2005 Yamaha XVS11: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
9 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
23,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 9 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train:Driveline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 9 complaints (55.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 33.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Driveline | 5 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 3 |
| Power Train | 1 |
| Power Train:Driveline:Driveshaft | 1 |
Power Train:Driveline: 5; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 3; Power Train: 1; Power Train:Driveline:Driveshaft: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 7 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 0 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
2008: 1; 2009: 4; 2010: 2; 2011: 1; 2015: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train:Driveline leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10237605 · 2008-08-10 (August 10, 2008)
MIDDLE DRIVE SHAFT RETAINING NUT SNAP.*TR
Owner-reported narrative. 27,474 miles reported. Look up ODI 10237605 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10281889 · 2009-08-26 (August 26, 2009)
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-reported narrative. 7,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10281889 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10284216 · 2009-09-16 (September 16, 2009)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10284216 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10292122 · 2009-11-13 (November 13, 2009)
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 …
Owner-reported narrative. 23,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10292122 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10292826 · 2009-11-18 (November 18, 2009)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 53,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10292826 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10341090 · 2010-07-02 (July 2, 2010)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 5,469 miles reported. Look up ODI 10341090 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10354189 · 2010-09-07 (September 7, 2010)
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.
Owner-reported narrative. 23,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10354189 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10389608 · 2011-03-09 (March 9, 2011)
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 C…
Owner-reported narrative. 23,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10389608 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
05V067000 · Seats:Motorcycle
Reported: 2005-03-03 (March 3, 2005)
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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗05V256000 · Seats:Motorcycle
Reported: 2005-06-01 (June 1, 2005)
ON CERTAIN MOTORCYLES, THE ORIGINAL REPLACEMENT MOUNTING HARDWARE HOLDING THE PASSENGER SEAT TO THE FENDER COULD BREAK IF THE MOUNTING HARDWARE IS OVER TIGHTENED.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗