AI Damage1998 Honda VT1100: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Honda VT1100 filed 3 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 3
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 67% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 33% of all complaints
- 3 Vehicle speed control 33% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (67% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (33% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 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.
Motorcycle stopped at stop sign, waiting and it took off, motorcycle gas engaged, emergency button pushed and motorcycle wouldn't shut off. Driver lost control. Clutch and throttle appeared defective, driver suffered injuries; broken back/pelvic bone/tail bone, and five ribs. Motorcycle not totalled.
What happens is that the guide pin plug rotates and loosens causing an oil leak and subsequent shifter rattle. The oil leak is a potential hazard since the leak only occurs while the motorcycle is moving and the oil blows backwards to the rear tire.
Motorcycle jumps out of low gear, causing the motorcycle to go into neutral.
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 17,150 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 47% most complained about).
On average one model year of the VT1100 has 3 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 3, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Honda VT1100?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, engine and cooling, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 3. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: engine failure or replacement (33%), knocking, grinding or other noise (33%), oil leak or consumption (33%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Honda VT1100?
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 VT1100 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.