Yamaha FJR1300 problems and owner complaints

1. RANDOM ENGINE HESITATION AT SPEED. 2. IGNITION SWITCH FAILS TO CONDUCT WHILE RIDING BASED ON VIBRATION. INITIALLY THIS CAUSED ENGINE HESITATION AT SPEED. FINAL INCIDENT WAS FULL ENGINE STOP (ELECTRICAL SHUTDOWN) AT 30 MPH AND REAR TIRE LOCKUP. 3. REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10281945 at NHTSA ↗

IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. WITH NO PRIOR SYMPTOMS, IGNITION SWITCH FAILED TO TURN ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS ON. WITHOUT POWER, NOTHING THAT IS ELECTRICAL WORKS. IGNITION SWITCH UNIT REPLACED. DISASSEMBLY OF OLD SWITCH SHOWED EVIDENCE OF MINOR MELTING AND DISTORTION WHICH PREVENTED THE PRIMARY CONTACTS FROM TOUCHING IN THE ON POSITION. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 34,958 miles reported. Look up ODI 10351783 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 YAMAHA FJR1300. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED. WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A FAILED SOLDER CONNECTING WIRE FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000. UPDATED 01/06/2017*CT UPDATED 01/23/17.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 47,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10913647 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE ON A STRAIGHT & LEVEL ROAD, DRY, DAYTIME, CRUISING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH (WITH MY WIFE ON BACK), BIKE SUDDENLY AND COMPLETELY QUIT, INCLUDING ALL INSTRUMENTATION AND BLINKERS. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER (PULLED CLUTCH IN AND COASTED OUT OF LANE) WITH TRAFFIC RIGHT ON MY BACK, AS NO FLASHERS OR BRAKE LIGHTS WERE FUNCTIONING. THANK GOD IT DIDN'T HAPPEN ON THE FREEWAY. ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I FOUND ALL FUSES GOOD AND AFTER AN HOUR OF ROADSIDE DIAGNOSIS, GOT A TOW TRUCK. BIKE COULD NOT BE JUMPED EITHER - B…

Owner-reported narrative. 49,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10453160 at NHTSA ↗

ABS BRAKE SYSTEM NOT FUNCTIONING, REAR WHEEL LOCKS UP WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. UNWILLING TO TEST THE FRONT WHEEL ABS SYSTEM. SEVERAL OTHER OCCURRENCES OF ABS SYSTEM FAILURE HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED ON THE FJR FORUM.

Owner-reported narrative. 44,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10783857 at NHTSA ↗

FUEL TANK AND FRAME GET VERY HOT WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR. WHEN THIS OCCURS, DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE FUEL TANK/FRAME, DRIVER CAN SUSTAIN SERIOUS LEG BURNS. MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON IT. *AK NUMEROUS MOTORIST WITH THIS MODEL COMPLAINED ABOUT THE EXCESS HEAT FROM THE ENGINE. (THIS OCCURRED MOSTLY IN VEHICLES IN WARMER CLIMATES) THE TECHNICIAN ADMITTED TO THE PROBLEM BUT THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. *SCC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10038376 at NHTSA ↗

OWN A 2004 YAMAHA FJR1300 MOTORCYCLE. THE ENGINE GENERATES A GREAT DEAL OF HEAT AND THE 2004 DESIGN DID NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE DRIVERS SAFETY IN FIGURING HOW TO DIRECT THE HEAT AWAY FROM THE DRIVER. (I UNDERSTAND YAMAHA IMPROVED THIS PROBLEM STARTING IN 2006). AS A RESULT I SUFFERED BURNS ON THE INSIDE OF BOTH LEGS AND THE BIKE IS VIRTUALLY UNRIDEABLE IN HOT WEATHER. THE WEATHER WAS ABOUT 90 DEGREES F AND IT ONLY TOOK ABOUT 45 MINUTES TO RECEIVE THESE BURNS. IT APPEARS THAT THE HEAT IS BUILDING UP ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE GAS TANK AND THEN IS TRANS…

Owner-reported narrative. 8,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10236901 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN INITIALLY SHIFTING INTO FIRST GEAR A LOUD CLUNK IS HEARD IN THE TRANSMISSION AND THE BIKE WILL LURCH FORWARD AND TAKE OFF OR IF THE BRAKE IS APPLY THE ENGINE WILL STALL. THEN THE CLUTCH BREAKS LOOSE AND YOU CAN DRIVE AWAY. THE BIKE WILL UPSHIFT HARD AND SHIFT TIMING IS CRITICAL. THEN WHEN YOU APPROACH AN INTERSECTION AND NEED TO DOWN SHIFT YOU NEED TO USE THE BRAKES TO BREAK LOOSE THE CLUTCH. AFTER SEVERAL MILES IT WARMS UP AND BECOMES LESS STICKY. THE CLUTCH WILL DISENGAGE AFTER A FEW SECONDS AND THEN YOU CAN SHIFT. IF YOU DON'T US…

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10216565 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN THE ENGINE IS DECELERATING OR BRAKING FUEL IS TURNED OFF AND WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE AGAIN THERE IS A DELAY IN FUEL DELIVERY. WHEN TRYING TO ENTER A HIGHWAY FROM THE RAMP YOU DECELERATE TO TIME YOUR ENTRANCE AND WHEN YOU ACCELERATE THE MOTORCYCLE PAUSES THEN LURCHES FORWARD EFFECTING YOUR MERGE INTO SPEEDING TRAFFIC. THIS ALSO HAPPENS TO A SMALLER DEGREE ON EACH SHIFT OF THE TRANSMISSION. IT APPEARS THAT AN AIR PRESSURE SENSOR IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD PREVENTS THE FLOW OF FUEL DURING INCREASED VACUUM AND THAT THE FUEL IS NOT TURNED ON A…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10236964 at NHTSA ↗

THIS IS A YAMAHA MOTORCYCLE. IT HAS A BLOWN FORK SEAL, WHICH IS A PRETTY COMMON OCCURRENCE. THIS IS IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION AND STEERING. THERE ARE 2 SPECIAL TOOLS NECESSARY TO REPAIR THIS, ACCORDING TO THE FACTORY SERVICE MANUAL. NEITHER OF THESE SPECIAL TOOLS ARE AVAILABLE FROM YAMAHA. THERE ARE NO SUBSTITUTES AVAILABLE EITHER, ACCORDING TO 3 SEPARATE DEALERS AND THE CORPORATE HQ IN CALIFORNIA. THIS IS QUITE A SAFETY RISK, AS I CANNOT PROPERLY REPAIR THE SUSPENSION, AND THIS WILL AFFECT THE STABILITY/CONTROLLABILITY OF THE BIKE. IT …

Owner-reported narrative. 28,127 miles reported. Look up ODI 10492134 at NHTSA ↗