One option that we have--let the folks at Motorcycle Consumer News know
about it (right Jay?), and let the public humiliation factor embarass
Yamaha corportate into doing something about it. Downside? If they still
don't recall it, we now have a) a very limited production motorcycle b)
with very expensive parts and c) a documented design flaw with a $2k price
tag to fix, resulting in--a bike that people will be afraid of in the used
market, making resale difficult. I plan to keep mine, but for a glimpse
of our difficulties check prices on used V-12 Jaguars. Waaaaayyyy cheaper
than one would guess, 'cause everyone figures an expensive rebuild of the
motor into the purchase price.
Phil
On Mon, 22 Nov 1999, Loss, Joe wrote:
>
> >> 4. wait for Yamaha to recall it (bet no one can hold their breath that
> >> long)
>
> >Not going to happen. Apparently, from the survey of this very list, there
> >are only 19 or so documented failures, at least those who bothered to
> return
> >the form. Furthermore, unlike Buell, HD and others, Yamaha is not
> seemingly
> >real interested in taking care of a bike that has been out there a while
> and
> >won't make extra cash in the future. If I'm wrong, give an example of
> Yamaha
> >taking care of this ABS problem, but Yamaha's current official response is
> >that "there are no failures that they have heard of."
>
> Ahem... we actually have 20 documented failures so far and as far as I'm
> concerned I think that is a significant number when you consider the limited
> number of owners who would be aware of the survey and the small number
> produced. From what I've heard motorcycle companies have been known to enact
> recalls after as little as 2 or 3 failures "just to be safe" so I think we
> are still in with a chance. What we need now is someone to write an detailed
> and articulate letter to Yamaha with a copy going to NHSTA (?) presenting
> our case and a list of the documented failures we know of. I have been
> meaning to do this for some time now but I've been waiting in vain for a
> lull at work to do it.
>
> Joe.
>
>
