Total Complaints
5 filings
HONDA VTR1000F · model year
1998 HONDA VTR1000F
5 NHTSA complaints. 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 1998HONDAVTR1000F carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, 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 1998 VTR1000F is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 4 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (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 1998 VTR1000F, 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.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20060825ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE CAM CHAIN TENSIONER SKIPPED AT AROUND 35000 MILES ON MY 1998 HONDA SUPERHAWK. THERE IS MUCH DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC AT SUPERHAWKFORUM.COM. MY ENGINE WAS DESTROYED. *JB
Mileage: 35,000
20021210ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
SECOND FAILURE OF CAMCHAIN TENSIONER WITH ENGINE BREAKDOWN OCCURRED AT 25720 MILES. THIS WAS ALSO REPORTED TO HONDA WITH HONDA AGAIN DENYING THAT A CAMCHAIN PROBLEM EXISTS. DT
20021105ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THIS CAM CHAIN TENSIONER PROBLEM IS POPULAR AMONG VTR1000F OWNERS, PARTICULARLY 1999 MODELS AND EARLIER. FAILURE OF THE TENSIONER COULD CAUSE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF ENGINE AT SPEED, CAUSING LOCKUP OF REAR WHEEL AND PROBABLE ACCIDENT WITH INJURY. DT
20021105ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THIS PROBLEM IS FAIRLY COMMON WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. THE CHAIN DRIVING THE CAMS GOES LAX AND THE ENGINE DIES. SOMETIMES THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING AND POSES A DANGER TO THE OPERATOR. I WAS FORTUNATE IN THAT MINE FAILED WHILE THE ENGINE WAS WARMING UP.
20020717ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
Compare 1998HONDAVTR1000F to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 9 Open
DP26005Defect PetitionOpen
Inadvertent Deployment of Air Bags
PE25017Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Inaccurate Rear Passenger Seat Belt Warning Status
PE25016Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Loss of Motive Power
PE25018Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Inadvertent Deployment of Side Air Bags
PE25015Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of braking force
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 HONDA VTR1000F have?▼
The 1998 HONDA VTR1000F has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 HONDA VTR1000F?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 HONDA VTR1000F is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Is the 1998 HONDA VTR1000F 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 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 1998 HONDA VTR1000F; 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.