2012 Honda GL1800 Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 5about this part
- Share
- 16%of 31 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 4,700miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 5 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2012 Honda GL1800, 16% of the 31 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 4,700 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“While riding the motorcycle on the highway, at approximately 60 MPH, the front tire picked up a small, unseen piece of road debris and flung it into the oil filter located on the lower front end of the motor cycle body. This action caused the filter to be punctured, resulting in a large quantity of oil to be ejected from the bike and slung along the entire bottom of the motorcycle including the exhaust, the rear brake assembly, and the rear tire. I became aware of the situation when I noticed in the rear view mirrors a large amount of smoke coming from the bike. …”
NHTSA complaint #10546878, filed 2013-10, 4,700 miles“Every day when leaving my driveway I start the motorcycle. Then drive the 50ft. To the street and turn left. During the turn the motorcycle begins to cough and stumble looking for the throttle position almost falling over into the street. To avoid this happening I must turn the throttle several times to increase the engine RPM's and then manage to keep the motorcycle from over compensating and crashing into another vehicle. I have complained to the Honda dealer and their response is they cannot duplicate the problem and or the motorcycle is operating within normal parameters. …”
NHTSA complaint #10549745, filed 2013-10, 1,000 miles“On cold start-ups(even in the summer in florida), the motorcycle will stumble or hesitate until warmed up. This causes inconsistent and unpredictable throttle control in slow turns. I have nearly dropped the motorcycle multiple times and also have encountered pulling out in traffic and not having predictable throttle control to get going safely. Very dangerous!”
NHTSA complaint #10785837, filed 2015-10, 7,000 miles“Motorcycle has a hesitation when applying throttle. This happens from a cold start as well as during engine warm-up and occasionally when the engine is at normal operating temperature. This engine hesitation can result in an engine stall which can result in a crash if the motorcycle is in a low speed turn. The manufacturer is aware of this issue. This problem exists on most 2012 and 2013 Honda goldwing motorcycles. I consider this hesitation to be a serious safety defect. The problem is well documented in various goldwing online sites.”
NHTSA complaint #10523890, filed 2013-07, 200 milesTransmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 4 | 50% |
| 2018 | 5 | 15% |
| 2013 | 1 | 11% |
| 2012 | 5 | 16% |
| 2010 | 4 | 17% |
| 2008 | 9 | 19% |
| 2007 | 4 | 20% |
| 2006 | 5 | 23% |
| 2005 | 2 | 11% |
| 2004 | 3 | 30% |
| 2003 | 5 | 5% |
| 2002 | 4 | 2% |
| 2001 | 6 | 7% |
Other parts of the 2012 Honda GL1800
17 complaintsFuel system
17 complaintsVehicle speed control
3 complaintsBrakes
2 complaintsElectrical system
2 complaintsSuspension
2 complaintsWheels
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2012 Honda GL1800
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.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology