2008 YAMAHA FJR1300 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

The contact owns a 2008 YAMAHA FJR13AXB. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number:11V338000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact did experience a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. The failure mileage was 32,000

THE REAR BRAKE (FOOT PEDAL) CONTINUALLY LOSES PRESSURE, WHILE THE FRONT BRAKE REMAINS IN GOOD OPERATING ORDER / WITH GOOD PRESSURE. ONCE PRESSURE IS LOST, THE FOOT PEDAL FEELS MUSHY, RESULTING IN NO BRAKING POWER; PUMPING THE FOOT PEDAL REPEATEDLY MAY ENGAGE THE BRAKE, BUT ONLY SLIGHTLY. I'VE TAKEN THE MOTORCYCLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE AND THE TECHNICIAN CANNOT FIND THE CAUSE OR SOURCE OF THE PRESSURE LOSS (ALL SEALS APPEAR IN GOOD WORKING ORDER AND THERE IS NO APPARENT LEAKS). IN ONE INSTANCE, THE TECHNICIAN NOTED THAT HE HAD TO FLUSH THE BRAKE SYSTEM SEVERAL TIME TO EVACUATE AN ACCUMULATION OF AIR. IN BOTH INSTANCES, FLUSHING THE BRAKE SYSTEM RESTORED FULL BRAKING CAPABILITIES. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND MANY BLOG ENTRIES DESCRIBING THE SAME PROBLEM, WITH NO DETERMINABLE CAUSE. DATES OF OCCURENCES: 04/23/2015 08-01-2020

BRAND NEW BRIDGESTONE FRONT MOTORCYCLE TIRE SIZE 120/70 ZR 17. BRAND BATTLAX BT-021. MOTORCYCLE BOUGHT NEW FROM DEALER WITH STANDARD ISSUED TIRES IN AUGUST 2010. FRONT TIRE WORN SO BADLY AT 2900 MILES HAD TO REPLACE IT. REPLACED BY DEALER WITH SAME EXACT NEW BRIDGESTONE TIRE. THAT TIRE HAS 4300 MILES ON IT AND IS WORN SO BAD I CANNOT DRIVE IT ANYMORE. CENTER TIP OF THE TIRE IS FINE, THE REST OF THE TIRE IS BALD AND LOOKS LIKE A SANDER WAS TAKEN TO IT. FEELS LIKE RIDING ON A TIGHTROPE. DEALER INSPECTED FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND FOUND NO ISSUES. ROADS I TRAVEL ARE MOSTLY FLAT AND VERY FEW CORNERS. I RIDE WITHIN POSTED SPEED LIMITS. I CONTACTED BRIDGESTONE HEADQUARTERS IN NASHVILLE TN IN FEB 2012. SPOKE TO A MAN A FEW TIMES AND HE CHECKED INTO THE PROBLEM. I TOLD HIM I WOULD SEND THE TIRES TO HIM FOR PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL INSPECTION. HE DECLINED TO LOOK AT THEM. HE GOT BACK TO ME A FEW DAYS LATER AND SAID, "SPORT TOURING BIKES GO THROUGH A LOT OF TIRES." I TOLD HIM THE TIRES ARE DANGEROUS AND MY LIFE IS AT RISK TO SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH DUE TO THIS PRODUCT. AGAIN, NO HELP FROM THIS COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE. I FEEL THAT THE BRIDGESTONE TIRE COMPANY HAS A DANGEROUS PRODUCT THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED. THE COMPLAINT IS WIDESPREAD ON THE FORUMS. A FRONT MOTORCYCLE TIRE WHEN USED PROPERLY SHOULD LAST MORE THAN A FEW THOUSAND MILES. I WOULD LIKE TO FORMALLY REGISTER A COMPLAINT AGAINST BRIDGESTONE TIRE. I DEEM THIS PARTICULAR MODEL OF TIRE TO BE BOTH DANGEROUS AND COSTLY TO THE CONSUMERS WHO PURCHASE THIS PRODUCT. IF ONE LIFE OR ACCIDENT CAN BE PREVENTED BY A RECALL ON THIS MOTORCYCLE TIRE, IT WILL BE WORTH MY EFFORTS TO STAND UP AGAINST THIS INFERIOR PRODUCT. THANK YOU. *TR

THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE MY MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN NEW. WHEN I STOP MY MOTORCYCLE IN 2ND GEAR, IT WILL NOT SHIFT INTO 1ST GEAR UNLESS I ROCK IT A LITTLE AFTER STOPPED. IT WILL GO INTO NEUTRAL, BUT NOT INTO 1ST GEAR. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IF ON A STEEP HILL. I HAVE REPORTED IT TO THE YAMAHA DEALER WHO TOLD ME I NEEDED TO BREAK IN THE TRANSMISSION. AFTER 3700 MILES, IT IS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. I CANNOT NOT PUT THE MOTORCYCLE INTO 1ST GEAR WHEN STOPPED WITHOUT ROCKING IT. I CONTACTED YAMAHA TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I NEED TO SHIFT INTO 1ST GEAR BEFORE I STOP. I TOLD THEM THAT THIS IS NOT ALWAYS SAFE OR POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN MAKING A SUDDEN STOP. THEIR RESPONSE IS THAT THIS IS THE WAY THE MOTORCYCLE IS DESIGNED. I INFORMED THEM THAT IF THAT IS SO, IT IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW THAT CREATES AN UNSAFE SITUATION. THEIR RESPONSE IS THAT I HAVE TO SHIFT INTO 1ST GEAR BEFORE I STOP; THE PROBLEM IS OPERATOR ERROR IF I DO NOT. THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS SITUATION AND DO NOT SEE IT AS A PROBLEM. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH OTHER FJR OWNERS WHO DO NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE RIDDEN MANY DIFFERENT MOTORCYCLES OVER THE PAST 45 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS SITUATION BEFORE. BASED ON THE INFORMATION I RECEIVED FROM YAMAHA, IT IS A PROBLEM THE TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT IS AWARE OF THAT EXISTS IN SOME YAMAHA FJRS. IT SEEMS TO BE A TRANSMISSION DEFECT OR DESIGN FLAW THAT IS PRODUCING AN UNSAFE CONDITION THAT THEY DO NOT SEE AS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO REMEDY.. *TR

WHILE RIDING MY MOTORCYCLE I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN SHUTDOWN OF THE ENGINE AND LIGHTING WHILE RIDING IN TRAFFIC. INVESTIGATING I FOUND A FAILURE ON AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR IN THE WIRING HARNESS WHICH OVERHEATED. THERE WAS NO WARNING. RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MY YAMAHA FJR1300 MOTORCYCLE. *TR