HONDA HONDA MOTORCYCLE · model year

2002 HONDA HONDA MOTORCYCLE

13 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2002HONDAHONDA MOTORCYCLE carries 13 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 4 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2002 HONDA MOTORCYCLE is engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe with 2 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:exhaust system (2) and engine and engine cooling:cooling system (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 77 investigation files overlapping the 2002 HONDA MOTORCYCLE, and 9 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

13
Complaints
1
Crashes
4
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

13 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM1
TIRES1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE1
STRUCTURE:BODY1
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS1
STRUCTURE1

Recent Complaints

20070614STRUCTURE

MOTORCYCLE HONDA RC51 2002 MOTORCYCLE BATTERY LEAKS CORROSIVE FLUID WHICH IS CHANNELED ONTO THE SWINGARM OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE SWINGARM WHICH IS A VITAL STRUCTURAL ELEMENT OF THE BIKE. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER FOR RESOLUTION OF THE MATTER, HOWEVER, HONDA FELT THAT THIS WAS ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE AND REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 35

20040709STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

MOTORCYCLE'S MODEL NUMBER XR650L FRAME DEVELOPED A CRACK. DEALER REPLACED THE FRAME. HOWEVER, REAR TIRES WOBBLED WHEN DRIVING. *AK

Mileage: 9,200

20040605CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

HAVE 2002 HONDA MOTORCYCLE ST1100, 10,000 MILES, RETAINING BOLT ON RIGHT FRONT CALIPER BROKE, ALMOST KILLED SELF. *AK

Mileage: 1,000

20040401FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING

I HAVE A 2002 HONDA SHADOW VLX MOTORCYCLE. I STARTED IT, WAS SITTING ON IT, IT HAD BEEN RUNNING FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND MOTOR WAS HOT AND PIPES WERE HOT -- GASOLINE STARTING GUSHING DOWN INTO THE V-ENGINE BELOW THE SEAT. UNDER RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES COULD HAVE IGNITED/BLOWN. THE GAS ON/OFF SWITCH BOLT HAD COME LOOSE (WHICH IS ON A ROD THAT GOES UNDER THE SEAT) ALLOWING GAS TO FLOW ONTO THE MOTOR. WAS QUITE SCARY. WANTED IT TO BE DOCUMENTED IN CASE THERE WAS AN EXPLOSITION UNDER THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES -- SOMEWHAT OF A DESIGN DEFECT IF A BOLT BECOMES LOOSE ALLOWING GAS TO FLOW. I'M GLAD I WASN'T DOING 60 MILES AN HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY OR IN AN ENCLOSED AREA, ETC. *AK

20031030FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

2003 HONDA VFR INTERCEPTOR (MOTORCYCLE) CAUGHT ON FIRE APPROXIMATELY 4-5 MILES INTO RIDE. THE FIRE WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE ONLY, AT THE MUFFLER AND REAR PLASTIC COWLING. APPROXIMATELY 1-1.5 MILES PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING "ROUGH" OR "BOGGED DOWN" WITH REDUCED POWER.*AK

Mileage: 10,700

20031030FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

2003 HONDA VFR INTERCEPTOR (MOTORCYCLE) CAUGHT ON FIRE APPROXIMATELY 4-5 MILES INTO RIDE. THE FIRE WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE ONLY, AT THE MUFFLER AND REAR PLASTIC COWLING. APPROXIMATELY 1-1.5 MILES PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING "ROUGH" OR "BOGGED DOWN" WITH REDUCED POWER.*AK

Mileage: 10,700

20031030FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

2003 HONDA VFR INTERCEPTOR (MOTORCYCLE) CAUGHT ON FIRE APPROXIMATELY 4-5 MILES INTO RIDE. THE FIRE WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE ONLY, AT THE MUFFLER AND REAR PLASTIC COWLING. APPROXIMATELY 1-1.5 MILES PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING "ROUGH" OR "BOGGED DOWN" WITH REDUCED POWER.*AK

Mileage: 10,700

20031030FireSTRUCTURE:BODY

2003 HONDA VFR INTERCEPTOR (MOTORCYCLE) CAUGHT ON FIRE APPROXIMATELY 4-5 MILES INTO RIDE. THE FIRE WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE ONLY, AT THE MUFFLER AND REAR PLASTIC COWLING. APPROXIMATELY 1-1.5 MILES PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING "ROUGH" OR "BOGGED DOWN" WITH REDUCED POWER.*AK

Mileage: 10,700

20031024ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

HONDA CB900F (919) MOTORCYCLE. UNUSUAL EXHAUST SMELL (SMELLS OVERLY RICH) AT IDLE AND WHILE MOVING. THE TURBULENCE CAUSED BY THE MOVING RIDER CAUSES THE EXHAUST TO SURROUND THE RIDER AND PASSENGER. ON 9/14/03 (AND OTHER TIMES), I HAVE GONE ON RIDES AND HAVE COME HOME FEELING ILL, SIMILAR TO CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. MY WIFE HAS THE SAME SYMPTOMS EVERY TIME SHE RIDES WITH ME. THROUGH AN INTERNET BULLETIN BOARD I AM AWARE OF A CHANGE MADE BY HONDA TO A WOMAN'S MOTORCYCLE IN THE UK. THIS CHANGE FIXED HER COMPLAINTS OF SEVERE EXHAUST SMELL. THE CHANGE WAS TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND ECM. *LA

20031013ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

2002 HONDA MOTORCYCLE MODEL 919 SERIOUS EXHAUST GAS ISSUE. *LA

Mileage: 1

20030909ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

I BOUGHT A HONDA 2002 919 (CB900F) A FEW MONTHS AGO AND HAVE HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE WITH EXHAUST FUMES. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU ARE SITTING STILL OR RIDING SLOW,FAST, OR STOP AND GO. MY CLOTHS AND BODY SMELLS LIKE EXHAUST AFTER EVERY RIDE AND WHEN STOPPED IN OR OUT OFF TRAFFIC I CAN SMELL THE FUMES IN MY HELMET. WHEN MY WIFE RIDES WITH ME SHE GETS A REALLY BAD HEADACHE AND FEELS SICK AND SLEEPY AFTER THE RIDE. TO ME THAT IS A SIGN OF CARBON MONOXCIDE POISONING. IT SEEMS LIKE OTHER RIDDERS HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM WITH AFTER MARKET EXHAUSTS, BUT WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT THE MANUFACTURER COULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR. MY EXHAUST IS STILL STOCK BUT AM CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR OTHER EXHAUST. PLEASE HELP!!!!*AK

Mileage: 2,500

20030813TIRES

PURCHASED SET OF DEFECT METZELER/PIRELLI MOTORCYCLE TIRES FOR HONDA GL1800 GOLD WING MOTORCYCLE. TIRES HAVE A LOW SPEED WOBBLE AND PRODUCE VIBRATION. TIRES COULD LEAD TO MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT WHILE CORNERING/LEANING. TALKED TO JEFF SELBERT CUSTOMER SERVICE REP FOR PIRELLI. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THEY HAVE LOGGED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER RIDERS WHO HAVE PUCHASED THESE TIRES. EACH TIME I CALL, I RECEIVE A RUN-A-ROUND. PIRELLI REFUSES TO PROVIDE NEW TIRES OR A REFUND. TIRES HAVE LESS THAT 200 MILES ON THEM. PIRELLI CUSTOMER SERVICE CAN BE CONTACTED AT 706-368-5826. *AK

Mileage: 13,300

20030226ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

THE MOTORCYCLE OVERHEATED AT A SLOW SPEED AND AT A MODERATE TEMPERATURE. SCC *JB

Compare 2002HONDAHONDA MOTORCYCLE to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 9 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2002 HONDA HONDA MOTORCYCLE have?
The 2002 HONDA HONDA MOTORCYCLE has 13 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 4 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 HONDA HONDA MOTORCYCLE?
The most-complained component for the 2002 HONDA HONDA MOTORCYCLE is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM.
Is the 2002 HONDA HONDA MOTORCYCLE safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.