NHTSA Complaint #10331308 — 2009 YAMAHA XVS65

FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY OF YAMAHA VSTAR TAKES ON WATER WHEN RIDING IN RAIN, OIL DEGRADES AND RESULTS IN INTERIOR BEARING ASSEMBLY FAILURE. METAL SHAVINGS CAN BE FOUND INSIDE FINAL DRIVE UNIT. OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED OF POSSIBLE BEARINGS BREAKING FREE AND RESULTING IN SPLINE LOCKUP... RENDERING A REAR TIRE LOCKUP AT ANY SPEED. METAL SHAVINGS CAUSE OIL SEALS TO FAIL RESULTING IN OIL BEING SPLATTERED ONTO REAR TIRE AND RESULTS IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION THAT COULD RENDER THE OPERATOR WITHOUT TRACTION OF REAR TIRE ON CORNERING LEFT OR BRAKING DUE TO OIL ON TIRE. ON DISASSEMBLE OF THE FINAL DRIVE, BEARING BALLS WERE ALMOST BROKEN FREE AT 25,000 MILES OF SERVICE. IF BALL BEARINGS HAD BROKEN FREE, LOCKUP OF SPLINE COULD HAVE OCCURRED AS OTHERS HAVE ENCOUNTERED. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO REPAIR. IN ORDER FOR CONSUMER TO TRANSPORT MOTORCYCLE SAFELY AFTER OIL SEAL FAILURE AND OIL ON TIRE, A TOW IS REQUIRED AND ABOUT 200 DOLLARS IN PARTS TO REPAIR. *TR