AI Damage2002 Triumph Bonneville: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Triumph Bonneville filed 7 complaints with NHTSA, most often about wheels. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 7
What fails most often
- Wheels: 7 complaints (100% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheels | 7 | 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.
Broken spoke/ nipple. I had noticed my rear tire flat on my motorcycle in the garage, when I looked to see how it became flat I found a broken spoke/nipple. A piece of the spoke nipple had punctured the inner tube and caused the flat.
While riding motorcycle on highway, let rear outer spoke on rear tire breaks suddenly and catastrophically once at 6200 mile, second at 23,000 miles on the odometer. First broken spoke damages brake fluid hose and rear wheel rim.
I have had 3 spokes brake on my 2002 triumph bonneville motorcycle. All three were on the rear wheel, left outer side. The motorcycle has been always been ridden modestly for it's 6,000 miles. The spokes have been replaced professionally. The broken spokes are available.
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 12,538 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 34% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Bonneville has 3 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 7, above average.
What to check before buying
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Triumph Bonneville?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: wheels. Total complaints: 7.
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 Triumph Bonneville?
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 Triumph Bonneville 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.