1999 YAMAHA YZFR1 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

17TH MARCH 2002 JASON SCOTT TABOR ON ACTIVE DUTY WITH US ARMY STATIONED IN GERMANY WHILE RIDING A YAMAHA YZFR1 MOTOR CYCLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. DUE TO HIS BEING LISTED IN VERY CRITICAL CONDITION I FLEW TO GERMANY. I WAS PRESENT SEVERAL DAYS LATER WHEN THE US ARMY SAFETY OFFICER INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT STATED THAT PER HIS INVESTIGATION AND EYE WITNESS ACCOUNTS THAT HE HAD PASSED A CAR AND THAT IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING GEARS ( FOOT SHIFT) HIS FOOT SLIPPED OFF THE FOOT REST AND KNOCKED DOWN THE KICK STAND. DUE TO HIS MANEUVERING AROUND THE VEHICLE THE BIKE WAS LEANING OVER AND THE KICK STAND HIT THE ROAD SURFACE PER EYE WITNESS ACCOUNTS. HE ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL AND WAS TRYING TO HOLD ONTO THE MOTORCYCLE WHICH WAS TRYING TO THROW HIM OFF AS IT PIVOTED ON THE KICK STAND. THE BIKE ACCELERATED AND IT CRASHED INTO A ROAD SIDE POLE. HE INDICATED THE THE ENGINE SHOULD HAVE TURNED OFF ONCE THE KICKSTAND WAS MOVED WHILE THE BIKE WAS IN MOTION. SKID MARKS FROM THE KICKSTAND WERE VISIBLE ON THE ROAD SURFACE WHEN WE VISITED THE CRASH SITE. I WAS PRESENT SEVERAL DAYS LATER WHEN THE SAFETY OFFICER ACCOMPANINED BY A GROUP OF OTHER MILITARY OFFICERS INSPECTED THE MOTORCYCLE. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE KICK STAND KILL SWITCH WAS INOPERATIVE. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS BECAUSE THE SCREWS THAT MOUNT THE SWITCH IN PLACE WAS MISSING. THEY FURTHER FOUND THE BIKE WAS SUBJECT TO A RECALL WHICH CAME OUT MARCH 2000. I FOUND THAT ODD AS I HAD RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE AT MY ADDRESS IN SOUTH CAROLINA SEVERAL DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT BEFORE DEPARTING FOR GERMANY. THE MILITARY HAD A SEARCH MADE OF VEHICLE REGISTRATION RECORDS AND A LIKE YAMAHA WAS FOUND IN WURZBURG GERMANY AND THAT OWNER LIKE MY SON WAS THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER AND HE HAD NEVER BEEN INFORMED OF THE REQUIRED SAFETY RECALL. MY SON PASSED AWAY ON 19-MAY-1002 FROM THE INJURIES RECEIVED IN THE INCIDENT. *NLM

ENGINE COOLANT IS LEAKING FROM SIDE OF ENGINE. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED MOTORCYCLE AND WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, MANUFACTURER INFORMED DEALERSHIP THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A "POROUS CASING," AND WILL BE CONSUMERS RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE REPAIRS MADE. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE COOLANT LEAK WAS DUE TO A COMBINATION OF POOR DESIGN AND MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE ENGINE'S DRAIN HOLE IS TOO CLOSE TO WATER JACKET. *YH