YAMAHA Complaints

I OWN A 2004 YAMAHA ROADSTAR, 1700CC MOTORCYCLE. I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR EXHAUST VALVES STICKING FOR THE LAST 20,000 MILES. I HAVE BEEN TO DEALER AFTER DEALER AND HAVE HAD NO SUCCESS IN HAVING MY PROBLEM FIXED. I BELIEVE THERE IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY RISK WITH THIS PROBLEM, BECAUSE THE BIKE WILL SUDDENLY LOSE ALL POWER AND QUIT RUNNING. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE HAS THIS HAPPEN AND IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN KILLED. *JB

POSSIBLE FAILURE OF VALVES IN REAR CYLINDER OF THE YAMAHA ROAD STAR CAUSING AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER. THIS CAN (AND HAS) PUT THE DRIVER AND / OR PASSENGER IN DANGER. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THESE MOTORCYCLES FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND YAMAHA HAS DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT IT OR PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING. *JB

I WAS RIDING HOME FROM CINCINNATI ON MY 2005 YAMAHA ROAD STAR GOING WESTBOUND ON INTERSTATE 74. I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN MY V-TWIN ENGINE INSTANTLY LOST POWER. THE SEMI IN THE PASSING LANE BEHIND ME HAD TO LOCK UP HIS BRAKES CAUSING ALL WESTBOUND TRAFFIC TO COME TO A STAND STILL. AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, NOBODY GOT HURT THIS TIME. I HAD THE BIKE TOWED HOME SO I COULD INSPECT WHY THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. AFTER REMOVING REAR CYLINDER HEAD, I FOUND SLUDGE ON ONE OF THE EXHAUST VALVES AND THE VALVE WAS STICKING. THIS IS THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED ON MY 2003 YAMAHA ROAD STAR, WHICH I TRADED IN FOR THE 2005 MODEL BECAUSE OF A STICKING VALVE PROBLEM. I THINK THAT THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO SO THAT MAYBE IT WILL HELP TO PREVENT A LOSS OF LIFE. *JB

THESE ARE EXCERPTS FROM THE LETTER THAT I SENT TO YAMAHA ON JAN 15TH, 2006: THE VALVES BEGAN STICKING ON THE ENGINE, RESULTING IN SEVERE POWER LOSS AND MAKING THE BIKE DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I TRANSPORTED THE BIKE BACK TO SYLACAUGA ON NOV 15TH, AND EXPLAINED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER THE SYMPTOMS. I ALSO TOLD HIM THAT BASED ON WHAT I HAD EXPERIENCED, THAT I WAS FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT IT WAS THE EXHAUST VALVES THAT WERE STICKING'.. HE SAID THAT THEY WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THE BIKE. ON DECEMBER 13TH, 29 DAYS LATER, HE CALLED TO SAY THAT THE BIKE WAS READY. HE CLAIMED THAT MY IGNITION MODULE WAS FAULTY, AND HAD BURNED OUT MY FUEL PUMP. HE REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND THE IGNITION MODULE WITH A SPEEDSTAR UNIT, AND CHARGED ME NOTHING. HE ALSO REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS, CLAIMING THAT THEY WERE THE WRONG ONES. THIS CURED NONE OF THE SYMPTOMS THAT I WAS EXPERIENCING. AFTER RIDING THE BIKE FOR SEVERAL DAYS, AND HAVING IT STALL, BACKFIRE, AND UNABLE TO PULL A HILL, I AGAIN TOOK IT BACK. I LEFT IT ON DECEMBER 20TH. I AGAIN TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT I WAS REASONABLY CERTAIN THAT THE EXHAUST VALVES WERE STICKING. I PICKED UP THE BIKE AGAIN ON JANUARY 7TH. THE SERVICE MANAGER CLAIMED THAT THEY HAD ''CURED'' THE PROBLEMS BY RICHENING THE MIXTURE ON THE CARBURETOR. HE ALSO STATED THAT THEY HAD RIDDEN IT SEVERAL TIMES, AND THAT IT WAS RUNNING FINE. WHEN I GOT HOME, I UNLOADED THE BIKE, AND TRIED TO CRANK IT. IT WAS EXTREMELY RICH, AND BLACK SMOKE BELCHED FROM THE EXHAUST. HOWEVER, I REASONED, I WILL LET IT WARM UP, GO FOR A RIDE AND SEE IF THEY INDEED FIXED THE PROBLEM WITH THESE SIMPLE ADJUSTMENTS. IT RAN OK FOR A COUPLE OF MILES, THEN A VALVE STUCK AGAIN, WITH THE ASSOCIATED BACKFIRING, BUCKING, AND LACK OF POWER. I BARELY GOT THE BIKE HOME, RUNNING AT 45 MPH, ON WHAT FELT LIKE ONE CYLINDER. SO, AFTER 48 DAYS IN THE SHOP, I STILL DID NOT HAVE A SAFE, PERFORMING MOTORCYCLE. I DECIDED TO FIX THE BIKE, EVEN THOUGH IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. *JB

THE VALVES STICK OPEN ON MY 2004 YAMAHA MOTORCYCLE. THEY STUCK OPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF A LEFT TURN IN A THREE-WAY INTERSECTION AND ALMOST RESULTED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION. MY DEALER IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS CHOSE TO IGNORE IT. *NM

STICKY VALVES ON YAMAHA MOTORCYCLES,THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF ENGINES LOCKING UP AND STALLING . I QUESTIONED MY DEALER AND HE DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT [ SUPPOSEDLY ] I WANT IT ON THE RECORD IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT . IT HASN'T HAPPENED YET BUT YAMAHA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND IT SHOULD BE RECTIFIED BEFORE A SERIOUS INJURY OCCURS . THE VALVE SPRINGS ARE TOO WEAK AND SHOULD BE REPLACED , THE RESULTING CARBON BUILD UP CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STALL AND SPIT FIRE OUT OF THE EXHAUST . THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE ADDRESSED NOW BEFORE AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS . I THINK A RECALL IS IN ORDER THIS IS A 2006 ROAD STAR MIDNIGHT SILVERADO SO IGNORE LATER REFERENCE TO VEHICLE TYPE LATER IN THIS COMPLAINT . I WANT PEACE OF MIND AND WOULD LIKE THIS PROBLEM SOLVED BEFORE INJURY OR POSSIBLE DEATH. *NM

A NON MAINTENANCE PART ON THE DRIVE TRAIN OF MY 2003 YAMAHA 650 MOTORCYCLE WENT OUT CAUSING THE BIKE TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED DEATH--NO WARNING.THE MECHANIC SAID THE PART SHOULD HAVE BEEN GREASED AT THE MANUFACTURER, BUT WITH THE RUST ,THERE WAS NO SIGN OF GREASE EVER PRESENT.I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THERE ARE MANY, MANY PEOPLE HAVING OR HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE DRIVE TRAIN--AND I FOUND OUT THAT YAMAHA RELEASED A LETTER IN 2005 THAT THE DRIVE TRAIN SHOULD BE INSPECTED AT EVERY TIRE CHANGE- THIS SHOWS YAMAHA IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM BUT THAT WAS ALL THEY WERE WILLING TO DO---I WOULD LIKE A RECALL ON THESE BIKES 2003 650 VSTAR--- TO SAVE LIVES BECAUSE OF THE HIDDEN PROBLEM OF THE DRIVE TRAIN--- TO REPAIR THIS BIKE THE ENTIRE DRIVE HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $775.00 AND THANKFULLY THAT WAS ALL-- CONSIDERING MY 15 YEAR OLD WAS ON THE BIKE WITH ME AT TIME OF FAILURE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER-THE LIFE YOU SAVE MAYBE SOMEONE YOU KNOW.

2006 YAMAHA ROADSTAR MOTORCYCLE. AT ABOUT 5000 MILES ON ODOMETER IT STARTED RUNNING POORLY. PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE UNTIL AUGUST 14TH WHEN THE REAR CYLINDER SUDDENLY LOSS ALL POWER WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ONTO A BUSY HIGHWAY. I WAS ABLE TO RECOVER THE MOTORCYCLE AND GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD (WRONG SIDE) BEFORE GETTING HIT BY TRAFFIC. ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN WITHIN YAMAHA AS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT, REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO GET IT REPAIRED HAVE FAILED. THE MOTORCYCLE IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP UNTIL THEY DECIDE WHAT TO DO AS IT IS UNSAFE TO RIDE. *JB

THE REAR CYLINDER VALVES ARE STICKING OPEN WHEN MY 2005 YAMAHA ROADSTAR IS WARMING UP. IT HAPPENS VERY UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER. THIS LOSS OF POWER HAS LEFT ME SITTING ALONG A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY WITH A NARROW SHOULDER AS WELL AS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO DROP THE BIKE DURING A LEFT HAND TURN IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I SPOKE WITH THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP BUT THEY CLAIMED TO NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A PROBLEM WHILE IT IS WIDELY KNOWN AMONG ROADSTAR RIDERS THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED BY THIS. *JB

THE 2004-2005 AND POSSIBLY THE 2006-2007 YAMAHA XV17 MOTORCYCLE HAVE A DEFECT WHICH CAUSES THE REAR CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVES TO STICK OPEN SHORTLY AFTER STARTING. THIS CAN CAUSE SUDDEN POWER LOSS REQUIRING THE OPERATOR TO MANEUVER A STALLED VEHICLE OFF A BUSY HIGHWAY. THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR DURING A LEFT TURN FROM A STANDING STOP, WITH THE FRONT WHEEL TURNED, THE OPERATOR COULD LOOSE CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE AND BE SERIOUSLY INURED OR KILLED. THE PROBLEM VANISHES WHEN THE ENGINE IS FULLY WARMED UP. YAMAHA IS CORRECTING THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING THE VALVE SPRINGS BUT IS ONLY DOING SO ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS AND ONLY AFTER CONSIDERABLE ARGUMENT IN MANY CASES. IT APPEARS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT UNKNOWN AND NOT UNCOMMON. *NM