NHTSA Complaint #10292209 — 2006 YAMAHA V-STAR

MY WIFE HAS A 2006 YAMAHA V-STAR 1100 CUSTOM. THE BIKE HAS JUST OVER 15,000 MILES ON IT. AS WE WERE COMPLETING A RIDE ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY 4-LANE BRIDGE, MY WIFE WAS RIDING THE BIKE ALONGSIDE ME WHEN I SUDDENLY HEARD A LOUD CHATTERING NOISE FOLLOWED BY A BANG. THE BIKE CONTINUED TO CHATTER LIKE AN OLD WRINGER-WASHING MACHINE. WE PULLED TO THE SIDE AND LOOKED FOR SIGNS OF TROUBLE BUT COULD FIND NONE. SHE WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME WITH THE BIKE, AT A GREATLY REDUCED SPEED. AFTER SOME DISASSEMBLY I DISCOVERED THAT THE NUT HAD BACKED OFF OF THE MIDDLE GEAR DRIVE SHAFT AND LODGED ITSELF BETWEEN THE FRAME AND THE SHAFT SNAPPING OFF THE END OF THE SHAFT. I AM NOW TWO DAYS AND BETTER THAN $500 WORTH OF PARTS INTO THE REPAIR. WHEN I CHECKED ON-LINE, I LEARNED THAT MANY OTHER V-STAR 1100 OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I FEEL FORTUNATE THAT MY WIFE SUFFERED NO INJURY AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE. THE LOCATION AND NATURE OF THE PROBLEM COULD EASILY HAVE LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC RESULTS, UP TO AND INCLUDING HER AND POSSIBLY MY DEMISE. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR