IllustrationDRIVE SPROCKET NUT CAME OFF, WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVE SPROCKET TO COME OFF, WHICH CAUSED THE CHAIN TO COME OFF AND DESTROY THE REAR DRIVER SPROCKET AND CHAIN. THIS ALMOST CAUSED A LOSS OF CONTROL, LUCKILY THE CHAIN DID NOT JAM THE REAR WHEEL. *TR
2003 Yamaha YZF-R6R(C)
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
Other model years Selected 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
Limited mileage data: 1 of 2 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 2 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
2 reportsCURRENTLY THERE IS A STORM OF CONTROVERSY IN THE SPORTRIDER COMMUNITY RELATING TO SAFETY ISSUES WITH 2003 YAMAH R6 MOTRCYCLES. THERE ARE SEVERAL SAFETY CONCERNS, 1. SHIFTING IN SECOND GEAR -PREMATURE GEAR WEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION, 2. MOTORYCLE'S SHUTTING OFF WHILE ENGAGED IN ROLLING STOPS, IN CURVES AND WHILE UNDER DECELERATIONS…
Read full complaint
CURRENTLY THERE IS A STORM OF CONTROVERSY IN THE SPORTRIDER COMMUNITY RELATING TO SAFETY ISSUES WITH 2003 YAMAH R6 MOTRCYCLES. THERE ARE SEVERAL SAFETY CONCERNS, 1. SHIFTING IN SECOND GEAR -PREMATURE GEAR WEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION, 2. MOTORYCLE'S SHUTTING OFF WHILE ENGAGED IN ROLLING STOPS, IN CURVES AND WHILE UNDER DECELERATIONS, I URGE THE NHTSA TO LOOK AT THE LINK I AM PROVIDING...HTTP://WWW.R6MESSAGENET.COM/FORUMS/FORUMDISPLAY.PHP?F=6....THIS LINK HAS DETAILED INFORMATION FROM MANY RIDERS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THIS SPECIFIC MODEL AND THE TREATMENT THEY HAVE RECEIVED , OR LACK THEREOF, FROM YAMAHA HAS ON 2 VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES WITH THEIR 2003 R6 MODELS. MY MOTORYCLE IS SHOWING BOTH SIGNS OF PREMATURE GEAR WEAR ( BIKE HAS LESS THAN 4,000 MILES) AND SHUTTING OFF DURING OPERATION THESE INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN AS CLOSE AS 5-05-05 THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ISSUE THAT YAMAHA IS IGNORING, PLEASE CHECK THE R6MESSAGENET.COM SITE THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES FROM MANY RIDERS POSTED.
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.