Honda VTX1300 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
234 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
5,300 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 to 2009 model years. Data snapshot: . 169 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 110 of 234 complaints (47.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 54 | 23.1% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 1.7% |
| Braking behavior | 4 | 1.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 1.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 0.9% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Steering | 110 |
| Suspension | 35 |
| Suspension:Front | 17 |
| Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar | 16 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 16 |
| Wheels | 10 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 7 |
| Electrical System | 6 |
Steering: 110; Suspension: 35; Suspension:Front: 17; Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar: 16; Vehicle Speed Control: 16; Wheels: 10; Fuel System, Gasoline: 7; Electrical System: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 160 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 7 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 160; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (160). 65 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 6 |
| 2004 | 45 |
| 2005 | 25 |
| 2006 | 32 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 25 |
| 2009 | 19 |
| 2010 | 14 |
| 2011 | 15 |
| 2012 | 9 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 11 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2003: 6; 2004: 45; 2005: 25; 2006: 32; 2007: 4; 2008: 25; 2009: 19; 2010: 14; 2011: 15; 2012: 9; 2013: 4; 2014: 11; 2015: 7; 2016: 5; 2017: 4; 2018: 1; 2019: 2; 2020: 3; 2021: 1; 2023: 1; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 54 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 4 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10074525 · 2004-05-31 (May 31, 2004)
2003 HONDA VTX1300 RETRO EXHIBITS AN ABNORMAL WOBBLE IN THE STEERING/HANDLE BARS ON DECELERATION BETWEEN 40 AND 50 MILES PER HOUR. THE PROBLEM IS PERSISTANT AND HAS BEEN COMPLAINED ABOUT BY MANY OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE WITH NO RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. SEE WWW.XTXOA.COM FOR CONFIRMATION.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10074525 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10074663 · 2004-11-04 (November 4, 2004)
I OWN A 2003 HONDA VTX 1300S MOTORCYCLE AND I HAVE A WOBBLE IN THE FRONT END WHEN I DECELERATE IN THE 45-40 MPH RANGE. THIS WOBBLE ALSO HAPPENS IN TURNS AND CAN GREATLY EFFECT THE STEERING THROUGH A TURN. THIS HAS BEEN A CONSTANT SITUATION SINCE I FIRST BOUGHT THE BIKE. I'VE HAD THE WHEELS CHECKED FOR TRUE AND BALANCE AND THE STEERING HEAD BEARING CHECKED A NUMBER OF TIMES FOR THE CORRECT TORQUE. ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN DONE BY LAWRENCEVILL HONDA, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. *AK *SC
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10074663 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10124945 · 2005-06-10 (June 10, 2005)
DT: CONSUMER BOUGHT A HONDA MOTORCYCLE VLX 600. WAS NOT ABLE TO RIDE MOTORCYCLE BEFORE PURCHASE. IT HAD FOUR SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. IN FIRST GEAR THE MOTORCYCLE WILL STALL IF IT HAS NOT REVVED TO A HIGH RPMS. CONSUMER STATED HE HAS ALMOST BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND WHEN MOTORCYCLE STALLED DUE TO TRYING TO FOLLOW A SLOW VEHICLE. WHEN IT REVVED TOO HIGH AND CONSUMER RELEASED CLUTCH THEN IT SNAPPED AS IF TO RIDE A WHEEL. CONSUMER SAID THAT MOTORCYCLE NEEDED FIVE GEARS,WAS UNSAFE WITH FOUR.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10124945 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10172679 · 2006-11-06 (November 6, 2006)
MY 2005 HONDA VTX1300C HAS EXPERIENCED MANY PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASE. THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE ISSUE WITH A RATTLE, THE DEALER/SERVICE CENTER WAS ABLE TO FIND AND FIX THE RATTLE IN TWO SEPARATE LOCATIONS ON THE MOTORCYCLE. RIGHT AFTER PURCHASE THERE HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH OVERHEATING AND STALLING. THE DEALER/SERVICE CENTER HAS ONLY BEEN ABLE TO FIND AND CORRECT THE OVERHEATING ISSUE, THE INTERMITTENT STALLING CONTINUES. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE MOTORCYCLE WILL QUIT RUNNING ABRUPTLY, ON SOME INSTANCES THE DRIVE TIRE WILL LO…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10172679 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10230514 · 2008-06-10 (June 10, 2008)
I OWN A 2003 HONDA VTX1300S MOTORCYCLE. THIS BIKE IS SHAFT DRIVE. WHILE RIDING THROUGH TOWN THE SWING ARM SEPARATED FROM THE REAR WHEEL DO TO THE SPOT WELDS BRAKING ON THE DRIVE SHAFT SIDE OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THIS CAUSED THE BIKE TO TWIST WILDLY DO TO THE REAR WHEEL ONLY BEING SUPPORTED ON ONE SIDE OF THE SWING ARM. THIS BIKE ONLY HAS 7,200 MILES ON IT AND IS GARAGED & WELL KEPT. I WAS TRAVELING 25 MPG ON A CITY STREET AND GOT STOPPED WITHOUT ACCIDENT. IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT SPEED ON A HIGHWAY OR COUNTY ROAD THERE NO DOUBT THAT I WOULD…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10230514 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10653653 · 2014-11-08 (November 8, 2014)
11/08/2014 WHEN I WAS REPLACING REAR BRAKE ROTOR I FOUND PIECES OF FLANGE BEARING ALL OVER THE INSIDE THE HUB, THE BEARING SIMPLY FELL APART WITH LESS THAN 32,000 MILES. I HEARD NOISE AT LOW SPEEDS FOR A FEW WEEKS AND I THOUGHT IT WAS RELATED TO THE BRAKES NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. I READ A LOT OF ISSUES REGARDING THIS SITUATION WITH 2004 IT LOOKS LIKE IT CONTINUED TO THE 2005 MODELS ALSO. HONDA NEED TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE OR THEY ARE GOING TO END WITH DEAD RIDERS ON THEIR HANDS IT THE DARN WHEEL LOCKS UP ON THEM WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY! *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10653653 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10134147 · 2005-08-25 (August 25, 2005)
BOUGHT MOTORCYCLE IN SEPT. 2004. THE IGNITION/STARTER FUSE HAS BLOWN DUE TO AN INTERMITTANT ELECTRICAL SHORT 5 TIMES. DEALER HAS TRIED TO LOCATE PROBLEM 3 TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS. AFTER SECOND TRY, THEY'RE SUGGESTION TO REMEDY IT WAS TO CARRY A LOT OF FUSES. BIKE JUST DIES WITHOUT WARNING. THIS IS A HAZARD TO ME, MY PASSENGER, AND VEHICLES AROUND ME.
Owner-reported narrative. 6,670 miles reported. Look up ODI 10134147 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10074712 · 2004-06-03 (June 3, 2004)
1. WAS NOT INFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP AT TIME OF PURCHASE, THAT THE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER IS INACCURATE BY APPROX. 10%. 2. CONSTANT TRAVEL (ESP HIGHWAYS) AT SPEEDS UNSAFE FOR FLOW OF TRAFFIC HAS RESULTED IN CAR AND TRUCK DRIVERS TO TAILGATE, GET UPSET AND CUT ME OFF (SHIFTING LANES BACK AND FORTH), AND FLASHING LIGHTS AT ME FROM BEHIND (VERY UPSETTING AT NIGHT). EVERYONE KNOW THERE ARE ADDED RISKS WHEN DRIVING A MOTORCYCLE AND THE DEFECTIVE SPEEDOMETER UNNECESSARILY ADDS TO THE POTENTIAL FOR INJURY. 3. I HAVE SPOKEN TO HONDA, BOTH DEALERSHIP…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10074712 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 0 |
| 2004 | 0 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 0 |
2003: 0; 2004: 0; 2005: 0; 2006: 0; 2007: 1; 2008: 1; 2009: 0