2015 Honda GL1800: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
8 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
14,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2015 model year. Data snapshot: . 7 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 8 complaints (37.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 3 | 37.5% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 25.0% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 12.5% |
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 | 3 |
| Service Brakes | 2 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 |
| Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar | 1 |
Steering: 3; Service Brakes: 2; Exterior Lighting: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 1; Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 1 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 |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2015: 1; 2016: 1; 2019: 4; 2024: 1; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10807963 · 2015-12-02 (December 2, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HONDA GL1800. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE REAR BRAKES OF THE VEHICLE SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V700000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE…
Owner-reported narrative. 99,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10807963 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10852084 · 2016-03-28 (March 28, 2016)
WHEN DECLARATION FROM 40MPH TO 30 MPH THE FRONT END (HANDLE BARS) WOBBLE BAD. THE BIKE ONLY HAS 2550 MILES ON IT.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10852084 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11231441 · 2019-07-12 (July 12, 2019)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HONDA GL1800 GOLDWING F6B MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE, THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED ALL THE WAY DOWN. THE CONTACT HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED EVER SINCE THE MOTORCYCLE WAS PURCHASED IN AUGUST OF 2018. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS DRIVEN TO WORLD OF POWERSPORTS (2700 W PIONEER PKWY, PEORIA, IL 61615) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE WAS REPAIRED PER AN UNKNOWN RECALL BY A DIFFERENT DEALER IN 2015. THE DEALER ST…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 11231441 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11232894 · 2019-07-17 (July 17, 2019)
THE FRONT FORKS, WHEEL, AND HANDLEBARS SHAKE BADLY AND CONSTANTLY WHILE TRAVELING BETWEEN 32 AND 42 MILES PER HOUR, ON ANY ROAD SURFACE. A QUICK LOOK ON THE INTERNET SHOWS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MOTORCYCLE. THE HONDA DEALER TOLD ME THAT THIS SHAKING WAS DUE TO "FLAT SPOTS" ON THE MAIN STEERING BEARING CAUSED BY ALLOWING THE MOTORCYCLE TO SIT FOR LONG PERIODS WITHOUT MOVING IT. I SCHEDULED REPLACEMENT OF THAT BEARING, AND AFTER LEAVING THE BIKE WITH THE DEALER, THE DEALER ADMITTED THAT THE BEARING DID NOT NEED REPLACING…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 11232894 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11255085 · 2019-09-12 (September 12, 2019)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HONDA GL1800 GOLDWING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRE GAUGE INDICATED THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS LOW. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HANDLE BAR SHIMMIED AND MOVED UNCONTROLLABLY WHILE MAKING TURNS AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT NO FAILURES WERE FOUND. THROUGH RESEARCH, THE CONTACT FOUND SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME DEFECT FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE DEAL…
Owner-reported narrative. 31,730 miles reported. Look up ODI 11255085 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11280624 · 2019-11-17 (November 17, 2019)
TO WHOM IT CONCERNS, I AM INQUIRING IF NHTSA HAS HAD ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT HONDA GL1800 MOTORCYCLES HAVING THE WOBBLE IN THEIR STEERING HANDLEBARS? I SEE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS OF THIS STEERING DEFECT ON THE INTERNET AND I HAD EXPERIENCED FIRST HAND WITH MY 2015 GL1800. I CONTACTED HONDA ABOUT THIS SERIOUS HANDLEBAR WOBBLE THAT IT WAS GETTING SO BAD BETWEEN 30-45MPH THAT IT WAS CAUSING TAKING CORNERS AT THESE SPEEDS THE ENTIRE MOTORCYCLE SHAKE TERRIBLY AND ALMOST OUT OF CONTROL. HONDA SAID THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM EVEN …
Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11280624 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11603180 · 2024-07-18 (July 18, 2024)
The contact owns a 2015 Honda GL1800 Motorcycle. The contact stated while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the contact depressed the hand brake lever on the handlebar and the rear brake foot pedal to slow for traffic. The contact stated that the rear wheel locked up and caused the motorcycle to stall. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, while using the front and rear brakes to stop the motorcycle, the rear wheel locked up. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dea…
Owner-reported narrative. 31,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11603180 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11658628 · 2025-05-03 (May 3, 2025)
The speedometer is faded and the lense is cloudy and the driver is unable to see the speed of the vehicle during the day at all.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11658628 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
15V700000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder
Reported: 2015-10-23 (October 23, 2015)
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2010 and 2012-2015 GL1800, 2001-2005 GL1800A and 2013-2015 GL1800B motorcycles. The rear brakes of the affected motorcycles may drag after the brakes are released.
Consequence: A rear brake that drags may increase the risk of a vehicle crash. Additionally, extended riding with the rear brake dragging could generate enough heat to result in a fire.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary brake master cylinder and the rear brake master cylinder, and flush the brake fluid, free of charge. The recall began on December 7, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-866-784-1870. Honda's number for this recall is JV6. Note: This recall supercedes recall 14V-472.
NHTSA campaign record ↗18V045000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module
Reported: 2018-01-09 (January 9, 2018)
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2010 and 2012-2016 Honda GL1800 Gold Wing motorcycles. These motorcycles have air bag inflators assembled as part of the air bag module that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to higher absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the rider resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Honda Motorcycle Customer Support at 1-866-784-1870. Honda's number for this recall is KJ1.
NHTSA campaign record ↗