2002 YAMAHA MIDNIGHT STAR — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

WHILE RIDING MY MOTORCYCLE IN DEC 2015 ON STATE HIGHWAY 67. I HEAR A NOISE THAT WAS A NEW NOISE I NEVER HEAR BEFORE AND THEN THE MOTOR RPM RACED HIGHER, AT THAT TIME I PROMPTLY PULLED OVER, I COULD NOT PHYSICALLY SEE ANYTHING OR HEAR ANY ISSUES, SO I RETURNED TO THE ROAD, AND AS I WAS SHIFTING GEARS, WHEN I GOT TO WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN 5TH GEAR THERE WAS NOTHING, IT RESPONDED AS IF I WERE IN NEUTRAL. WHEN I FINALLY RETURNED HOME, I START RESEARCH AND FIND THERE IS A MANUFACTURER RECALL #990021 AND NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 03V309000 FOR ON MY MOTORCYCLE THROUGH THE VIN NUMBER ID. AT THIS TIME I CALL AND I TAKE IT TO A YAMAHA CERTIFIED DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR AND THEY HAVE TROUBLE THEY SAY WITH MY VIN # THROUGH THE YAMAHA DIRECT LINE, SO I GOOGLE IT MYSELF AND SHOW THEM THE RECALL AND PARTS EFFECTED, SO AFTER HE DEALERSHIP HAD IT FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND THEM ALSO TRYING TO GET YAMAHA TO MAKE GOOD ON THEIR RECALL SAYS THEY WILL NOT BECAUSE IT NO LONGER VIABLE COMPONENT AND THAT IT WAS OBSOLETE, I'M NOT SURE HOW A PART IN A RECALL BECOMES OBSOLETE WHEN THE RECALL IS INCOMPLETE, BUT I NEED THIS BIKE REPAIRED. THE MECHANIC AT THE REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME TO MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS TO PUT THE BIKE BACK ON THE ROAD. I WENT TO WORK OVERSEAS IN JAN OF 2016 AND RETURNED BACK TO THE US IN MAY OF 2018 AND RELOCATED TO NM, AND TRIED TO PERUSE GETTING MY RECALL COMPLETED AND HAVE HAD ONLY TROUBLE FROM YAMAHA NOT WANTING TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND COMPLETE THE RECALL.

CONSUMER HAS BEEN ON A WAITING LIST FOR OVER 3 MONTHS TO HAVE THE REAR WHEEL LOCK UP RECALL 03V309000 REPAIRS PERFORMED. THE PARTS HAVE NOT BEEN AVAILABLE. DEALERSHIP INDICATED IT MAY BE ANOTHER 8 WEEKS BEFORE THE RECALL IS PERFORMED. *AK

2002 YAMAHA ROYAL STAR VENTURE REAR SHOCK ABSORBER (AIR ADJUSTABLE) FAILED. THIS APPEARS TO BE A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL 1999 TO PRESENT.*AK

IN JANUARY 2004, I RECEIVED A RECALL FROM YAMAHA, STATING THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT THEY WILL FIX IT FREE OF CHARGE, AND THAT I SHOULD NOT RIDE THE MOTORCYCLE UNTIL THE WORK IS DONE. AS OF MARCH, THEY STILL DID NOT HAVE PARTS AT THE DEALER AND I WROTE YAMAHA WITH MY CONCERNS. THEY ASSURED ME THAT PARTS ARE COMING SOON. NOW IT IS MAY, FIVE MONTHS LATER, AND I OWN A MOTORCYCLE THAT I CAN'T RIDE.*AK

NHTSA RECALL O3V309000 CONCERNING TRANSMISSION FAILURE. DEALER DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS TO DO RECALL REPAIRS. DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PARTS WERE ON BACK ORDER.*AK