1998 Buell S1 White Lightning Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other S1 White Lightning years
- Not enough data 1st of 2 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Buell S1 White Lightning. That is the most of any S1 White Lightning model year in the database (2 years). The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (1 complaints, 25%). Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 injury. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 4owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 Buell S1 White Lightning problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 25% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 25% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 25% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 25% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Buell S1 White Lightning recalls (6)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly:mounting
Problem: Vehicle description: motorcycles. These motorcycles were built with a fuel tank mount system that could, in the event of a crash, allow the fuel tank to separate from the motorcycle.
Risk: This could result in an explosion or fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel tank mount system.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Vehicle description: motorcycles. These motorcycles were built with a fuel tank vent valve assembly that could become plugged.
Risk: Under certain conditions, this could cause the carburetor to overflow fuel which could result in a fire. This condition could also prevent sufficient fuel flow, which could cause the engine to misfire or stall.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel tank vent valve assembly.
Suspension:rear
Problem: Vehicle description: motorcycles. These motorcycles were built with a swingarm that could break.
Risk: If the swingarm should break, loss of vehicle control could occur.
Fix: Dealers will replace the swingarm.
Suspension:rear:shock absorber
Problem: Vehicle description: motorcycles. These motorcycles were built with a rear shock absorber front eye that could break.
Risk: If the shock eye should break, the underside of the vehicle will drag on the ground possibly causing loss of vehicle control.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rear shock absorber.
Unknown or other
Problem: Vehicle description: motorcycles. These motorcycles were built with a sidestand switch that could become inoperative
Risk: This condition can cause the engine to stall/quit when riding.
Fix: Dealers will replace the sidestand switch.
Suspension:front
Problem: Vehicle description: motorcycles. The front isolator mount system can lose clamp load and possibly break.
Risk: This could lead to an unintended distraction to the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front isolator mount system.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Throttle fails to return to idle (PE03043) — opened Sep 23, 2003, closed Oct 30, 2003, led to recall 03V427000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Brake lever lightly touched as i was going into the the turn @ 25 mph, no brake control bike leaned instead of down, and i went into the ditch and fractured myn pelvis. There are 4 know accounts of the exact same incident, one was by a dealer mechanic of which i purchased the motorcycle from had…
Recall 99v106000/swing arm, and 99v107 000/rear shock absorbers: both recalls received and reported to dealer, but still both recalls have not been honored. Dealer is still waiting for parts from manufacturer. Owner wishes for dealer to repurchase vehicle. *ml
Main belt drive broke while motorcycle was in motion..could have locked up the rear wheel causing an accident. *ak
While driving at 65 mph transmission went out. *ak
Other Buell S1 White Lightning years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 4 | 6 |
| 1997 S1 White Lightning | 0 | 1 |
See all Buell S1 White Lightning problems by year, every Buell model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Buell models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Buell S1 White Lightning?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, power train, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 1 complaint.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Buell S1 White Lightning?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 Buell S1 White Lightning a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other S1 White Lightning model years, the 1998 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.