2001 Yamaha XVS650 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 2001 Yamaha XVS650, 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
- Other / unspecified225.0%
- Transmission225.0%
- Body & structure112.5%
- Brakes112.5%
- Interior & seats112.5%
- Powertrain (other)112.5%
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
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE MOTORCYCLE STARTED WOBBLING WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED OFF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE SPOKES WERE LOOSE ON THE REAR RIM. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC RECOMMENDED TAKING THE MOTORCYCLE TO A SERVICE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT NO ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE WITH THE DEALER.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55MPH EIGHTEEN OF THE REAR WHEEL SPOKES SNAPPED. ALTHOUGH, THE VEHICLE WOBBLED IT WAS DRIVEN SAFELY FROM THE ROAD. THE SHORT SPOKES BECAME LOOSE PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT AND WERE TIGHTENED AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. AFTER THE INCIDENT THE WHEEL WAS REPLACED BY THE MECHANIC. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAVE A 2001 YAMAHA V-STAR 650 CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE. OVER TIME I BEGAN TO HEAR A "MAJOR" HOWL COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA. YAMAHA CLAIMED THEY HAD NO INFO. ON ANY HOWL PROBLEM!! LATER, ON THE YAMAHA V-STAR FORUM, I LEARNED THAT THERE WAS A BATCH OF 5TH GEARS FOR THE TRANSMISSION, THAT WERE NOT HEAT TREATED CORRECTLY. AS THE GEARS GOT OLDER... THE HOWL BEGAN. MANY FOLKS WERE FORCED TO HAVE THE REPAIRS DONE AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE MFG. DEFECT!!! AFTER THE DEFECT WAS UNCOVERED... YAMAHA STILL WOULD ONLY PAY FOR THE "PARTS" !! PARTS ARE WORTH MAYBE $100... COMPARED TO THE TOTAL BILL OF $1,500 OR MORE. I ALSO HAD TO HAVE MY TRANSMISSION REBUILT, SO PLEASE ADD ME TO YOUR LIST OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM. THE SAD PART IS THAT YAMAHA STILL REFUSES TO ADMIT ANYTHING!!! MANY PEOPLE ARE PAYING LARGE REPAIR BILLS BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP IN THIS MATTER. WAYNE CORNELL. *JB
FIFTH GEAR HAD TO BE REPLACED ON MY 2001 YAMAHA V STAR 650 CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE AT 7000 MILES. WHILE CRUISING IN FIFTH GEAR YOU WOULD HEAR A LOUD CHATTERING SOUND COMING FROM BENEATH THE BIKE. THE DEALER WHO DID THE REPAIR STATED THAT THE GEAR AND THE DRIVE GEAR WERE DEFORMED AS IF SOMETHING HAD RAN THROUGH THEM. THERE WAS NEVER AN ACCIDENT BUT THE DEALER WARNED ME THAT IT COULD LOCK UP. COST OF REPAIR 545.00. *AK
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
THE FRONT FENDER ON MY 2001 YAMAHA V-STAR CLASSIC [XVS650AN(C)] STARTED MAKING A SQUEAKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT FENDER AREA. WHEN I STARTED LOOKING FOR THE REASON FOR THE NOISE I NOTICED THAT THE FENDER HAD DEVELOPED A CRACK ON THE RIGHT SIDE RIGHT BEHIND THE SHOCK. I'M SURE THAT THE CRACK OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THE VIBRATION OF THE FRONT FENDER DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS TRAVELING AT >30 MPH ON PAVED SURFACE ROAD. I HAD JUST MADE A LEFT TURN AND WAS GOING THROUGH GEARS TO ACCELERATE TO CRUISING SPEED. A DOG ENTERED THE ROADWAY AND I APPLIED BOTH BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN. REAR BRAKE IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO A LOCKUP SITUATION AND WOULDN'T RELEASE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE AND THE BROKEN LEG I AM STILL FIGHTING. I HAVE RIDDEN MOTORCYCLES SINCE 1973 AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED TO ME. *LA
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER PASSENGER SEAT CAME A LOOSE AND CONSUMER FELL OFF WHILE TRAVELING AT 55 MPH. *NJ THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FROM YAMAHA ON APRIL 16, 2007 BUT THE LETTER WAS DATED MARCH 3, 2005. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE RECALL WAS SENT TO THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THE CONSUMER STATED THE BIKE WAS PURCHASED FROM A YAMAHA DEALER SO THEIR NAMES SHOULD HAVE LISTED AS THE NEW OWNERS. RECALL 05V067000 *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
REAR AXLE HUB BROKE OFF WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 TO 10 MPH, CAUSING THE MOTORCYCLE TO HIT THE REAR END OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK
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 .