BOLT SHEARED OFF OF THE MIDDLE DRIVE SHAFT, DAMAGINE THE SPLINES ON THE GEAR. BIKE AT LOW RPMS AND ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN FAILURE OCCURRED, NO MORE THAN 5-10 MPH.
2006 Yamaha V-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
Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
20 reports with mileage · 0 unknown
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.
- Power Train. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. 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.
What owners actually said
20 reportsWHILE RIDING, THE RETAINING BOLT THAT HOLDS THE UNIVERSAL JOINT YOKE BROKE OFF AND BECAME LODGED BETWEEN THE HOUSING AND THE UNIVERSAL JOINT. CAUSING REAR WHEEL LOCK UP MOMENTARILY UNTIL IT DISLODGED THEN BEGIN TO GRIND AGAINST THE JOINT OR YOKE WHEN LODGED IN ANOTHER PART OF THE HOUSING. THIS IS THOUGHT TO BE A FLAW OR ENGINEER…
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WHILE RIDING, THE RETAINING BOLT THAT HOLDS THE UNIVERSAL JOINT YOKE BROKE OFF AND BECAME LODGED BETWEEN THE HOUSING AND THE UNIVERSAL JOINT. CAUSING REAR WHEEL LOCK UP MOMENTARILY UNTIL IT DISLODGED THEN BEGIN TO GRIND AGAINST THE JOINT OR YOKE WHEN LODGED IN ANOTHER PART OF THE HOUSING. THIS IS THOUGHT TO BE A FLAW OR ENGINEERING DEFECT SEEING AS QUITE A FEW OWNERS OF THIS MOTORCYCLE HAVE HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN. IT IS A REALLY COSTLY REPAIR AND THE ENGINE HAS TO BE EXTRACTED AND DISMANTLED TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL IT SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS DEFECT BECAUSE ITS TOO COMMONLY HAPPENING AND POSES A DANGER IF TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 YAMAHA V STAR 1100. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, AN ABNORMAL GRINDING NOISE EMITTED FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 YAMAHA V STAR 1100. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, AN ABNORMAL GRINDING NOISE EMITTED FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,266.
I HAVE AN YAMAHA V-STAR 1100 AND THE MIDDLE DRIVE SHAFT BROKE. THE SHAFT SHEARED OFF WHERE THE NUT TIGHTENS THE UNIVERSAL JOINT TO THE SHAFT. THIS CAUSED THE REAR TIRE TO LOCK UP. LUCKILY I WAS MOVING AT A VERY LOW SPEED OR I WOULD HAVE SERIOUSLY BEEN HURT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 (NA) YAMAHA V-STAR 1100. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE REAR OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A LOOSE BOLT NEAR THE DRIVE SHAFT. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER NOR REPAIRED…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 (NA) YAMAHA V-STAR 1100. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE REAR OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A LOOSE BOLT NEAR THE DRIVE SHAFT. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000.
WHILE RIDING AT AROUND 50 MPH THE MOTORCYCLE REAR TIRE JERKED AND SHOOK THEN LOCKED UP AND CAUSED THE BACK TO SKID OUT OF CONTROL. AFTER TAKING THE MOTORCYCLE HOME AND INSPECTING THE BIKE I FOUND THE MIDDLE SHAFT WAS BROKEN AT THE NUT. I INVESTIGATED THE PROBLEM AND HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF YAMAHA 1100 V STAR MOTORCYCLES HAV…
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WHILE RIDING AT AROUND 50 MPH THE MOTORCYCLE REAR TIRE JERKED AND SHOOK THEN LOCKED UP AND CAUSED THE BACK TO SKID OUT OF CONTROL. AFTER TAKING THE MOTORCYCLE HOME AND INSPECTING THE BIKE I FOUND THE MIDDLE SHAFT WAS BROKEN AT THE NUT. I INVESTIGATED THE PROBLEM AND HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF YAMAHA 1100 V STAR MOTORCYCLES HAVE HAD THIS FAILURE. I WAS LUCKY, BUT THE NEXT PERSON MIGHT NOT BE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 YAMAHA V-STAR MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A BOLT LOCATED ON THE SHAFT PINION DRIVE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAI…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 YAMAHA V-STAR MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A BOLT LOCATED ON THE SHAFT PINION DRIVE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,500. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 YAMAHA V-STAR. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE RING GEAR BEARING FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. TH…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 YAMAHA V-STAR. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE RING GEAR BEARING FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,535.
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND STARTING TO DECELERATE THERE WAS A LOUD WHINING/SREECHING SOUND AND A CLATTERING SOUND FROM REAR OF THE MOTORCYCLE. I PULLED OVER AND VISUALLY INSPECTED VEHICLE AND CHECKED FLUID LEVELS.I TRAILERED MOTORCYCLE INTO LOCAL YAMAHA REPAIR SHOP AFTER READING IMFORMATION ON INTERNET ABOUT THIS MODEL HAVING…
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WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND STARTING TO DECELERATE THERE WAS A LOUD WHINING/SREECHING SOUND AND A CLATTERING SOUND FROM REAR OF THE MOTORCYCLE. I PULLED OVER AND VISUALLY INSPECTED VEHICLE AND CHECKED FLUID LEVELS.I TRAILERED MOTORCYCLE INTO LOCAL YAMAHA REPAIR SHOP AFTER READING IMFORMATION ON INTERNET ABOUT THIS MODEL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE MIDDLE DRIVE SHAFT SHEARING OFF. AFTER THEY REMOVED ENGINE AND TOOK APART THEY FOUND THAT THE NUT ON THE MIDDLE DRIVESHAFT WHERE THE U-JOIN/YOKE ATTATCHES SHEARED OFF. LUCKILY I HAVE READ THE REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER PEOPLE AND IT CAUSES THE REAR WHEEL TO LOCK UP.ALSO SAW A REPORT ON SOMEBODY BEING KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT CAUSED BY THIS. I CALLED YAMAHA MOTOR COMPANY AND WAS TOLD THERE ARE NO RECALLS OR TECHNICAL BULLETINS ON THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN ESTIMATE OF 2400 TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM.IT SOUNDS LIKE THER SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUED BEFORE THERE ARE ANY OR MORE DEATHS.
CRUISING AT ABOUT 50MPH, HEARD WHINNING SOUND WHEN DECELERATING. NUT BROKE OFF WITH SHAFT STILL IN IT FROM MIDDLE DRIVE SHAFT. *TR
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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