AI Damage2006 Honda VTX1300: common problems
Owners of the 2006 Honda VTX1300 filed 35 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 35
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 63% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 14% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel system 9% of all complaints
- 5 Exterior lighting 3% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 3% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 3% of all complaints
- 8 Tires 3% of all complaints
- Steering: 22 complaints (63% of all).
- Electrical system: 5 complaints (14% of all).
- Suspension: 5 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel system: 3 complaints (9% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (3% 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 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels | 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.
The contact stated that while riding the motorcycle at 75 mph, he heard a noise coming from the rear and the rear tire blew out. The contact and the passenger were ejected from the vehicle. The insurance company had the motorcycle towed to a towing yard. The failure was not investigated.
Petcock is leaking they were recalled on the 07-09 but not the 06 when its the exact same problem started happening while I was riding
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 honda vtx1300 motorcycle. While driving approximately 35-55 mph, the vehicle wobbled while accelerating and decelerating. The pioneer equipment honda dealer determined that the failure could be due to the wheel bearing or tires; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed.
Handlebars shake between 35-45 mph now even at higher speeds, wobble. Go into a turn it seems to drop just a little enough to scare the s--- out of you. I see you have several complaints on this problem. Can you let me know your findings, please.
While driving various speeds, the steering and front end of the vehicle would vibrate violently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 5,000.
The steering will shake/vibrate at speeds between 25-40mph, sometimes more violently than others. The front bearing was inspected and appeared to be ok. The front tire was recently replaced and the problem persisted. This has been an ongoing issue since I purchased the vehicle new in 2007.
The contact stated that while driving at approximately 20 mph he heard a popping noise and the vehicle stalled without warning. The motorcycle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. The failure and the current mileages were 13,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 honda vtx1300c motorcycle. The contact stated that the license plate bracket was defective and the license plate fractured from the motorcycle three times while driving 30 mph.
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.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- 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 2006 Honda VTX1300?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, electrical system, suspension. Total complaints: 35. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: vibration (29%), headlights and tail lights (3%), knocking, grinding or other noise (3%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 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 2006 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 2006 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.