Does Yamaha Listen? Do any of them listen?

[FJRBluesman]

I did a little search and didn't find much on feedback for Yamaha from this forum.

Does Yamaha or any bike manufacturer read, listen to, or get information from forums to get feedback on their bikes? Then they can improve them, or find out issues like maybe the CCT's on the FeeJ's, etc? Where else can they get data like we have for riding thousands of miles?

It would seem to me that our types of forums have a wealth of knowledge that would contribute to a better product. Maybe Yammer and others just see what comes in for service and they feel that's good enough data.

Do they listen to us, do they care???? Just askin'

 

[Intech]

Apparently they don't read these forums as so many turn here to solve problems that they could not resolve with dealers. When it comes to the FJR I look at the dealer I trade with. They have a huge display floor covered with bikes yet there is only one FJR at any given time. Do the math. How much are they really going to know about the FJR if they only sell one or two a year?

 

[Constant Mesh]

It's likely they get info about potential problems from parts sales. When they see several timing chain tensioners being bought, many more than expected, someone much be asking questions.

Same goes for the clutch slave cylinder. Those things probably rarely fail. Yet several have been bought just to make the clutch pull easier. And, lo and behold, Yamaha went back to the earlier slave cylinder for the most recent model.

 

[Geezer]

I think they listen. They probably have some underpaid co-op reading this forum regularly. They just don't do anything about some of our complaints.

As Constant says above, they likely use parts sales as an indicator of real problems, though I'm not sure they would have figured out that they have a problem with the CCT by lookng at parts sales if it weren't for us telling each other to replace them. Without the great advice on this forum most of those CCT sales would have been a set of valves and a cylinder head.

 

[MCML]

I know much less about how Mama Yama reacts but the Service Department Manager at my local dealer was always open to my sharing information, print outs from FJR Tech, stories, theories, etc. from here if I thought they would help him help his people do a better job for me. I said was because the dealership recently closed its doors. Oh, well.

 

[bmwhd]

My personal feeling is that Yamaha is among the best (which is not saying all that much) in this regard. When you compare the speed in which they turned around fixes for the altitude problem with the ECU and ignition switch wiring to the way a certain Bavarian company has responded to some of their issues, it's night and day.

I'm also very impressed with how proactive Yamaha is in tracking down and notifying owners of issues and how easy it's been to get dealers that otherwise don't get a dime of my money to step up to fixing these problems. I'm a fan for life.

 

[C&C]

I'm thinking they visit the boards. Obviouly they aren't going to respond to all complaints (as some are operator error; whether the operator thinks so or not). Yamaha finally got it when: the ticking issue just wouldn't go away, the afored mention ECU problem was widespread, the TBS problems were reported and became chronic and lastly (that I can remember) is the ignition switch recall.

 

[Rolavine]

I work for a small company that makes a speciality consumer product. We listen to the forums dedicated to our products and even respond to questions related to our products. I'm sure Yamaha is listening, but they most likely have told employees not to comment on these forums. Even when we answer questions or deal with points of operations on forums, we are sticking our necks out. As an engineer I listen to the buzz very carefully about anything I had something to do with the design of. Engineers really try to make perfect things and forums are a great way to get feedback.

If a little outfit like ours takes feedback from forums you damn well betcha Yamaha is doing it.

I'm a hardware - software engineer for Whites Electronics, makers of hobby and security metal detectors.