Total Complaints
13 filings
HONDA HONDA MOTORCYCLE · model year
13 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports 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). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 79 investigation files overlapping the 2002 HONDA MOTORCYCLE, and 9 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
Total Complaints
13 filings
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
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
MOTORCYCLE'S MODEL NUMBER XR650L FRAME DEVELOPED A CRACK. DEALER REPLACED THE FRAME. HOWEVER, REAR TIRES WOBBLED WHEN DRIVING. *AK
Mileage: 9,200
HAVE 2002 HONDA MOTORCYCLE ST1100, 10,000 MILES, RETAINING BOLT ON RIGHT FRONT CALIPER BROKE, ALMOST KILLED SELF. *AK
Mileage: 1,000
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
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
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
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
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
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
2002 HONDA MOTORCYCLE MODEL 919 SERIOUS EXHAUST GAS ISSUE. *LA
Mileage: 1
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
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
THE MOTORCYCLE OVERHEATED AT A SLOW SPEED AND AT A MODERATE TEMPERATURE. SCC *JB
Inadvertent Deployment of Air Bags
Inaccurate Rear Passenger Seat Belt Warning Status
Loss of Motive Power
Inadvertent Deployment of Side Air Bags
Loss of braking force
Data vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2002 HONDA HONDA MOTORCYCLE; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.