RoadVitals

2005 Yamaha XVS1100 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
10
Latest May 14, 2023
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
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jun 6, 2012

What this page shows

Our database holds 10 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2005 Yamaha XVS1100. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–10 of 10

Powertrain (other)
Filed May 14, 2023

Mid shaft broke at the nut that hold the yoke on the mid shaft. This can cause the rear wheel to lock up and cause loss of control. The issue has not been inspected by the manufacturer or police but after Google search I discovered it is a common issue and when removing the speed sensor and locking inside you can clearly see the shaft is broken off at the nut

NHTSA ID
11521904
Incident
May 14, 2023
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jun 30, 2020

I WAS DRIVING MY NEWLY BOUGHT (USED) MOTORCYCLE, BOUGHT IT FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER. IT HAS ABOUT 30,000 MILES ON IT. DROVE IT HOME NO PROBLEM, BY THE END OF THE WEEK I WAS GOING UP A HILL AND HEARD A LOUD WHINING NOISE AS SOON AS I LET OFF THE THROTTLE. LOOK AT THE BIKE ONCE I GET HOME AND THE MID DRIVE SHAFT THAT TRANSMITS POWER FROM THE TRANSMISSION TO THE FINAL DRIVE HAD SNAPPED OFF AT THE END. THE BOLT HAD BROKE OFF. WHILE RESEARCHING FORUMS ON THE INTERNET THIS PROBLEM HAS COME UP MANY MANY TIMES WITH THIS YEAR OF MOTORCYCLE. THE HEAT TREAT ON THE PART MENTIONED IS VERY UNEVEN AND DEFINITELY NOT SAFE. I WAS DIRECTED TO THIS PAGE TO FILL OUT THIS FORM AS A COMPLAINT TO HAVE YAMAHA SOLVE THIS WITH A RECALL. IT'S GOING TO COST ME ALMOST $3,000 TO FIX WHEN I JUST PAID $2,000 FOR THE MOTORCYCLE. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS ON THE INTERNET SO I HOPE TO LEAD MORE HERE TO FILL OUT THIS FORM. *TR

NHTSA ID
11331828
Incident
Jun 28, 2020
Mileage
30,645 mi
Filed Sep 4, 2016

MID SHAFT BROKE. IF THIS WOULD OF JAMMED UP AGAINST THE DRIVE SHAFT IT WOULD HAVE PUT THE MOTORCYCLE IN AN UNCONTROLABLE SKID.

NHTSA ID
10903558
Incident
Sep 2, 2016
Mileage
40,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jun 17, 2015

I HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT AS MANY OTHERS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR MOTORCYCLE. THE HEAD OF THE BOLT THAT HOLDS TOGETHER THE MID GEAR BROKE OFF. NOW THE MOTORCYCLE IS MAKING A LOUD WHINY NOISE ON DECELERATION WHICH IS UNBEARABLE. AFTER REPLACING THE FINAL DRIVE AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTING MY MECHANIC FINALLY TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE APART TO INSPECT THE MID GEAR AND SAW THE PART BROKEN OFF. I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED IN YAMAHA ALTHOUGH THEY PRIDE THEMSELVES IN CLAIMING TO MAKE QUALITY MOTORCYCLE THEY REFUSE TO ACCEPT THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS. MY MECHANIC BOLDLY SAID THIS PART SHOULD NOT BREAK THAT EASILY REGARDLESS OF HOW OLD THE BIKE MAY BE. NOW I'M STUCK WITH THE TOUGH DECISION OF FIXING IT WHICH THE REPAIR COST IS ESTIMATED BETWEEN $2500-$3000. I'D RATHER PUT THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY ON A NEW BIKE, DEFINITELY NOT A YAMASUCKS, THEN TO RISK FIXING IT AND THEN HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM OCCUR IN ANOTHER COUPLE OF YEARS. I REALLY WISH YAMAHA WOULD DO THE RIGHT THING FOR IT'S CUSTOMERS AND ISSUES A RECALL ON THIS, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE CUSTOMER COMES FIRST OR 100% CUSTOMER SATISFACTION GUARANTEED.

NHTSA ID
10725859
Incident
Nov 22, 2014
Mileage
12,000 mi
ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Jul 8, 2014

DRIVING 45MPH ON A FLAT BLACK TOP. SPEEDO STARTED TO BOUNCE HEARD A NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE GRINDING WHEN APPLYING THE CLUTCH WHILE LETTING OFF OF THE THROTTLE. A FEW MOMENTS LATER THE SPEEDO FAILED. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE MY BIKE HOME. WHILE INVESTIGATING THE SPEEDO FAILURE AND THE SOURCE OF THE NOISE I DISCOVERED THAT THE MIDDLE DRIVE GEAR SHAFT SHEARED OFF. THE SHAFT SHEARED OFF ON THE THREADED PORTION AT THE RETAINING NUT LOCATION. IN RESEARCHING THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE ON THESE MOTORCYCLES THAT I FEEL NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY YAMAHA. *JS

NHTSA ID
10609027
Incident
May 26, 2014
Mileage
39,700 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jun 24, 2014

SORRY IF I SEEM TO BE ALARMED. BUT I OWN A 2005 YAMAHA 1100 CLASSIC. WHY IM FILLING THIS REPORT OUT IS THAT I FOUND A LOT OF PROBLEMS POSTED ABOUT THE MID SHAFT RETAINING BOLT HAS BEEN REPORTED OFTEN OF FAILURE BY EITHER SHEARING OFF OR EVEN BRAKING THE SHAFT ON THIS CERTAIN BIKE. IT HAS NOT HAPPENED TO THE BIKE I OWN YET, BUT READING THESE REPORTS AND SOME OF THE WEB SPACES I FOUND, TELLS ME THAT IT COULD HAPPEN. THIS MAKES ME SCARED TO RIDE MY BIKE ANYMORE. YES BY READING AND LOOKING UP THE DETAILS THIS PROBLEM COULD CAUSE MULTIPLE DAMAGE OR HARM AND EVEN DEATH TO ME. PLEASE CAN WE GET YAMAHA TO FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR THE OWNERS OF THESE BIKES. BEFORE SOME ONE DOES GET HURT OR KILLED. OR HAS TO SPEND MONEY WE DON'T HAVE. THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING. I TALKED TO A YAMAHA DEALER ABOUT THE BIKE. THEY TOLD ME THEY TOTALLY QUIT MAKING THE 1100 TYPE OF BIKE WITH THE SHAFT FOR SOME REASON. "WHAT'S UP WITH THAT" DO THEY KNOW SOMETHING WE DON'T!!!! THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS MAJOR OPERATING PART TO MAKE IT SAFER FOR RIDER'S. I ENJOY MY BIKE BUT DON'T NEED THIS TO HAPPEN TO ME. CAN I REQUEST THE RECALL TO GET IT REPLACED AND DO SOMETHING TO MAKE IT SAFE FOR ME AND OTHERS. MY BIKE HAS RIGHT AT 25'000 MILES ON IT. I THINK THIS RETAINING NUT AND SHAFT SHOULD LAST THE DURATION OF THE BIKE. "MY THOUGHT'S"!!!! "YAMAHA WHY NOT HAVE A REVERSE RETAINING SUPPORT NUT OR A LOCKING SETUP LIKE A PIN OR ALLEN SCREW ON THIS DRIVE SHAFT. THAT WAY THE NUT WON'T LOOSEN. A MOTORCYCLE IS ONLY MADE TO RUN ONE DIRECTION ANYWAY. YOU GET BY DRIFT? PLEASE MAKE THIS A RECALL. THIS BIKE IS MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION. NEEDING TO SAVE MONEY ON GAS, NOT SPEND IT ON PARTS THAT SHOULDN'T BRAKE. EVEN OUTSTANDING MEDICAL BILL'S OR A NOTHER BIKE RIGHT NOW ME ALONG WITH OTHERS DO NOT HAVE THIS TO GIVE UP OR SPEND. ALONG WITH OUR LIVES. A BIKE SHOULD BE SAFER THAN THIS.AFTER READING ALL THAT I'VE READ. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID
10605476
Incident
Jun 24, 2014
Powertrain (other)
Filed Dec 6, 2013

THE BIKE STARTED SHUTTERING SO BAD, THE MIRRORS SHOOK LOOSE AND I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO CRASH. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY STOP THE BIKE AND HAD IT TOWED BACK HOME. A MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THE CENTER DRIVELINE MAY POSSIBLY BE COMING LOOSE. THE BIKE SHAKES WHEN ANY TORQUE IS APPLIED TO THE MOTOR, AND IT'S COMING FROM UNDER THE RIDER SEAT. EXACTLY WHERE THE DRIVELINE IS HOUSED. YAMAHA MUST RECALL AND FIX THIS ISSUE BEFORE THE REAR TIRE LOCKS UP WHILE RIDING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10555008
Incident
Dec 5, 2013
Mileage
11,310 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Oct 2, 2013

YAMAHA USED FORGED STEEL TO MAKE MIDDLE DRIVE GEAR THAT WAS HEAT TREATED AND THE CASTING WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH FOR ITS INTENDED USE. YAMAHA IS AWARE OF THIS AS THEY HAVE CHANGED THE PART OUT WITH A PART THAT IS MUCH STRONGER. THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR REPAIRS ON THIS PARTICULAR PART. HAD I NOT HEARD THE RATTLING OF THE BROKEN NUT THERE IS A MAJOR CHANCE THAT THE LOSE DEFECTED PART COULD HAVE GOTTEN CAUGHT IN THE U-JOINT CAUSING THE BACK TIRE TO LOCK UP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAUSING MAJOR INJURY OR DEATH. THE REPLACEMENT PART ALONG WITH LABOR RUNS BETWEEN 2500 AND 3000 DOLLARS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10546469
Incident
Oct 1, 2013
Mileage
16,500 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 21, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 YAMAHA XVS1100 MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, A LOUD WHINING NOISE EMITTED UPON RELEASE OF THE THROTTLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE DRIVE SHAFT BOLT DISLODGED INTO THE ENGINE, WHICH CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE ENGINE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000.

NHTSA ID
10476630
Incident
Aug 8, 2012
Mileage
31,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jun 6, 2012

MOTORCYCLE STARTED MAKING NOISE WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND THEN WHEN SHIFTING. TOOK IT TO A MOTORCYCLE SHOP AND FOUND OUT THE MIDDLE DRIVE SHAFT HAD GONE BAD. HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM WITH THIS BIKE. CAN'T AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED NOW. *TR

NHTSA ID
10460790
Incident
May 31, 2012
Mileage
22,000 mi

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.

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