AI Damage2006 Suzuki VZR1800: common problems
Owners of the 2006 Suzuki VZR1800 filed 47 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 47
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 62% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 17% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 11% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 9% of all complaints
- 5 Suspension 4% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 2% of all complaints
- 7 Wheels 2% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 29 complaints (62% of all).
- Service brakes: 8 complaints (17% of all).
- Fuel system: 5 complaints (11% of all).
- Structure: 4 complaints (9% of all).
- Suspension: 2 complaints (4% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 47 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 | 29 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 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.
Popping out of second gear. Very dangerous! And can not get out of the way of on coming traffic! Sent Suzuki a email less than a year of purchase, and was told it would cost upwards to 2000.00. This should be a recall! And is a known problem with this bike!!!
I have a 2006 m109r with the infamous 2nd gear slipping out in to neutral issue. The bike has 12,000 miles but the symptoms started as early as 7,000 miles. I have the bike in the shop with a $3600 bill for fixing the transmission. I've never had any problems of this nature with any other motorcycles I've ever owned.
The slipping from 1st to 2nd gear is worse when there's a passenger and/or heavier loads. This issue causes you to either skip 2nd gear or not ride the bike at all. The repair is very expensive and timely, if you can even get anyone to do the work.
Bought my metzeler me880 280/35 18 on may 11th. On june 18th I noticed cracking on the outside of tire. With only 1400 mikes on it I contacted rocky mountain atv about the issue. I ended up sending it back to get a replacement. I received my newer tire on july 7th.
The contact stated that the transmission was slipping. The contact mentioned that the transmission would slip from second to third gear before it seized. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure.
There are a number of 2006 & 2007 suzuki m109r motorcycles that have defective braking systems on them. The rear rotor is separating from the mounting plate. It is vibrating, rattling and unsafe to ride.
Suzuki m109r rear brake rotor very loose, rattles over bumps and screeches when brakes are applied.
Rear brake rotor on 2006 suzuki vzr18000 (m109r) is loose and squeals. According to chat rooms and web sites there should be no play in the rotor at all. None. This is a safety hazard. This was noticed at approx. 5000 miles. It will have to be replaced with a rotor that has an updated design.
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 5,507 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 15% most complained about).
On average one model year of the VZR1800 has 21 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 47, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- 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 2006 Suzuki VZR1800?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, service brakes, fuel system. Total complaints: 47. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: transmission slipping (21%), fuel system, fuel smell (9%), knocking, grinding or other noise (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 Suzuki VZR1800?
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 Suzuki VZR1800 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.