AI Damage2003 Honda Honda Motorcycle: common problems
Owners of the 2003 Honda Honda Motorcycle filed 28 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 28
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 32% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 11% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel system 7% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 7% of all complaints
- 7 Equipment 4% of all complaints
- 8 Exterior lighting 4% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 9 complaints (32% of all).
- Suspension: 3 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (7% of all).
- Fuel system: 2 complaints (7% of all).
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (7% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 28 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 4 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
There are critical nuts and bolts that must be torqued to specific manufacturer's assembly specifications by all honda powersports dealers that are completing the final assembly process for american honda motor company on new honda motorcycles.
While driving at 40 mph, the front wheel came off without notice. The handlebar was not properly secured to the steering shaft. (freeplay from left to right) this caused the driver to lose balance and control of the scooter.
Rear suspension of 2003 honda 954 collapsed. Welded plate for rear suspension broken at weld.
Tl contact owns a 2003 honda 900f (na). While riding 20 mph on wet road conditions, the shifter fell off and the contact could not change gears. The failure occurred while driving in sixth gear. He was injured while getting off of the bike. The dealer stated that they would inspect the vehicle.
Dt: owns a honda goldwing which has been modified into a conversion motor bike which turned this into a 3 wheel vehicle. Consumer felt there was an issue with the brakes. The brake pads destroyed the rotors.
Ignition switch failed to operate intermittently when starting. Dealer was notified.
During deceleration at about 40-45 mph the front end of the motorcycle will start to shake vigorously. Took it to the dealer and they over torqued the head bearing which quieted it down a little.
(1) front end wobbles excessivly between 30 and 45 miles per hour (2) so far no crashes but the wobble is dangerous (3) have not been able to correct problem.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 7,081 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 19% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Honda Motorcycle has 5 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 28, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Honda Honda Motorcycle?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, suspension, electrical system. Total complaints: 28. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (4%), overheating, coolant loss (4%), smoke, burning smell, fire (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 Honda Honda Motorcycle?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2003 Honda Honda Motorcycle from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2003 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.