2008 Yamaha Midknight Warrior Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2008 Yamaha Midknight Warrior, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical333.3%
- Engine222.2%
- Tires & wheels222.2%
- Body & structure111.1%
- Fuel system111.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL REFLECTS A GLARE ON THE WINDSHIELD AT NIGHT MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE. YOUR FORM DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THE PROPER MODEL NUMBER ON THIS YAMAHA MOTORCYCLE TO BE SELECTED. THE MODEL NUMBER IS XV19CTSXW. IT IS A YAMAHA STRATOLINER S. *TR
MY 2008 YAMAHA FJR 1300 ENGINE STALLS WHEN I AM SLOWING TO COME TO A STOP OR WHEN I'M IDLING. EVERY TIME I HAVE RIDDEN IT, I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE ENGINE STALLING WHEN I AM SHIFTING DOWN TO COME TO A STOP, CAUSING THE REAR TIRE TO SLIDE JUST FOR A MOMENT. LUCKILY I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL THE MOTORCYCLE WITHOUT HAVING AN ACCIDENT. I KNOW THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE 03-05 FJR1300. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
2008 YAMAHA R1 MOTORCYCLE, ENGINE DIES WITHOUT ANY WARNING. OR ANY CLEAR CHAIN OF EVENTS, DIES RANDOMLY. AND NOT EVERY DAY, OCCASIONALLY. THEN CAN BE STARTED RIGHT UP, LIKE NOTHING WAS WRONG. I HAD TO FILE THIS UNDER MIDNIGHT WARRIOR AS THERE WAS NO CHOICE FOR R1...ALSO HAVE SEEN THIS SAME COMPLAINT ON MANY MOTORCYCLE FORUMS, AND HAVE HEARD FROM OTHER FOLKS THAT YAMAHA WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. THIS CONDITION COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR EVEN DEATH. THIS CONDITION HAS BEEN HAPPENING SPORADICALLY SINCE I PURCHASED MY BIKE OFF THE SHOWROOM FLOOR. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 YAMAHA MIDKNIGHT WARRIOR. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE THROTTLE SPORADICALLY FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BECOME STUCK. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A FENCE POLE. THE DEALER WOULD NOT ASSUME ANY LIABILITY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 1.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
I OWN A 2008 YAMAHA RAIDER MOTORCYCLE AND THE BACK TIRE A METZLER 210/40/18 IS A DIRECTIONAL TYPE OF TIRE HOWEVER THE TREAD IS SUCH THAT IN A WATER CONDITION THE TIRE DOES NOT PUSH THE WATER AWAY AS IT SHOULD IT ACTUALLY PULLS IT TOWARDS THE MIDDLE UPON CHECKING OUT THE TIRE FOUND IT TO BE BACKWARDS THE DIRECTIONAL ARROW POINTS TO THE FRONT BUT TREAD IS BACKWARDS . I NOTICED THIS IN A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER HYDROPLAINING SEEMS TO BE A REAL ISSUE I CONTACTED METEZLER AND THEY JUST SHRUG IT OFF AND SAY ITS NO PROBLEM. MOTORCYCLE FORUMS I'VE VISITED HAVE A LOT OF ARTICLES ON THIS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF SOMEONE HAS TO BE KILLED BEFORE METEZLER IS MADE TO FIX THE PROBLEM BY RECALL. PERSONALLY I'VE RIDDEN MOTORCYCLES FOR 30 YEARS AND IT WAS QUITE A HANDFUL TO STAY UPRIGHT WITH VERY LITTLE WATER INVOLVED . A NOVICE RIDER MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY I HOPE SOMEONE CAN MAKE METEZLER TIRE COMPANY REMEDY THIS PROBLEM WITH A RECALL. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING *TR
THE TREAD PATTERN ON MY METZLER REAR TIRE(SIZE 210-40-18) ON MY NEW YAMAHA RAIDER MOTORCYCLE IS BACKWARDS. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT WITH MOTORCYCLE TIRES FOR WATER DISPERSION AND THE WAY THE TIRE CARCASS IS MADE TO GO ONLY ONE DIRECTION. ALL YAMAHA RAIDER MOTORCYCLES ARE BEING DELIVERED TO DEALERS WITH THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR OF PRODUCTION FOR THIS BIKE AND SOONER OR LATER A TIRE WILL COME APART AND KILL SOME ONE. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
I AM A RESELLER OF A PRODUCT CALLED A SUNTRIKE AND THE PRODUCT IS BEING SOLD TO CONSUMERS THE 3 WHEELED VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS IN THAT THE TURNING RADIUS IS SO NARROW THAT THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE TURNED SAFELY . THE VEHICLE ALSO HAS ENGINE MOUNTS THAT CONTINUALLY FAIL CAUSING THE ENGINE TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. YOUR SYSTEM DOES NOT ALLOW ME TO CORRECTLY ID THE PRODUCT , SO CONTACT ME. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY 2008 YAMAHA FJR 1300 ENGINE STALLS WHEN I AM SLOWING TO COME TO A STOP OR WHEN I'M IDLING. EVERY TIME I HAVE RIDDEN IT, I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE ENGINE STALLING WHEN I AM SHIFTING DOWN TO COME TO A STOP, CAUSING THE REAR TIRE TO SLIDE JUST FOR A MOMENT. LUCKILY I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL THE MOTORCYCLE WITHOUT HAVING AN ACCIDENT. I KNOW THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE 03-05 FJR1300. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .