2006 Yamaha 1100 Silverado

MY SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING ON MY 2006 VSTAR 1100 CRUISER MOTORCYCLE. WHEN IT WAS WORKED ON, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE RETAINING NUT HAD COME LOOSE FROM THE DRIVE SHAFT ALONG WITH SOME WASHERS. THIS OCCURED AT APPROX. 9600 MILES. THE CONSEQUENCE WAS THAT IT WAS FIXED WITHOUT A MAJOR REPLACEMENT BUT IT WAS A COSTLY MECHANICS BILL OVER $400.00. *TR

I OWN A 2006 V STAR 1100 THAT I PURCHASED USED LAST YEAR. A WEEK AND A HALF AGO I WAS LEAVING WORK AND HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE METAL SPINNING WHENEVER I LET OFF THE THROTTLE I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THE DRIVE SHAFT SPLINES NEEDED GREASED AND THE REAR TIRE WAS BAD. I TOOK IT BACK A WEEK LATER AND HAD THEM GREASE THE SHAFT AND CHANGE THE REAR BRAKE PADS BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT WAS CAUSING THE NOISE. WHEN I LEFT I NOTICED THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE BUT NOW MY SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER WASN'T WORKING. WHEN I GOT HOME I TRACKED DOWN THE SENSOR REMOVED IT AND NOTICED THAT THE MIDDLE DRIVE SHAFT NUT HAD SHEERED OFF AND WAS LAYING BETWEEN THE TWO HOG HEADS. I THEN CONTACTED THE DEALER AND ADVISED THEM OF THE PROBLEM AND SHOWED THEM IN THE ENGINE DIAGRAM BOOK, THEY HAD NO CLUE. I THEN ADVISED THEM TO LOOK AT THE BIKE THAT WAS IN WITH MINE THE PREVIOUS NIGHT BECAUSE SHE WAS HAVING THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM. I'M JUST AMAZED THAT ME A NON MECHANIC FOUND THE PROBLEM IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES. IT'S EVEN MORE DISCOURAGING THAT I ONLY HAVE 10,800 MILES ON THE BIKE AND WAS TOLD TO RIDE IT INTO THE SHOP EACH TIME WITH THE NOISE IT WAS MAKING. PLEASE HELP WITH THIS, YAMAHA HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THIS AND THERE RESPONSE TO THE PROBLEM IS UNACCEPTABLE, THEY HAVE SAID IT MAY ONLY HAPPEN TO A FEW BIKES AND THAT'S OK WITH THEM. WELL IT'S NOT WITH US!!!! *TR

06 VSTAR 1100 CLASSIC, 12,126 MILES - PURCHASED NEW FROM SHOWROOM FLOOR FEB. 14 OF 2006 - MILEAGE WAS GENTLE - NOT ABUSIVE/HARD 5/24/2008 AT 7:30 RETURNING HOME FROM RUNNING ERRANDS. TURNING LEFT FROM DEAD STOP AT AN INTERSECTION, FELT A SHUDDER IN BIKE, HEARD A POP. AFTER COMPLETION OF THE TURN, LOUD NOISE, GRINDING AT DECELERATION. FORTUNATELY WAS LESS THAN 1/8 MILE FROM HOME AND COULD COAST IN. ON TAKING APART ON 5/24/06 DISCOVERED THAT THE RETAINING NUT ON THE MID DRIVE SHAFT INSIDE THE U JOINT HAD SHEARED/TWISTED OFF. NUT WAS LYING LOOSE INSIDE THE U BOLT. ON EXAMINING THE BOLT YOU COULD SEE THE CRACKS, WHERE THE 1/2" SHAFT HAD DISCOLORATIONS AND A WHAT LITTLE BIT OF SHAFT HAD BEEN HOLDING FOR QUITE SOME TIME. DROPPED THE REAR END, WHEEL, TIRE, PIVOT ARMS, REAR DRIVE SHAFT ASSEMBLY AND WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE UJOINT. AFTER REMOVING THE OLD SECTION OF BOLT, STRAIGHTENING THE THREAD, REPLACE NUT ON REMAINING SHAFT. DRILLED AND TAPPED THE BOLT, INSERTED BOLT. WELDED BOLT HEAD TO THE RETAINING NUT. REPLACED ALL PARTS, REMOVED. WORK COMPLETED BY TWO MECHANICS WHO WILL BE MY HERO'S. YAMAHA DOES NOT ACCEPT THAT THE DRIVE SHAFTS ARE FAILING. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE TRAVELING ON THE EXPRESSWAY TO WORK AT 55/66/75 MPH OR AWAY FROM HOME THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH GRAVER. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY 2006 YAMAHA VSTAR 1100 SILVERADO MOTORCYCLE, THE NUT ATTACHED TO THE MIDSHAFT (DRIVETRAIN) BROKE OFF AND THE BROKEN NUT/SHAFT THREAD APPARENTLY TUMBLED AROUND WITHIN THE DRIVETRAIN AREA, CAUSING THE DRIVETRAIN TO TEMPORARILY LOCK UP / BIND WHILE RIDING 25 MPH. THIS ALSO CAUSED FAILURE TO THE SHAFT AND SPEEDOMETER SENSOR. THE MOTORCYCLE IS LESS THAN TWO YEARS OLD AND HAS APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES. THIS FAILURE COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH, ESPECIALLY WHILE IN A TURN OR AT HIGHWAY SPEED. *TR