2014 Yamaha Bolt

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 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 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

DIGITAL SPEEDOMETER CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT TO READ, ESPECIALLY WHEN USING BRIGHT HIGH VISIBILITY HELMETS. SPEEDOMETER CAN BE IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE IN BRIGHT LIGHT FROM GLARE AND REFLECTION. HAZARD IS DANGEROUS TO RIDER AS YOU WOULD NEED TO COVER IT WITH YOUR HAND TO SEE, MEANING STEERING WITH ONLY 1 HAND. I HAVE BOUGHT THE SHADE ACCESSORY YAMAHA MAKES FOR THIS MODEL AND IT DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS ESPECIALLY HAZARDOUS FOR A NEW RIDER SUCH AS MYSELF BUT THIS DEFECT PUTS ALL RIDERS LIVES AT RISK AS THEY CANNOT CLEARLY SEE THEIR SPEED OF TRAVEL. I HAVE MISJUDGED MY SPEED ON THE FREEWAY, IN TURNS, IN BUSY BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC. *TR