AI Damage2006 Yamaha V-Star: common problems
Owners of the 2006 Yamaha V-Star filed 20 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 20
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 100% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 5% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 20 complaints (100% of all).
- Suspension: 1 complaints (5% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 20 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 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 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.
Causing rear wheel lock up momentarily until it dislodged then begin to grind against the joint or yoke when lodged in another part of the housing. This is thought to be a flaw or engineering defect seeing as quite a few owners of this motorcycle have had the same thing happen.
The contact stated while driving approximately 50 mph, an abnormal grinding noise emitted from the rear passenger side of the vehicle. The contact also noticed that the speedometer failed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the driveshaft needed to be replaced.
While riding at around 50 mph the motorcycle rear tire jerked and shook then locked up and caused the back to skid out of control. After taking the motorcycle home and inspecting the bike I found the middle shaft was broken at the nut.
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 8,257 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 23% most complained about).
On average one model year of the V-Star has 11 complaints (2 years in the data). This year has 20, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Yamaha V-Star?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, suspension. Total complaints: 20. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: knocking, grinding or other noise (30%), jerking, harsh shifts (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 Yamaha V-Star?
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 V-Star 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.