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: 9 of 18 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.
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Structure. Review the 2 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
18 reports
28,654 miles · Jul 23, 2015
Engine
DRIVING 75MPH ON HIGHWAY, LOSS OF POWER, LOUD BANG! REAR TIRE LOCKED UP FOR A SECOND. ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH. ENGINE WOULD NOT START. VEHICLE PUSHED TO SIDE OF ROAD AND TRAILERED HOME. TOOK ENGINE APART TO FIND OIL PUMP GEAR BROKEN. VERY COMMON ISSUE BUT NO RECALL FROM YAMAHA! IF YOU HAVE A 99-2002 ROAD STAR YOU ARE AFFECTED!…
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DRIVING 75MPH ON HIGHWAY, LOSS OF POWER, LOUD BANG! REAR TIRE LOCKED UP FOR A SECOND. ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH. ENGINE WOULD NOT START. VEHICLE PUSHED TO SIDE OF ROAD AND TRAILERED HOME. TOOK ENGINE APART TO FIND OIL PUMP GEAR BROKEN. VERY COMMON ISSUE BUT NO RECALL FROM YAMAHA! IF YOU HAVE A 99-2002 ROAD STAR YOU ARE AFFECTED! THANKS FOR NOTHIN YAMAHA!
NHTSA ODI #10736151
6,790 miles · Sep 5, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 YAMAHA ROAD STAR. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSED THE REAR TIRE TO LOCK. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS THE OIL PUMP GEAR. AS OF SEPTEMBER 5, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,972 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 YAMAHA ROAD STAR. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSED THE REAR TIRE TO LOCK. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS THE OIL PUMP GEAR. AS OF SEPTEMBER 5, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,972 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,972. THE CONSUMER STATED THE PART THAT FAILED WAS UPDATED IN 2002.UPDATED 10/24/07.
NHTSA ODI #10201892
35,000 miles · May 22, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE YAMAHA ROADSTAR HAVE A CHRONIC PROBLEM OF STICKING VALVES. YAMAHA HAS TOLD THE CUSTOMERS THAT IT WAS OVERFILLING THE OIL. TO DATE THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS RIDERS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THEIR MOTORCYCLES FIXED BY YAMAHA, WHO CLAIMED THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM. HOWEVER AS STATED THERE WERE NUMEROUS RIDERS WHO WERE REP…
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THE YAMAHA ROADSTAR HAVE A CHRONIC PROBLEM OF STICKING VALVES. YAMAHA HAS TOLD THE CUSTOMERS THAT IT WAS OVERFILLING THE OIL. TO DATE THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS RIDERS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THEIR MOTORCYCLES FIXED BY YAMAHA, WHO CLAIMED THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM. HOWEVER AS STATED THERE WERE NUMEROUS RIDERS WHO WERE REPORTING THIS PROBLEM AND MORE CAME UP EVERY DAY. THIS PROBLEM COULD LEAD TO A FATALITY. THE STICKING VALVES COULD LEAD TO ENGINE SHUTDOWN OR FAILURE. HAVING THIS HAPPEN ON A ROAD COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF LIFE, INJURY TO PROPERTY , ETC. WE WOULD HAVE HOPED THAT YAMAHA WOULD HAVE STEPPED FORWARD BUT, ALAS THEY HAVE NOT AND YOUR DEPARTMENT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THE TRANSMISSION RECALL DONE TO PREVENT LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY. WE THE RIDERS OF YAMAHA ROADSTAR HOPED THAT YOU WILL HELP ENCOURAGE YAMAHA ONCE AGAIN TO FIX A POTENTLY LOSS OF LIFE PROBLEM WITH THE VALVE PROBLEMS THAT WE WERE ENCOUNTERING. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10191480
86,029 miles · May 21, 2007
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 YAMAHA ROAD STAR. HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE TO REPLACE THE GEARS IN THE TRANSMISSION BEFORE IT LOCKED THE REAR WHEELS. THE DEALER REPLACED IT; HOWEVER, WHEN HE PICKED UP THE VEHICLE THERE WAS OIL UNDER THE ENGINE/MOTOR FRAME AND ON THE TIRES. OIL ON THE TIRES CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE A COLLISION. THE…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 YAMAHA ROAD STAR. HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE TO REPLACE THE GEARS IN THE TRANSMISSION BEFORE IT LOCKED THE REAR WHEELS. THE DEALER REPLACED IT; HOWEVER, WHEN HE PICKED UP THE VEHICLE THERE WAS OIL UNDER THE ENGINE/MOTOR FRAME AND ON THE TIRES. OIL ON THE TIRES CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE A COLLISION. THE DEALER WIPED THE OIL OFF OF THE ENGINE AND TIRES AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RELATED FAILURE. THE CONTACT CHECKED FOR OIL IN THE PRESENCE OF THE ENGINE AND TIRES THE FOLLOWING DAY AND FOUND THAT IT WAS PRESENT. THERE WAS NO OIL PRESENT PRIOR TO HAVING THE REPAIR PERFORMED. THEY DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86029 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86052.
NHTSA ODI #10191388
16,000 miles · May 13, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling
DRASTIC POWER FAILURE WHILE CROSSING TRAFFIC . ALSO, POWER FAILURE WHILE MERGING ONTO INTERSTATE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WAS DUE TO STICKING VALVES, LOSS OF REAR CYLENDER COMPRESSION. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10190609
6,000 miles · Jun 20, 2005
Fuel System, Gasoline
DT: MOTORCYCLE HAS 7,000 MILES ON IT, AND IT HAS A RUSTY HOLE ON TOP OF THE GAS TANK. DEALER SAID HE SHOULD HAVE IT REPLACED. CONSUMER CALLED YAMAHA, AND THEY REFUSED TO DEAL WITH HIM. THEY WANTED THE DEALER TO COMPENSATE HIM FOR REPAIRS. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT MOTORCYCLE IS ALWAYS IN THE GARAGE AND IS IN BEAUTIFUL CONDITION …
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DT: MOTORCYCLE HAS 7,000 MILES ON IT, AND IT HAS A RUSTY HOLE ON TOP OF THE GAS TANK. DEALER SAID HE SHOULD HAVE IT REPLACED. CONSUMER CALLED YAMAHA, AND THEY REFUSED TO DEAL WITH HIM. THEY WANTED THE DEALER TO COMPENSATE HIM FOR REPAIRS. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT MOTORCYCLE IS ALWAYS IN THE GARAGE AND IS IN BEAUTIFUL CONDITION OTHER THEN WHAT IS GOING ON.*SB
NHTSA ODI #10123720
2,000 miles · Aug 28, 2003
Power Train
INTERMITENT OCCURENCES OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEM OCCURING WHEN SHIFTING INTO SECOND GEAR,EVEN UNDER ACCELERATION THE GEAR WILL SLIP INTO NEUTREL.
NHTSA ODI #10036774
Mileage unknown · Jul 10, 2003
Power TrainCrashInjury
VERY CONCERNED OVER THE LARGE NUMBER OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES SEEN IN YAMAHA ROAD STAR MOTORCYCLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN 3/00 AND 8/01. THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN TRACKED INDEPENDENTLY BY ROAD STAR OWNERS ON THE DELPHI ROAD STAR RIDERS INTERNET FORUM FOR THE PAST YEAR OR SO. I OWN A 2000 ROAD STAR THAT WAS MANUFACTURED IN 3/00, AN…
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VERY CONCERNED OVER THE LARGE NUMBER OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES SEEN IN YAMAHA ROAD STAR MOTORCYCLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN 3/00 AND 8/01. THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN TRACKED INDEPENDENTLY BY ROAD STAR OWNERS ON THE DELPHI ROAD STAR RIDERS INTERNET FORUM FOR THE PAST YEAR OR SO. I OWN A 2000 ROAD STAR THAT WAS MANUFACTURED IN 3/00, AND RIDE THE MOTORCYCLE REGULARLY AND FOR LONG DISTANCES AND EXTENDED TRIPS. SUCH A FAILURE COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD TO INJURY OR DEATH, AS THE REAR WHEEL LOCKS-UP UPON TRANSMISSION FAILURE CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10025800
Mileage unknown · Jul 8, 2003
Power Train
WHILE SHIFTING IN GEAR THERE IS A LOUD NOISE AND HESITATION INSIDE OF THE GEAR BOX. *AK
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
1
PE03038 · 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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