2014 YAMAHA BOLT Complaints

THE SPEEDOMETER BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE TO READ WHEN THE SUN IS SHINING ON IT AT CERTAIN ANGLES, MAKING IT UNCLEAR TO THE RIDER WHAT SPEED THE BIKE IS CURRENTLY GOING. THIS IS A DANGER TO ROAD SAFETY, A POSSIBILITY OF GETTING A TICKET, AND A NUISANCE. YAMAHA HAS BEEN UNHELPFUL AND UNCOOPERATIVE WHEN APPROACHED VIA EMAIL AND TELEPHONE. THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU WAS ALSO AN UNSUCCESSFUL AVENUE TO FILE A COMPLAINT. *TR

LCD SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER IS NOT VISIBLE (DARK) WHEN DRIVING TOWARD THE SUN. UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE SPEED AND OTHER LCD READINGS. THIS CAUSES A DISTRACTION WHEN TRYING TO READ THE METER. THE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER IS ONLY VISIBLE WHEN SUN IS BEHIND THE RIDER OR AT NIGHT. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT YAMAHA CHANGED THE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER ON THE 2015 MODEL MAKING IT MORE VISIBLE. *TR

IN ANY CONDITION OTHER THAN NIGHTTIME OR EXTREMELY OVERCAST I CANNOT SEE THE SPEED OR ANY OF THE INDICATOR LIGHTS ON MY YAMAHA BOLT 2014 SPEEDOMETER. *TR

CAN NOT VIEW SPEEDOMETER DISPLAY IN MOST DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS. THIS CREATES A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION REQUIRING THE RIDER TO AVERT EYES FROM THE ROAD AND FOCUS ON SPEEDOMETER FOR 3-5 SECONDS. IN SOME CONDITIONS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ SPEEDOMETER AT ALL (POLARIZED LENSES ON SUNGLASSES). *TR

INSTRUMENTATION SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER, TRIP METER AND INFORMATION LIGHTS I.E. TURN SIGNAL, HIGH BEAM INDICATOR, FUEL LEVEL ETC. VERY DIFFICULT AND DISTRACTING TO READ WHILE RIDING. OCCURS IN ALL LIGHT CONDITIONS. DUE TO DARK INSTRUMENT FACE, IT POSES A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE OF ADDED TIME TO FOCUS ON SPEEDOMETER TO GATHER INFORMATION. *TR

UNDER NORMAL DAYLIGHT DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE LCD SPEEDOMETER WILL BLACK OUT COMPLETELY WHEN THE SUN SHINES AT ANY ANGLE OTHER THAN DIRECTLY ON THE CLUSTER. I HAVE NEARLY BEEN IN 3 ACCIDENTS NOW BECAUSE MY ATTENTION HAS BEEN FOCUSED (MORE THAN A MOMENTARY GLANCE) ON FIGURING OUT HOW FAST I AM GOING. THE SPEEDOMETER IS SO DARK, IN FACT, I HAVE GIVEN UP WORRYING ABOUT HOW FAST I'M GOING MOST TIMES, WHICH IS STILL UNSAFE. *TR

IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO READ THE SPEEDOMETER ON THE 2014 MODEL BECAUSE YAMAHA TINTED THE GLASS ON THE LENS TOO MUCH. IT CAN ONLY BE READ IF THE SUN IS OUT AND DIRECTLY BEHIND YOU, OR AT NIGHT WHEN THE BACKLIGHT CAN BE SEEN. THIS CREATES AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE RIDING SITUATION. YAMAHA CORRECTED THE LENS ON THE 2015 MODEL, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE ON THE 2014 MODELS. *TR

THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAY CANNOT BE SEEN UNLESS IT IS DARK OR SUN IS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE BIKE. IF SUN IS OVER, TO SIDE OR BEHIND, THE GLASS IS BLACK AND VITAL INFORMATION CANNOT BE SEEN. *TR

UNLESS THE SUN IS DIRECTLY BEHIND RIDER OR NIGHT TIME, SPEEDOMETER IS UNREADABLE. *TR

WITH THE SUN SHINING THE SPEEDOMETER TURNS COMPLETELY BLACK MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO READ YOUR SPEED! *TR