IllustrationYamaha is aware of a bad nut and washer design, but will not repair, stripped output shaft which requires engine to be removed, due to bad part. They said the bulletin expired for the vehicle
2001 Yamaha YZFR6
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 YZFR6 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: 19 of 28 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 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. 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 reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
28 reportsAS I'M RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE IT JUMPS OUT OF SECOND GEAR AS I'M ACCELERATING. THIS WILL BE MY 3RD TRANSMISSION IN 12000 MILES. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. I DO NOT ABUSE THE MOTORCYCLE IT CAUSES THE BIKE TO RAPIDLY DECELERATE AND COULD CAUSE ME TO LOSE CONTROL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 YAMAHA YZFR6 MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CUSTOM OF THE FRAME WAS NOT SECURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000. UPDATED 2/11/14*CN THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE RETRIEVED THE MOTORCYCLE FROM THE REPAIR SHOP, THE WELDING WAS INCOM…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 YAMAHA YZFR6 MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CUSTOM OF THE FRAME WAS NOT SECURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000. UPDATED 2/11/14*CN THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE RETRIEVED THE MOTORCYCLE FROM THE REPAIR SHOP, THE WELDING WAS INCOMPLETE AND WAS NOT ADJUSTED PROPERLY.
2ND GEAR SLIPS. IT HAPPENS EVERYTIME 2ND GEAR IS USED. IT FEELS LIKE THE REAR TIRE JUMPS AND THE BIKE JERKS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT LED UP TO THIS FAILURE THE BIKE WAS STORED FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. THE BIKE HAS 14000 MILES AND WAS NEVER RIDDEN HARD. NOTHING WAS DONE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM YET. THIS ISN'T MY FIRST BIKE AND THIS PR…
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2ND GEAR SLIPS. IT HAPPENS EVERYTIME 2ND GEAR IS USED. IT FEELS LIKE THE REAR TIRE JUMPS AND THE BIKE JERKS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT LED UP TO THIS FAILURE THE BIKE WAS STORED FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. THE BIKE HAS 14000 MILES AND WAS NEVER RIDDEN HARD. NOTHING WAS DONE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM YET. THIS ISN'T MY FIRST BIKE AND THIS PROBLEM NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. *TR
2001 YAMAHA R6, HESITATION IN SECOND GEAR. HAPPENED AT HIGHER RPM'S, AS IT GOT WORSE IT HAPPENED THROUGH ALL OF SECOND GEAR ALMOST CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL. I HAVE TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION, 2ND, 6TH GEAR AND SHIFT FORK. 99-02 R6'S HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. MANY HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM, AND YAMAHA WON'T FIX. GO TO THIS WEBSITE: WWW.R…
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2001 YAMAHA R6, HESITATION IN SECOND GEAR. HAPPENED AT HIGHER RPM'S, AS IT GOT WORSE IT HAPPENED THROUGH ALL OF SECOND GEAR ALMOST CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL. I HAVE TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION, 2ND, 6TH GEAR AND SHIFT FORK. 99-02 R6'S HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. MANY HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM, AND YAMAHA WON'T FIX. GO TO THIS WEBSITE: WWW.R6MESSAGENET.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=1512 - 72K - *NM
I HAVE A 2001 YZFR6 AND THE 2ND GEAR IS GOING OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME. I DON'T STUNT RIDE OR ABUSE MY BIKE. I BOUGHT THE BIKE BRAND NEW BACK IN '01 AND IN 01 OR 02 I HAD TO REPLACE THE SHIFTING FORKS FOR 2ND AND 6TH GEAR, ALSO THE GEARS THEMSELVES HAD TO BE REPLACED, 1500 DOLLARS. YAMAHA SAID THIS WAS FROM RIDING ABUSE. SUMM…
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I HAVE A 2001 YZFR6 AND THE 2ND GEAR IS GOING OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME. I DON'T STUNT RIDE OR ABUSE MY BIKE. I BOUGHT THE BIKE BRAND NEW BACK IN '01 AND IN 01 OR 02 I HAD TO REPLACE THE SHIFTING FORKS FOR 2ND AND 6TH GEAR, ALSO THE GEARS THEMSELVES HAD TO BE REPLACED, 1500 DOLLARS. YAMAHA SAID THIS WAS FROM RIDING ABUSE. SUMMER OF 05 *BIKE WAS PARKED FOR ALL OF 04, 2ND GEAR STARTED TO SLIP AGAIN. I'VE HEARD FROM OTHER SOURCES THAT ALL R6'S FROM 99-02 HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND IT'S BECAUSE OF A MILLING ERROR IN THE TRANSMISSION DRUM. SINCE THERE IS AN ERROR THE 2ND GEAR SHIFTING FORK CAN'T REST IN THE CORRECT SPOT. *NM
DUE TO A FAULTY BATTERY I NOW HAVE BATTERY ACID ON MY SWINGARM, SHOCK, AND CHAIN. THIS HAS MESSED THE COSMETICS OF MY BIKE UP BADLY. THE FAULTY BATTERY WAS NOT MY FAULT, BUT YET YAMAHA WILL DO NOTHING TO FIX IT!*AK
ACID LEAK FROM THE BATTERY FOR UNKNOWN REASON...I HAVE NOT DONE ANY WORK OR MADE ANY ADJUSTMENTS WHATSOEVER TO THE BATTERY...IT IS COMPLETELY STOCK. IT IS LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY 2001 YAMAHA R6 ALONG THE WAY. *NM
FAULTY BATTERY, ONE OF THOUSANDS ON 1999 TO 2002 YAMAHA YZF R6, LEAKED ACID ALL OVER MY BIKES FRAME, SUBFRAME, RESET, AND SHOCK, CAUSING CORROSION. IT ALSO LEAKED ON THE BACK OF MY GAS TANK UNDER THE SEAT WHERE IT IS NOT VISIBLE UNLESS THE SEAT IS TAKEN OFF CAUSING THE PAINT TO PEEL OFF AND THE TANK TO RUST, ALMOST ALL THE WAY T…
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FAULTY BATTERY, ONE OF THOUSANDS ON 1999 TO 2002 YAMAHA YZF R6, LEAKED ACID ALL OVER MY BIKES FRAME, SUBFRAME, RESET, AND SHOCK, CAUSING CORROSION. IT ALSO LEAKED ON THE BACK OF MY GAS TANK UNDER THE SEAT WHERE IT IS NOT VISIBLE UNLESS THE SEAT IS TAKEN OFF CAUSING THE PAINT TO PEEL OFF AND THE TANK TO RUST, ALMOST ALL THE WAY THROUGH. ALSO LEAKED ON THE CHAIN CAUSING CORROSION PROBABLY WEAKENING THE CHAIN. YAMAHA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE FAULTY BATTERY PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND MADE NO ATTEMPT TO LET ME OR OTHER R6 OWNERS KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM VOLUNTARILY OR ATTEMPT TO REPLACE THE FAULTY PART EVEN AFTER THEY REDESIGNED THE BATTERY JUST TO SOLVE THIS EXACT PROBLEM.*AK
2001 YAHMAHA R6 MOTORCYCLE WITH A DEFECTIVE BATTERY, IT CAUSES THE BATTERY TO LEAK ON COMPONETS OF THE BIKE AND LEAVES A PERMANENT STAIN ON THE SWINGARM, SHOCK AND OTHER AREAS. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT IT IS A COMMON OCCURENCE FOR THIS YEAR.*AK
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.