NHTSA Complaint #10405560 — 2002 YAMAHA XVS11

WHEN STARTING AND SHUTTING OFF THE MOTORCYCLE, THERE TENDS TO BE A LOUD CLUNK. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE I PURCHASED THIS BIKE FROM A PRIVATE OWNER IN 2010. I HAVE ALL OF THE SERVICE DOCUMENTATION FOR THIS BIKE FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER, ALL MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON SCHEDULE. JUST RECENTLY, I HAD AN ISSUE WHERE THE BIKE WOULD NOT TURN OVER AT ALL. THE STARTER MOTOR WOULD JUST SPIN AND WHINE, AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. I REMOVED THE STARTER MOTOR AND LOOKED AT IT, AND INSIDE, THERE ARE 4 BRUSHES. ONE BRUSH WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND WORN TO NOTHING. I REPLACED THE STARTER MOTOR, AND THE SAME ISSUE EXISTED. THE STARTER MOTOR WOULD JUST SPIN AND NOT TURN THE ENGINE OVER. I TOOK THE BIKE TO A LOCAL MOTORCYCLE SHOP, AND THEY OPENED UP THE LEFT ENGINE CASE AND LOOKED AT ALL OF THE STARTER CLUTCH GEARS AND FOUND THAT THE STARTER CLUTCH (OR SLIPPER CLUTCH) AS THEY CALLED IT WAS SHOT. THEY NEEDED TO ORDER A KIT THAT YAMAHA HAS TO SPECIFICALLY FIX THIS KICK BACK CLUNK ISSUE. THE PROBLEM IS, NOW I NEED TO PAY AROUND $800 TO FIX THIS ISSUE. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ONLINE, AND HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS IS A PRETTY WIDESPREAD ISSUE WITH THIS SERIES OF BIKES. I THINK YAMAHA SHOULD EITHER RECALL THE BIKES AND FIX THIS ISSUE, OR REIMBURSE ME FOR THE EXPENSE I NEED TO INCUR REGARING THIS MECHANICAL DEFECT. *TR