IllustrationIN ANY CONDITION OTHER THAN NIGHTTIME OR EXTREMELY OVERCAST I CANNOT SEE THE SPEED OR ANY OF THE INDICATOR LIGHTS ON MY YAMAHA BOLT 2014 SPEEDOMETER. *TR
2014 Yamaha Bolt
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Bolt years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
640–25K
025–50K
050–75K
075–100K
1100–150K
0150K+
65 reports with mileage · 17 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 56 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
56 reportsCAN NOT VIEW SPEEDOMETER DISPLAY IN MOST DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS. THIS CREATES A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION REQUIRING THE RIDER TO AVERT EYES FROM THE ROAD AND FOCUS ON SPEEDOMETER FOR 3-5 SECONDS. IN SOME CONDITIONS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ SPEEDOMETER AT ALL (POLARIZED LENSES ON SUNGLASSES). *TR
UNDER NORMAL DAYLIGHT DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE LCD SPEEDOMETER WILL BLACK OUT COMPLETELY WHEN THE SUN SHINES AT ANY ANGLE OTHER THAN DIRECTLY ON THE CLUSTER. I HAVE NEARLY BEEN IN 3 ACCIDENTS NOW BECAUSE MY ATTENTION HAS BEEN FOCUSED (MORE THAN A MOMENTARY GLANCE) ON FIGURING OUT HOW FAST I AM GOING. THE SPEEDOMETER IS SO DARK, I…
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UNDER NORMAL DAYLIGHT DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE LCD SPEEDOMETER WILL BLACK OUT COMPLETELY WHEN THE SUN SHINES AT ANY ANGLE OTHER THAN DIRECTLY ON THE CLUSTER. I HAVE NEARLY BEEN IN 3 ACCIDENTS NOW BECAUSE MY ATTENTION HAS BEEN FOCUSED (MORE THAN A MOMENTARY GLANCE) ON FIGURING OUT HOW FAST I AM GOING. THE SPEEDOMETER IS SO DARK, IN FACT, I HAVE GIVEN UP WORRYING ABOUT HOW FAST I'M GOING MOST TIMES, WHICH IS STILL UNSAFE. *TR
IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO READ THE SPEEDOMETER ON THE 2014 MODEL BECAUSE YAMAHA TINTED THE GLASS ON THE LENS TOO MUCH. IT CAN ONLY BE READ IF THE SUN IS OUT AND DIRECTLY BEHIND YOU, OR AT NIGHT WHEN THE BACKLIGHT CAN BE SEEN. THIS CREATES AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE RIDING SITUATION. YAMAHA CORRECTED THE LENS ON THE 2015 MODEL, B…
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IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO READ THE SPEEDOMETER ON THE 2014 MODEL BECAUSE YAMAHA TINTED THE GLASS ON THE LENS TOO MUCH. IT CAN ONLY BE READ IF THE SUN IS OUT AND DIRECTLY BEHIND YOU, OR AT NIGHT WHEN THE BACKLIGHT CAN BE SEEN. THIS CREATES AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE RIDING SITUATION. YAMAHA CORRECTED THE LENS ON THE 2015 MODEL, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE ON THE 2014 MODELS. *TR
THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAY CANNOT BE SEEN UNLESS IT IS DARK OR SUN IS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE BIKE. IF SUN IS OVER, TO SIDE OR BEHIND, THE GLASS IS BLACK AND VITAL INFORMATION CANNOT BE SEEN. *TR
UNLESS THE SUN IS DIRECTLY BEHIND RIDER OR NIGHT TIME, SPEEDOMETER IS UNREADABLE. *TR
WITH THE SUN SHINING THE SPEEDOMETER TURNS COMPLETELY BLACK MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO READ YOUR SPEED! *TR
THE YAMAHA STAR BOLT SPEEDOMETER IS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ IN CERTAIN LIGHTING CONDITIONS. THAT IS, WITH A BRIGHT SUN OVERHEAD. THE POLARIZED GLASS IN THE LCD READOUT BECOMES BLACK, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO READ. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY WHEN I DRIVE THROUGH SCHOOL ZONES. AT TIMES, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO READ THE …
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THE YAMAHA STAR BOLT SPEEDOMETER IS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ IN CERTAIN LIGHTING CONDITIONS. THAT IS, WITH A BRIGHT SUN OVERHEAD. THE POLARIZED GLASS IN THE LCD READOUT BECOMES BLACK, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO READ. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY WHEN I DRIVE THROUGH SCHOOL ZONES. AT TIMES, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO READ THE DISPLAY AND CAN CAUSE ME TO DRIVE AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, ENCROACHING ON THE SAFETY OF CHILDREN. OTHER TIMES, I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO READ THE SPEEDOMETER, RESULTING IN A TAILGATING SITUATION WITH OTHER AGGRESSIVE DRIVERS WHO THINK I'M GOING SLOW ON PURPOSE WHEN IN REALITY, I'M TRYING TO SAFELY NEGOTIATE THE ROAD AT THE CORRECT POSTED SPEED LIMIT AND HAVING TO USE MY 'GUT' FEELING RATHER THAN A CALIBRATED, USEFUL INSTRUMENT (THE SPEEDOMETER). YAMAHA, FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS INJURED OR KILLED OVER IT. RECALL, NOT AN UPGRADE AS YOU'VE INDICATED THROUGH THE STAR MOTORCYCLES HOTLINE (800.656.7695). YOU'RE HIDING BEHIND WORDS. I KNOW BECAUSE I'VE CALLED YOU AND THAT WAS YOUR EXPLANATION. *TR
THE DIGITAL SPEEDOMETER ON THE 2014 BOLT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ UNDER CERTAIN LIGHT. I CONTACTED YAMAHA TO ASK ABOUT THIS AFTER READING MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS AND SEEING THAT THEY HAD FIXED THE SPEEDOMETER ON THE 2015 MODEL AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE 2014 SPEEDOMETER, THEY KNOW IT CAN BE HARD TO READ IN CERTA…
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THE DIGITAL SPEEDOMETER ON THE 2014 BOLT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ UNDER CERTAIN LIGHT. I CONTACTED YAMAHA TO ASK ABOUT THIS AFTER READING MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS AND SEEING THAT THEY HAD FIXED THE SPEEDOMETER ON THE 2015 MODEL AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE 2014 SPEEDOMETER, THEY KNOW IT CAN BE HARD TO READ IN CERTAIN LIGHT BUT THEY DON'T CONSIDER THAT A SAFETY HAZARD OR DEFECT. I BELIEVE NOT BEING ABLE TO TELL MY CURRENT SPEED IS A DEFECT CONSIDERING THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT A SPEEDOMETER IS DESIGNED TO DO. ALSO, IT CAN BE A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IT LEAVES YOU LOOKING DOWN AT YOUR SPEEDOMETER LONGER INSTEAD OF WATCHING WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND YOU. *TR
SPEEDOMETER IS VERY HARD TO READ IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT. COULD LEAD TO ACCIDENT OR SPEED VIOLATIONS. NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY. ALSO, YAMAHA KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE ON THE 2015 MODELS A SELLING POINT IS "NEW SPEEDOMETER TO CORRECT 2014 GLARE ISSUES." WHY WOULD THEY NEED TO FIX IT IF THERE IS NO PROBLEM. *TR
Official recalls
113V298000 · Electrical System
Jul 8, 2013
Yamaha Motor Company (Yamaha) is recalling certain model year 2014 XVS950CU (Bolt) motorcycles manufactured March 2013 through June 2013. Slack or sag in the wiring harness may allow it to contact the exhaust manifold causing the wires to melt, and possibly short circuit.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the wires short circuit, the fuses will blow which may cause the engine to stall. An engine stall while riding, increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Yamaha will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the wiring harness and secure it away from the exhaust. If the wiring harness is damaged, it will first be replaced. The recall began on August 2, 2013. Owners may contact Yamaha at 1-800-962-7926.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.