AI Damage2006 Yamaha Stratoliner: common problems
Owners of the 2006 Yamaha Stratoliner filed 19 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 19
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 74% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 32% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel/propulsion system 11% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 14 complaints (74% of all).
- Engine: 6 complaints (32% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 2 complaints (11% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 19 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Engine stall when I stop in traffic after bike gets warm. Does not do it all the time. To service tech. Twice, still does it. Has stalled leaving me in harms way. Thank goodness other driver was paying attention. Has happened over a period of 18 months or longer.
Extreme jerking and stalling of the engine at hwy speeds in a congested area causing extreme worry about being hit from behind or being tossed off and trashed on I-40 causing serious injury or death.
3rd gear, loud whining sounds coming from transmission area while in 3rd gear between 30 and 40 mph. Yamaha has changed their 3rd gear design and changed their replacement part number, yet has not recalled and repaired our bikes that have the old design.
The transmission's third gear is failing(grinding noise when in motion) usually starts from 20 to 50 k miles .I contacted yamaha and they claim no knowledge of any problem.
While driving at 30 mph shifting from 3rd to 4th gear to loud clunks from transmission and then a grinding noise. Paying 3600$ to fix, 3rd and 1st gear severely damaged and debris entered oil pump damaging it as well.
In addition, the contact stated that when the brake pedal was depressed the vehicle would stall. The vehicle was able to restart however, the failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000.
The contact stated that while sitting idle at a traffic stop, the vehicle stalled without warning. The failure recurred intermittently. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vin was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 8,437 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 23% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Stratoliner has 13 complaints (2 years in the data). This year has 19, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Yamaha Stratoliner?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, engine, fuel/propulsion system. Total complaints: 19. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: knocking, grinding or other noise (32%), stalls while driving (26%), fuel system, fuel smell (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 Yamaha Stratoliner?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2006 Yamaha Stratoliner from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2006 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.