IllustrationFINAL DRIVE FLAW CAUSED FINAL DRIVE OIL SPRAYED ONTO REAR TIRE AND UNDER FENDER WHICH CAUSED A SAFETY HAZARD. I AM NOT SURE OF THE EXACT MOMENT IT HAPPENED, HOWEVER IT WAS DISCOVERED AFTER RIDING ABOUT 30 MILES, AND THEN PARKING THE BIKE.
2005 Yamaha XVS650
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 XVS650 years →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
Limited mileage data: 4 of 4 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.
- Power Train. 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.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
4 reportsTHE BEARING IN THE FINAL DRIVE SHAFT HAD TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THE MECHANIC TOOK APART THE HOUSING AND REMOVED THE RETAINING NUT TO GET TO THE BEARING. THE BEARING WAS COMPLETELY TORN APART AND MOST OF THE BEARINGS WERE MISSING. WHEN THE DIFFERENTIAL OIL WAS REPLACED WE FOUND OUT WHERE THE METAL PARTS WENT. THEY WERE GROUND D…
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THE BEARING IN THE FINAL DRIVE SHAFT HAD TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THE MECHANIC TOOK APART THE HOUSING AND REMOVED THE RETAINING NUT TO GET TO THE BEARING. THE BEARING WAS COMPLETELY TORN APART AND MOST OF THE BEARINGS WERE MISSING. WHEN THE DIFFERENTIAL OIL WAS REPLACED WE FOUND OUT WHERE THE METAL PARTS WENT. THEY WERE GROUND DOWN AND FLOATING IN THE OIL. *TR
I WAS AT THE BEGINNING OF MY TRIP TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 20MPH WHEN MY FINAL GEAR DRIVE STARTED MAKING NOISE. IT WAS CLINKING AND THE BIKE BEGAN TO LURCH AND SLIP' LIKE THE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING OUT. FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT FAR FROM MY HOME, AS I HAD TO PUSH MY BIKE ALL THE WAY BACK. I HAVE HAD MY BIKE TOWED TO A SHOP WHERE T…
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I WAS AT THE BEGINNING OF MY TRIP TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 20MPH WHEN MY FINAL GEAR DRIVE STARTED MAKING NOISE. IT WAS CLINKING AND THE BIKE BEGAN TO LURCH AND SLIP' LIKE THE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING OUT. FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT FAR FROM MY HOME, AS I HAD TO PUSH MY BIKE ALL THE WAY BACK. I HAVE HAD MY BIKE TOWED TO A SHOP WHERE THEY ADVISED ME THAT THE PINION GEAR IN THE FINAL GEAR DRIVE WAS STRIPPED, APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE 650 YAMAHA V-STARS. FORTUNATELY I HAD NOT YET MADE IT TO THE HIGHWAY YET AS THIS DEFAULT COULD HAVE CAUSED CATASTROPHIC FAILURE RESULTING IN A CRASH AND PHYSICAL INJURY. THIS IS A MASSIVE SAFETY ISSUE THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED BY YAMAHA BEFORE IT RESULTS IN A LOSS OF LIFE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 YAMAHA XVS650 V STAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE RPMS INCREASED EXCESSIVELY BEFORE THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE FINAL DRIVE WAS WORN OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 YAMAHA XVS650 V STAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE RPMS INCREASED EXCESSIVELY BEFORE THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE FINAL DRIVE WAS WORN OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 24,000.
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.