2002 YAMAHA XVS11 Power Train Problems

MIDDLE DRIVE SHAFT SNAPPED OFF WHERE THE NUT GOES ON. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND HAS HAPPENED ON MANY OF THESE BIKES. THE BACK WHEEL CAN LOCK UP AND PUT THE MOTORCYCLE INTO A SKID CAUSING AN ACCIDENT THAT COULD EASILY RESULT IN DEATH. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND NOTICED A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE DRIVE TRAIN WAS SKIPPING AND LOCKING UP. UPON INSPECTION I SEEN THAT THE DRIVE SHAFT HAD SNAPPED OFF. I PLAN ON CONTACTING YAMAHA TO SEE WHAT THEY PLAN TO DO ABOUT THIS. THIS WAS POOR DESIGN BECAUSE THE HAVE MADE A STRONGER DRIVE SHAFT TO REPLACE IT. *TT

WHEN STARTING AND SHUTTING OFF THE MOTORCYCLE, THERE TENDS TO BE A LOUD CLUNK. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE I PURCHASED THIS BIKE FROM A PRIVATE OWNER IN 2010. I HAVE ALL OF THE SERVICE DOCUMENTATION FOR THIS BIKE FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER, ALL MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON SCHEDULE. JUST RECENTLY, I HAD AN ISSUE WHERE THE BIKE WOULD NOT TURN OVER AT ALL. THE STARTER MOTOR WOULD JUST SPIN AND WHINE, AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. I REMOVED THE STARTER MOTOR AND LOOKED AT IT, AND INSIDE, THERE ARE 4 BRUSHES. ONE BRUSH WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND WORN TO NOTHING. I REPLACED THE STARTER MOTOR, AND THE SAME ISSUE EXISTED. THE STARTER MOTOR WOULD JUST SPIN AND NOT TURN THE ENGINE OVER. I TOOK THE BIKE TO A LOCAL MOTORCYCLE SHOP, AND THEY OPENED UP THE LEFT ENGINE CASE AND LOOKED AT ALL OF THE STARTER...

I OWN A 02 YAMAHA VSTAR 1100 CLASSICA AND IT'S HAS BEEN KNOWN THAT YEARS PRIOR TO 2003 THAT THE STARTER AND STARTER CLUTCH WILL FAIL AND NEED REPLACING. THIS WOULD NORMALLY RUN OVER 800 DOLLARS TO REPLACE AT THE DEALER. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ALOT TO THESE BIKES AND SOME HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL OF GETTING THE PARTS FOR FREE FROM THE DEALER BUT MANY HAVE NOT BEEN SO LUCKY LIKE MYSELF. IF ONE DEALER REPLACED THE PARTS FOR ON CUSTOMER THEN THIS SHOULD BE DONE TO EVERY BIKE THAT NEEDS THIS TYPE OF REPAIR. IT HAS BEEN KNOWN THAT THE BIKES MADE AFTER 03 DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM BUT MANY OF US STILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE SO EVERYONE GETS THIS DEFECTIVE PARTS REPLACED? WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT. THANK YOU. *TR