RoadVitals

2005 Yamaha XVS11

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Jul 9, 2015
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Jun 1, 2005
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 9 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2005 Yamaha XVS11, most frequently naming the powertrain (other) and transmission categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Powertrain (other)770.0%
  • Transmission330.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
05V256000

SEATS:MOTORCYCLE

Jun 1, 2005
46,000 units potentially affected
The defect: ON CERTAIN MOTORCYLES, THE ORIGINAL REPLACEMENT MOUNTING HARDWARE HOLDING THE PASSENGER SEAT TO THE FENDER COULD BREAK IF THE MOUNTING HARDWARE IS OVER TIGHTENED.
The risk: IF THE HARDWARE BREAKS, THE PASSENGER SEAT CAN FALL OFF THE REAR FENDER. THE PASSENGER COULD LOSE BALANCE AND FALL, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
The remedy: OWNERS MAY ALREADY HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM YAMAHA DATED MARCH 3, 2005, ABOUT THIS DEFECT. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE AN IMPROVED REMEDY TO THE REPAIR OF THE PREVIOUS RECALL, YAMAHA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES AGAIN. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HARDWARE HOLDING THE PASSENGER SEAT TO THE FENDER WITH COMPONENTS OF A DIFFERENT TYPE THAT WILL NOT ALLOW THE SEAT TO FALL OFF. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 15, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT YAMAHA AT 1-800-88-YAMAHA.
YAMAHA MOTOR CORPORATION, USAManufacturer number M2005-010View on NHTSA.gov
05V067000

SEATS:MOTORCYCLE

Mar 3, 2005
179,042 units potentially affected
The defect: ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE MOUNTING HARDWARE HOLDING THE PASSENGER SEAT TO THE FENDER COULD LOOSEN DUE TO THE PASSENGER'S WEIGHT SHIFTING ON THE SEAT.
The risk: IF THE MOUNTING HARDWARE BECOMES LOOSE ENOUGH TO FALL OFF, THE PASSENGER SEAT CAN FALL OFF THE REAR FENDER. A PASSENGER ON THE MOTORCYCLE COULD LOSE BALANCE AND FALL, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PASSENGER SEAT'S MOUNTING HARDWARE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 4, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT YAMAHA AT 1-800-227-5963.
YAMAHA MOTOR CORPORATION, USAManufacturer number M2005-003View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 9
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jul 9, 2015

I BEGAN ACCELERATING ON TO THE HIGHWAY WHEN I NOTICED A RATTLING WHINING NOISE COMING FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE MOTORCYCLE ONCE AS I APPROACHED AN EXIST TO INSPECT THE MOTORCYCLE MY REAR WHEEL LOCKED UP . ONCE I HAD IT TOWED HOME COME TO FIND OUT THE MIDDLE GEAR SHAFT NUT HAD BROKEN OFF WITH PART OF THE SHAFT INSIDE AND FEEL IF THOUGH REPLACING IT AND MAY CAUSE ME SERIOUS INJURY.

NHTSA ID
10732843
Incident
Jul 1, 2015
Mileage
22,541 mi
Transmission
Filed Mar 9, 2011

I HAVE A 2005 YAMAHA 1100 VSTAR CLASSIC. AT ABOUT 23,000 MILES A NUT HOLDING THE MIDDLE GEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION BROKE OFF CAUSING CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I HAD THE MOTORCYCLE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND WAS GIVEN AN ESTIMATE OF $2,000 + TO REPAIR IT. EVEN THO THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPEN WITH ONLY THAT MANY MILES ON A VEHICLE IS UNACCEPTABLE. I PERSONALLY CONTACTED YAMAHA CORP. BY LETTER AND BY PHONE AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO HELP. I HAD THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT CONTACT YAMAHA AND AGAIN WAS TOLD SORRY. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED EVENT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY FAILURES OF THIS KIND AND MY LOCAL DEALER SAID THEY HAVE HAD HALF A DOZEN OR MORE BUT YAMAHA KNOWING ABOUT THE ISSUE FAILS TO INITIATE A RECALL OR HELP ANY OWNERS WITH THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10389608
Incident
Jun 10, 2010
Mileage
23,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 7, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 YAMAHA XVS11. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH HE NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS READING A SPEED OF 0 MPH. HE CONTINUED DRIVING AND BEGAN TO HEAR A CLANKING NOISE. AS HE CONTINUED DRIVING THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO INTERMITTENTLY LUNGE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THE DRIVE SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 23,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10354189
Incident
Aug 24, 2010
Mileage
23,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jul 2, 2010

I HAVE A 2005 YAMAHA VSTAR 1100 WITH 5.000 MILES. WHEN I WAS DRIVING IT ON THE INTERSTATE THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO WINE AND THEN STARTED TO MAKE A TAPING NOISE. I FOUND THE MIDDLE DRIVE GEAR IS BROKE ITS GOING COST ME 1600 DOLLARS TO FIX IT WITH ME TAKING THE MOTOR OUT AND REINSTALLING IT IN MOTORCYCLE. YAMAHA WILL NOT FIX IT EVEN KNOW THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH MIDDLE DRIVE GEAR. I'M JUST LUCKY IT DID NOT LOCK UP ON ME ON THE INTERSTATE! *TR

NHTSA ID
10341090
Incident
Apr 24, 2008
Mileage
5,469 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Nov 18, 2009

ON YAMAHA 1100 VSTAR MOTORCYCLES IN THE MIDDLE DRIVE GEAR WHERE THE UNIVERSAL YOKE CONNECTS TO THE SHAFT THE SHAFT IS PRONE TO BREAKAGE CAUSING THE NUT AND END OF THE SHAFT TO BECOME CAUGHT IN THE UNIVERSAL JOINT WHICH AT 55MPH CAN BE DEVASTATING. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10292826
Incident
Nov 18, 2009
Mileage
53,000 mi
Powertrain (other)Transmission
Filed Nov 13, 2009

MOTORCYCLE IS A 2005 YAMAHA V-STAR 1000 WITH 23,000 MILES ON IT, AND IT BEGAN MAKING A LOUD WHINING NOISE, WHICH SEEMED TO BE AT IT WORST DURING THE FIRST 2-3 MILES OF OPERATION. AFTER CONSULTING WITH A WEB FORUM DEDICATED TO THESE MOTORCYCLES, I DISCOVERED THE THREADED END OF THE INTERMEDIATE DRIVESHAFT HAD BROKEN, AND THE NUT WHICH RETAINS THE U-JOINT YOKE WAS FREE TO MOVE AROUND INSIDE THE U-JOINT. THERE WAS ALSO LIMITED DAMAGE TO THE U-JOINT YOKE, WHICH WAS CAUSED BY THE NUT MOVING AROUND WHILE THE MOTORCYCLE WAS OPERATING. THIS APPEARS TO BE A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THESE YAMAHA MOTORCYCLES, AND CAN LEAD TO MAJOR REPAIR WORK IF THE SHAFT GETS BENT FROM NOT BEING SECURED CORRECTLY. OF THE THREE OPTIONS RECOMMENDED ON THIS FORUM FOR REPAIRING THE PROBLEM, I CHOSE THE CHEAPEST AND FASTEST TO REPAIR OPTION OF DRILLING AND TAPPING THE END OF THE SHAFT TO ACCEPT A BOLT IN LIEU OF REMOVING THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION TO REPLACE THE BROKEN SHAFT. I WAS ABLE TO SMOOTH OUT THE DAMAGED AREAS ON THE U-JOINT YOKE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10292122
Incident
Nov 9, 2009
Mileage
23,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 16, 2009

DRIVE SHAFT FAILURE ON A YAHAMA 1100 VSTAR... FAILURE DUE TO NUT BACKING OFF DRIVE SHAFT YOKE .. SEVERE WHINING ,VIBRATION... BAD DESIGN BY YAHAMA , COULD CAUSE LOCK UP OF REAR TIRE RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH FOR THE RIDER... *TR

NHTSA ID
10284216
Incident
Sep 12, 2009
Mileage
22,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Aug 26, 2009

I FIRST NOTICED A PROBLEM WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING AND THEN WHILE DRIVING HOME THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I HAD A GRINDING NOISE UPON RELEASING THE THROTTLE. THE BIKE WAS TAKEN TO REPAIR AND THE NUT THAT HOLDS THE DRIVE SHAFT IN PLACE CAME OFF AND THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS LOOSE. I HAVE A YAMAHA VSTAR 1100 CLASSIC 2005 WITH 7800 MILES ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10281889
Incident
Aug 20, 2009
Mileage
7,900 mi

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Yamaha XVS11 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2009000—
2008300—
2007200—
2006400—
2005Viewing920—
2004120—
2003320—
2002132047.1
2001020—
2000020—
1999020—
1998020—
1997010—
1996010—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.