NHTSA Complaint #10331867 — 2002 YAMAHA XVS11

WAS DRIVING IN TOWN AROUND 30MPH ,,,ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD AND DEVELOPED A WHINE (SOUNDED LIKE TIRE WHINE)., COULD ONLY HEAR IT DURING DECELERATION. NOISE GRADUALLY GOT LOUDER. LOUD CRUNCH WAS HEARD WHEN NUT HOLDING U-JOINT TO MIDDLE GEAR DISLODGED AND BUSTED SPEEDO PICKUP. I AM A TECHNICAL MECHANIC FOR A CAR BIG CAR COMPANY ....SO AS SOON AS I COULD TAKE IT BACK TO MY SHOP ,,,, I STARTED A DIAGNOSED OF THE PROBLEM....IT TOOK 10 TO 15 MINUTES TO FIND THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE DRIVE PINION SHAFT (MIDDLE SHAFT) .. THE JOB STARTED ...SO I TOOK IT A PART AND FOUND OUT THAT THE MIDDLE SHAFT AT THE NUT WAS SHEARED OFF (BROKEN OFF TOTALLY) ....IT IS A VERY ENORMOUS JOB TO GET TO THAT GEAR AND CHANGE IT ....I HAVE TO TAKE THE DRIVE SHAFT OFF... AND EVERY THINGS AROUND THE ENGINE AND FINALLY TAKE THE ENGINE OFF THE MAIN FRAME OF THE BIKE TO GET TO THAT GEAR....AND EVENTUALLY I HAVE TO TAKE THE ENGINE APART ,,,SPLIT THE ENGINE TO CHANGE THAT DRIVE GEAR...... FURTHERMORE ,,,,I COULD HAVE BEEN HURT IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY......GOOD LUCK THAT I WAS GOING SLOW ......I TAKE YAMAHA RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEFECT ON MY MOTORBIKE ...ALSO THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE A RECALL ON THAT DEFECTIVE PART OF THE BIKE .....I HOPE THAT ALL THE BIKERS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM WILL BE REIMBURSED FOR THE EXPENSE FOR THE REPAIRS AND TO MAKE THE BIKE SAFE FOR THE ROAD..... *TR