IllustrationTRANSMISSION LOCKED UP AFTER CHANGING INTO 2ND GEAR AFTER LEAVING A STOP... KAWASAKI HAD A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR CERTAIN BIKES THIS SAME YEAR BUT TELL ME THAT MY BIKE DOES NOT ONE OF THE BIKES UNDER THE RECALL. ONLY 25,600 MILES ON THE BIKE.
1997 Kawasaki VN1500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all VN1500 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 2 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
Power Train complaints
1 reportsOfficial recalls
297V233000 · Power Train:manual Transmission
Dec 16, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION GEAR CAN CAUSE WEAKENING AND EVENTUAL BREAKAGE OF AN ADJACENT GEAR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: GEAR BREAKAGE CAN RESULT IN TRANSMISSION LOCKUP, CAUSING THE OPERATOR TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE MOTORCYCLES AND REPAIR AFFECTED UNITS.
97V007000 · Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery:cables
Jan 15, 1997
PRESSURE ON THE BATTERY GROUND LEAD (THE CRIMPED AND SOLDERED TERMINATION OF THE BATTERY CABLE) FROM THE BASE OF THE OPERATOR'S SEAT CAN CAUSE THE BATTERY TERMINAL TO SHORT OUT INSIDE THE BATTERY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD DISABLE THE BATTERY AND THE MOTORCYCLE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING BATTERY CABLES WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED CABLE AND INSPECT THE BATTERY TO VERIFY THAT NO DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.