IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLES REAR STRUTS SNAPPED AND CAUSED THEM TO RUB AGAINST THE REAR TIRE. *NLM
1999 Yamaha Road Star
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 Road Star 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
Limited mileage data: 7 of 15 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
- Structure. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
15 reportsTHE REAR FRAME DISCONNECTED FROM THE MOTORCYCLE.*JB
1999 YAMAHA ROAD STAR REAR WHEEL HUB FAILURE. YAMAHA EXPECTS THE DEALERS TO DISASSEMBLE AND REASSEMBLE THE WHEEL WITHOUT ANY SPECIFICATIONS. IE. RIM TO HUB OFFSET MEASUREMENT, ETC. IN MY CASE THE RIM IS POSITIONED NOTICEABLY OFF TTO THE LEFT AFTER THE REPAIR WAS FINISHED. YAMAHA WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY MEASUREMENTS AND WILL NOT…
Read full complaint
1999 YAMAHA ROAD STAR REAR WHEEL HUB FAILURE. YAMAHA EXPECTS THE DEALERS TO DISASSEMBLE AND REASSEMBLE THE WHEEL WITHOUT ANY SPECIFICATIONS. IE. RIM TO HUB OFFSET MEASUREMENT, ETC. IN MY CASE THE RIM IS POSITIONED NOTICEABLY OFF TTO THE LEFT AFTER THE REPAIR WAS FINISHED. YAMAHA WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY MEASUREMENTS AND WILL NOT PAY TO HAVE THE WHEEL REPAIRED. I AM UNABLE TO USE THE WHEEL ON THE MOTORCYCLE AT THIS TIME BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL HAZARD.
CONSUMER ADVISED A DESIGN PROBLEM EXISTS WITH BIKE'S REAR SINGLE SHOCK. THE WELDED POINT WHERE THE SHOCK CONNECTS WITH BIKE'S FRAME IS PULLING THE SHOCK MOUNTS OFF. AS A RESULT THE MOUNTS ARE BEGINNING TO CRACK. TS
SHOCK MOUNT CRACKED AND TURNED AWAY FROM FRAME, ALSO WELDS ARE BREAKING WHICH CAN CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER REPLACED FRAME. *AK
Official recalls
106V397000 · Power Train:manual Transmission
Oct 17, 2006
ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, CERTAIN TRANSMISSION COMPONENTS MAY NOT MEET YAMAHA QUALITY-CONTROL STANDARDS, WHICH COULD ALLOW ABNORMAL WEAR THAT EVENTUALLY RESULTS IN A BROKEN RETAINING CIRCLIP.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE CIRCLIP BREAKS, THE TRANSMISSION COULD LOCK UP, WHICH WOULD ALSO CAUSE THE REAR WHEEL TO LOCK UP. THIS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH WITH INJURY OR DEATH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE CERTAIN TRANSMISSION COMPONENTS WITH NEW ONES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 30, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT YAMAHA AT 1-800-88-YAMAHA OR VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT WWW.YAMAHA-MOTOR.COM.
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
1PE03038 · Unintended Rear Wheel Lockup
Opened Aug 11, 2003 · Closed Nov 6, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:manual Transmission
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
Additional source detail variants (2)
Power Train:manual Transmission
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
Power Train:manual Transmission
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