AI Damage2001 Honda Rvt1000r: common problems
Owners of the 2001 Honda Rvt1000r filed 3 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel/propulsion system and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 3
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel/propulsion system 33% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel system 33% of all complaints
- 3 Wheels 33% of all complaints
- Fuel/propulsion system: 1 complaints (33% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (33% of all).
- Wheels: 1 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 3 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 honda rvt1000 (rc51) motorcycle. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph, the front wheel exploded without warning, causing the contact to become involved in a crash. The contact sustained injuries to the ribs, collar bone and lung.
2001 rvt1000 or rc51 fuel leaking from fuel tank at rear pivot. Caught fire after fuel leaked onto hot exhaust pipe wrapped with thermal tape. Fuel vapors caught fire after bike was at a standing/idle position. Fuel leak had started recently and had rapidly increased. Seems to be a common problem with this bike.
The contact smelled gas and noticed that the fuel gauge was different. The dealer stated that there was a leak in the fuel tank. The current and failure mileages were 19,500.
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 17,152 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 47% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Rvt1000r has 2 complaints (3 years in the data). This year has 3, above average.
What to check before buying
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Honda Rvt1000r?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel/propulsion system, fuel system, wheels. Total complaints: 3. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: fuel system, fuel smell (67%), smoke, burning smell, fire (33%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2001 Honda Rvt1000r?
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 2001 Honda Rvt1000r 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 2001 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 2026-11-06.