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2004 Yamaha Road Star

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 15 of 21 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 14 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 →
  • Engine. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

21 reports
46 miles · Apr 28, 2020
Power Train

THE TRANSMISSION DID THE SAME THING THAT THE TRANSMISSION ON THE 2003 DID. WITH ONLY 46000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED HAVING TROUBLE. O WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK WHEN THE TRANSMISSION, STARTED ACTING LIKE IT HAD COME APART AND. GEARS WERE TRYING TO MESH. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE BIKE AND CALLED MY WIFE TO BRING THE TRA…

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THE TRANSMISSION DID THE SAME THING THAT THE TRANSMISSION ON THE 2003 DID. WITH ONLY 46000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED HAVING TROUBLE. O WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK WHEN THE TRANSMISSION, STARTED ACTING LIKE IT HAD COME APART AND. GEARS WERE TRYING TO MESH. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE BIKE AND CALLED MY WIFE TO BRING THE TRAIJER AND COME GET ME AND MY BIKE.

NHTSA ODI #11322548

15,000 miles · Feb 19, 2013
Engine

REAR CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVES STICKING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10499332

Mileage unknown · Jun 17, 2010
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BIG BEAR VENOM CHOPPER MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT LEFT THE VEHICLE WITH THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V129000 (STRUCTURE) ON FEBRUARY 1, 2010. THE CONTACT STATED THE DEALER WOULD NOT RELEASE THE VEHICLE UNTIL HE WAS REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT HA…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BIG BEAR VENOM CHOPPER MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT LEFT THE VEHICLE WITH THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V129000 (STRUCTURE) ON FEBRUARY 1, 2010. THE CONTACT STATED THE DEALER WOULD NOT RELEASE THE VEHICLE UNTIL HE WAS REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY FAILURE IN THE VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

NHTSA ODI #10336811

5 miles · Apr 16, 2010
Engine And Engine CoolingVehicle Speed Control

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 NEV…

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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

NHTSA ODI #10325989

29,000 miles · Jun 12, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

I HAVE A 2004 YAMAHA ROAD STAR AND THE REAR VALVE IS STICKING AND WILL SUDDENLY DROP POWERAND RUN ON ONE CYLINDER. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR A WHILE AND IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT YAMAHA KNOWS ABOUT.

NHTSA ODI #10193038

20,550 miles · May 21, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

I WAS MERGING ONTO INTERSTATE 80 GETTING UP TO SPEED AND IT STARTED TO SPIT/SPUTTER AND LOST POWER. ALMOST, REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER CAR AT 60 MPH. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO THIS POINT TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10191328

8,000 miles · May 14, 2007
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

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…

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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

NHTSA ODI #10190624

15,000 miles · Sep 4, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling

2004 ROAD STAR VALVES STICK ON REAR CYLINDER CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10167290

24,000 miles · Aug 29, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling

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…

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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

NHTSA ODI #10166837

2,500 miles · Aug 23, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling

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. …

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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

NHTSA ODI #10166292

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.