The 2005 Yamaha XVS11 has 2 safety recalls and 9 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is power train (10 complaints).
Recalls2safety recalls
Complaints9filed by owners
Crashes · fires0 · 0reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths0 · 0reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Seats › Motorcycle
NHTSA recall 05V256000 · Jun 1, 2005 · 46,000 vehicles
Problem: ON CERTAIN MOTORCYLES, THE ORIGINAL REPLACEMENT MOUNTING HARDWARE HOLDING THE PASSENGER SEAT TO THE FENDER COULD BREAK IF THE MOUNTING HARDWARE IS OVER TIGHTENED.
Risk: IF THE HARDWARE BREAKS, THE PASSENGER SEAT CAN FALL OFF THE REAR FENDER. THE PASSENGER COULD LOSE BALANCE AND FALL, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
Fix: OWNERS MAY ALREADY HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM YAMAHA DATED MARCH 3, 2005, ABOUT THIS DEFECT. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE AN IMPROVED REMEDY TO THE REPAIR OF THE PREVIOUS RECALL, YAMAHA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES AGAIN. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HARDWARE HOLDING THE PASSENGER SEAT TO THE FENDER WITH COMPONENTS OF A DIFFERENT TYPE THAT WILL NOT ALLOW THE SEAT TO FALL OFF. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 15, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT YAMAHA AT 1-800-88-YAMAHA.
Seats › Motorcycle
NHTSA recall 05V067000 · Mar 3, 2005 · 179,042 vehicles
Problem: ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE MOUNTING HARDWARE HOLDING THE PASSENGER SEAT TO THE FENDER COULD LOOSEN DUE TO THE PASSENGER'S WEIGHT SHIFTING ON THE SEAT.
Risk: IF THE MOUNTING HARDWARE BECOMES LOOSE ENOUGH TO FALL OFF, THE PASSENGER SEAT CAN FALL OFF THE REAR FENDER. A PASSENGER ON THE MOTORCYCLE COULD LOSE BALANCE AND FALL, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PASSENGER SEAT'S MOUNTING HARDWARE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 4, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT YAMAHA AT 1-800-227-5963.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Power train Driveline; Manual transmission
10
0
0
0
23,000 mi
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Jul 1, 2015 · 22,541 milesPower train I BEGAN ACCELERATING ON TO THE HIGHWAY WHEN I NOTICED A RATTLING WHINING NOISE COMING FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE MOTORCYCLE ONCE AS I APPROACHED AN EXIST TO INSPECT THE MOTORCYCLE MY REAR WHEEL LOCKED UP . ONCE I HAD IT TOWED HOME COME TO FIND OUT THE MIDDLE GEAR SHAFT NUT HAD BROKEN OFF WITH PART OF THE SHAFT INSIDE AND FEEL IF THOUGH REPLACING IT AND MAY CAUSE ME SERIOUS INJURY.
Jun 10, 2010 · 23,000 milesPower train › Manual transmission I HAVE A 2005 YAMAHA 1100 VSTAR CLASSIC. AT ABOUT 23,000 MILES A NUT HOLDING THE MIDDLE GEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION BROKE OFF CAUSING CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I HAD THE MOTORCYCLE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND WAS GIVEN AN ESTIMATE OF $2,000 + TO REPAIR IT. EVEN THO THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPEN WITH ONLY THAT MANY MILES ON A VEHICLE IS UNACCEPTABLE. I PERSONALLY CONTACTED YAMAHA CORP. BY LETTER AND BY PHONE AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO HELP. I HAD THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT CONTACT YAMAHA AND AGAIN WAS TOLD SORRY. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED EVENT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY FAILURES OF THIS KIND AND MY LOCAL DEALER SAID THEY HAVE…
Aug 24, 2010 · 23,000 milesPower train › Driveline › Driveshaft TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 YAMAHA XVS11. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH HE NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS READING A SPEED OF 0 MPH. HE CONTINUED DRIVING AND BEGAN TO HEAR A CLANKING NOISE. AS HE CONTINUED DRIVING THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO INTERMITTENTLY LUNGE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THE DRIVE SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 23,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Apr 24, 2008 · 5,469 milesPower train › Manual transmission I HAVE A 2005 YAMAHA VSTAR 1100 WITH 5.000 MILES. WHEN I WAS DRIVING IT ON THE INTERSTATE THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO WINE AND THEN STARTED TO MAKE A TAPING NOISE. I FOUND THE MIDDLE DRIVE GEAR IS BROKE ITS GOING COST ME 1600 DOLLARS TO FIX IT WITH ME TAKING THE MOTOR OUT AND REINSTALLING IT IN MOTORCYCLE. YAMAHA WILL NOT FIX IT EVEN KNOW THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH MIDDLE DRIVE GEAR. I'M JUST LUCKY IT DID NOT LOCK UP ON ME ON THE INTERSTATE! *TR
Nov 18, 2009 · 53,000 milesPower train › Driveline ON YAMAHA 1100 VSTAR MOTORCYCLES IN THE MIDDLE DRIVE GEAR WHERE THE UNIVERSAL YOKE CONNECTS TO THE SHAFT THE SHAFT IS PRONE TO BREAKAGE CAUSING THE NUT AND END OF THE SHAFT TO BECOME CAUGHT IN THE UNIVERSAL JOINT WHICH AT 55MPH CAN BE DEVASTATING. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS DEFECT. *TR
Nov 9, 2009 · 23,000 milesPower train › Driveline MOTORCYCLE IS A 2005 YAMAHA V-STAR 1000 WITH 23,000 MILES ON IT, AND IT BEGAN MAKING A LOUD WHINING NOISE, WHICH SEEMED TO BE AT IT WORST DURING THE FIRST 2-3 MILES OF OPERATION. AFTER CONSULTING WITH A WEB FORUM DEDICATED TO THESE MOTORCYCLES, I DISCOVERED THE THREADED END OF THE INTERMEDIATE DRIVESHAFT HAD BROKEN, AND THE NUT WHICH RETAINS THE U-JOINT YOKE WAS FREE TO MOVE AROUND INSIDE THE U-JOINT. THERE WAS ALSO LIMITED DAMAGE TO THE U-JOINT YOKE, WHICH WAS CAUSED BY THE NUT MOVING AROUND WHILE THE MOTORCYCLE WAS OPERATING. THIS APPEARS TO BE A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THESE YAMAHA MOTORCYCLES, AND CAN LEAD TO MAJOR REPAIR WORK IF THE SHAFT GETS BENT FROM NOT BEING SECURED CORRECTLY.…
Sep 12, 2009 · 22,000 milesPower train › Driveline DRIVE SHAFT FAILURE ON A YAHAMA 1100 VSTAR... FAILURE DUE TO NUT BACKING OFF DRIVE SHAFT YOKE .. SEVERE WHINING ,VIBRATION... BAD DESIGN BY YAHAMA , COULD CAUSE LOCK UP OF REAR TIRE RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH FOR THE RIDER... *TR
Aug 20, 2009 · 7,900 milesPower train › Driveline I FIRST NOTICED A PROBLEM WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING AND THEN WHILE DRIVING HOME THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I HAD A GRINDING NOISE UPON RELEASING THE THROTTLE. THE BIKE WAS TAKEN TO REPAIR AND THE NUT THAT HOLDS THE DRIVE SHAFT IN PLACE CAME OFF AND THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS LOOSE. I HAVE A YAMAHA VSTAR 1100 CLASSIC 2005 WITH 7800 MILES ON IT. *TR
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.