Yamaha XVS650 Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 29 consumer complaints across the 3 model years of the Yamaha XVS650 (2000–2002) that have at least 5 complaints. 2002 has the most, with 13. Across all years, the part named most often is transmission and drivetrain (14 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All XVS650 model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 13 | 12,000 | 0 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
| 2001 | 8 | 20,000 | 0 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
| 2000 | 8 | 12,000 | 0 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Transmission and drivetrain14 48%
- Wheels4 14%
- Vehicle speed control2 6.9%
- Suspension2 6.9%
- Seats2 6.9%
- Equipment2 6.9%
- Electrical system2 6.9%
- Tires1 3.4%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2002: “Like many owners of the Yamaha 650 series, I am experiencing issues with the final drive. Mine is leeking fluid that had metallic chips in it with only 30,000 miles. It is being diagnosed tomorrow, but I already know the issue and will be attempting to fix it myself. Sicne there are countless issues, why is there no recall on th is model?!?!”
NHTSA complaint #10500854, filed 2013-02, 30,000 miles2001: “The front fender on my 2001 Yamaha v-star classic [xvs650an(c)] started making a squeaking noise from the front fender area. When I started looking for the reason for the noise I noticed that the fender had developed a crack on the right side right behind the shock. I'm sure that the crack occurred because of the vibration of the front fender during normal operation of the vehicle.”
NHTSA complaint #10098028, filed 2004-10, 20,000 miles2000: “My year 2000 Yamaha 650 v-star makes a whine when I shift into 5th gear. It has been related to me as a definite saftey issue as possibly causing the bike to lock up in 5th gear. I have called one dealer where I know the service manager to ask if there is a recall on this issue. He called Yamaha for me and told me I was out of luck. I would like to go on record with this issue and hopefully seek some remedy as it has been widely documented on the isra forum. I am concerned for myself as well as my passengers. Please help.”
NHTSA complaint #10037010, filed 2003-09, 12,000 milesOther Yamaha models
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About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology