2005 YAMAHA XV1700 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

(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.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 YAMAHA XV1700. WHILE DRIVING LOW SPEEDS, THE ENGINE SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. AN UNKNOWN LOCAL DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE THE DRY PULLEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,001.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 YAMAHA ROADSTAR 1700. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 TO 50 MPH WHEN HE HEARD A GRINDING NOISE IN THE MOTOR AND THE REAR WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THAT A BOLT DETACHED FROM THE DRIVE PULLEY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT IT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,100.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 YAMAHA XV1700. THE CONTACT STATED DURING WARM WEATHER CONDITIONS FUEL WOULD LEAK OUT OF THE CARBURETOR ONTO THE EXHAUST AND THE MOTOR. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MORE FREQUENT AFTER FUEL WAS ADDED TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED SINCE THE FUEL LEAK WAS A MAJOR CONCERN, A FIRE HAZARD, AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.

MY 2005 YAMAHA ROADSTAR WAS LEAKING FUEL FROM THE CARBURETOR WHEN RESTARTING AFTER FUELING UP DURING A LONG ROADTRIP. THE HOT FUEL WAS POURING OUT OF THE CARB AND ONTO MY HOT MUFFLERS. AFRAID THE BIKE WOULD CATCH ON FIRE, I HAD TO WAIT FOR IT TO COOL DOWN TO RESTART WHICH IT DID. I TOOK THE BIKE TO HONDA/YAMAHA OF SAVANNAH WHERE THEY CLEANED THE CARB, REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER AND CLEANED OUT THE WHOLE GAS TANK. THE TECH STATED THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN DEBRIS IN THE FUEL SYSTEM LEAVING THE NEEDLE VALVE IN THE CARB UNSEATED AND ALLOWING FUEL TO PASS THROUGH AND LEAK OUT. THE TECH TOOK IT FOR A 5 MINUTE TEST RIDE AND THERE WAS NO LEAK AFTER RESTARTING. I DROVE ABOUT 200 HIGHWAY MILES AND REFUELED. WHEN I TRIED TO START THE BIKE, FUEL AGAIN POURED OUT OF THE CARB AND ONTO MY HOT EXHAUST. I LET THE BIKE COOL AND HAD A MECHANIC AT THE STATION LOOK AT THE FUEL FILTER AND CARB NO DEBRIS. I HELPED HIM PULL THE TANK AND WE CHECKED FOR DEBRIS. THERE WAS NO TRASH IN THE FUEL. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES ONLY DURING RESTARTING A HOT ENGINE. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY AND WOULD LIKE YAMAHA TO LOOK INTO THIS AS THIS IS A COMMONLY REPORTED PROBLEM. *TR