NHTSA Complaint #10495055 — 2009 YAMAHA FJR1300

WHILE REASSEMBLING MY MOTORCYCLE (DUE TO AN UNRELATED REPAIR), THE FUEL TANK BEGAN TO LEAK DUE TO A HOLE WORN INTO THE TANK FROM A HEX BOLT THAT HOLDS ON A PLASTIC REAR SKIRT. IT APPEARS THAT SEVERAL YEARS OF ABRASION, DUE TO THE HEX BOLT MOUNTING HOLE BEING TOO CLOSE TO THE TANK (POSSIBLY DUE TO A MANUFACTURING OR ASSEMBLY DEFECT) CAUSED THE TANK METAL TO BECOME COMPROMISED. WHEN I REASSEMBLED THE MOTORCYCLE THE HEX BOLT WAS ABLE TO PENETRATE THE WALL OF THE WEAKENED METAL, THUS CAUSING THE HOLE. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT THIS LEAK COULD HAVE OCCURRED WHILE RIDING, AND WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A FIRE. THE DEALERSHIP IS WORKING WITH YAMAHA ON THIS MATTER, SO I HAVE YET TO SEE WHERE YAMAHA STAND ON THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER, I AM QUITE CONCERNED THAT OTHERS' THAT OWN THIS MOTORCYCLE MIGHT BE AT RISK. NOTE: MY MILEAGE FIGURE IS AN ESTIMATE. *TR