THE STEERING (WOBBLE). THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN NOTED BY HUNDREDS OF OWNERS THAT I HAVE SEEN ON THE WEB. I AM REPLACING THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS AND THE STEERING STEM BEARINGS TO AVOID BEING KILLED. THAT FAILURE OF THE NHTSA TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE WITH HONDA IS SICKENING. I GUESS PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE OUR WONDERFUL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WILL DO THEIR JOBS; MAYBE NOT EVEN THEN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10235297

600 miles · Jan 16, 2008
SteeringSuspension

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA VTX1300. WHILE DRIVING 40-70, THE HANDLE BAR WOULD SHAKE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIRES CAUSED THE FAILURE. THEY REPLACED THE TIRES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60…

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA VTX1300. WHILE DRIVING 40-70, THE HANDLE BAR WOULD SHAKE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIRES CAUSED THE FAILURE. THEY REPLACED THE TIRES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 600. UPDATED 04/29/08. *LJ UPDATED 04/29/08 *TR

NHTSA ODI #10215140

Mileage unknown · Feb 27, 2007
Suspension

TL* - THE CONTACT HAS A 2004 HONDA MOTORCYCLE BTX 1300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE'S FRONT END VIBRATED. WHEN SLOWING TRHE MOTORCYCLE DOWN FROM 50 - 40 MPH IT BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN DOING THIS SAMETHING SINCE HE PURCHASED IT 2 YEARS AGO. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12500.…

Read full complaint

TL* - THE CONTACT HAS A 2004 HONDA MOTORCYCLE BTX 1300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE'S FRONT END VIBRATED. WHEN SLOWING TRHE MOTORCYCLE DOWN FROM 50 - 40 MPH IT BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN DOING THIS SAMETHING SINCE HE PURCHASED IT 2 YEARS AGO. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12500. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10183646

4,420 miles · Oct 8, 2006
SteeringSuspension

2004 HONDA VTX1300C FRONT END WOBBLE AT 50 MPH. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10170240

Mileage unknown · Nov 1, 2005
SteeringSuspension

I OWN A 2004 HONDA VTX1300C MOTORCYCLE AND IN JULY OF THIS YEAR IT DEVELOP A FRONT END WOBBLE. WHEN YOU LET OFF THE GAS AT AROUND 35 TO 45 MPH THE FRONT END WOBBLES TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT. IF YOU DO NOT HANG ON, IT WILL COME OUT OF YOUR HANDS. I HAVE REPLACED FRONT TIRES TWICE AND REBALANCED TWICE. NO HELP.

NHTSA ODI #10141450

1,500 miles · Nov 1, 2005
SteeringSuspension

I OWN A 2004 HONDA VTX1300R MOTORCYCLE. THERE IS A NOTICEABLE VIBRATION ON DECEL FROM AN INDICATED SPEED OF APPROX 45 MPH TO ABOUT 30 MPH. THE VIBRATION IS TO THE FRONT TIRE AND IS FELT THROUGH THE HANDLEBARS. THE VIBRATION HAS BEEN REPORTED BY OTHER OWNERS WITH VERY LITTLE SATISFACTION FROM HONDA. THIS IS A CONTINUING PROBLEM …

Read full complaint

I OWN A 2004 HONDA VTX1300R MOTORCYCLE. THERE IS A NOTICEABLE VIBRATION ON DECEL FROM AN INDICATED SPEED OF APPROX 45 MPH TO ABOUT 30 MPH. THE VIBRATION IS TO THE FRONT TIRE AND IS FELT THROUGH THE HANDLEBARS. THE VIBRATION HAS BEEN REPORTED BY OTHER OWNERS WITH VERY LITTLE SATISFACTION FROM HONDA. THIS IS A CONTINUING PROBLEM THAT RAISES SAFETY CONCERNS SINCE IT IS CENTERED ON THE STEERING COMPONENT. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10141444

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.