2007 Yamaha FZ1

I OWN AN EARLY 2007 FZ1 MOTORCYCLE. THE MACHINE IS IN MINT CONDITION WITH ONLY 15,000 MILES. ON FEBRUARY 25TH 2016 I NOTICED A LARGE CRACK IN THE FRAME WELD ON THE RIGHT SIDE. IT STARTS AT THE BOTTOM AND CLIMBS THE WELD OVER 2 INCHES, CLEANLY THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE. FOR THE PAST MONTH I HAVE BEEN STRESSING DAY-IN AND DAY-OUT TRYING TO SOLVE THIS NIGHTMARE. I'VE BROUGHT THE MACHINE TO MY LOCAL AUTHORIZED DEALER AND SUBMITTED A REPAIR ORDER ONLY TO GET A QUOTE OF $3500 TO REPLACE THE FRAME. I'VE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS AND DAYS GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH CUSTOMER RELATIONS STAFF JUST TO BE TOLD "YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN ON THIS ONE" AND "THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO." THERE'S NO DOUBT THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECTIVE WELD BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW LONG THE WARRANTY, THE FRAME IS THE BACKBONE OF THE MACHINE AND SHOULD LAST BEYOND THE MACHINES LIFETIME. WITH THE 06'S HAVING THE SAME ISSUE I CAN SEE HOW IT CARRIED INTO SOME 07'S BEFORE BEING FULLY CORRECTED. UPON RESEARCHING THE ISSUE FURTHER, I DISCOVERED HUNDREDS OF OTHERS WITH IDENTICAL CASES THAT HAD BETTER LUCK AND THEIR REPLACEMENT EXPENSES COVERED BY YAMAHA. NEEDLESS TO SAY I'M EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED THUS FAR AND HOPING TO HAVE THE REPLACEMENT EXPENSES COVERED BY YAMAHA.

MY DOM IS 10/06. THE FRAME IS CRACKED ON THE RIGHT SIDE WHERE THE 2 SECTIONS MEET. ABOVE THE CENTERLINE OF THE CLUTCH. THE ALUMINUM FRAME IS NOT CRACKED BUT RATHER THE WELD JOINING THE FRONT SECTION OF THE FRAME TO THE REAR SECTION OF THE FRAME IS CRACKED DOWN THE CENTERLINE OF THE WELD. THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM AFFECTING AROUND 10% OF 2006/2007 MODEL YEARS OF THE FZ1. YAMAHA CUSTOMER SERVICE TELLS ME THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. THIS CRACK IS CAUSED BY A FAULTY ROBOTIC WELD. WHICH WAS CHANGED FOR THE 2008 MODEL YEAR. I DO NOT KNOW THE DATE THAT THE FRACTURE HAPPENED. IT IS BARELY VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE. YAMAHA TECH REP IN DENVER TOLD ME "WAY OUT OF WARRANTY" & OFFERED $250.00 TOWARD THE COST OF REPAIRS WHICH I ESTIMATE TO BE $2500.00 I WOULD HAVE FELT BETTER IF THEY OFFERED TO SELL ME A NEW FRAME AT COST BUT REALLY THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ISSUE & YAMAHA MOTOR CORP. OF AMERICA IS ACTING IN BAD FAITH.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 YAMAHA FZ1. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 80 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, BATTERY FAILED. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE THAT PIECES OF THE ALTERNATOR HAD FRACTURED BECAUSE OF THEY HAD DEMAGNETIZE AND FALLEN INSIDE OF THE CRANK CASE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER NEEDED TO REPLACE THE STATER, ROTOR AND NEEDED TO REMOVE THE OIL PANS AND TAKE OUT ALL OF THE METAL PIECES INSIDE THE CRANK CASE WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000. UPDATED 09/06/16*LJ; UPDATED 4/9/18*JB *TR

THE BIKE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPLETELY FAILED. BUMP START WAS IMPOSSIBLE. A SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION PERFORMED BY SANTA CLARA CYCLE IN SUNNYVALE, CA DETERMINED THE CAUSE WAS A STATOR FAILURE. ACCORDING TO THEM, THE BEARING THE STATOR SAT ON FAILED, CAUSING THE STATOR TO ROTATE IN AN UNBALANCED MANNER, WHICH LED TO THE MAGNETS ON THE ENDS OF THE STATOR TO FALL OFF.