2015 YAMAHA YZFR1 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

INTERNAL YAMAHA DOCUMENTS HAVE SURFACED WHICH DETAIL A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN ALL 2015 R1'S, RESULTING IN CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE 2ND GEAR, AND DEFORMATION/BREAKAGE OF THE 3D AND 4TH GEARS. THE FAILURE MODE CAUSES THE REAR WHEEL TO LOCK UP WITHOUT WARNING.THEY STATE THAT RIDERS SHOULD CEASE RIDING IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED IN ANY MANNER.. YAMAHA HAS STATED THAT NO WARRANTY EXTENSION WILL BE GRANTED. THE 2015 R1 IS A HIGH PERFORMANCE MOTORCYCLE WITH 200HP AT THE CRANKSHAFT, AND APPROXIMATELY 185HP TRANSFERRED TO THE REAR WHEEL. THE ENGINE HAS A 14,000 RPM REDLINE. IT IS CAPABLE OF REACHING 200 MPH IN STOCK FORM. I NOT ONLY COMMUTE DAILY ON MY R1 , BUT ALSO PARTICIPATE IN TRACK DAY EVENTS. MY R1 WILL ROUTINELY ENDURE SPEEDS WELL UPWARDS OF 150+MPH, AND WILL SPEND SIGNIFICANT TIME AT REDLINE. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT MY 6 MONTH OLD, $16,500 MOTORCYCLE, WHICH WAS BUILT IN A CLEAN ROOM BY FACTORY CALIBRATED TORQUE MACHINES AND FACTORY TRAINED TECHNICIANS, WILL BE OPENED UP BY LOCAL DEALERSHIP MECHANICS WHO LACK THE SAME RESOURCES. AN EXTENSIVE AND INTRUSIVE REPAIR SUCH AS THIS GREATLY DIMINISHES THE SAFETY AND VALUE OF THE MOTORCYCLE, I BELIEVE THAT YAMAHA SHOULD REPLACE THE AFFECTED ENGINES WITH NEW FACTORY ASSEMBLED, FACTORY SEALED UNITS.YAMAHA IS OFFERING NO RECOURSE BEYOND TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT, NO OTHER FORM OF COMPENSATION. I BELIEVE THAT THE R1 RECALL SHOULD BE HANDLED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE APRILIA RSV4 RECALL ,OR THE BMW R1200. THE INTERNAL DOCUMENTS SURFACED ON THE 21ST OF NOVEMBER, AND DEALERSHIPS ARE INFORMING OWNERS WHO INQUIRE THAT THE REPLACEMENT PARTS WILL NOT ARRIVE UNTIL SOMETIME IN JANUARY. I BELIEVE THAT YAMAHA IS INTENTIONALLY STALLING IN ORDER TO AVOID LEMON LAW STATUTES, AND WILLFULLY PUTTING R1 OWNERS AT RISK OF SEVERE BODILY INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE AS A CALCULATED FINANCIAL DECISION.

RUMORS AROSE ABOUT AN INTENT TO RECALL ALL 2015 YAMAHA YZFR1/R1M MOTORCYCLES DUE TO A SERIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE 2ND GEAR WHEEL AND PINION OF THE TRANSMISSION. I CALLED YAMAHA MOTOR USA ON NOVEMBER 25TH, 2015 FOR CLARIFICATION. I SPOKE WITH A CUSTOMER RELATIONS SPECIALIST WHO TOLD ME NOT TO RIDE THE MOTORCYCLE, THAT DOING SO COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH. I'M CURIOUS WHY IT WASN'T A PRIORITY FOR YAMAHA TO NOTIFY OWNERS IMMEDIATELY IF THE ISSUE IS SERIOUS ENOUGH TO CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH. I'VE RECEIVED THE OFFICE RECALL NOTICE OUTLINING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. THE ENGINE ON MY BRAND NEW MOTORCYCLE THAT I PAID A HEAVY PREMIUM FOR WILL NEED TO BE REMOVED, TORN DOWN, REPAIRED THEN RE INSTALLED. YAMAHA INFORMED ME IN ANOTHER PHONE CONVERSATION ON DECEMBER 4TH, 2015 THAT THEY WILL NOT BE OFFERING A WARRANTY ON THIS WORK BEING PERFORMED AND THAT I WOULD JUST HAVE TO TRUST THAT THE JOB WAS DONE CORRECTLY. A REPAIR AS INTRUSIVE AND EXTENSIVE AS THIS GREATLY DIMINISHES THE SAFETY OF THE MOTORCYCLE AS WELL AS THE VALUE. I AND MANY MANY OTHERS ARE SEVERELY DISPLEASED WITH THE COURSE OF ACTION YAMAHA HAS TAKEN TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION.

RUMORS AROSE ABOUT AN INTENT TO RECALL ALL 2015 YAMAHA YZFR1/R1M MOTORCYCLES DUE TO A SERIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE 2ND GEAR WHEEL AND PINION OF THE TRANSMISSION. I CALLED YAMAHA MOTOR USA ON NOVEMBER 25TH, 2015 FOR CLARIFICATION. I SPOKE WITH A CUSTOMER RELATIONS SPECIALIST WHO TOLD ME NOT TO RIDE THE MOTORCYCLE, THAT DOING SO COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH. I'M CURIOUS WHY IT WASN'T A PRIORITY FOR YAMAHA TO NOTIFY OWNERS IMMEDIATELY IF THE ISSUE IS SERIOUS ENOUGH TO CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH. I'VE RECEIVED THE OFFICE RECALL NOTICE OUTLINING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. THE ENGINE ON MY BRAND NEW MOTORCYCLE THAT I PAID A HEAVY PREMIUM FOR WILL NEED TO BE REMOVED, TORN DOWN, REPAIRED THEN RE INSTALLED. YAMAHA INFORMED ME IN ANOTHER PHONE CONVERSATION ON DECEMBER 4TH, 2015 THAT THEY WILL NOT BE OFFERING A WARRANTY ON THIS WORK BEING PERFORMED AND THAT I WOULD JUST HAVE TO TRUST THAT THE JOB WAS DONE CORRECTLY. A REPAIR AS INTRUSIVE AND EXTENSIVE AS THIS GREATLY DIMINISHES THE SAFETY OF THE MOTORCYCLE AS WELL AS THE VALUE. I AND MANY MANY OTHERS ARE SEVERELY DISPLEASED WITH THE COURSE OF ACTION YAMAHA HAS TAKEN TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION.

RUMORS OF TRANSMISSION RECALL EMERGED ONLINE, SAYING THE TRANSMISSION WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED INSIDE THE ENGINE OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THIS DEFECT COULD RESULT IN THE MOTORCYCLES TRANSMISSION LOCKING AND THE BACK WHEEL LOCKING RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH. I CALLED YAMAHA CORP DECEMBER 2ND AND THE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME TO STOP RIDING THE BIKE. SHE TOLD ME THERE IS NO OFFICIAL RECALL, BUT AN INTENT TO RECALL AND SHE DID NOT HAVE A TIME FRAME EXCEPT THE NEXT FEW WEEKS I WOULD RECEIVE AN OFFICIAL LETTER. THE YAMAHA REP TOLD ME THEY WILL BE OPENING UP MY BRAND NEW MOTORBIKES BRAND NEW ENGINE TO REPLACE THE GEARS. SHE TOLD ME YAMAHA WILL NOT BE HELPING GET THE MOTORCYLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SINCE I CANNOT RIDE THE MOTORCYCLE THERE. I AM VERY CONCERNED WITH A LOCAL YAMAHA TECH OPENING UP THE MOTOR OF MY BRAND NEW MOTORCYCLE THAT IS CAPABLE OF REACHING SPEEDS OF 200MPH. ONE MISTAKE COULD RESULT IN INJURY OR MOST LIKELY DEATH. I AM VERY DISPLEASED THAT YAMAHA IS OFFERING NO PAYMENT COMPENSATION DUE TO THE FACT I CANNOT RIDE THE BIKE, YET I AM STILL PAYING PAYMENTS. ON TOP OF THAT THEY WILL NOT HELP FINANCIALLY WITH THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. EXTREMELY UNPROFESSIONAL.

AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT THERE HAS BEEN NO OFFICIAL RECALL FOR THIS MOTORCYCLE. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE AWARE THAT MYSELF HAVE BEEN TOLD TO NOR RIDE THIS MOTORCYCLE AS THE SECOND GEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION COULD FAIL AND CAUSE CATASTOPHIC FAILURE, RESULTING IN INJURY AND OR DEATH TO RIDER. THIS EFFECTS ALL 2015 YAMAHA R1...MODEL YEAR 2015. YAMAHA IS AWARE OF THIS BUT MOST PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED AND ARE STILL OPERATING THESE MOTORCYCLE WITH A KNOWN DEFECT.