Clutch Problem Yamaha Canada vs Yamaha USA

I have a 2006 I bought new in July, I have 11,000 KM on it. Right from day one I said my clutch was acting funny and the dealer said it is new just ride it. Just to let you know I am having the same clutch problems like everyone else who posted.

I have had the bike jump forward two feet when the clutch lever was pulled in and I put the bike into gear on numerous times. I have the hard down shifting and have to double and or sometimes triple clutch so the clutch works properly. It happens when the bike is warm and or cold. I have told the dealer the the clutch plates are sticking from lack of oil and that the US bikes are having the same problem and Yamaha USA is looking after the customers.

The dealer kept telling me that there is nothing wrong with it just ride it it is under warranty. I go on a trip and pull into a gas station to fuel up, I pull in the clutch as I approach the pump and the bike still keeps going so I have to hammer on the brakes and stall the bike to stop from hitting the gas pump. Again I go to the dealer and tell them my story so this time they have my bike for a week and when I go in and ask them what was the problem they said nothing. I ask if they even took the bike apart and they said no, I said to them that they had my bike for a week and did nothing to it and now you tell me there is nothing wrong. They replied they contacted Yamaha Canada and they said they have not heard of the clutch problem and that they are not authorizing the dealer to take apart the bike.

After arguing with them I leave with my bike and continue to ride it and it is still doing the same thing. So about two weeks ago I fire my bike up in the garage and let it warm up to 3 bar on the temp gauge and I double clutch my bike about four times I put the bike in gear and the bike shoots forward another two feet but I just stop it from hitting my garage door. Now I am pissed, I put the bike up on the center stand and while holding the clutch in I put the bike in first gear and guess what the tire is rotating like it was in first gear with the clutch released. I put my foot on the tire to see how much pressure it would take to stop the tire from rotating and I could not stop it. THE CLUTCH PLATES ARE STICKING.

I take my bike to the dealer and I tell them to fix the damn thing like I said from day one. I get a phone call from the dealer later in the day and they advised me that the area rep for Yamaha Canada said that if they tear it apart and find nothing wrong then I would be paying for the bill. I go in the next day to see what was going on and I asked the service manager what is happening. The service manager looked up at me and said we took your clutch apart and I said what was the problem. The service manager looked me and said that I was right that there was no oil on the clutch plates and they don't know why they were dry. So I tell the service manager that I have put 11,000 Km on the bike and my clutch plates were not getting any oil. So I had to get in a I told you so, then she told me that the rep from Yamaha Canada says it is a wear item and not covered under warranty. I told the service manager if it is not getting oil like it is supposed to it is not caused by wear, it is caused by poor engineering or that the clutch was not soak in assembly. The problem with no oil on the clutch is Yamaha's fault and it caused the clutch problem. It is not wore it broke because of no oil. They don't no why the plates were not getting oil.

Apparently the head mechanic hopped on my bike to bring it in and the bike shot forward on him. It is amazing after all the bitchin I did and nothing was done and then the mechanic hops on and low and behold they tear it apart. I said how was the clutch and I was told that two cogs were broke off one plate and that there was no oil between the clutch plates period. I ask if all the metal was found and they said yes, they said it did not do any damage other than the two chucks of metal off the one clutch plate. I told them that I was concerned that the metal would get into the motor and they said no they have the broken pieces.

So from day one clutch was not getting any oil. Then they tell me that the clutch is not a warranty item. It is a wear item and it is not covered. I told them to call back the area rep and talk to him again.The area rep said that they will cover the labor and gasket which is good but I have to pay for the clutch. The story before was if there was nothing wrong with it then I would have to pay, now there is something wrong and it was from day one and I still have to pay for the clutch. Well I loose it and tell them that as soon as took the bike off the showroom floor that there was a problem and that they said keep driving it. If my bike was off warranty I would not have an issue I would pay but this was from day one and Yamaha said there is nothing wrong and I proved to them that their was a problem and now I have to pay for a clutch. I told them of the sticking plates and that the clutch was not releasing, I told them about the accidents this could have caused and they kept telling me that there is nothing wrong and now they want me to pay for the clutch.

I have to say this to all the FJR owners out there at least YAMAHA USA looks after there customers, here in Canada they treat us like dummies and make it sound like they are doing us a favor. They don't want to do a recall to fix the no oil on the clutch problem because it is to costly. Just look at the 2008 model they changed the clutch in the motor to fix the lack of oil the 07 and 06 are getting. The dealer cant tell me why the clutch is not getting oil and numerous calls to Yamaha Canada customer service cant tell me either.

I tell them when they charge me for the clutch bill and give me my bike back and the oil problem has not been fixed then new clutch would be the same as the original one. TOTALLY DRY AND STICKING waiting for an accident to happen. I do not understand Yamaha Canada and their rational it just boggles the mind. Or are they waiting for someone to get killed or seriously injured. My bike was like this from day one, the FJR is a great bike but it is obvious that Yamaha in Canada does not care if someone gets hurt or injured. Yamaha put a bike on a show room floor that was faulty and they still sell it to people and then they expect us to pay for their incompetence and poor engineering. Come on Yamaha you changed it on the 2008 to fix the problem how about fixing the problem on all the 2006 and 2007 bikes that were sold.

Obviously things are working differently for you than they do here in US. Does your province have a consumer protection agency, or a private group that lobbies for consumer protection? This is obviously a serious safety issue, and needs to be reported to the proper organizations. Do you have a friend who is a barrister, perhaps. A well-written letter from a law firm can change things quickly.

I questioned a Yamaha tech here regarding clutch issues.

He told me that the FJR has a revised cluth system to fix a problem

The problem they are trying to fix is the amount of oil the clutch plates are allowed to run in.

They used to run in more oil than they do now, but if you let your bike sit for over a week without use it would jump forward when first put into gear, due to oil draining from the plates.

They reduced the amount of oil the plates get, but that seems to have created more problems that it solved with the FJR.

I don't blame you for being pissed, overall I think support from Yamaha over all the 06/07 issues is very poor.

Not sure my next bike will be a Yamaha.

Yamaman...we all understand your frustration. I suggest another approach. Hook up to the Yammi Canada website and click on the customer contact link at the bottom of the page. Fill in the pertinent data and write your story emphasising all the close calls and the safety angle. This way, you are doing an end run around the rep and talking strait to the customer relations dep`t. I have done this myself (on another issue) and am more than pleased with the results. I think you will be too!!! :clapping:

Dealer paying for clutch

A worn clutch SLIPS. A defective clutch STICKS. A warped clutch PULSES. So this is CLEARLY not a problem with wear OR abuse..

Let's start by you telling us where in Canada you are located. Is there a lemon law in your province? How many times did you take it to the dealer and complain in writing? You could be entitled to a full refund for your vehicle if the stars line up in the right direction - a good thing too, since the '08's will be 'better' and 'cheaper' up here.

Second; Do you have DOCUMENTATION that the problem was reported numerous times?

Do you have a LOG of the dates, times and the names of the people you've complained to at the dealer and at Yamaha about the problem?

Are you aware that shifting without the clutch can cause damage to the shift forks and transmission cogs?

How much do they want for the repair?

Get their report IN WRITING before you authorise anything. Then write to Yamaha (copy to dealer) explaining that this is something the DEALER forced you to live with and that Yamaha should know about this and their refusal to correct what is very clearly a design defect has possible legal implications (for which, by the way their obligation is NOT limited to the warranty period).

You best bet is likely to pay them to fix it and then sue BOTH the dealer AND Yamaha jointly and severally in your province's small claims court.

ALSO document your problem and write to Transport Canada with your story and include printouts of the reports on this web site and others of this 'unheard-of problem' alleging that this is a serious safety defect and demanding that they investigate and force Yamaha to issue a corrective recall for all affected bikes.

You can only recover the money you spend and that is not guaranteed - maybe the threats you make will get them to fix it free (do NOT mention suing them in court until they have fixed the bike - or else they may refuse to accept the job to fix it).

Make certain that everyone (dealer, manufacturer, Transport Canada and Small Claims Court all are notified that this is a SAFETY HAZARD and that there could be further damage to the vehicle's drive train resulting from the stresses that THEIR DEFECT and the dealer's intransigence resulted in.

It'll take a year to get your money back, but you'll make about 5% tax-free interest during the waiting period and you'll have the satisfaction of forcing Yamaha to send someone to wherever you are to argue that 'they didn;t know', when it is clear that there is a problem. Judges don't like when big companies bully individuals. Your dealer should be thrashed mightily as well for being a complete horse's *** about the problem in every way, shape and form . . . .

Dealer paying for clutch

Clutch problem is definitely a catch 22 for owners for the reasons you described. It sucks, but if you're persistent, I'm sure you can win, especially since your case wasn't the typical sticking problem. Good luck man.

As a related comment, fired up my bike afer more than 2 months sitting in the garage waiting for the new ECU (which I installed today), and it snicked into gear like always. If an oiling gallery was the problem, most bikes would stick. If oiling was the problem, my plates would have stuck as they surely were bone dry after 2 months parked. Now am 100% convinced oiling is not the root cause of this problem. My money is on assembly grease, as explained very thoroughly (and eloquently) on another thread.

If it was an oil issue, my bike would had stuck after 2 months parked for sure. If it was an oil gallery issue, most bikes would have the problem. I'll keep reading these threads, as I'm puzzled how the grease can cause this problem after so many miles, but certainly sounds more believable than oil to me. I'm definitely open to logical explanations. Later gang.

JC

Yamaman said:

I am going to talk to the dealer again on Monday, a faulty clutch is one thing it can be fixed but the total cost should be paid by Yamaha. The other issue is why there was no oil on the clutch plates they were totally dry according to the service manager. I don't want the bike back until they can figure out why there is no oil getting to the clutch. If they can fix the no oil problem and the clutch at their cost and also help the others that are affected that would be great at least they would be looking after the customers. I like the FJR it is a great bike but I am not going to risk riding with the sticky plates.

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So who is your dealer? I also own an 06 have not experienced the hell you have gone through. I kow the national slaes manager and could put in a word.

Gadi

Dealer paying for clutch

Yamaman said:

I pick up my bike tomorrow and will have to pay them for the clutch, I still have not received a reply back from Yamaha Canada. It is not the dealer giving the problem it is Yamaha Canada. The dealer can't tell me why it is getting no oil and obviously either can Yamaha Canada. It is to bad to because I like the FJR but I can't be putting in clutches at my cost due to a engineering issue that Yamaha Canada fails to resolve. Unless they can come up with a solution to the problem and eat the cost of the clutch I will be looking at other brands. I have never had clutch issues with any other bikes I have owned except this one. What really pisses me off is the fact that I have bought an new 2007 Rhino and new 2006 MT-01 and a new 2006 FJR so in Canada dollars that is a total of $50,000.00 in less than a year. Now you know why I am pissed.

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Based on THAT list you HAVE to live in Alberta - or you recently won the lottery.

Before you collect your bike organise a conversation with Gadi - HE can help you.

Yamaman said:

I pick up my bike tomorrow and will have to pay them for the clutch, I still have not received a reply back from Yamaha Canada. It is not the dealer giving the problem it is Yamaha Canada. The dealer can't tell me why it is getting no oil and obviously either can Yamaha Canada. It is to bad to because I like the FJR but I can't be putting in clutches at my cost due to a engineering issue that Yamaha Canada fails to resolve. Unless they can come up with a solution to the problem and eat the cost of the clutch I will be looking at other brands. I have never had clutch issues with any other bikes I have owned except this one. What really pisses me off is the fact that I have bought an new 2007 Rhino and new 2006 MT-01 and a new 2006 FJR so in Canada dollars that is a total of $50,000.00 in less than a year. Now you know why I am pissed.

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Sorry about all the problems you're having. I had the same exact issue with the clutch. Had plates soaked for 3 days when it had 1600 miles. After that it was great . It now has 5500 miles & it still works great. I don't foresee having any more problems ever again. Like yours my service manager said the plates were "bone dry". He new as soon as he saw that was the issue.

I have done lots of research on this. I am a marine tech of 20 + years so I do know which end of a wrench to hold. And I do have a Yamaha 06/07 FJR service manual. I think the whole issue is because the disc's were put in dry at the factory.If you know about this clutch/trany set up they don't get much oil & they should be oiled at assemble. If it was not getting oil it should have slung the oil off it by 4000 miles. I will know for sure after it sits over winter

I had very good service at Herb Motor Co. 3953 Amsterdam NY 518-842-8812 ask for John, service manager

Good luck

Sounds like Yamaha didn't follow their own service manual procedure when assembling the machines - some (probably just the first ones assembled each day) clutch plates were not oil soaked (or maybe were simply dipped, without letting the oil permeate the friction material) prior to installation in the clutch baskets. It stands to reason given Yamaha USA's (and for that matter your dealer's own observation) that the plates were bone dry - THAT is not wear. that is a problem.

Now, a completely dry plate implies defective workmanship, wear item or not. And again, that is covered under the terms of their warranty.

Sue the *******s if they won't waive the charges. You WILL win.

What would you think? Originally they said they ordered the clutch plates and told me my bike would be ready for pick up on Wed. I take the day off to go pick it up and then they tell me it was not ready that they were short one clutch plate. I complained to the General manager and he tells me that they would foot the bill which is good. I phone them today to ask the service manager when will the clutch plates be here and I was told they are on back order and did not know. I phone again and talk to the parts manager and I was told that Yamaha Canada does not have the clutch plates in stock. I replied in all of Canada no one has clutch plates for the FJR amazing I said. Then they tell me that they would be here at the end of the month because they are being dropped shipped from JAPAN. I am thinking there must be a lot of FJR's replacing the clutches because Yamaha Canada can't keep them in stock.

You Rock Yamaha, you guys are well oiled machine.

What was the original problem with your bike? This thread seems to start half way through this discussion. I have been having issues with my shifting and was wondering if it was the same problem. Soaking the clutch plates has been recommended here. I bought the bike sight unseen from the original owner and he says that he never had a problem with shifting. The guy seems honest but I am suspicious. It could be my inexperience with FJRs.

Zolton said:

What was the original problem with your bike? This thread seems to start half way through this discussion. I have been having issues with my shifting and was wondering if it was the same problem. Soaking the clutch plates has been recommended here. I bought the bike sight unseen from the original owner and he says that he never had a problem with shifting. The guy seems honest but I am suspicious. It could be my inexperience with FJRs.

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It's not you. Some 06 & 07 FJR's (more 07's) came from factory with dry clutch plates. The symptoms are hard down shifting when cold that may or may not get better when engine warms up & when you pull in clutch and try to stop the bike keeps going(not disengaging). Mine did it from day one & got worse with miles. Yamaha did a clutch soak at 1600 miles and it was instantly better. I now have 5500 miles on it and it still works great.

I suspect yours did it from day one also & the previous owner didn't realize it. There are ways of driving it so it's manageable but IMO it's a pain. Like blipping the throttle when you pull clutch lever in, then shift, this will free up the disks. Also let it warm up before riding. I'm not saying this is right I'm just saying maybe the other owner was doing this & didn't think it was a problem.

If it's still under warranty take it to dealer and tell them your issue. If the clutch is sticking like I explained it will help you get results if you use key words like " almost had an accident" & "it is a safety concern"

If there is no warranty get a service manual & do it yourself it's not to bad of a job.

Also do a search here for clutch and you should find a lot of posts. Just take some with a grain of salt, you don't need to change or modify anything to make the clutch work correct.

road runner said:

Zolton said:

What was the original problem with your bike? This thread seems to start half way through this discussion. I have been having issues with my shifting and was wondering if it was the same problem. Soaking the clutch plates has been recommended here. I bought the bike sight unseen from the original owner and he says that he never had a problem with shifting. The guy seems honest but I am suspicious. It could be my inexperience with FJRs.

Click to expand...

It's not you. Some 06 & 07 FJR's (more 07's) came from factory with dry clutch plates. The symptoms are hard down shifting when cold that may or may not get better when engine warms up & when you pull in clutch and try to stop the bike keeps going(not disengaging). Mine did it from day one & got worse with miles. Yamaha did a clutch soak at 1600 miles and it was instantly better. I now have 5500 miles on it and it still works great.

I suspect yours did it from day one also & the previous owner didn't realize it. There are ways of driving it so it's manageable but IMO it's a pain. Like blipping the throttle when you pull clutch lever in, then shift, this will free up the disks. Also let it warm up before riding. I'm not saying this is right I'm just saying maybe the other owner was doing this & didn't think it was a problem.

If it's still under warranty take it to dealer and tell them your issue. If the clutch is sticking like I explained it will help you get results if you use key words like " almost had an accident" & "it is a safety concern"

If there is no warranty get a service manual & do it yourself it's not to bad of a job.

Also do a search here for clutch and you should find a lot of posts. Just take some with a grain of salt, you don't need to change or modify anything to make the clutch work correct.

Click to expand...

I am the original owner, my bikes clutch was sticking from day one. I told the dealer numerous times and I took it in and they told me that there was nothing wrong and Yamaha Canada would not authorize a clutch take down. The problem continued with the clutch not engaging when trying to down shift, it would take up to 5 seconds after pulling the clutch lever in that the clutch would engage. Sometimes you would have to double and triple clutch the lever for it to engage. The bike would lunge forward up to 2 feet when you put it into gear hot or cold. Could have cause two accidents. The plates were bone dry and one was broken because of no oil. Anyway I am waiting on three clutch plates to be dropped shipped from Japan because Yamaha Canada's part shelves are empty of clutch plates. Dealers said they are replacing all the clutch plates but were short three? They must be repairing a lot of FJR's and not telling anyone about the problem because it would be to expensive for a recall on clutches. I just hope that no one gets hurt from the sticking clutch plates. I have been riding motorcycles for 34 years and I have owned numerous bikes within this time and this is the first time I have experienced anything like this. I have been hearing that once the clutch plates are soaked everything is good also I told them to bleed the clutch. I am very close to making up my mind about trading in the bike on a different brand but I like the FJR it is a great bike.

Could be the same issue with my bike. My biggest concern is a loud clack when changing gears (up or down). Some have suggested that I'm not revving the bike high enough or shifting fast enough. I figured that I was, but had to respect the more experienced opinions found here. It some times shifts smooth and quiet but not often. There is a noticeable clunk and lurch forward when engaging first from a stop as well. If I start it in 1st gear it pull forward slightly. I thought I'd try a clutch soak to see if it cures things. It's possible that I won't be able to road test the bike till spring as the snow has arrived in these parts already.

It sucks that the owner should have to perform this procedure. I have a shop manual so I'll give it a try. What kind of oil do you soak the clutch plates in and for how long?

Didn't you guys know that all tech's are trained at the tech school that the first thing to say to the customer when you bring it in after they test drive it is, "there's nothing wrong, that's the way they all are". Kind of like the Bud commercial in the English speaking class, try to tell everyone how to say, "Bud Light", Bud Light". And if any asks you for a beer, you tell them, "No speaka de English". But in your case its, "No speka de canuck eh". :lol: PM. <>< Don't worry, besides its ok now, the "dealer is paying for it".