U.S. public vehicle records

2001 Yamaha XVS65: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

1 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

31,800 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2001 model year. Data updated: 2026-09-30 (September 30, 2026). 1 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 1 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train

Power Train: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 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.

2015

2015: 1

Pattern summary

Power Train leads the component reports. 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 10787488 · 2015-10-31 (October 31, 2015)

MIDDLE DRIVE AND PINION GEAR FAILURE.

Owner-reported narrative. 31,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10787488 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 ↗

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

1 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-09-30.

100.0%Usable mileage1 / 1 records

100.0%Valid incident date1 / 1 records

100.0%Valid filing date1 / 1 records

100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates1 / 1 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2009
Power Train	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 10787488 · 31,800 mi MIDDLE DRIVE AND PINION GEAR FAILURE. Look up ODI 10787488 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	240.0% ODI 10522989 · 4,052 mi AS I WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE WORK AND HEAD BACK TO MY HOTEL, MY MOTORCYCLE STOPPED WORKING. I HAD TO LOAD IT ONTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND SENT BACK HOME TO BE INSPECTED. UPON INSPECTION MY MECHANIC HAD FOUND A GEAR IN MY FINAL DRIVE HAD CRACKED AND BROKEN. THE PART HAS MADE MY MOTORCYCLE INOPERABLE. IF THIS HAD OCCURRED ON A LONG RIDE HOME, THE DAMAGE COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERE. *TR Look up ODI 10522989 at NHTSA ↗	375.0% ODI 10508171 · 28,000 mi AS MANY HAVE WITNESSED, A BEARING IN THE HOUSING OF THE FINAL DRIVE HAS BASICALLY DISAPPEARED DUE TO THE DESIGN FLAW/INCORRECT BEARING USED. I LEAKED OIL, THANKFULLY, AND NOTICED BEFORE THE REAR WHEEL SEIZED UP. WHY IS THIS ITEM NOT ON RECALL?!?!?! *TR Look up ODI 10508171 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	2100.0% ODI 10468911 · 15,430 mi WHEN WE RETURNED HOME THE GEAR OIL LEAKED OUT OF THE FINAL DRIVE. IT WAS ALL OVER THE WHEEL AND ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. OPENED THE DRAIN PLUG AND METAL PIECES CAME OUT. WHEN IT WAS REPAIRED IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BALL BEARING FOR THE PINION GEAR FAILED. FORTUNATE THE BALL BEARINGS DID NOT HAVE TIME TO FALL OUT AND JAM IN THE PINION AND RING GEARS THUS CAUSING THE REAR WHEEL TO LOCK. THE REPLACEMENT BEARING FROM YAMAHA WAS REDESIGNED, BUT WE ARE NOT SURE THIS WILL HOLD UP? *TR Look up ODI 10468911 at NHTSA ↗	133.3% ODI 10542402 · 6,438 mi THE REAR WHEEL OF THE MOTORCYCLE UNEXPECTEDLY LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET. I LOST CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE AND HIT THE CURB. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON A BUSY INTERSTATE, I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE REASON THE WHEEL LOCKED UP WAS BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER USED THE WRONG BEARING ON THE DIFFERENTIAL PINION GEAR. THE BEARING WAS NOT DESIGNED TO HANDLE THE THRUST IN THIS TYPE OF APPLICATION. WHEN I PURCHASED THE REPLACEMENT BEARING FROM THE YAMAHA DEALER, IT WAS A BEARING DESIGNED TO HANDLE THE THRUST OF THE PINION GEAR. YAMAHA … Look up ODI 10542402 at NHTSA ↗	125.0% ODI 10331308 · 25,000 mi FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY OF YAMAHA VSTAR TAKES ON WATER WHEN RIDING IN RAIN, OIL DEGRADES AND RESULTS IN INTERIOR BEARING ASSEMBLY FAILURE. METAL SHAVINGS CAN BE FOUND INSIDE FINAL DRIVE UNIT. OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED OF POSSIBLE BEARINGS BREAKING FREE AND RESULTING IN SPLINE LOCKUP... RENDERING A REAR TIRE LOCKUP AT ANY SPEED. METAL SHAVINGS CAUSE OIL SEALS TO FAIL RESULTING IN OIL BEING SPLATTERED ONTO REAR TIRE AND RESULTS IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION THAT COULD RENDER THE OPERATOR WITHOUT TRACTION OF REAR TIRE ON CORNERING LEFT OR BRAKING DUE TO… Look up ODI 10331308 at NHTSA ↗
Power Train:Manual Transmission	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 10237442 · 6,000 mi THE TRANSMISSION OF A 2007 YAMAHA 650 ROADSTAR MOTORCYCLE LOCKED UP AND CAUSED THE REAR WHEEL TO ALSO LOCK AND SKID, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE MOTORCYCLE FLIPPED OVER ON IT'S SIDE. THE LOCK UP OCCURRED AT APPROX. 20 MPH WHILE SHIFTING DOWN FROM THIRD TO SECOND GEAR WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN. *TR Look up ODI 10237442 at NHTSA ↗	250.0% ODI 10259882 · 1,000 mi AT 750-1,000 MILES MAJOR CLUTCH SLIPPAGE WAS DETECTED. THIS PREVENTS ACCELERATION TO AVOID ACCIDENT ZONES OR RETREAT FROM ACCIDENT ZONE. AT 3,600 MILES FRONT BRAKE FAILURE WAS DETECTED. WHERE DEPRESSION OF BRAKE LEVER TOOK FOUR DEPRESSIONS TO RETURN PRESSURE. NO ACCIDENT IN EITHER CASE, HOWEVER NEAR COLLISIONS AND INTRUSION OF VEHICLES INTO ACCIDENT ZONES HAVE OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF CLUTCH FAILURE. *TR Look up ODI 10259882 at NHTSA ↗
Power Train:Driveline	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	240.0% ODI 10166182 · 15,315 mi A NON MAINTENANCE PART ON THE DRIVE TRAIN OF MY 2003 YAMAHA 650 MOTORCYCLE WENT OUT CAUSING THE BIKE TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED DEATH--NO WARNING.THE MECHANIC SAID THE PART SHOULD HAVE BEEN GREASED AT THE MANUFACTURER, BUT WITH THE RUST ,THERE WAS NO SIGN OF GREASE EVER PRESENT.I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THERE ARE MANY, MANY PEOPLE HAVING OR HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE DRIVE TRAIN--AND I FOUND OUT THAT YAMAHA RELEASED A LETTER IN 2005 THAT THE DRIVE TRAIN SHOULD BE INSPECTED AT EVERY TIRE CHANGE- THIS… Look up ODI 10166182 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	250.0% ODI 10259882 · 1,000 mi AT 750-1,000 MILES MAJOR CLUTCH SLIPPAGE WAS DETECTED. THIS PREVENTS ACCELERATION TO AVOID ACCIDENT ZONES OR RETREAT FROM ACCIDENT ZONE. AT 3,600 MILES FRONT BRAKE FAILURE WAS DETECTED. WHERE DEPRESSION OF BRAKE LEVER TOOK FOUR DEPRESSIONS TO RETURN PRESSURE. NO ACCIDENT IN EITHER CASE, HOWEVER NEAR COLLISIONS AND INTRUSION OF VEHICLES INTO ACCIDENT ZONES HAVE OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF CLUTCH FAILURE. *TR Look up ODI 10259882 at NHTSA ↗
Wheels	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 10523505 · 15,100 mi I HAVE A 2005 YAMAHA VSTAR 650 SILVERADO. OIL IS LEAKING FROM THE REAR AND ONTO THE REAR TIRE. THERE IS METAL THAT HAS FLAKED OFF AND MIXED WITH THIS OIL AND IT DOESN'T LOOK WELL. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET IS SEEMS AS THOUGH THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE BIKES. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE A MAJOR ISSUE AND/OR POSSIBLY DEADLY SITUATION IF THE BIKE WERE TO LOCKUP ON YOU WHILE RIDING. OIL ON TIRES AND RIDING COULD POSSIBLY END VERY BADLY. SINCE THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN WIDELY ADDRESSED BY OTHER RIDERS MORE THAN LIKELY YAMAHA IS WELL AWAR… Look up ODI 10523505 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 10542402 · 6,438 mi THE REAR WHEEL OF THE MOTORCYCLE UNEXPECTEDLY LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET. I LOST CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE AND HIT THE CURB. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON A BUSY INTERSTATE, I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE REASON THE WHEEL LOCKED UP WAS BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER USED THE WRONG BEARING ON THE DIFFERENTIAL PINION GEAR. THE BEARING WAS NOT DESIGNED TO HANDLE THE THRUST IN THIS TYPE OF APPLICATION. WHEN I PURCHASED THE REPLACEMENT BEARING FROM THE YAMAHA DEALER, IT WAS A BEARING DESIGNED TO HANDLE THE THRUST OF THE PINION GEAR. YAMAHA … Look up ODI 10542402 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Electrical System	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 10563503 · 18,450 mi AFTER A BRIEF WARM UP, ENGINE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. NO SPARK CONDITION. WILL RESTART WHEN COOL, THEN THE PROBLEM REPEATS. A CRASH WAS AVOIDED. *TR Look up ODI 10563503 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Engine	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 10563503 · 18,450 mi AFTER A BRIEF WARM UP, ENGINE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. NO SPARK CONDITION. WILL RESTART WHEN COOL, THEN THE PROBLEM REPEATS. A CRASH WAS AVOIDED. *TR Look up ODI 10563503 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Engine And Engine Cooling	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 10523505 · 15,100 mi I HAVE A 2005 YAMAHA VSTAR 650 SILVERADO. OIL IS LEAKING FROM THE REAR AND ONTO THE REAR TIRE. THERE IS METAL THAT HAS FLAKED OFF AND MIXED WITH THIS OIL AND IT DOESN'T LOOK WELL. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET IS SEEMS AS THOUGH THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE BIKES. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE A MAJOR ISSUE AND/OR POSSIBLY DEADLY SITUATION IF THE BIKE WERE TO LOCKUP ON YOU WHILE RIDING. OIL ON TIRES AND RIDING COULD POSSIBLY END VERY BADLY. SINCE THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN WIDELY ADDRESSED BY OTHER RIDERS MORE THAN LIKELY YAMAHA IS WELL AWAR… Look up ODI 10523505 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
Power Train	Too few reports for a range	31,800 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10787488 · 31,800 mi MIDDLE DRIVE AND PINION GEAR FAILURE. Look up ODI 10787488 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-09 (partial)	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

2007: 2 complaints · 2009: 3 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
2007	2	2	2
2009	1	3	3

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
2007	3	0	0
2009	3	0	1

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Power Train
Power Train	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

0 patterns with matching reports.

No narratives match the published patterns.