AI Damage2003 Honda VTX1300: common problems
Owners of the 2003 Honda VTX1300 filed 35 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 35
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 34% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 31% of all complaints
- 3 Vehicle speed control 14% of all complaints
- 4 Tires 11% of all complaints
- 5 Wheels 9% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 3% of all complaints
- 7 Electronic stability control 3% of all complaints
- 8 Engine and cooling 3% of all complaints
- Steering: 12 complaints (34% of all).
- Suspension: 11 complaints (31% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 5 complaints (14% of all).
- Tires: 4 complaints (11% of all).
- Wheels: 3 complaints (9% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 35 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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.
Bad wobble in steering/bearing between 30 and 50 mph. When this is going on in a curve you nearly loose control it convulsive wobble grows. Not hard to find numerous complaints about this condition even on these bikes right from the dealer.
Rear flange bearing in vtx 1300 came apart, looked at bearing while changing rear tire. Replace 2004 and 2003 vtx s bearing while changing rear tire. Replace bearing # 91052-kz4-j21.
After I replaced the front tire I noticed that the wobble is gone but I can still feel a very slight side to side vibration in the handlebars.
The dunlop tires on my motorcycle have "c" shaped cuts in them. I am on my 2nd set of tires with this defect in my tire. I have been told the tired did not "laminate" properly.
New vehicle purchased in sept 2002. A honda motorcycle, model year 2003 vtx1300 retro was purchased and later was found to have red speedometer lights for night riding. The lights are dim and difficult to see at night, which makes the speedometer useless at night.
Front end wobbled off motorcycle at 40-45 mph since the motorcycle was new.
When I bought my vtx 1300 I assumed the bike was in proper working condition, I have since relized that the speedometer is reading 10% hight than actual. The dealer said that honda made it that way and theres nothing they can do.
The speedometer on this vehicle is off about 10 percent, reading on the high side. This is a safety concern as the necessary constant mental calculations are a distraction while driving in busy traffic.
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 6,335 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 17% most complained about).
On average one model year of the VTX1300 has 33 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 35, about average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Honda VTX1300?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, suspension, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 35. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: vibration (14%), rust, corrosion (3%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 Honda VTX1300?
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 VTX1300 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.