SEVERE STEERING WOBBLE ON DECELERATION FROM ANY SPEED. GETS WORSE IF I TAKE HANDS OFF BARS, BAD ENOUGH TO CRASH. *TR
2006 honda VTX1300 steering problems
moderate 22 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700
Complaints
22
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$700
What owners are reporting 13 most recent
MY 2006 HONDA VTX 1300R DEVELOPED A STEERING WOBBLE WHEN DECELERATING BETWEEN THE SPEED OF 35 -55 MPH. I NOTICED THIS PROBLEM AT 4500 MILES. CURRENTLY THE BIKE HAS 7000 MILES AND THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORST, TO THE POINT I CONSIDER DANGEROUS. THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO TIGHTEN THE HEAD BEARINGS, BUT THE REPAIR DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE WEB, I FOUND THAT OTHER VTX …
THE FRONT END STARTS TO GET THE DEATH WOBBLE WHEN LET OFF THE GAS GOING AROUND 45 MPH. AND IT IS STARTING TO DO IT AT MORE SPEEDS NOW. BUT THAT IS WHEN IT IS THE WORST. CAN'T TAKE BOTH HANDS OF THE HANDLE BARS OR GRIP IT LIGHTLY OR ELSE IT WILL SHAKE TO MUCH AND CAUSE ME TO WRECK.
HANDLEBARS SHAKE BETWEEN 35-45 MPH NOW EVEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS, WOBBLE. GO INTO A TURN IT SEEMS TO DROP JUST A LITTLE ENOUGH TO SCARE THE S--- OUT OF YOU. I SEE YOU HAVE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM. CAN YOU LET ME KNOW YOUR FINDINGS, PLEASE. WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS I JUST ASSUMED YOU HAVE NOT HAD THE TIME TO INVESTIGATE. THIS IS TRULY A DANGEROUS PROBLEM. SOMEONE MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN HURT OR…
2006 HONDA VTX 1300 RETRO: THE FRONT END WOBBLES DURING DECELERATION FROM SPEEDS OF ABOUT 30 MPH. CHANGING THE FRONT TIRE TEMPORARILY REDUCES THE PROBLEM, BUT IT RECURS. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE I BOUGHT IT OFF THE SHOWROOM FLOOR IN OCTOBER 2007. *TR
FRONT END WOBBLE ON A NEW (3000 MILES) 2006 HONDA VTX 1300 MOTORCYCLE. *NM
EXTREME STEERING WOBBLE WITH LIGHT OR SINGLE HANDED GRIP HANDLE BARS. VERY SEVERE! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HONDA VTX 1300 MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING AND FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.
THE STEERING WILL SHAKE/VIBRATE AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 25-40MPH, SOMETIMES MORE VIOLENTLY THAN OTHERS. THE FRONT BEARING WAS INSPECTED AND APPEARED TO BE OK. THE FRONT TIRE WAS RECENTLY REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN 2007. *TR
STEERING WOBBLE ON THE 2006 HONDA VTX 1300R MOTORCYCLE. STEERING BEARINGS ARE INSUFFICIENT. HAD TO REPLACE WITH DIFFERENT BEARINGS TO RESOLVE THE STEERING SHAKE. *TR
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2006 honda VTX1300?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 22 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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