NHTSA Complaint #10224279 — 2002 YAMAHA YAMAHA

MOTORCYCLE, YAMAHA V-STAR 1100 CLASSIC 2002 WITH 23,000 MILES ON IT OR LESS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED WHINING , CLICKING AND GRINDING NOISES WHEN YOU DE-ACCELERATED THE THROTTLE OF THE ENGINE .THIS FIRST HAPPENED AROUND THE 1ST WEEK OF AUGUST 2006. ON THE 23 AUGUST 2006 I REMOVED THE REAR WHEEL TO INSPECT OR TO SEE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE NOISES. WHEN THE DRIVESHAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE YOKE OF THE TRANSMISSION A NUT AND THICK THRUSH WASHER WAS LYING INSIDE THE YOKE, BROKE OFF FROM THE MIDDLE DRIVEGEAR SHAFT. FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE NUT, REVEALED THAT 3/4"S OF THE THREADED END OF THE MIDDLE DRIVEGEAR SHAFT WAS STILL IN THE NUT THAT SHEARED OR BROKE OFF THE END OF THE MIDDLE DRIVEGEAR SHAFT THAT SECURES THE YOKE TO THE MIDDLE DRIVEGEAR SHAFT. ONLY 3 OR 4 THREADS WERE LEFT ON THE BROKEN END OF THE MIDDLE DRIVEGEAR SHAFT . WITHOUT THIS THRUSH WASHER AND NUT TO SECURE THE YOKE TO THE MIDDLE DRIVEGEAR SHAFT, THE MIDDLE DRIVE GEAR SHAFT COULD MOVE IN AND OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION 1 TO 13/4 INCHES OR MORE, AND THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED IT FROM MOVING OUT MORE WAS THE MAIN DRIVESHAFT TO THE REAR END OF THE CYCLE.. IT WAS LUCKY FOR ME OR ANY ONE ELSE OUT THERE WITH THIS PROBLEM THAT THEY DIDN'T GET INJURED OR KILLED, BECAUSE IF THIS WASHER OR NUT HAD EVER LODGED INTO THE YOKE WHEN IT WAS TURNING, IT WOULD OF LOCKED THE REAR WHEEL UP AND CAUSING THE MOTORCYCLE TO SKID OUT OF CONTROL AND GO DOWN AND CRASH AND AT ANY SPEED SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET INJURED BAD!! NOW TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM IS NOT A EASY PROCEDURE. IT REQUIRES WHOLE ENGINE/TRANNY REMOVAL, ENGINE DISASSEMBLE AND ENGINE CRANK CASE CRACKED OR SPLIT OPEN FOR ACCESSIBILITY TO THE TRANSMISSION PARTS. PARTS REPLACED WOULD HAVE TO BE DETERMINED,AFTER INSPECTION OF THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF THE MIDDLE DRIVE GEAR SHAFT AND THE MIDDLE DRIVEN SHAFT AND OTHER CONNECTING PARTS OF THESE TO MIDDLE SHAFTS...I , IN MY OPINION DON'T THINK THIS SHOULD OF HAPPEN AND SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST REPAIRING IT. *TR