NHTSA Complaint #10850210 — 2004 YAMAHA V STAR 1100

I WAS DRIVING ON I-70 NEAR AURORA, CO, AT APPROXIMATELY 55-60 MPH IN THE FAR LEFT LANE WHEN I STARTED LOSING SPEED. I NOTICED THAT MY DRIVE SHAFT WAS STILL SPINNING AND MY SPEEDOMETER WAS STILL SHOWING MY SPEED AND WOULD CHANGE WITH THE AMOUNT OF THROTTLE THAT I GAVE IT. LUCKILY, WHEN I TURNED ON MY RIGHT TURN SIGNAL, I WAS ABLE TO COAST THROUGH TRAFFIC TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND GET OFF OF THE ROAD. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO DISASSEMBLE THE FINAL DRIVE, I FOUND THAT THE CLUTCH HUB, WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE REAR WHEEL AND ENGAGES INTO THE FINAL DRIVE, HAD HAD ALL OF ITS TEETH SHEARED OFF. I TOOK THE PART TO THE LOCAL YAMAHA DEALER AND SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER AND WE BOTH AGREED THAT IT LOOKED AS THOUGH THIS DAMAGE HAD BEEN HAPPENING OVER SOME LENGTH OF TIME AND IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE FULL FAILURE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YAMAHA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE PART CONSIDERING THE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF MATERIAL USED (THE FINAL DRIVE GEAR TEETH ARE STEEL AND THE CLUTCH HUB IS ALUMINUM) AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF PART FAILURE. I NOTICED THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON TO REPORT THIS FAILURE AND I AM SURE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN OTHERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS AS WELL. THERE IS EVEN THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE FINAL DRIVE/REAR WHEEL COULD LOCK UP ON SOMEONE, CAUSING THEM TO CRASH.