2004 Yamaha Road Star

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 YAMAHA ROADSTAR MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE ENGAGED THE THROTTLE, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLED WHEN IT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER NEVER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, INSTEAD THEY JUST INFORMED HIM THAT HE WAS RIDING IT INCORRECTLY. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 06V371000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 66,000. UPDATED 11/05/10. *LJ UPDATED 12/15/10 *LJ UPDATED 12/27/10

FOR OVER A YEAR 2004 YAMAHA ROADSTAR MOTORCYCLE HAD THE VALVES STICKING WHILE RIDING IT , CAUSING IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER. IT HAD 8000 MILES ON IT . THIS HAPPENED AT 4500 MILES. I DID WHAT YAMAHA ADVISED TO DO TO AVOID THE SITUATION, IT DIDN'T HELP. THEY KEPT GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND. THEY KNEW IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS MOTORCYCLE HAD TWO CARBURETOR FIRES AFTER IT LOST POWER, AND I HAD TO HIT THE THROTTLE HARD TO GET THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. *AK

I HAVE A 2004 YAMAHA ROADSTAR. AT ABOUT 24,000 MILES IT DEVELOPED STICKING VALVES IN THE REAR CYLINDER HEAD. TALKED WITH DEALER ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF IT. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED SITUATION SO I REFUSED TO LET THEM EVEN MESS WITH IT. TOOK IT APART MYSELF. REAMED THE GUIDES AND LAPPED THE VALVES, PUT IN STRONGER SPRINGS AND PUT IT BACK TOGETHER. RUNS GREAT NOW. YAMAHA NEEDS TO BE TOLD TO DO A RECALL ON THE 2004, 2005 ROADSTAR TO SIMPLY REPLACE THE HEADS. THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND HAVE FIXED IT ON THE 2006 MODEL. *NM

MOTORCYCLE LOOSES POWER AT ODD TIMES DUE TO REAR CYLINDER NOT FIRING. PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE CAUSED BY STICKING EXHAUST VALVE. USUALLY OCCURS DURING THE FIRST 5 OR SO MILES AND WILL CLEAR UP AND RUN FINE FOR THE REST OF THE TRIP. I'VE BEEN LUCKY AND IT HAS NEVER OCCURRED WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC, BUT THIS IS A POSSIBILITY. *JB

I OWN A 2004 YAMAHA ROADSTAR, 1700CC MOTORCYCLE. I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR EXHAUST VALVES STICKING FOR THE LAST 20,000 MILES. I HAVE BEEN TO DEALER AFTER DEALER AND HAVE HAD NO SUCCESS IN HAVING MY PROBLEM FIXED. I BELIEVE THERE IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY RISK WITH THIS PROBLEM, BECAUSE THE BIKE WILL SUDDENLY LOSE ALL POWER AND QUIT RUNNING. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE HAS THIS HAPPEN AND IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN KILLED. *JB

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