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2003 Honda VTX1800

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

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

41 reports with mileage · 12 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Wheels. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Suspension complaints

17 reports
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Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 2017
Suspension

JUST HAD REAR TIRE REPLACED ON MY VTX 1800R AT HONDA DEALER. WAS INFORMED BY TECHNICIAN THAT MY REAR BEARING NEEDS REPLACED. THE BIKE ONLY HAS 13,500 ORIGINAL MILES ON IT. THIS SEEMS WAY TO EARLY FOR THIS TO HAVE WORN OUT ALREADY. I SEE ON THIS FORUM THAT THIS PROBLEM IS ENORMOUSLY COMMON ON THE 1800S. PRETTY DISAPPOINTED IN THI…

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JUST HAD REAR TIRE REPLACED ON MY VTX 1800R AT HONDA DEALER. WAS INFORMED BY TECHNICIAN THAT MY REAR BEARING NEEDS REPLACED. THE BIKE ONLY HAS 13,500 ORIGINAL MILES ON IT. THIS SEEMS WAY TO EARLY FOR THIS TO HAVE WORN OUT ALREADY. I SEE ON THIS FORUM THAT THIS PROBLEM IS ENORMOUSLY COMMON ON THE 1800S. PRETTY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS. ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS AND HOPING THE BEARINGS HAVE BEEN UPGRADED IN THE LAST 13 YEARS.

NHTSA ODI #10969010

14,200 miles · Jun 25, 2011
Suspension

WHEN CHANGING REAR TIRE CHECKED FLANGE BEARING AND NOTICED BEARING WAS COMING APART. SEAL GONE AND METAL PIECES PRESENT ALONG WITH ROUGH AND LOOSE BEARINGS. 14,000 MILES ON 03 1800 VTX C. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10408891

11,000 miles · May 31, 2010
Suspension

WHILE REMOVING THE REAR TIRE FOR REPLACEMENT I NOTICED THE FLANGE BEARING HAS FAILED. 11,000 MILES, FIRST TIME INSPECTING THE BEARING. WILL REPLACE WITH NEW BEARINGS AND POSSIBLY MACHINE THE FLANGE FOR BETTER FIT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10333977

27,000 miles · Jun 28, 2009
Suspension

HONDA MOTORCYCLE VTX-1800 REAR WHEEL FLANGE BEARING FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10275138

14,465 miles · Dec 4, 2008
Suspension

WHEN THE REAR TIRE WAS REPLACED, I HAD THE TECHNICIAN CHECK THE CONDITION OF THE REAR FLANGE BEARINGS. THEY WERE VERY ROUGH. I ORDERED TWO BEARINGS AND REPLACED THEM ON 12/04/2008 WITH 14,465 MILES ON THE MOTORCYCLE. UPON REMOVAL FROM THE FLANGE, THE BEARINGS WERE IN A STATE OF TOTAL FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10250777

8,371 miles · Jul 25, 2008
Suspension

HONDA VTX 1800C DURING REAR TIRE REPLACEMENT AT 8,371 MILES DISCOVERED WHEEL BEARING ON THE RIGHT SIDE (BRAKE SIDE) WAS VERY BAD...HAD NO WARNING BUT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN VERY LONG. LONGEST TRIP HAS BEEN 100 MILES REST IS ALL CITY. NO REASON FOR THIS FAILURE! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10235727

30,000 miles · Jul 24, 2008
SuspensionWheels

DRIVEN FLANGE BEARING SET FAILURE DISCOVERED WHEN REAR TIRE WAS REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10235654

37,000 miles · Jun 29, 2008
Suspension

FLANGE BEARING FAILURE APPROXIMATE DATE OF FAILURE: JUNE 2008 YEAR OF MANUFACTURE: 2003 MODEL: R MILEAGE: 36,000 BEARING CONDITION: INNER BEARING COMPLETELY DESTROYED...FOUND WHEN I CHANGED OUT THE TIRE....SEAL BULGED OUT AND METAL PIECES EVERYWHERE. ACCIDENT : NO HOW FIXED: PURCHASED PART FROM BEARING SUPPL…

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FLANGE BEARING FAILURE APPROXIMATE DATE OF FAILURE: JUNE 2008 YEAR OF MANUFACTURE: 2003 MODEL: R MILEAGE: 36,000 BEARING CONDITION: INNER BEARING COMPLETELY DESTROYED...FOUND WHEN I CHANGED OUT THE TIRE....SEAL BULGED OUT AND METAL PIECES EVERYWHERE. ACCIDENT : NO HOW FIXED: PURCHASED PART FROM BEARING SUPPLY STORE AND REPLACED IT MYSELF.......HOPING IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10232657

9,000 miles · May 9, 2008
Suspension

FAILURE OF FLANGE BEARING, REAR WHEEL AT 9000 MILES CHECK BEARING AT TIRE REPLACEMENT REPLACE FLANGE BEARING UNIT-HONDA DOES NOT SELL BEARINGS ONLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10227149

Mileage unknown · Mar 19, 2008
SuspensionWheels

HONDA MOTORCYCLE 2003 VTX C REAR WHEEL BEARING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10221801

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.