AI Damage2002 Honda VTX1800: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Honda VTX1800 filed 63 complaints with NHTSA, most often about suspension and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 63
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Suspension 22% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 21% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 14% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 13% of all complaints
- 5 Wheels 10% of all complaints
- 6 Tires 5% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 3% of all complaints
- 8 Electrical system 2% of all complaints
- Suspension: 14 complaints (22% of all).
- Powertrain: 13 complaints (21% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 9 complaints (14% of all).
- Structure: 8 complaints (13% of all).
- Wheels: 6 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 63 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Other | 3 | 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.
Tl* the contact owned a 2002 honda vtx1800. While driving approximately 25 mph, the brakes seized without warning. As a result, the contact crashed into a wall and was thrown off the vehicle. The passenger sustained a fractured arm, a head injury, and a knee injury.
Failure of the rear bearings in the final drive flange of my 2002 honda vtx motorcycle.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 honda vtx1800. While driving between 30-40 mph, the motorcycle began to wobble when one of the handles was released. The vehicle had new tires and brakes due to other necessary repairs; however, the wobbling continued.
I have replaced the final drive flange bearings 3 times now. I heard that there were some issues with this flange. First time I replaced it, I replaced the whole flange. The second and third time I replaced the bearings only. On the third time I replaced the wheel dampener inside the rear wheel.
The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle stalled. After inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the crank shaft had fractured. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. The mechanic stated that the crank shaft would have to be replaced.
Two faulty flange bearings in less than 18,000 miles. Failure noted during tire changes in both instances. Both replaced at owner's cost @ over 190 dollars each instance.
He heard clunking noises and the weld on the swing arm driveshaft housing failed. The contact took pictures and notified the dealer. The dealer then advised him to call nhtsa and the manufacturer. The manufacturer has not been notified. The current and failure mileages were approximately 17,000.
Flange bearings were noticed to be disintegrating while changing out the tire on the rear rim of an 02, 1800 honda vtx with only 15000 miles. I have ordered new set of bearings to replace.
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 4,699 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 13% most complained about).
On average one model year of the VTX1800 has 22 complaints (6 years in the data). This year has 63, above average.
What to check before buying
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- 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.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Honda VTX1800?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: suspension, powertrain, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 63. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (8%), knocking, grinding or other noise (5%), vibration (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 Honda VTX1800?
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 2002 Honda VTX1800 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 2002 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.