1997 Yamaha Royal Star Tour Deluxe Problems

I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH ON MY 1997 ROYAL STAR TOUR DELUXE. IT WOULD OCCASIONALLY NOT MAKE CONTACT SO THE ENGINE WOULD START. GIGGLING THE KEY WOULD USUALLY RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. ON THIS OCCASION I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AFTER REFUELING AND DIDN'T THINK MUCH ABOUT IT UNTIL I GOT ON THE HIGHWAY AND WAS DOING ABOUT 70MPH WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED. I STARTED MOVING TO THE OUTSIDE LANE AND TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I REACHED DOWN AND MOVED THE KEY AND IT RESTARTED, WHEN I LET GO OF THE KEY IT DIED AGAIN, SO I MOVED THE KEY AGAIN, THIS REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL IT FINALLY STAYED ON UNTIL I GOT HOME, I HAVE PARKED THE BIKE UNTIL I CAN GET ANOTHER SWITCH. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE YAMAHA STORE THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE OEM SWITCH LEFT IN THE UNITED STATES AND WILL COST OVER $250.00 JUST FOR THE PART. *TR

WHILE DRIVING A 1997 YAMAHA ROYAL STAR TOUR DELUXE, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUITS, BUT ELECTRONIC REMAIN ON. STOPPING THE BIKE AND RESTARTING RESOLVES THE ISSUE. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS HAPPENED TO ME WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE 405 HIGHWAY, AND ALMOST CAUSING A MAJOR (AND POTENTIALLY FATAL) ACCIDENT. APPARENTLY, THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR MANY OWNERS (INTERNET SEARCH BEARS THIS OUT), AND THE PROBLEM IS THE IGNITION SWITCH. STOPPING THE BIKE, REMOVING KEYS AND RESTARTING USUALLY RESULTS IN BIKE OPERATING AGAIN. EVEN JIGGLING THE KEYS WHILE BIKE IS STALLED, BUT STILL MOVING CAN BRING THE MOTORCYCLE BACK TO LIFE. THE HIGH POSSIBILITY FOR DANGER OCCURS WHEN THE PROBLEM HAPPENS WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, AS IT DID WITH ME. THE ENGINE STALLED, AND THE BUMPY ROAD MADE THE KEYS JIGGLE, WHICH BEGAN A SERIES OF STRAYING AND STALLING. THIS MADE THE BIKE IMPOSSIBLE TO HANDLE AS IT LURCHED AND STALLED SEVERAL TIMES. I CAN ONLY DESCRIBE IT, AS IF ONE WERE RIDING A MECHANICAL BULL IN THE FAST LANE. I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE LEFT SHOULDER. THIS SITUATION IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND THE DEFECTIVE SWITCH NEEDS TO BE APPROPRIATELY ADDRESSED AND REPLACED. AN INTERNET SEARCH WILL REVEAL HOW PREVALENT THIS SITUATION IS AND IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT RESULTS IN INURY OR DEATH IF NOT CORRECTED. *DT

WHILE RETURNING HOME FROM VACATION, I EXPERIENCED TREAD LOSS ON THE REAR TIRE OF MY MOTORCYCLE. I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON HIGHWAY 95 (SOUTHWEST NEVADA). ABOUT 30 MILE NORTH OF BEATTY NV, I FELT A "BUMP" AND HEARD THE THUMP AND CLANK OF SOMETHING BOUNCING OFF THE INSIDE OF THE REAR FENDER. I PULLED OVER TO INSPECT AND COULD NOT LOCATE ANY PROBLEMS. I RESUMED MY TRIP AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME SOUND ABOUT 5 MILES LATER. I STOPPED TO INSPECT AGAIN AND THIS TIME DISCOVERED THAT 2 LARGE CHUNKS OF TREAD WERE MISSING OUT OF THE MIDDLE OF THE TIRE. EVERYONE WHO HAS SEEN IT DESCRIBES THE DAMAGE AS HAVING THE APPEARANCE OF A RETREAD TIRE, WHICH TO MY KNOWLEDGE, IT WASN'T. LUCKILY, THE TIRE CONTINUED TO HOLD AIR AND THE FAILURE DID NOT CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL. IT COULD HAVE BEN MUCH WORSE. UNABLE TO GET CELL PHONE CONNECTION AND UNABLE TO FLAG DOWN ANYBODY WHO DID, I OPTED TO LIMP THE MOTORCYCLE TO THE NEXT TOWN, HOPING TO BE ABLE TO GET HELP THERE. I TRAVELED FOR ABOUT 25 MILES AT VERY LOW SPEED. ONCE IN GOLDFIELD NV, I WAS ABLE TO CONNECT TO MY CELL PHONE CARRIER AND PROCEEDED TO GET HELP. NOT WANTING TO PUSH MY LUCK ON THE BAD TIRE, I CALLED THE NEAREST AVAILABLE LOCATION (POTOMAH NV) TO GET A TOW THERE. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL YAMAHA DEALER AND THEY WERE ABLE TO ORDER A NEW TIRE FOR ME. AFTER 2 NIGHTS WAITING FOR DELIVERY, THE FAILED TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE. THE TIRE (DUNLOP D404 SERIES FOR A 1997 YMAHA ROYAL STAR) WAS NOT NEW, BUT STIL HAD SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES BEFORE NEEDING REPLACEMENT. THE UNEXPECTED FAILURE LEFT ME BASICALLY STRANDED IN APLACE I DIDN'T WANT TO BE AND COST ME ~$500 IN TOTAL EXPENCES BEFORE I COULD GET BACK ON THE ROAD HOME. AT THIS MOMENT, I HAVE THE FAILED TIRE IN MY POSESSION. TO DATE, (7/20/2005) I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO TALK TO ANYONE AT DUNLOP THAT CAN ASSIST ME IN SEEKING SOME COMPENSATION FOR MY DAMAGES.

REAR TIRE HAS PIN HOLES ON THE SIDEWALL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK