2002 Honda VTX1800

ON A HONDA VTX 1800C MOTORCYCLE, THE SPRING HOOK BROKE THAT HOLDS THE SPRING TO KEEP THE KICKSTAND IN PLACE. AS A RESULT, THE KICKSTAND FALLS TO THE GROUND WHICH TURNS OFF THE ENGINE. THIS HAPPENED IN TRAFFIC, RESULTING IN THE ENGINE STOPPING AND THE MOTORCYCLE COMING TO A STOP UNEXPECTEDLY. AUTOMOBILES BEHIND ME ALMOST RAN INTO THE REAR END OF THE MOTORCYCLE. HONDA MOTORCYCLES IS AWARE OF THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE THAT OCCURS WITH THE KICKSTAND SPRING HOOK. *LA

DECOMPRESSION LOBE ON THE FRONT CYCLINDER HAS FAILED ON MY 2002 VTX1800R. DECOMPRESSION LOBE IS STUCK IN OPEN POSTIION AND CAUSED SPARK PLUGS TO FOUL QUITE REGULARLY (EVERY 5K MILES). HAVE HAD PEOPLE TELL ME THEY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR MOTORCYCLES AND HONDA WOULD NOT REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. MY WARRANTY WAS ONLY OUT 2 WEEKS BEFORE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED. ONLY FIX FIX PROBLEM IS CAM REPLACEMENTM WHICH RUNS ABOUT $350. I CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA DIRECTLY AND THEY DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF HAVING THIS PROBLEM IN ANY OTHER MOTORCYCLES, DESPITE PERSONALLY KNOWING OF ANOTHER PERSON WHO FILED A COMPLAINT THRU THEM ALSO. AMERICAN HONDA REFUSED TO TAKE MY COMPLAINT OVER THE PHONE AND KEPT TELLING ME IT WAS A DEALER ISSUE. AMERICAN HONDA CLAIMS THERE IS NO DATABASE FOR DEFECT COMPLAINTS FROM CUSTOMERS. A FULL RECALL AND INSPECTION OF ALL 2002 VTX 1800'S SHOULD BE PEFORMED TO CHECK AND DIAGNOSE ANY FURTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE DECOMPRESSION LOBES/CAMS. BIKE RUNS VERY RICH AND CAUSES HIGH EMISSIONS CONTENT AT LOW RPM'S.*AK

WITHIN THE FIRST 500 MILES AFTER PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW, THE SPARK PLUGS WERE DETERMINED TO BE FOULED FROM CARBON. A DETERIORATION IN PERFORMANCE WAS NOTED, ALONG WITH A SMELL OF GASOLINE FROM BEHIND THE VEHICLE AS IF IT WERE RUNNING RICH. THE VEHICLE ALSO BACKFIRES ON DECELLERATION. WHILE MY VEHICLE CONTINUES TO BE USABLE, OTHER OWNERS HAVE REPORTED A NEED FOR COMPLETE ENGINE REBUILDING TO FIX CAM TIMING INACCURACIES, SCUFFED CYLINDER BORES FROM INCORRECTLY SEATING RINGS (CAUSING OIL BURNING AND CARBON FOULING OF THE COMBUSTION CHAMGER). SOME OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE LOSS OF USE OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO SPARK PLUG FAILURE. I HAVE WRITTEN LETTERS TO THE MANUFACTURER WHO RESPONDED BY PHONE AND DETERMINED THAT MY VEHICLE IS "NORMAL". THIS, WITHOUT VIEWING THE VEHICLE OR HAVING IT LOOKED AT BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. I FEEL IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE VEHICLE FAILS TO OPERATE WHICH I BELIEVE POSES A DANGER TO MY SAFETY IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN IN HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC.

THE VEHICLE ENGINE IS FOULING ITS SPARK PLUGS AFTER SOME SMALL PERIOD OF RIDING TIME CAUSING AN EXTENSIVE INCREASE IN BAD EXHAUST EMISSIONS. THERE IS A GASOLINE SMELL BEHIND THE MOTORCYCLE. AS WELL AS DEGRADED FUEL MILEAGE AND OVERALL PRODUCT PERFORMANCE. THE PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED TO BE THAT THE HONDA ASSEMBLY LINE INSTALLED THE ENGINE CAMSHAFTS OFF BY ONE TOOTH, WHICH WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THE ENGINE TO FOUL. *JG

THE DUNLOP TIRES IN THE MOTORCYCLE ARE CUPPING CAUSING THE MOTORCYCLE TO VIBRATE AT HIGH SPEEDS AND WHEN MANUVERING AROUND TURNS, THE MANUFACTURER DECLINES TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM ALTHOUGH THE MOTORCYCLE IS UNDER WARRANTY, MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE DEFECTIVE TIRES DO NOT POST ANY SAFETY RISK AND THAT THERE ISNT MUCH THEY CAN DO SINCE THERE HASNT BEEN AN OFFICIAL RECALL. NLM