2007 Yamaha FJR1300 Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe two patterns: erratic fuelling that appears with altitude or temperature change (surge, hesitation, sudden power), and electrical dropouts traced to ground connector junctions or the ignition switch. The fuelling reports cluster at very low mileage, often within the first few thousand miles, while the electrical reports span from a few thousand miles to the 30,000-40,000 mile range. Smaller numbers of complaints cover hard-shifting and intermittent shifting, a fuel cap that lets water in, and a saddlebag lock that opened while riding.

1. 1
   Fuel system

   Altitude-related surging and throttle hesitation

   • 29 complaints (42%)
   • median 1,450 mi at 0.8 yrs old (28 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2011

   Owners describe the engine bogging or going flat, as though running out of fuel, for a second or several seconds, then responding with an abrupt surge when the throttle is opened further. Several say it begins at steady throttle and progresses to a throttle that does not respond until it is opened noticeably more. Complaints link it to climbs or descents of roughly 1,000 feet or more and to hot weather at times; some say switching the engine off and back on restores normal running until the elevation changes again. Dealers are described as adjusting the fuel injection or throttle bodies with little lasting change, and some owners say the manufacturer denied the pattern existed. Mostly reported under about 10,000 miles, often on the first long rides in mountainous terrain with large elevation changes.

   What to check: Ride the bike through a sustained climb or descent and watch for a flat spot followed by a sudden surge. Ask the seller whether the throttle bodies or ECU mapping were ever adjusted or updated.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “1) throttle fainls to respond properly when ascending to a higher altitude more than 1500ft higher than the starting point. 2) this has occurred on several occasions. The throttle will fail to respond when adding more throttle. The bike will begin to loss power until the throttle has been turned to add approximately 20% more, then it will accelerate abruptly. I have run off the road on a slow uphill corner while trying to keep up with the flow of traffic. I ended up being able to stop before I crashed into a snow bank. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10195452, filed 2007-07, 640 miles

   “While on a 5 state tour on our my motorcycle this summer. My fuel system seemed to dangerously surge. The bike would just slow down and then to recover I could give more throttle. With no response, then more throttle and the bike would just take off. This only happened when I was changing altitude. Changing up hill and changing down hill. On mountain roads in colorado in a 15 mile per hour corner and your bike just quits making power then suddenly recovers with almost full throttle. We are lucky my kids still have parents.”

   NHTSA complaint #10203607, filed 2007-09, 7,000 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Ignition switch cuts power or fails to switch on

   • 15 complaints (22%)
   • median 13,454 mi at 1.9 yrs old (15 state mileage)
   • filed 2008–2011

   Complaints describe the ignition failing in both directions: the bike goes completely dead while riding, or the key has to be jiggled or held between positions before anything powers up. Owners report the dash flashing and dying, and some found melted contacts or a detached wire inside the switch after taking it apart. Dealers are described as replacing the switch, in some cases after initially saying they knew of no such pattern; one owner mentions repeat replacements over tens of thousands of miles. Reported from roughly 7,000 to 44,000 miles, with several cases in the 9,000-16,000 mile range.

   Recall 09V002000

   What to check: Cycle the key several times and watch for a flickering dash or a dead spot in the travel. Ask whether recall 09V002000 was performed and whether the switch has been replaced since.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My ignition switch is faulty causing my motorcycle ignition to not work at times. It has not yet faulted when I am riding the motorcycle but it will not work when I turn the motorcycle off and leave it sit. It is getting progressively worse as I was almost stranded 300 mile from home this weekend when it would not work.”

   NHTSA complaint #10237675, filed 2008-08, 12,000 miles

   “I was driving the motorcycle when it had a total electrical failure, the engine shut off, and I had to coast to a stop in the median. There was no lights of any kind and no reaction to the ignition switch or starter button. I was able to get power back by moving the handlebars all the way to the left. I went another 3 blocks and it died again. I did the handlebar motion again and power came back. It died in another 3 blocks and I was able to push it home. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10234734, filed 2008-07, 7,336 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Electrical shutdown from ground connector (spider) failure

   • 12 complaints (17%)
   • median 32,328 mi at 4.1 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • filed 2010–2016

   Owners describe the engine quitting and all lighting and instruments going dead, sometimes at speed and sometimes when parking, with the bike then failing to restart. Several traced it themselves to burned or corroded ground junction connectors in the wiring harness, and some describe an overheated connector above the left headlight taking out both headlights at once. Complaints filed after the ground-joint recall was performed note that the problem still appeared at downstream connectors. Repairs described include cutting out and replacing the burned section, soldering wires directly, or fitting an aftermarket ground harness. Reported across a wide mileage range, from roughly 15,000 to 45,000 miles, including on bikes that had already had the ground-joint campaign done.

   Recall 11V338000

   What to check: Ask whether recall 11V338000 was completed, and whether the ground junctions were inspected or bypassed afterward. Check headlight and dash operation, and look for darkened or melted connectors in the harness.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2007 Yamaha fjr-1300. Engine would intermittently die and would not re-start. Along with this, all lighting I.e. Headlights and taillights would go out. Upon investigating the issue, I found faulty electrical grounding spiders . I am in the process of installing an aftermarket grounding loom as a fix to this problem this is a potentially deadly issue as the bike dies and all the lights are out.”

   NHTSA complaint #10373304, filed 2010-12, 27,000 miles

   “I have a 2007 Yamaha fjr 1300 motorcycle that has ground spider failure. I first experienced a problem in june while on a ride from san diego to oregon. The circuit with my running lights and turn signals went out. The fuse burned and it would not accept a new fuse without burning it out. It started working correctly again on its own and we finished our trip. I rode a few times after that then parked it during the summer heat to do maintenance. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10365611, filed 2010-11, 54,000 miles
4. 4
   Fuel system

   Water entering the fuel tank vent

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   An owner reports that the fuel cap gasket lets water past into the vent pipe, which traps it when washing the bike or riding in rain, producing a gurgling sound at the cap. The concern described is that the trapped water can rust the pipe through and reach the fuel, stalling the engine. A service bulletin covers canister replacement and air vent hose relocation for water intrusion on these models. Reported around 17,000 miles, in conditions involving washing or riding in rain.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Listen for gurgling at the fuel cap after washing, and ask whether the vent hose relocation described in the service bulletin was carried out.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Brand new 2008 Yamaha fjr1300a. Engine frequently stalls upon application of throttle from a dead stop. Happens hot or cold. This is a very dangerous defect; if I were attempting to get out of the way of a car I'd be hit and injured. There is an open investigation that appears to be similar to what I'm experiencing: pe 08048.”

   NHTSA complaint #10240939, filed 2008-09, 1,800 miles

   “The fuel tank cap assembly allows water to leak by the rubber gasket into the vent pipe. This pipe is made in such a way so as to trap water in it when washing or riding in rain. This is then evidenced by a gurgling sound coming from the fuel tank cap area. If the problem is not corrected it could, over time, cause the vent pipe to rust through. This would then allow water to enter the fuel tank and contaminate the fuel, which could cause the engine to stop suddenly. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10455852, filed 2012-04, 17,000 miles

Buying note. Check that both electrical recalls were completed and look closely at the ground junctions and ignition switch, since owners report failures even after the recall work. Ride the bike through elevation changes and from a cold start before buying, and ask for any service history on throttle body adjustments, ignition switch replacement, and the fuel vent hose bulletin.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.