2003 HONDA GL1800 Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED SINCE PURCHASE, THERE WAS A SHIMMY IN THE HANDLE BARS AND PREMATURE WEAR ON THE FRONT TIRE. THE DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED THE CONTACT CHECK THE TIRE PRESSURE CONSTANTLY. *AK UPDATED 10/25/2006 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT TIRE HAD EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE FORK WAS UNEVEN. THE FORK AND WHEEL BUSHINGS WERE REPLACED.

ENGINE APPEARS TO BE OVERHEATING DURING SLOW SPEED OPERATION. TEMPERATURE GAUGE ENTERS THE RED DANGER ZONE DURING "PARADE MODE RIDING" (HEAVY TRAFFIC). COOLING FAN OPERATION AND BRAKE (LIGHT) OPERATION HAVE DRAMATIC IMPACT ON GAUGE INDICATION WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM. ACCORDING TO HONDA'S RECORDS THE HEATING SYSTEM RECALL HAS BEEN PERFORMED ON THIS MOTORCYCLE. LOCAL DEALER IS NOT AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM OR ITS SOLUTION. *JB

I OWN A HONDA MOTORCYCLE, GOLDWING 1800, WITH 8,153 MILES ON IT. PRIOR TO TODAY'S DATE 1 FEB 06, I NOTICED THAT THE INSIDE OF THE TRUNK LID WAS BEING WORN AWAY, THE INSIDE OF THE TRUNK LID IS SUSTAINING NOTICEABLE INDENTATIONS WHERE THIS WEARING AWAY IS OCCURRING, BY PLASTIC TIPS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TRUNK EDGE, WHICH WERE ALSO BEING WORN AWAY. IF THIS CONTINUES THERE WILL BE A HOLE IN THE TRUNK LID WHERE THIS WEARING IS OCCURRING. THE HONDA DEALERSHIP INSISTS THAT THIS IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW A FACTORY PART THAT IS DESTROYING ANOTHER FACTORY PART, BODY PANELS, CAN BE CONSIDERED WEAR AND TEAR. *NM

2003 GL 1800A EXCESSIVE FRONT END WOBBLE BEGINNING SHORTLY AFTER THE PURCHASE OF THE MOTORCYCLE OF WHICH HONDA HAS MADE CLEAR IS "NORMAL" WHEN IN REALITY IT'S HIGHLY DANGEROUS. *JB

AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 30 AND 35 MPH AND WITH HANDS OFF OR LOOSELY GRIPPING THE HANDLEBAR, THE FRONT WHEEL OF MY HONDA GL 1800 GOLDWING DEVELOPS A SEVERE WOBBLE. I HAVE ADDED A SUPERBRACE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE, BUT THIS DID NOT ELIMINATE OR REDUCE THE WOBBLE. *NM

I OWN A 2003 HONDA GOLDWING MOTORCYCLE WHICH I PURCHASED NEW LATE IN MAY OF 2003, VIN#[XXX]. IT IS STILL, AT THIS TIME, WITHIN THE FACTORY WARRANTY PERIOD. SINCE IT WAS NEW, THE FRONT FORK AND HANDLEBARS HAVE HAD A STRONG WOBBLE AT SPEEDS OF 35 MPH-45 MPH. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL HONDA MOTORCYCLE DEALERS AND AM TOLD THAT MANY GOLDWINGS DO THIS AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. AT MY OWN EXPENSE, I HAVE HAD THE FRONT TIRES RE-BALANCED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, REPLACED THE FRONT TIRE AND REAR TIRE. HAD THE STEERING HEAD BEARINGS READJUSTED TO FACTORY SPECS, AND HAVE ADDED A FORK BRACE, ALL TO NO EFFECT. I HAVE CALLED HONDA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT IN CALIFORNIA THREE TIMES ABOUT THIS SITUATION, AND EACH TIME I AM TOLD "IT IS A TRAIT OF THE MOTORCYCLE, HONDA WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT, AND THAT I SHOULD KEEP BOTH HANDS FIRMLY ON THE GRIPS AT ALL TIMES TO MINIMIZE THE EFFECT". THIS IS NOT A SOLUTION AT ALL, SINCE EVEN WITH BOTH HANDS FIRMLY ON THE GRIPS, THE FORK STILL WOBBLES STRONG ENOUGH TO NUMB MY WRISTS. AS AN AUTOMOTIVE PROFESSIONAL, I KNOW THAT THIS WOBBLE CAN NOT GO ON AND NOT EFFECT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE RELATED PARTS SUCH AS THE FORK TUBES, FRONT AXLE BEARINGS, STEERING HEAD BEARINGS, FRONT TIRE AND THE REST OF THE MOTORCYCLE FOR THAT MATTER. BY RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ONLINE AT GL1800RIDERS.COM, I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY OWNERS HAVE HAD GREAT RESULTS WITH REPLACING THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT STEERING HEAD BALL TYPE BEARINGS WITH AFTERMARKET PRODUCED TAPERED ROLLER TYPE BEARINGS. I, MYSELF, AM HAVING THIS CHANGE MADE AT MY LOCAL DEALER, AGAIN, AT MY OWN EXPENSE, AS I TYPE THIS REPORT. GIVEN THE NUMBER OF OWNERS WHO HAVE THIS PROBLEM, AND THE FACT THAT HONDA WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT LOOK INTO THE SITUATION TO SEE IF ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN BY HONDA. I WOULD HATE TO SEE SOMEONE HURT OR KILLED BECAUSE THIS WENT UNRESOLVED. *JB UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA GOLDWING. WHEN APPLYING THE BACK BRAKE THERE WAS BAD VIBRATION WHICH RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES. THE CONTACT STATED IF THE BRAKE WERE PRESSED HARDER, AT THAT POINT, THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD COME TO A STOP. THE DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDED TO BLEED THE BRAKES, AND THIS SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP BLED THE BRAKES, BUT THIS DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND SUGGESTED THEY COULD CHANGE THE BRAKE FLUID, BUT THAT WAS ABOUT ALL THAT COULD BE DONE ABOUT THIS. THE CONTACT HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES FOR APPROXIMATELY A YEAR, AND THE DEALERSHIP KEPT TELLING HIM THAT HE WAS OVERHEATING THE BRAKE FLUID. THEY DID SUGGEST READING THE OWNER'S MANUAL WHICH RECOMMENDED THE USE OF BOTH FRONT AND BACK BRAKES AT THE SAME TIME. THE CONTACT'S CONCERN WAS THAT IF THE MOTORCYCLE HAD A LINKED BRAKING SYSTEM WHICH ACTUATED THE BACK AND FRONT BRAKES THEN WHY WOULD ONE NEED TO USE BOTH BRAKES AT ONCE. THE DEALERSHIP STATED AFTER REPLACING THE FLUID, IF THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED, THE CONTACT WILL HAVE TO COVER THE COST, BUT IF IT DIDN'T REMEDY THE PROBLEM, HE WOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT.*AK

NOTICE OF GL1800/A GOLD WING FRAME WELD RECALL WAS RECEIVED FROM NHTSA ABOUT MARCH OF 2005. TOOK NOTICE AND BIKE TO DEALER: BEND RECREATION, OF BEND OREGON. APPOINTMENT WAS MADE TO REPAIR WELDS. APPOINTMENT WAS CANCELLED BY BEND RECREATION BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE A "HONDA CERTIFIED WELDER". WHEN CHALLENGED ON THIS MATTER AFTER HONDA SENT OUT ANOTHER NOTICE OF RECALL, BEND RECREATION SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THEY WOULD GET TO ME AS SOON AS THEY HAD THE TIME. THAT WAS THREE MONTHS AGO, AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THEY HAVE ANY INTEREST IN DOING THE RECALL ORDERED WORK. THEY REFUSED COMPLETELY UNTIL I TOLD THEM I BOUGHT THE 2003 WING IN THEIR DEALERSHIP. AND HAVE SUGGESTED I TAKE IT TO PORTLAND, OREGON FOR THE REQUIRED WORK.

DT: THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN EARLY MARCH FOR HIS 2003 HONDA GOLDWING. AFTER CONTACTING THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER THE REPAIR WORK WAS NOT DONE. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE INSPECTED BEFORE IT COULD BE FIXED, THAT TOOK THREE WEEKS. THEN THEY HAD TO WAIT FOR THE PARTS, AND WERE CURRENTLY WAITING ON HONDA TO ACCEPT THE NEW WELDS. HONDA HAS TO ACCEPT THE NEW WELDS BEFORE THE MOTORCYCLE CAN BE REASSEMBLED. *AK RECALL CAMPAIGN# 05V027000. *SC *JB