2012 Yamaha XT1200Z Owner Complaints

While riding, my abs light lit up and my rear brake became hard to press and rear brakes because inoperable. Had it diagnosed and the abs pump is malfunctioning

NHTSA ID

11658015

Incident

Apr 30, 2025

At 12 years old and 34,500 miles the rear brakes began feeling soft and eventually traveled to the bottom and the rear brakes stopped working. Front brakes worked normally. Several attempts at bleeding the air out of the rear system only resulted in safe operation for a few days. Eventually the rear brakes stopped working after each air bleeding attempt. The problem is the ABS pump has failed and the combined braking engagement admits air to the rear braking system when the combined braking is engaged through the ABS pump. The only fix is replacement of the ABS pump with a new part at $1,900 retail ($1,600 street price), using a used unit ($450 or so), or repairing the old unit ($550 with shipping to France). I elected to repair the existing unit with a company in France as the bike is out of warranty and several other Super Tenere owners have reported Yamaha is not offering any coverage under warranty or goodwill. I installed this myself and the repair costs would have been much higher had a shop been paid to diagnose and repair this defect. It is probably a $3,000+ repair from a Yamaha dealer The bike was well maintained and brake fluid has been changed every few years as recommended by the manufacturer. This is a know issue and these critical safety systems should function for the life of the vehicle with normal maintenance and use.

NHTSA ID

11617088

Incident

Jun 15, 2023

On 15 JUN 2023, my Super Tenere experienced total loss of rear brakes during vehicle operation in traffic, almost resulting in an accident. There was no vehilce annunciation of loss of brakes or ABS failure. Vehicle-specific forums show that this has happened to at least 5 other operators since 2014. The vehicle anti-lock braking system (ABS) pump fails in a manner that allows air ingression in the rear brake hydraulic fluid path, resulting in loss of braking. The vehicle has been serviced (by myself - brake bleed) three times, each time the problem returns. The sole curative measure is replacement of the ABS pump unit, at significant cost. This failure represents a safety system single point of failure in contravention with 49 CFR Section 571.135- Standard No 135; Light Vehicle Brake Systems, under S7.8.3, in which it states that for service brakes on a vehicle equipped with one or more antilock systems, in the event of any single functional failure in any such system, the service brake system shall continue to operate and shall stop the vehicle as specified in S7.8.3(a) or S7.8.3(b). My safety (and others who have this vehicle), and those in proximity to me in the event of a failure, was put at risk by these latent failures. My vehicle has not had this failure confirmed by either the manufacturer or an independent service center (though others have). The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance rep or others. Again, there were NO warning lights or indications of the latent failure, or of a fault post-incident.

NHTSA ID

11530664

Incident

Jun 15, 2023

The ABS pump has failed nearly causing a life threatening incident. This is a known issue with ABS systems on the 2012 and 2013 Yamaha XTZ1200 which are classified as Generation 1 machines. This problem was addressed and apparently remedied on the 2014 - 2023 model bikes comprising Generation 2 machines. Yamaha needs to address this issue and recall every 2012 & 2013 XTZ1200 for ABS pump replacement .

NHTSA ID

11507745

Incident

Feb 17, 2023

I HAD A TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKES ON MY BIKE. I WAS RIDING IT AND WHEN APPLYING THE REAR BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN AND DID NOT ENGAGE, IT DID NOT SLOW ME DOWN. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF POSSIBLE FAILURES ON PREVIOUS USAGE OF THE BRAKES. I HAVE TAKEN MY BIKE TO TWO AUTHORIZED YAMAHA DEALERS AS THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIME IN TOTAL. THE ABS PUMP IS FAILING AND INJECTING AIR INTO THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN BLEED SEVERAL TIMES, THE ABILITY RETURNED BUT IT FAILED AGAIN. EVERY PART ON THE BRAKES HAVE EITHER BEEN REPAIRED OR REPLACED EXCEPT THE ABS UNIT. I COMPLAINED TO YAMAHA NORTH AMERICA AND THEY INSISTED THAT THE ABS UNIT WAS NOT BAD NOR WAS IT TO BLAME FOR THE AIR IN THE LINES. I DISAGREED BUT BOTH SHOPS DID WHAT THEY SUGGESTED AND REPLACED OR REWORKED OTHER PARTS. NOW AFTER A THIRD FAILURE I ASKED YAMAHA TO ASSIST WITH THE PROBLEM AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT HAS BEEN TOO LONG AND THE BIKE IT OUT OF WARRANTY. I TOLD THEM THAT THE INITIAL ISSUE WAS OVER 2 YEARS AGO BUT THEY DO NOT CARE AND WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE UPON FAILURE OF THE ABS UNIT THAT I LOSE THE ABILITY TO BRAKE ALL TOGETHER NOT JUST THE ABILITY TO HAVE ABS OR NOT. THERE ARE OTHER BIKES THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, THE FOLLOWING YEAR (2013) YAMAHA USED A DIFFERENT PART AND I ASKED IF IT COULD BE USED ON MY BIKE THEY SAID NO AND THEY WOULD NOT HELP WITH FINDING A REPLACEMENT PART.

NHTSA ID

11121738

Incident

Sep 15, 2016

Mileage

20,000 mi

MOTORCYCLE WILL FOR NO REASON DIE OR IDLE FAST AROUND 3,500 RPM. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN LETTING OFF THE THROTTLE TO TURN AROUND A CORNER AND THE BIKE DOES NOT SLOW DOWN. IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME ABOUT 5 DIFFERENT RIDE DAYS. IT WOULD STALL WHEN LETTING OFF THE GAS OR ACCELERATE. I ALWAYS WAS ABLE TO LET THE BIKE REST START STOP THE MOTOR 5 TO 30 TIMES AND IT WOULD GO BACK TO NORMAL. I ALMOST WENT OF THE ROAD IN THE MOUNTAINS WHEN IT 1ST HAPPENED. LET OFF THE GAS FOR A TIGHT CORNER AND THE BIKE DID NOT SLOW IT SPEED UP. *TT *CN

NHTSA ID

11083979

Incident

Apr 8, 2018

Mileage

14,000 mi

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL FAULTS RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER WHILE RIDING AND IDLE SPEED SURGES, RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATING WITHOUT WARNING. THE SURGE OF ACCELERATION CAUSED ME TO REAR END A VEHICLE UNDER NORMAL BRAKING, WHEN DOWN SHIFTING CAUSED THE BIKE TO LURCH FORWARD WITH AN IDLE SPEED ABOVE 4000 RPM, IMPACTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE BEFORE IMPACT SO THERE WAS ONLY SUPERFICIAL SCRATCHES FOUND. THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAUSED A LOSS OF CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN THE IMPACT. I HAVE ALSO RECENTLY HAD MORE ISSUES WITH THE CYCLE DISPLAYING AN ERROR CODE AND NOT STARTING, LEAVING ME STRANDED ON A RIDE. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN INTERMITTENT FOR OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS AND HAS HAD ME TO REPLACING SENSORS, COILS AND ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE COSTS ATTEMPTING TO FIX THE ISSUE. RESEARCH WITH OTHER OWNERS OF THE MODEL HAS LED ME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT A FAULTY WIRING HARNESS IS TO BLAME FOR THESE EVER PRESENT ELECTRICAL ISSUES. YAMAHA NA APPEARS TO BE AWARE OF THE ISSUE, AS OTHERS HAVE HAD THEIR MAIN WIRING HARNESSES REPLACED AND REPORT NO FURTHER ISSUES.

NHTSA ID

11083185

Incident

Mar 2, 2018

Mileage

52,486 mi

THIS MOTORCYCLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY WHEN I ENGAGE THE CLUTCH. IT SOMETIMES IDLES HIGH WHEN MY HANDS ARE OFF THE THROTTLE. BOTH OF THESE CONDITIONS THAT HAVE PUT ME IN DANGER AS THEY OCCUR WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AND PUT ME IN A POSITION WHERE I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE YAMAHA FORUMS (YAMAHASUPERTENERE.COM) YOU'LL SEE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY OWNERS. YOU WILL EVEN FIND VIDEOS OF THIS YEAR AND MODEL MOTORCYCLE MAINTAINING FREEWAY SPEED WHEN THE DRIVER HAS NO HAND ON THE THROTTLE. I'M AFRAID TO RIDE MY MOTORCYCLE IN THIS CONDITION AND CERTAINLY CAN'T SELL IT. AT THIS POINT IT'S A USELESS $9000 VEHICLE. PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA ID

11051629

Incident

Nov 25, 2017

Mileage

20 mi

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, MY 2012 YAMAHA XTZ1200 SUPER TENERE HAS FAILED TO DECELERATE WHEN I COMPLETELY SHUT THE THROTTLE. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV AT OVER 3,000RPMS AND THE MOTORCYCLE MAINTAINED APPROXIMATELY 40MPH, WITHOUT THROTTLE INPUT. THIS MOTORCYCLE IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL. BRAKING TO STOP REQUIRED ME TO OVERCOME THE TORQUE OF THE ENGINE POWERING THE BIKE FORWARD AT OVER 3,000 RPMS IN ADDITION TO THE VELOCITY OF THE MACHINE ITSELF. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO STOP AND SHUT THE BIKE OFF, IT RESTARTED WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND REQUIRED 5-7 RESTARTS UNTIL IT STARTED NORMALLY AND RAN WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM UNTIL THE NEXT TIME THE ISSUE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING: DURING THE SECOND INCIDENT I WAS APPROACHING AN EXIT RAMP AND LET OFF THE THROTTLE. THE BIKE DID NOT DECELERATE UNDER ENGINE BRAKING AS EXPECTED DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE ENGINE REMAINED AT THE RPMS I HAD BEEN TRAVELING. CLOSING THE THROTTLE HAD NO EFFECT ON THE SPEED OF THE ENGINE AND AS SUCH I ENTERED THE CORNER TOO FAST AND WAS FORCED TO DRAG THE BRAKES AGAINST THE POWER OF THE ENGINE. AGAIN, AFTER FINDING A SAFE PLACE TO STOP, A RESTART RESOLVED THE ISSUE EVENTUALLY. ON SEVERAL OTHER OCCASIONS, THE BIKE WOULD NOT IDLE AND DIED WHILE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT. THE ENGINE, IDLING NORMALLY, WOULD SUDDENLY DROP TO ABOUT 800 RPMS AND THEN STOP. IT HAS, ON OCCASION, REFUSED TO RESTART. DURING EACH OF THESE EPISODES, THE 'MODE SELECTOR' SWITCH THAT CONTROLS THE THROTTLE MAP FAILED TO WORK, BUT NO ENGINE OR FAULT CODE WAS SHOWN ON THE DASH.

NHTSA ID

11001233

Incident

Dec 26, 2014

Mileage

20,000 mi

2012 YAMAHA XT1200Z SUPER TENERE. AT LEAST THREE TIMES A MONTH INTERMITTENTLY WHEN STARTING ENGINE IT WILL INSISTENTLY RAMP UP TO 3000 RPM. I NEED TO SHUT IT OFF AND RECYCLE THE KEY TWO TO THREE TIMES BEFORE IT STARTS AND SUSTAINS AT NORMAL 1100RPM, MY FEAR IT WILL DAMAGE THE ENGINE AT SOME POINT. THE DANGER TO RIDER LIVES ISSUE IS: AT LEAST THREE TIMES A MONTH AGAIN INTERMITTENT WHILE SITTING STATIONARY AT A LIGHT THE RPM WILL SIMPLY DROP OFF AND DIE AND WILL NOT START AND WHEN IT DOES THE RPM WILL JUMP AGAIN TO 3000RPM, MORE THAN ONCE THIS CAUSED ME TO DROP MY BIKE TURNING AT AN INTERSECTION OR HAVE A CLOSE REAR END COLLISION WITH A VEHICLE BEHIND ME AS WHEN I STARTED MOVING THEN IT DIED WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES TO AVOID COLLISION. I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH MY LOCAL YAMAHA DEALER IN SANTA FE, NM AND REFUSED TO LOOK INTO IT AS THEY HAVE NEVER WORKED ON THIS MODEL. I AM NOT THE ONLY OWNER THAT HAS HAD THE SAME ENGINE FAILURE AND HIGH RPM START UP ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL AS WELL AS THE 2011 AND 2013 MODELS. I FEEL THIS IS TRULY A LIFE THREATENING SAFETY CONCERN AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY YAMAHA FOR A SAFETY RECALL ON ALL EARLY MODEL XT1200 SUPER TENERE FROM 2010 TO 2013. I FEEL ONE SHOULD NOT PAY $14,000 FOR A VEHICLE THAT IS NOT CORRECT FROM THE FACTORY DUE TO WIRING HARNESS ELECTRICAL ISSUES. MODELS 2014 TO PRESENT DOESN'T HAVE THIS ISSUE LEAVING ME TO BELIEVE YAMAHA WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAVE CORRECTED IT BUT KEPT SILENT AS SOME EARLY MODEL OWNERS WIRING HARNESSES HAVE BEEN REPLACE FREE BY YAMAHA AND HAVE HAD NO ISSUES SINCE. I FEEL AS MANY OTHER OWNERS THAT IT IS AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ISSUE. LINK TO SOME OWNERS MANY CONCERNED HTTP://WWW.YAMAHASUPERTENERE.COM/INDEX.PHP?TOPIC=17994.0 YAMAHA CAN CONTACT ME FOR DETAILS SINCERELY [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10991165

Incident

May 22, 2017

Mileage

10,000 mi