IllustrationTHE MAGNETS ON THE FLY WHEEL CAME APART. MOTORCYCLE SHUT OF AT HI SPEEDS ALMOST CAUSING A CRASH ON A HIGHWAY. PIECES OF THE MAGNET WENT INTO CRANKCASE. BATTERY FAILED. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH YAMAHA ALL OVER INTERNET THREADS.
2006 Yamaha YZF-R1
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 YZF-R1 years →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: 6 of 8 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. 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
8 reportsTL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 YAMAHA YZF-R1. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. DJR
I WAS IN FIRST GEAR RIDING THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN MY MOTORCYCLE STARTED TO JERK LIKE IT WAS STARVING FOR FUEL. I WAS UNABLE TO HOLD THE THROTTLE AT A CERTAIN LEVEL BECAUSE OF DANGEROUSLY JERKY MOTIONS. I PULLED THE CLUTCH IN TO COME TO A STOP AND AS THE RPM'S CAME DOWN TO NORMAL IDLE SPEED IT WENT PAST AND KILLED THE MOTOR.…
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I WAS IN FIRST GEAR RIDING THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN MY MOTORCYCLE STARTED TO JERK LIKE IT WAS STARVING FOR FUEL. I WAS UNABLE TO HOLD THE THROTTLE AT A CERTAIN LEVEL BECAUSE OF DANGEROUSLY JERKY MOTIONS. I PULLED THE CLUTCH IN TO COME TO A STOP AND AS THE RPM'S CAME DOWN TO NORMAL IDLE SPEED IT WENT PAST AND KILLED THE MOTOR. I BELIEVE AFTER HAVING DONE RESEARCH IT IS THE THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR WHICH WOULD BE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. *TR
BIKE JERKED VIOLENTLY DURING A TURN CAUSING A LOSE OF CONTROL BECAUSE IT FELT LIKE THE BIKE WANTED TO BUMP ME OFF AND ALMOST END IN A CRASH. *TR
SYMPTOMS: 1. NORMAL RIDING. 2. BIKE JERKED VIOLENTLY A FEW TIME AT CRUISING SPEED (70MPH), ALMOST BUMPED ME OFF THE BIKE. ALSO, BIKE CUT OFF SEVERAL TIME WITHIN A 10MINUTES RIDE. IT HAPPENED ONCE DURING A TURN, AND THAT CAN BE DANGEROUS OR FATAL. 3. HOLDING THE CLUTCH IN AND IMMEDIATELY RE-STARTING IT WILL ALWAYS FIX THE PR…
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SYMPTOMS: 1. NORMAL RIDING. 2. BIKE JERKED VIOLENTLY A FEW TIME AT CRUISING SPEED (70MPH), ALMOST BUMPED ME OFF THE BIKE. ALSO, BIKE CUT OFF SEVERAL TIME WITHIN A 10MINUTES RIDE. IT HAPPENED ONCE DURING A TURN, AND THAT CAN BE DANGEROUS OR FATAL. 3. HOLDING THE CLUTCH IN AND IMMEDIATELY RE-STARTING IT WILL ALWAYS FIX THE PROBLEM... FOR A SHORT WHILE THE BIKE WILL RUN PROPERLY. *TR
WITH MY 2006 YAMAHA FZ1: WHILE NEGOTIATING A TURN AT ABOUT 40 MPH AND SLOWING DOWN, I APPLIED THROTTLE, THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND FOR ABOUT 1/2 SECOND AND THEN JERKED SIGNIFICANTLY. IT UPSET MY CONTROL AND I ALMOST CRASHED. THIS ONLY HAPPENS ABOVE 4500 RPM, BELOW THAT THROTTLE RESPONSE IS INSTANTANEOUS AND SMOOTH. *TR
HAD A LEAK FROM THE ENGINE ON THE MOTORCYCLE YAMAHA R1. TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND HAD REPAIRS DONE. THEY DID NOT SAY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS BUT FIXED IT. SOMETHING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THIS WAS DONE A COUPLE OF MONTH EARLIER. NOW WHILE RIDING THE OIL STARTED POURING OUT OF THE ENGINE, AND TWO RIDERS BEHIND ME ACTU…
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HAD A LEAK FROM THE ENGINE ON THE MOTORCYCLE YAMAHA R1. TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND HAD REPAIRS DONE. THEY DID NOT SAY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS BUT FIXED IT. SOMETHING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THIS WAS DONE A COUPLE OF MONTH EARLIER. NOW WHILE RIDING THE OIL STARTED POURING OUT OF THE ENGINE, AND TWO RIDERS BEHIND ME ACTUALLY FELL AND SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. WHEN INVESTIGATING THE LEAK TWO HUGE HOLES WERE FOUND IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. ONE JUST IN FRONT OF WHERE THE CHAIN WENT AROUND THE SPROCKET. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE THE CHAIN CAME LOOSE, BUT IT WOULD NOT EVEN REACH THAT FAR. THEN, I NOTICED A HUGE HOLE IN THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE, ALMOST LIKE SOMETHING INSIDE CAME APART AND WENT AROUND WITH SUCH FORCE THAT IT RIPPED THE TWO LARGE HOLES IN THE ENGINE CASING. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE THUS FAR. AM LOOKING AT HOW TO GET THIS REVIEWED OBJECTIVELY SO THAT SOMEONE COULD DETERMINE HOW TO KEEP OTHERS FROM HAVING THIS HAPPEN TO THEM.*AK
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE MOTORCYCLE'S SUBHARNESS AND THE CONNECTORS WENT OUT CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS TO GO OUT. THIS HAD OCCURRED TWICE CAUSING THE CONTACT TO BE STRANDED WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT.
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.