Total Complaints
4 filings
HONDA VT1100 · model year
1998 HONDA VT1100
4 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998HONDAVT1100 carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, 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 1998 VT1100 is vehicle speed control with 1 filings, followed by power train:clutch assembly:pedal/hand lever(motorcycle) (1) and power train:manual transmission (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 1998 VT1100, 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.
4
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE) | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20021009ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THIS IS A PROBLEM WHICH APPEARS TO AFFECT ALL SINGLE PIN CRANK ENGINES PRODUCED BY HONDA BETWEEN 1990 AND 2001. WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THE GUIDE PIN PLUG ROTATES AND LOOSENS CAUSING AN OIL LEAK AND SUBSEQUENT SHIFTER RATTLE. THE OIL LEAK IS A POTENTIAL HAZARD SINCE THE LEAK ONLY OCCURS WHILE THE MOTORCYCLE IS MOVING AND THE OIL BLOWS BACKWARDS TO THE REAR TIRE. UNKNOWINGLY, A RIDER COULD END UP IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF THIS IS NOT FIXED DUE TO THE OIL CAUSING THE TIRE TO NOT ADHERE TO THE ROAD, NOT TO MENTION THE POTENTIAL FOR ENGINE FAILURE SHOULD THE LEAK DRAIN THE CRANKCASE. HONDA KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM, AS IT WAS WRITTEN UP IN THE SEPTEMBER 1999 ISSUE OF THEIR PUBLICATION CALLED THE "WRENCH". THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A RECALL ISSUED TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM DESPITE THE NUMEROUS MOTORCYCLES NOW ON THE ROAD WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE SHIFTER RATTLE ALTHOUGH BOTHERSOME IS NOT CATASTROPHIC.
19990325POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
MOTORCYCLE JUMPS OUT OF LOW GEAR, CAUSING THE MOTORCYCLE TO GO INTO NEUTRAL.*AK
19981216CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
MOTORCYCLE STOPPED AT STOP SIGN, WAITING AND IT TOOK OFF, MOTORCYCLE GAS ENGAGED, EMERGENCY BUTTON PUSHED AND MOTORCYCLE WOULDN'T SHUT OFF. DRIVER LOST CONTROL. CLUTCH AND THROTTLE APPEARED DEFECTIVE, DRIVER SUFFERED INJURIES; BROKEN BACK/PELVIC BONE/TAIL BONE, AND FIVE RIBS. MOTORCYCLE NOT TOTALLED. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, DRIVER UNABLE TO CONTACT. PROVIDER FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
19981216CrashPOWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
MOTORCYCLE STOPPED AT STOP SIGN, WAITING AND IT TOOK OFF, MOTORCYCLE GAS ENGAGED, EMERGENCY BUTTON PUSHED AND MOTORCYCLE WOULDN'T SHUT OFF. DRIVER LOST CONTROL. CLUTCH AND THROTTLE APPEARED DEFECTIVE, DRIVER SUFFERED INJURIES; BROKEN BACK/PELVIC BONE/TAIL BONE, AND FIVE RIBS. MOTORCYCLE NOT TOTALLED. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, DRIVER UNABLE TO CONTACT. PROVIDER FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Compare 1998HONDAVT1100 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 9 Open
PE25017Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Inaccurate Rear Passenger Seat Belt Warning Status
PE25016Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Loss of Motive Power
PE25018Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Inadvertent Deployment of Side Air Bags
PE25008Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Engine failure
EA25004Engineering AnalysisOpen
No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 HONDA VT1100 have?▼
The 1998 HONDA VT1100 has 4 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 HONDA VT1100?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 HONDA VT1100 is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE) and POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION.
Is the 1998 HONDA VT1100 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.