NHTSA Complaint #11105238 — 2005 YAMAHA XV1700

(11104769) WHILE RIDING ON A CITY STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP ALONG WITH THE REAR WHEEL. THE BIKE STALLED AND SKIDDED TO A STOP IN THE INSIDE TRAFFIC LANE. I COULD SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL BUT THE REAR TIRE WAS LOCKED UP AND COULD NOT MOVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ANOTHER BIKER AND MOTORIST STOPPED, AND WE WERE ABLE TO DRAG THE BIKE OUT OF THE TRAFFIC LANES. I RETURNED LATER AND LOOSENED THE BACK AXLE, SLIPPED THE DRIVE BELT AND ROLLED THE BIKE BACK TO MY HOUSE WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY A MILE AND A HALF AWAY. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE WEB, I TOOK THE DRIVE PULLEY COVER OFF TO INSPECT THE PULLEY. THERE WAS NO PULLEY RETAINING NUT OR LOCK WASHER. THE PULLEY HAD COME OFF THE SHAFT AND WEDGED ITSELF IN THE HOUSING CAUSING THE REAR WHEEL TO LOCK UP. THE METHOD FOR ATTACHING THE FRONT DRIVE PULLEY ( 22MM NUT AND A WASHER W/ BENDABLE TABS) APPEARS TO BE A FAULTY DESIGN, A SIMPLE SEARCH IN ONLINE FORUMS YIELDS SCORES OF COMPLAINTS WITH STORIES OF IMPROPER TORQUE, WASHER TABS NOT HOLDING, AND THE NUT COMING LOOSE. I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS BIKE SINCE MARCH AND HAVE ONLY PUT ABOUT A THOUSAND MILES ON IT. IT HAD AROUND 10,977 WHEN I BOUGHT IT FROM A DEALER ON EBAY. I WAS JUST ABOUT TO DO THE 12K SERVICE ON THE BIKE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A FLAW THAT CAN VERY WELL CAUSE SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH TO THE RIDER. I THANK GOD I WAS IN CITY TRAFFIC AT LOWER SPEEDS WHEN THIS OCCURRED. IF IT HAD HAPPENED JUST HOURS EARLIER WHEN I WAS DOING 70 MPH ON THE 405, I PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE WRITING THIS. THIS IS NOT A WALK AROUND VISUAL INSPECTION TYPE OF ITEM THAT AN EVERYDAY RIDER WOULD GO THROUGH. THERE ARE SIX (6) 8MM HEX HEAD BOLTS HOLDING THE COVER ON THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED IN ORDER TO INSPECT THE INTEGRITY OF PULLEY, NUT, AND WASHER. A SLOTTED NUT WITH A PIN WOULD WORK BETTER THAN THIS SETUP. I'M THANKFUL I WASN'T CARRYING A PASSENGER.