2004 HONDA GL1800 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA GL1800 MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE EXHIBITED FRACTURES ALONG THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE LOWER FRAME, LOCATED AT THE PASSENGER SIDE FOOT REST. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE INSPECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

I HAVE A 2004 HONDA GOLDWING WITH A CALIFORNIA SIDE CAR KIT. I PURCHASED IT FROM THE SECOND OWNER ABOUT 1.5 YRS AGO. ABOUT A YEAR AGO I WAS RIDING A BACK ROAD WHEN THE STARTER ENGAGED. I HADN'T TOUCHED THE START SWITCH? I TRIED THE KILL SWITCH BOTH POSITIONS AS THIS MODEL HAS AN UP AND DOWN FEATURE. I THEN TURNED THE IGNITION OFF, NO AVAIL. FINALLY IT STOPPED ON IT'S OWN. AFTER RETURNING HOME IT WOULD NOT RESTART, I DID A CHECK AND FOUND THE START RELAY WAS FRIED. A FEW WEEKS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN SAME SYMPTOMS AND RESPONSE TO WHAT SHOULD HAVE SHUT A BIKE DOWN SAME RESULTS. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER IN LAKE CITY, FL. AFTER TRYING TO SELL ME A NEW BIKE PIECE BY PIECE I PAID MY $1K AND LEFT WITH A NEW STARTER AND NEW STARTER RELAY. A COUPLE WEEKS LATER WHEN IT HAPPENED I HAD SEVERAL STARTER RELAYS ONBOARD AND SURE ENOUGH REPLACE THE START RELAY IT STARTED I MADE IT HOME. THIS WEEK WHILE WASHING IT I TURNED THE KEY ON AND BEFORE I COULD MOUNT IT IT STARTED CHUGGING BY THE STARTER THROUGH MY YARD. CHOICE LEAVE IT AND ALLOW IT TO STOP BY RUNNNING IN THE HOUSE OR A CAR TO GET A WRENCH TO TAKE THE NEGATIVE OFF THE BATTERY OR STAY WITH IT AN CHOKE IT DOWN USING THE BRAKES. AGAIN START RELAY AND STARTER. I REALIZE YOU DON'T DEAL WITH WARRANTY ISSUES BUT IMAGINE NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP A MOTORCYCLE WITH THE KEY, THE KILL SWITCH OR BEING ABLE TO CONTROL IT WITH THE CLUTCH SINCE THE STARTER HAS NO CONNECTION. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND DISCUSSED ON GOLDWING FORUMS. I CAN'T FIND ANYONE AT HONDA TO HELP...CAN YOU BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT?

TRANSMISSION "LOCKED UP" AND THE VEHICLE WILL NO LONGER MOVE. FORWARD OR REVERSE, NOTHING. THE REAR WHEEL WILL NOT TURN AT ALL. HAD JUST COME OUT OF DRIVEWAY WHEN IT STARTED MAKING A CHATTERING NOISE, THEN WHEN I GOT ON ROAD THE NOISE GOT LOUDER AND ABOUT THE TIME I SHIFTED TO SECOND GEAR THE REAR WHEEL LOCKED UP COMPLETELY AND SKIDDED TO A STOP. AFTER NUMEROUS TRIES THE MOTOR WOULD RUN AND CLUTCH WOULD WORK BUT IT WOULD NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR..I HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK TO BRING IT BACK TO MY HOUSE. I CANNOT SEE ANY EVIDENCE OF WHY THE TRANS/DRIVELINE IS LOCKED AND WHY THE VEH. WILL NO LONGER MOVE. FORTUNATELY I WAS GOING VERY SLOW ON A NEIGHBORHOOD STREET. DISENGAGING THE CLUTCH WILL NOT ALLOW IT TO MOVE. IT IS JUST TOTALLY LOCKED UP. THIS IS A 2004 VEH. I PURCHASED NEW AND IT ONLY HAS 7K MILES ON IT. ALL MAINT. HAS BEEN PERFORMED AS SPECIFIED BY FACTORY. SEARCHING THE INTERNET SHOWED A FEW OTHER CASES OF THIS HAPPENING TO ALL YEARS FROM 2002-2011 BUT HONDA APPARENTLY DOES NOT WANT TO MAKE THIS PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. IT ONLY HAPPENS TO A SELECT FEW AND I BELIEVE MINE HAS THE LOWEST MILES ON IT OF ALL OF THEM. I HAVE NOT YET CONTACTED HONDA MOTOR CO. BUT WILL AS SOON AS I GET A CHANCE. I AM 73 YRS. OLD AND THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE THE LAST MOTORCYCLE I WOULD PURCHASE AS I INTEND TO STILL RIDE FOR ANOTHER 10-15 YRS. AT LEAST AND THEY USUALLY LAST WELL OVER 100,000 MI.

AS YOU ARE DRIVING WHEN ENGINE GETS WARM KILLS ON YOU .FOUND OUT ITS THE COMPUTER HONDA IS HAVING ISSUES WITH THEM AND KNOW THEY ARE TRYING TO UPDATE HAS NOT MADE RECALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA GOLDWING MOTORCYCLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP, THE VEHICLE HESITATED BEFORE FINALLY COMING TO A STOP. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BRAKES AND BRAKE PADS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNAVAILABLE.

HJC SYMAX II MODULAR HELMET COMPLAINT BOTH MY FRIEND AND I, [XXX] (WITNESS), BOTH RIDING 30 YEARS, WERE TRAVELING.ON THE BLUE RIDGE PKWY ENTERING THE PARKWAY AT WAYNESBORO, VA TO AVOID THE SKYLINE DRIVE. AROUND 7:15 WE DECIDED TO HEAD TO ROANOKE WHERE WE WOULD HAVE CELL AND INTERNET. HEADED SOUTH ON BRP. I HAS EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT DEER. APPROX 5 MINUTES LATER, DEER RAN ACROSS THE ROAD FORCING BOTH OF US TO BRAKE HEAVILY. APPROX 5 MINUTES LATER, SEVERAL MORE DEER RAN ACROSS THE ROAD IN FRONT OF ME. 2 COMPLETED THE CROSSING A 3RD REVERSED DIRECTION. 5 MINUTES LATER AS WE APPROACHED (SOUTHBOUND) AN OVERLOOK, 3 MORE DEER DASHED ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE LEFT. AS BEST I CAN REMEMBER THEY WERE ADOLESCENCE. ONE PASSED IN FRONT OF MY GOLDWING, POSSIBLY CLIPPING HIS FRONT WHEEL AND DESTABILIZING HIM. A SECOND PASSED BEHIND, AND THE THIRD SLAMMED INTO THE SIDE OF THE BIKE. I WAS EJECTED FROM THE BIKE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. I BARREL-ROLLED TO THE RIGHT ONTO THE GRASS SHOULDER. THE JAW PROTECTOR FROM HIS CONVERTIBLE FULL FACE HELMET HAD BROKEN OFF HIS HELMET (HJC SYMAX II (AN APPARENT HELMET FAILURE). THOUGH THE BRACKET WAS STILL FULLY INTACT, THE RIGHT SIDE PLASTIC ATTACHMENT POINT TO THE 3/4 FACE HELMET BROKE OFF LEAVING ME WITH JUST A 3/4 FACE HELMET FOR 9 OF 10 ROLLS ON THE PAVEMENT. IF IS CLEAR THAT THE SYMAX II FAILURE RESULTED IN ME ROLLING FROM THE 2ND TO THE 10TH ROLL AS IF I WAS WEARING A 3/4 FACE HELMET. I WAS TOTALLY UNPROTECTED EXCEPT FOR A HOOD. THIS HELMET IS UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE VOLUNTARILY RECALLED BY HJC AND REPLACED WITH AT LEAST A SYMAX III, AT A MINIMUM, WHICH HAS A BOLT ATTACHING THE PLASTIC MALFUNCTIONED PIECE GOING THROUGH IT TO ENSURE THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN. WEARING THE RIGHT GEAR, ALL THE TIME IS ESSENTIAL AND THE HJC SYMAX II IS NOT SAFE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE GL1800 MOTORCYCLE HAS A REVERSE ON IT. THIS SHOULD ONLY BE ALLOWED TO ENGAGE, WHEN IN NEUTRAL & NEVER WHILE RUNNING. I FOUND A CIRCUMSTANCE THAT ALLOWED IT TO START ENGAGING, AND POSSIBLY COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS HAD I NOT ACTED QUICKLY. THE STEPS FOR THIS ARE: -BIKE IS IN 1ST GEAR -BIKE IS STARTED -THE REVERSE SWITCH IS ACCIDENTALLY HIT WHILE PRESSING THE START BUTTON (RIDING GLOVES MAKE THIS SOMEWHAT SIMPLE IN THE DARK - IT IS LOCATED RIGHT BY YOUR STARTER AND YOUR CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS) -YOU TAKE OFF IN 1ST GEAR (IN MY SCENARIO I WAS STRAIGHT, THEN WAS TAKING OFF AND MAKING A SOMEWHAT RIGHT SHARP TURN) -BEFORE THE BIKE IS STRAIGHTENED COMPLETELY (BUT MOSTLY), YOU TRY TO SHIFT TO 2ND GEAR -NEUTRAL WHICH IS RIGHT IN BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND SEEMED TO GRAB HOLD AND NOT LET ME GO INTO 2ND -REVERSE ENGAGED WHILE AT SPEEDS OF 10-20 MPH -REVERSE STARTED WHINING/ENGAGING, LUCKILY I GOT IT OFF QUICKLY (~1 SEC) WHEN REALIZING I WAS NOW IN NEUTRAL AS IT DIDN'T SEEM TO LET ME GET TO 2ND, AND SEE THE 'R' LIGHT ILLUMINATED -YOU COULD SMELL THE MATERIAL WHERE IT HAD "GROUND" I TRIED REPORTING THIS TODAY TO HONDA, AND THEY SEEMED TO BLOW IT OFF. I SPECIFCALLY ASKED IF IT WAS JUST A FLYWHEEL TYPE ITEM OR IF IT WAS TRUE GEARS THAT WOULD ENGAGE. THEY NOTED IT WAS GEARS. THIS CONCERNS ME EVEN MORE AS THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS BIKE ACCIDENT (LUCKILY IN MY CASE IT DIDN'T GET THAT FAR AND NOBODY WAS BEHIND ME). *TT

2004 GOLDWING OCTOBER 2003 BUILD DATE. AT ROUGHLY 12,000 MILES SPRING 2005, THIRD GEAR ENGAGEMENT, UP OR DOWN, WOULD OCCASIONALLY RESULT IN A SINGLE LOUD CLUNK AS THROTTLE POWER WAS APPLIED. BY THE TIME THE BIKE WAS AT 55,000 MILES SUMMER 2009, THIS CONDITION OF CLUNKING (SKIPPING A GEAR DOG) WAS 100% LIKELY. I HAVE IN THAT TIME BEEN MINDFUL OF THIRD GEAR AND GENERALLY SKIP IT OR ONLY APPLY MODERATE THROTTLE WHEN I KNOW I AM IN THIRD GEAR; BUT BY 55,000 MILES EVEN SLIGHT ACCELERATION FORCE WOULD RESULT IN THE TRANSMISSION SKIPPING A DOG AND CLUNKING. IN THAT INTERVENING TIME, I RECALL THREE INCIDENTS WHERE I THOUGHT I WAS IN SECOND OR FOURTH, APPLYING POWER THROUGH A TURN AND THE CLUNK WOULD RESULT IN A SHORT SKID OR THE LOSS OF TEMPORARY POWER AND WOULD REQUIRE ME TO QUICKLY FIND A NEW TURN TILT EQUILIBRIUM. I DID NOT LOOSE CONTROL, BUT I DID HAVE TO TAKE EMERGENCY CORRECTIVE ACTION. IN FALL 2009 HONDA AGREED TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION UNDER FACTORY EXTENDED WARRANTY, STILL AT THE REPAIR FACILITY. HONDA'S WARRANTY POLICY IS TO KEEP ALL REPLACED PARTS. *TR

ON 2004 HONDA GL1800A MOTORCYCLE TRANSMISSION WOULD JUMP BACK INTO 4TH GEAR FROM OD GEAR. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD ALSO DISENGAGE WHILE IN OD GEAR. *TR

REAR BRAKES INEFFECTIVE ON ALL MODELS OF HONDA GOLDWING 1800 MOTORCYCLES. MANY, MANY WING OWNERS COMPLAIN OF HAVING TO PUMP THE REAR BRAKES TO GET THEM TO WORK. IF YOU'RE IN A PANIC SITUATION, YOU DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT. I'VE HAD MINE TO THE DEALER TWICE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH NO RESOLUTION. THEY CONTACTED HONDA OF AMERICA AND WERE GIVEN NO HELP. MINE HAS BEEN THIS WAY SINCE NEW AND IT IS NOW 2 YEARS OLD. MANY WING OWNERS STATE THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS, BOTH IN PERSON AND VIA THE INTERNET. THE "INCIDENT DATE" IS INVALID BUT YOUR WEB PAGE WON'T ALLOW CONTINUATION WITHOUT IT. *NM