2002 Yamaha XVS650

Routine

Owners filed 13 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Power Train3
000
Electrical System › Starter Assembly2
000
Tires1
000
Suspension › Rear1
000
Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar1
000
Seats › Motorcycle1
000
Power Train › Driveline › Driveshaft1
000
Power Train › Clutch Assembly1
000
Power Train › Axle Assembly1
000
Equipment1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Power Train
Filed Jun 3, 201712,000 milesFL

ON THESE MODEL THE SHAFT ON THE FINAL-DRIVE GOING INTO THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL IS NOT OILED NOR HAS ENOUGH GREASE TO LAST OVER 10K MILES. I HAVE HAD THIS BIKE SERVICED AT EVERY SERVICE INTERVAL AND GREASING THE SPLINES IS NOT IN THE SERVICE. NOR CAN THEY BE GREASED WHEN THE TIRE CHANGE IS PERFORMED WITHOUT HAVING TO REMOVE THE 4 BOLTS THAT HOLD THE DRIVE SHAFT IN THE COVER OF THE DIFFERENTIAL. MY SPLINES STRIPPED OUT WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH ON A HIGHWAY CAUSING ME TO BE STRANDED AND ALMOST BEING RAN OVER BY THE CARS THAT WERE BEHIND ME TRAVELING THE SAME DIRECTION DUE TO THE BIKE LOOSING SPEED AND SLOWING DOWN VERY QUICKLY. WHEN I TOOK THE BIKE IN TI BE INSPECTED THE SPLINES WERE BONE-DRY AND THE PART THAT HAD STRIPPED WAS ON THE PARTS DIAGRAM BUT DIDN'T HAVE A PART NUMBER SO I COULD NOT ORDER THE PART I HAD TO BUY THE ENTIRE REAR DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY AT AROUND $1,200.00 TO $1,300.00 DOLLARS.. I'M SURE YAMAHA IS AWARE OF THIS DUE TO THE FACT THEY QUIT MAKING THIS MODEL FOR A COUPLE YEARS AND NOW THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAS BEEN ENGINEERED DIFFERENTLY, THE SPLINES ARE NOW KEPT OILED BY GEAR OIL IN THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL.. IF I DIDN'T MANEUVER QUICKLY I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT..

Power Train
Filed Oct 6, 201438,555 milesNY

THE DRIVESHAFT STRIPPED WHILE COMING TO A STOP. A DEFECT IN DESIGN. WATER RUSTED THE DRIVESHAFT. *TR

Power Train
Filed Feb 28, 201330,000 milesAZ

LIKE MANY OWNERS OF THE YAMAHA 650 SERIES, I AM EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH THE FINAL DRIVE. MINE IS LEEKING FLUID THAT HAD METALLIC CHIPS IN IT WITH ONLY 30,000 MILES. IT IS BEING DIAGNOSED TOMORROW, BUT I ALREADY KNOW THE ISSUE AND WILL BE ATTEMPTING TO FIX IT MYSELF. SICNE THERE ARE COUNTLESS ISSUES, WHY IS THERE NO RECALL ON TH IS MODEL?!?!

Seats › Motorcycle
Filed Aug 4, 2007CA

I GOT THE RECALL NOTICE FROM YAMAHA ABOUT THE DEFECT. I CONTACTED THE CLOSEST DEALER FOR THE REPAIR AS INSTRUCTED BY THE MFG. THE DEALER WANTS ME TO PAY A DEPOSIT BEFORE ORDERING THE PARTS REQUIRED TO REPAIR THE DEFECT NAMED IN THE RECALL! I THEN CONTACTED THE MFG. TO VOICE MY COMPLAINT, AND GOT LEFT ON TERMINAL HOLD. *TR

Tires
Filed Jun 27, 20054,300 milesNY

THE REAR TIRE CONTAINED CRACKS IN THE SIDEWALL. *JB THE REAR TIRE WAS CRACKING ALL AROUND THE SIDEWALL. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. THE TIRE WAS DRY ROTTED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THERE WERE LARGE AMOUNTS OF STATIC ELECTRICITY THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE PROBLEM. *SC *JB

Power Train › Clutch Assembly
Filed Sep 9, 2004NC

WHILE DRIVING UP A SLIGHT INCLINE CLUTCH WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND MOTORCYCLE STALLED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC CLAIMED THAT VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING AS DESIGNED. *AK

Electrical System › Starter Assembly
Filed Jan 23, 200416,000 milesRI

STARTER PROBLEMS ON MY YAMAHA V-STAR 1100. *LA

Suspension › Rear
Filed Jan 13, 2004CA

MY COMPLAINT IS THE LACK OF NOTIFICATION OF MAINTENANCE AND LUBRICATION OF THE DRIVE SHAFT COUPLER CAN CAUSE IT TO SEIZE RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH. THAT IS THE LEGAL BASIS FOR MY COMPLAINT. THE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT IDENTIFY THIS PART FOR MAINTENANCE IN THE OWNERS, SHOP OR MAINTENANCE MANUALS CONCERNING THE FOLLOWING MODELS: XVS 650 & XVS1100. I FEEL IT IS NECESSARY THAT EACH OWNER BE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A ONE TIME FREE INSPECTION BY YAMAHA.

Power Train › Driveline › Driveshaft
Filed Jan 13, 2004FL

VEHICLE TYPE: MOTORCYCLE MAKE: YAMAHA MODEL XVS650A YEAR: 2002 YAMAHA'S LACK OF NOTIFICATION OF MAINTENANCE AND LUBRICATION OF THE DRIVE SHAFT COUPLER CAN CAUSE IT TO SEIZE RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH.

Power Train › Axle Assembly
Filed Jan 13, 2004FL

MY COMPLAINT IS THE LACK OF NOTIFICATION OF MAINTENANCE AND LUBRICATION OF THE DRIVE SHAFT COUPLER CAN CAUSE IT TO SEIZE RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH. THE MANUFACTURE DOES NOT IDENTIFY THIS PART FOR MAINTENANCE IN THE OWNERS, SHOP OR MAINTENANCE MANUALS CONCERNING OUR MODEL: XVS 650 YAMAHA MOTORCYCLE.

Electrical System › Starter Assembly
Filed Nov 20, 200310,750 milesMS

STARTER FAILURE ON 2002 YAMAHA V-STAR 1100 MOTORCYCLE DUE TO DESIGN FAILURE TO PREVENT "KICKBACK" UPON STARTING. VERY HIGH INCIDENCE OF FAILURE WITH MODELS PRIOR TO 2003 WHEN STARTER WAS REDESIGNED. YAMAHA WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY RESPONSIBILITY. *LA

Equipment
Filed Jul 28, 20034,829 milesMD

SPEEDOMETER CABLE BROKEN. *AK

Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Filed Jul 16, 2002IL

HANDLE BAR IS DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT CAN BE TURNED TO EITHER SIDE, ENOUGH TO TOUCH FUEL TANK. FUEL TANK WAS DENTED DUE TO THIS. DEALER TOOK VEHICLE BACK.*AK IF GONE UNNOTICED, THE FUEL TANK COULD HAVE LEAKED GASOLINE ON HOT MOTOR CAUSING A FIRE OR EXPLOSION. *TT

13 of 13 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2002
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20101000Routine
20091000Routine
20054000Routine
2002 — this page13000Routine
20018000Routine
20008000Routine
19994000Routine
19982000Routine

Compare every XVS650 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.