SUZUKI VL800 · model year

2008 SUZUKI VL800

3 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2008SUZUKIVL800 carries 3 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.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2008 VL800 is electrical system with 2 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline (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. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 2008 VL800. 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.

3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

3 filings

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

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE1

Recalls (1)

11V10800023/02/2011

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

SUZUKI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2010 MOTORCYCLES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 2007 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2009, EQUIPPED WITH REGULATOR/RECTIFIER ASSEMBLIES, SUZUKI PART NUMBERS 32800-41F11, 32800-15H10, 32800-05H11, 32800-41G10, 32800-15H00, 32800-18H00, 32800-05G10, 32800-10G10, 32800-05H

Recent Complaints

20160511ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI VL800TK8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE AS INDICATED IN A RECALL FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURES LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000. ..UPDATED 06/08/16 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE BATTERY WOULD DIE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM CONTINUED.

Mileage: 11,000

20110620FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI BOULEVARD M109R VL800 MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE FUEL TANK WAS LOW ON FUEL, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL SPORADICALLY. THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT EMPTY AND THE VEHICLE WOULD OFTEN FAIL TO RESTART UNLESS THE FUEL TANK WAS FULL TO CAPACITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

Mileage: 3,000

20110402ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

SUZUKI SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN (RECTIFIER ASSEMBLIES) I TOOK MY MOTORCYCLE IN TO THE DEALER FOR THIS SAFETY RECALL ASSUMING THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF IT QUICKLY. THE BIKE HAS NOW BEEN IN THEIR SHOP GOING ON THREE WEEKS WAITING FOR THE RECALL PART TO BE REPLACED. SUZUKI IS BEING VERY SLOW TO PROVIDE THEIR DEALERS WITH THIS PART. THEY(THE DEALER) HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THEY WILL GET THE PARTS. THIS IN TURN MEANS THAT I DO NOT HAVE USE OF MY BIKE. SUZUKI NEEDS TO MAKE THESE RECALL PARTS AVAILABLE TO THEIR DEALS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. *TR

Compare 2008SUZUKIVL800 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2008 SUZUKI VL800 have?
The 2008 SUZUKI VL800 has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2008 SUZUKI VL800?
Yes, the 2008 SUZUKI VL800 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 SUZUKI VL800?
The most-complained component for the 2008 SUZUKI VL800 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.
Is the 2008 SUZUKI VL800 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.