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Honda GL1800Model year report

2008 Honda GL1800 Problems

Compared with other Honda GL1800 years

Typical for this model

51/100 1.0× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
47filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
8,000miles, 36 complaints with mileage
Recalls
4campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2008 Honda GL1800 (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 47 consumer complaints for the 2008 Honda GL1800. The part named most often is brakes, with 11 complaints (23% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain (9) and steering (8). 36 of the complaints include a mileage, and 92% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 8,000 miles. Of all complaints, 4 involved a crash, 4 an injury, 2 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 17 technical service bulletins for this model year. Brakes complaints overlap with 2 recall campaigns covering the master cylinder and 9 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Compared with the other 2 Honda GL1800 model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 51 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Engine cooling (1), Fuel system (1), Seats (1), Body and structure (1), Vehicle speed control (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Brakes: “The contact owns a 2008 Honda goldwing. While attempting to stop the vehicle in traffic, the front and rear brakes did not work. The contact downshifted to a stop. The motorcycle was driven home. The following day, the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the master cylinder failed. The contact also stated that the motorcycle was repaired two years ago due to the same failure. This was the third time the master cylinder was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The motorcycle was repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 37,065.”

NHTSA complaint #10980209, filed 2017-04, 37,065 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “Drops in/out of 5th gear every 1-3 minutes. Gears 1-3 occasionally drop in/out and consistently make a light grinding sound, including neutral. This vehicle is out of warranty but I think Honda should be responsible for fixing it because I consider it a safety issue. If a rider should suddenly lose power on a busy interstate, there is a significant risk of a rear-end collision due to rapid and unexpected engine deceleration.”

NHTSA complaint #10838093, filed 2016-02, 51,000 miles

Steering: “I have a 2008 Honda goldwing GL1800 and developed a real bad frontend woble at 6000 miles between the speeds of 30-45 MPH. I have contacted the dealer and they told me not to even bring it back to them because there is nothing they can do for me. I have contacted Honda about this problem and they won't help me with this problem either. I now have 14000 miles on it, 2 set of tires worn out the third set going on and the wobble is getting worse as time goes on. …”

NHTSA complaint #10441159, filed 2011-12, 6,000 miles

Tires: “I own a 2008 Honda GL1800 and I was on a ride on sunday about 100 miles from home when I noticed the back end of the bike felt rubbery as if I had a tire going flat, I glanced at my tps and noted the tire pressure was 38 PSI. I pulled to the side of the road and discovered two rips in the back tire tread. The dunlop e3 is about 10 months old and about 10k miles on it. Looks like the cords broke and the rubber is ripping from the inside. Lucky I was at low speed when I felt this condition and stopped my ride. …”

NHTSA complaint #10459891, filed 2012-05, 42,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

92% of the 36 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 1,292 and 27,000 miles.

53%0–1019%10–2519%25–508%50–750%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (36 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 8,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’088’10’12’14’16’19’21
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2008 Honda GL1800 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 17 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 17 bulletins →

Other model years of the Honda GL1800

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2021722,0003———Not enough data
201988,0002———Not enough data
2018347,2662——33 · FewerRising
2016510,7511———Not enough data
2015814,0002———Not enough data
201475,5002———Not enough data
201391,2502———Not enough data
2012311,0004——50 · TypicalStable
2010246,5164———Stable
2008478,0004——51 · TypicalFalling
20072012,6144———Stable
20062211,0005———Rising
20051812,5002———Stable
20041030,0004———Not enough data
200310111,7506——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200218215,0006——Not compared (before 2008)Rising
20018438,0005——Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Honda GL1800 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2008 Honda GL1800 have?

NHTSA recorded 47 consumer complaints for the 2008 Honda GL1800 as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2008 Honda GL1800 is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 11 complaints (23% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 9.

Has the 2008 Honda GL1800 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2008 Honda GL1800 reported?

Among the 36 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 8,000 miles and the middle half falls between 1,292 and 27,000 miles; 92% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.