2000 YAMAHA YZF600RG — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

YAMAHA 600 GRIZZLY, MOD YFM600FHM, VIN NO. JY4-AJ02W-3-YA024767 03/25/06 WHILE RIDING MY YAMAHA 600 GRIZZLY I HAD A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE WITH MAJOR FIRE. BIKE BACK FIRED THROUGH TOP OF ENGINE RELEASING LARGE AMOUNTS OF GASOLINE. I IMMEDIATELY HAD 2 FT FLAMES BOTH SIDES OF GAS TANK AS I TRIED TO STOP. FIRE IN MY FACE, HEAT ON MY CHEST I JUMPED FOR MY LIFE. I LAID THERE FEELING PAIN & WATCHING MY YAMAHA BURN TO ASH AND CHARRED METAL. LESS THAN A MINUTE FLAMES WERE 20 FT IN THE AIR. BIKE PROFESSIONALS TOLD ME THAT I WAS VERY LUCKY TO ESCAPE WITH ONLY BUMPS AND BRUISES. I REPORTED THE FIRE AND HORROR EXPERIENCE TO YAMAHA MOTOR CORPORATION 3/27/06. I RETURNED THE REMAINS OF BIKE TO A YAMAHA DEALER. FIRST CONTACT WITH YAMAHA WAS STEVEN WILLIAMS 800-962-7926 EXT 7328. HE ASKED QUESTIONS AND SEEMED TO BE CONCERNED IF I WAS INJURED OR NOT. WE DISCUSSED YAMAHA PAST HISTORY OR RECALLS. NO, NEVER WAS WILLIAMS QUICK ANSWERS. I ASK FOR A FORMAL INVESTIGATION. YAMAHA TOOK WEEKS TO REPORT ON 5/25/06 THAT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE, BIKE BURNED BEYOND ANY WAY TO DETERMINE A CAUSE. DANIEL BUENROSTRO 800-962-7926 EXT 7443 WAS THE YAMAHA REP TO INFORM ME THAT FIRE BURNED UNIT BEYOND ANY WAY TO DETERMINE CAUSE. BUENROSTRO NEXT SENTENCE WAS THE SHOCK I HAVE YET TO UNDERSTAND. I QUOTE "WE'VE FOUND NO DEFECTS". I QUESTIONED YAMAHA'S REASONING OF FINDINGS AND HOW THE COMMENTS CONTRADICT THEMSELVES. I'VE ASK FOR ISSUE TO BE PROGRESSED TO NEXT LEVEL WITHIN YAMAHA ORGANIZATION. I SEE THIS AS A SAFETY PROBLEM THAT COULD TAKE LIVES. SEVERAL VOICE MESSAGES LEFT FOR WILLIAMS AND BUENROSTRO PLUS E-MAILS GO UNADDRESSED PER THIS DATE. I'VE REQUESTED COPIES OF YAMAHA'S INVESTIGATION RECORDS AND CONTACT INFORMATION TO PROGRESS THIS PROBLEM HIGHER IN YAMAHA MANAGEMENT. 6/12/06 STILL NO YAMAHA REPLY. I'M FILING THIS WITH THE HOPE YAMAHA WILL NOT HIDE A PROBLEM THIS SERIOUS. THE NEXT RIDER OF THEIR PRODUCT MAY NOT BE AS LUCKY. *JB

I HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL FAILURES WITH SECOND GEAR ON MY YAMAHA. THE BIG PROBLEM IS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILS. THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL REPORTS OF SECOND GEAR FAILURES WITH THE YZF 600 AND YAMAHA NEEDS TO ADDRESS. *AK

2ND GEAR DISENGAGES, CAUSING SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER.*AK

ADJUSTER BROKE AND CAUSED DRIVETRAIN TO GO UP THROUGH THE ENGINE, WHEN THIS OCCURRED BACK END OF MOTORCYCLE COULD CHANGE DIRECTION AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT ON THE FREEWAY. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RIDE MOTORCYCLE, AND IT WAS TAKEN TO DEALER. *AK