AI Damage1998 Honda Valkyrie: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Honda Valkyrie filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 8
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 25% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 25% of all complaints
- 3 Tires 25% of all complaints
- 4 Equipment 13% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 13% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (25% of all).
- Suspension: 2 complaints (25% of all).
- Tires: 2 complaints (25% of all).
- Equipment: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 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.
Failure of both rear wheel bearings on my 1998 honda valkyrie gl1500ct motorcycle.
The rear tire developed a bulge in the center of the tread while riding. The motorcycle became barely rideable. At a friend's shop we removed and inspected the tire. It appeared that the tread was separating from the casing.
The www.f6rider.com/voa sight has informed that dunlop d206 has premature failure to which I have had the same happen to me upon tire removal from the tire rim the inside of the dunlop d206 showed that a large bubble had formed in the inside wall of the rear tire, has been refered to as delamination or wall…
Consumer was drivng motorcycle, and whenever he was rounding a corner back end swayed. Consumer replaced rear tire with another dunlop tire. Please add the vin.#.
Gas filler port is high polished chrome- in daylight this creates a reflection on the windscreen causing a large blind spot.
Lighting of speedometer/tachometer at night is barely discernible.
Design of the speedometer/tachometer are such that it is impossible to read them at dusk or dawn. In bright light they are fine.
Under low-light conditions- dusk/dawn, and after dark under certain street lighting, the instruments are unreadable.
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 11,896 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Valkyrie has 6 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 8, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
- 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 1998 Honda Valkyrie?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, suspension, tires. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Honda Valkyrie?
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 1998 Honda Valkyrie 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 1998 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.