AI Damage2002 Yamaha XVS11: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Yamaha XVS11 filed 13 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 13
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 85% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 15% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 8% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 11 complaints (85% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (15% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (8% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 13 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 | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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.
While commuting to work I noticed a very loud whining sound coming from the drive shaft area during decelleration on my 2002 v-star 1100. After further inspection and research I learned it was my middle drive that had actually dismembered itself, causing a broken part to rattle around inside the assembly, which many…
When starting and shutting off the motorcycle, there tends to be a loud clunk. This has been going on since I purchased this bike from a private owner in 2010. I have all of the service documentation for this bike from the previous owner, all maintenance was performed on schedule.
Was driving in town around 30mph ,,,all of a sudden I heard and developed a whine (sounded like tire whine)., could only hear it during deceleration. Noise gradually got louder. Loud crunch was heard when nut holding u-joint to middle gear dislodged and busted speedo pickup.
2002 yamaha v star 1100 classic - would not start, starter is twisted, yamaha issued a service bulletin stating that improper starting causes this condition, also infers that this is a design problem.
Air induction system (ais), in particular, chrome pipe, rusted out leading to an exhaust leak. It seems that this is a common problem on this motorcycle. Moisture collects in the tube leading to rusting. Some have remove the system or plugged the ais.
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 9,843 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 27% most complained about).
On average one model year of the XVS11 has 5 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 13, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Yamaha XVS11?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, electrical system, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 13. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: knocking, grinding or other noise (23%), won't start (8%), rust, corrosion (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 Yamaha XVS11?
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 2002 Yamaha XVS11 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 2002 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.