The letter, below, was mailed 09.10.05. To date, no response has been
received.
I will post any reply that is received.
Thanks

------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Serge Zoritch
Address deleted
Canada
09-09-22

Takashi Kajikawa
President & CEO
Yamaha Motor Co. LTD
2500, Shingai,, Iwata, Shizuoka
438-8501, Japan


Konnichiwa,

I am a long time customer of Yamaha motor products, having owned five
Yamaha motorcycles over thirty-five (35) years. The reason I am writing
you this letter is because of my most recent Yamaha motorcycle purchase.

In 2004, I bought a new FJR1300 and all of the available Yamaha
accessories. This was my dream motorcycle come true.

A short while ago I took that motorcycle to a Yamaha dealer in Salmon
Arm, BC, to have them diagnose a loud ticking noise coming from the
engine. I assumed it to be something that required an adjustment. A
few days later I received a telephone call from the service manager
(XXXXXXXX) of that dealership and was told that the exhaust valve guides
were failing and that it would cost about thirty five hundred dollars
($3,500) to repair. The gentleman explained that he had called the
local Yamaha Representative who explained that it is a known design flaw
in that year of FJR1300 motorcycle. Apparently the dealer's service
manager asked the rep. if Yamaha would cover the some or all of the cost
of the repairs, seeing as it was a manufacturerís flaw. The rep's reply
was that the motorcycle is five years over the warranty period and that,
had the failure occurred within two years of the warranty, Yamaha would
have covered it.

I should add at this time that the motorcycle now has just over 17,000
km. The motorcycle is in pristine condition, has been dealer serviced,
according to the maintenance schedule in the owner's manual, and has
been garage stored for six months of the year, every year, since it was
bought. The winters where I live are harsh enough to make motorcycle
riding dangerous.

Having found the local Yamaha rep's response unacceptable, I called
Yamaha's Canadian headquarters in Toronto and talked to a two people in
the customer service department. I asked both of them if they thought
it reasonable to expect a twenty thousand dollar motorcycle to have a
motor life expectancy of 17,000 km? Neither of them would answer the
question and kept on repeating that it is five years over the warranty
period as if it were some kind of mantra.

This letter is an appeal to your sense of fairness. I refer to your
Management Principles from the 2009 Yamaha Corporation Fact Book. ìWe
strive to achieve our corporate mission by adhering to three principals.
#1. Creating value that surpasses customerís expectations. We must
remain keenly aware of customer's evolving needs, in order to provide
them with quality products and services of exceptional value that
surpass their expectations. We can and will earn a fair profit by
making all-out efforts to satisfy our customers.î (The other two
principals refer to management objectives.)
I ask you:
- Do you think it reasonable to expect a $20,000 dollar motorcycle to
have a motor life expectancy of 17,000 km? Is this a reasonable
expectation?
- Does it sound like my expectations have been surpassed?
- Is this an example of your definition of either quality products or
services?
- Is this really an all-out effort to satisfy me as a loyal Yamaha Motor
Product customer?

I await your response.

Sincerely yours,



Serge Zoritch

P.S. The motorcycle was parked in my garage for almost three years (I
had seizures due to a brain tumor.) The tumor was removed in Feb. 2007
but I could not drive for two more years as I continued with more
seizures. This accounts for the low mileage.

The seizures are now under control and I would like to ride my
motorcycle.


S.Z.
Cc: Yamaha newsgroups

"Serge Zoritch" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:Xns9CC8BBBF62EDFszoritchshawca@69.16.185.247. ..
> The letter, below, was mailed 09.10.05. To date, no response has been
> received.
> I will post any reply that is received.
> Thanks
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----
> Serge Zoritch
> Address deleted
> Canada
> 09-09-22
>
> Takashi Kajikawa
> President & CEO
> Yamaha Motor Co. LTD
> 2500, Shingai,, Iwata, Shizuoka
> 438-8501, Japan
>
>
> Konnichiwa,
>
> I am a long time customer of Yamaha motor products, having owned five
> Yamaha motorcycles over thirty-five (35) years. The reason I am writing
> you this letter is because of my most recent Yamaha motorcycle purchase.
>
> In 2004, I bought a new FJR1300 and all of the available Yamaha
> accessories. This was my dream motorcycle come true.
>
> A short while ago I took that motorcycle to a Yamaha dealer in Salmon
> Arm, BC, to have them diagnose a loud ticking noise coming from the
> engine. I assumed it to be something that required an adjustment. A
> few days later I received a telephone call from the service manager
> (XXXXXXXX) of that dealership and was told that the exhaust valve guides
> were failing and that it would cost about thirty five hundred dollars
> ($3,500) to repair. The gentleman explained that he had called the
> local Yamaha Representative who explained that it is a known design flaw
> in that year of FJR1300 motorcycle. Apparently the dealer's service
> manager asked the rep. if Yamaha would cover the some or all of the cost
> of the repairs, seeing as it was a manufacturerís flaw. The rep's reply
> was that the motorcycle is five years over the warranty period and that,
> had the failure occurred within two years of the warranty, Yamaha would
> have covered it.
>
> I should add at this time that the motorcycle now has just over 17,000
> km. The motorcycle is in pristine condition, has been dealer serviced,
> according to the maintenance schedule in the owner's manual, and has
> been garage stored for six months of the year, every year, since it was
> bought. The winters where I live are harsh enough to make motorcycle
> riding dangerous.
>
> Having found the local Yamaha rep's response unacceptable, I called
> Yamaha's Canadian headquarters in Toronto and talked to a two people in
> the customer service department. I asked both of them if they thought
> it reasonable to expect a twenty thousand dollar motorcycle to have a
> motor life expectancy of 17,000 km? Neither of them would answer the
> question and kept on repeating that it is five years over the warranty
> period as if it were some kind of mantra.
>
> This letter is an appeal to your sense of fairness. I refer to your
> Management Principles from the 2009 Yamaha Corporation Fact Book. ìWe
> strive to achieve our corporate mission by adhering to three principals.
> #1. Creating value that surpasses customerís expectations. We must
> remain keenly aware of customer's evolving needs, in order to provide
> them with quality products and services of exceptional value that
> surpass their expectations. We can and will earn a fair profit by
> making all-out efforts to satisfy our customers.î (The other two
> principals refer to management objectives.)
> I ask you:
> - Do you think it reasonable to expect a $20,000 dollar motorcycle to
> have a motor life expectancy of 17,000 km? Is this a reasonable
> expectation?
> - Does it sound like my expectations have been surpassed?
> - Is this an example of your definition of either quality products or
> services?
> - Is this really an all-out effort to satisfy me as a loyal Yamaha Motor
> Product customer?
>
> I await your response.
>
> Sincerely yours,
>
>
>
> Serge Zoritch
>
> P.S. The motorcycle was parked in my garage for almost three years (I
> had seizures due to a brain tumor.) The tumor was removed in Feb. 2007
> but I could not drive for two more years as I continued with more
> seizures. This accounts for the low mileage.
>
> The seizures are now under control and I would like to ride my
> motorcycle.
>
>
> S.Z.
> Cc: Yamaha newsgroups

Wonder if they long period of inactivity caused the valve stem seals to ****
themselves? $3500 for a valve jobs sounds waaaay too much. I wouldn't expect
much out of Yamaha on a nearly 6 year old bike.

Fraser

">
> Wonder if they long period of inactivity caused the valve stem seals to
> **** themselves? $3500 for a valve jobs sounds waaaay too much. I
> wouldn't expect much out of Yamaha on a nearly 6 year old bike.
>
> Fraser
It's the valve guides not the seals. Anyway long periods of inactivity may
cause the stem seals to harden thus not seal and allow oil down the guide.
This would increase oil consumption, leave carbon on the piston crown and
head chamber but it would lubricate the guides decreasing wear. It's
possibly crap metal or severe valve angle or some such design fault.

The head needs to be removed, stripped new guides installed then the valves
and seats need to be cut ( all 16 ) reassembled and shimmed.
At approx $90/110 Hr for labour plus parts and machining it's probably a
little expensive but not way out there

Wait till the mob start doing concourse resto's on Bol D Dor's an R1's. The
cost will be frightening

His complaint is well versed and justified and he may have some success, he
deserves to.

Ducati replaced frames and swing arms on several SS models long after the
warrantee period had expired. I think after 6 years it may have been parts
only but still better than a poke in the eye, I've had a few of them.

Capt. A. L.

Next time buy a real motorcycle.

Boxer

"Serge Zoritch" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:Xns9CC8BBBF62EDFszoritchshawca@69.16.185.247. ..
> The letter, below, was mailed 09.10.05. To date, no response has been
> received.
> I will post any reply that is received.
> Thanks
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----
> Serge Zoritch
> Address deleted
> Canada
> 09-09-22
>
> Takashi Kajikawa
> President & CEO
> Yamaha Motor Co. LTD
> 2500, Shingai,, Iwata, Shizuoka
> 438-8501, Japan
>
>
> Konnichiwa,
>
> I am a long time customer of Yamaha motor products, having owned five
> Yamaha motorcycles over thirty-five (35) years. The reason I am writing
> you this letter is because of my most recent Yamaha motorcycle purchase.
>
> In 2004, I bought a new FJR1300 and all of the available Yamaha
> accessories. This was my dream motorcycle come true.
>
> A short while ago I took that motorcycle to a Yamaha dealer in Salmon
> Arm, BC, to have them diagnose a loud ticking noise coming from the
> engine. I assumed it to be something that required an adjustment. A
> few days later I received a telephone call from the service manager
> (XXXXXXXX) of that dealership and was told that the exhaust valve guides
> were failing and that it would cost about thirty five hundred dollars
> ($3,500) to repair. The gentleman explained that he had called the
> local Yamaha Representative who explained that it is a known design flaw
> in that year of FJR1300 motorcycle. Apparently the dealer's service
> manager asked the rep. if Yamaha would cover the some or all of the cost
> of the repairs, seeing as it was a manufacturerís flaw. The rep's reply
> was that the motorcycle is five years over the warranty period and that,
> had the failure occurred within two years of the warranty, Yamaha would
> have covered it.
>
> I should add at this time that the motorcycle now has just over 17,000
> km. The motorcycle is in pristine condition, has been dealer serviced,
> according to the maintenance schedule in the owner's manual, and has
> been garage stored for six months of the year, every year, since it was
> bought. The winters where I live are harsh enough to make motorcycle
> riding dangerous.
>
> Having found the local Yamaha rep's response unacceptable, I called
> Yamaha's Canadian headquarters in Toronto and talked to a two people in
> the customer service department. I asked both of them if they thought
> it reasonable to expect a twenty thousand dollar motorcycle to have a
> motor life expectancy of 17,000 km? Neither of them would answer the
> question and kept on repeating that it is five years over the warranty
> period as if it were some kind of mantra.
>
> This letter is an appeal to your sense of fairness. I refer to your
> Management Principles from the 2009 Yamaha Corporation Fact Book. ìWe
> strive to achieve our corporate mission by adhering to three principals.
> #1. Creating value that surpasses customerís expectations. We must
> remain keenly aware of customer's evolving needs, in order to provide
> them with quality products and services of exceptional value that
> surpass their expectations. We can and will earn a fair profit by
> making all-out efforts to satisfy our customers.î (The other two
> principals refer to management objectives.)
> I ask you:
> - Do you think it reasonable to expect a $20,000 dollar motorcycle to
> have a motor life expectancy of 17,000 km? Is this a reasonable
> expectation?
> - Does it sound like my expectations have been surpassed?
> - Is this an example of your definition of either quality products or
> services?
> - Is this really an all-out effort to satisfy me as a loyal Yamaha Motor
> Product customer?
>
> I await your response.
>
> Sincerely yours,
>
>
>
> Serge Zoritch
>
> P.S. The motorcycle was parked in my garage for almost three years (I
> had seizures due to a brain tumor.) The tumor was removed in Feb. 2007
> but I could not drive for two more years as I continued with more
> seizures. This accounts for the low mileage.
>
> The seizures are now under control and I would like to ride my
> motorcycle.
>
>
> S.Z.
> Cc: Yamaha newsgroups

Boxer wrote:
> Next time buy a real motorcycle.
>
> Boxer

Ahh yes....the kick start shovelhead...

"Peter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:Xns9CC9EACC64511someonemicrosoftcom@69.16.185 .247...
>
>
>> Next time buy a real motorcycle.
>>
>> Boxer
>>
>
> Like this?
>
> http://www.yamaha-motor-europe.com/super-tenere/
>
Is there a bike at the end of that link?
--
Clem
(http://xkcd.com/621/)

There was a known fault with the Gen 1 bikes which was caused by
excessive valve guider wear. It seems predominantly on US and Canadian
models . There was I believe a factory repair carried out under warranty .

Maybe this one got away as it was stored for a long period .

Dave P
> ">
>> Wonder if they long period of inactivity caused the valve stem seals to
>> **** themselves? $3500 for a valve jobs sounds waaaay too much. I
>> wouldn't expect much out of Yamaha on a nearly 6 year old bike.

I suggest contacting the Yamaha dealership in Whitehorse.
These people went WAY above and beyond the call of duty
when I encountered trouble on an R1 when riding from Alaska
back to home - Chicago.

-ja




"Serge Zoritch" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:Xns9CC8BBBF62EDFszoritchshawca@69.16.185.247. ..
> The letter, below, was mailed 09.10.05. To date, no response has been
> received.
> I will post any reply that is received.
> Thanks
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----
> Serge Zoritch
> Address deleted
> Canada
> 09-09-22
>
> Takashi Kajikawa
> President & CEO
> Yamaha Motor Co. LTD
> 2500, Shingai,, Iwata, Shizuoka
> 438-8501, Japan
>
>
> Konnichiwa,
>
> I am a long time customer of Yamaha motor products, having owned five
> Yamaha motorcycles over thirty-five (35) years. The reason I am writing
> you this letter is because of my most recent Yamaha motorcycle purchase.
>
> In 2004, I bought a new FJR1300 and all of the available Yamaha
> accessories. This was my dream motorcycle come true.
>
> A short while ago I took that motorcycle to a Yamaha dealer in Salmon
> Arm, BC, to have them diagnose a loud ticking noise coming from the
> engine. I assumed it to be something that required an adjustment. A
> few days later I received a telephone call from the service manager
> (XXXXXXXX) of that dealership and was told that the exhaust valve guides
> were failing and that it would cost about thirty five hundred dollars
> ($3,500) to repair. The gentleman explained that he had called the
> local Yamaha Representative who explained that it is a known design flaw
> in that year of FJR1300 motorcycle. Apparently the dealer's service
> manager asked the rep. if Yamaha would cover the some or all of the cost
> of the repairs, seeing as it was a manufacturerís flaw. The rep's reply
> was that the motorcycle is five years over the warranty period and that,
> had the failure occurred within two years of the warranty, Yamaha would
> have covered it.
>
> I should add at this time that the motorcycle now has just over 17,000
> km. The motorcycle is in pristine condition, has been dealer serviced,
> according to the maintenance schedule in the owner's manual, and has
> been garage stored for six months of the year, every year, since it was
> bought. The winters where I live are harsh enough to make motorcycle
> riding dangerous.
>
> Having found the local Yamaha rep's response unacceptable, I called
> Yamaha's Canadian headquarters in Toronto and talked to a two people in
> the customer service department. I asked both of them if they thought
> it reasonable to expect a twenty thousand dollar motorcycle to have a
> motor life expectancy of 17,000 km? Neither of them would answer the
> question and kept on repeating that it is five years over the warranty
> period as if it were some kind of mantra.
>
> This letter is an appeal to your sense of fairness. I refer to your
> Management Principles from the 2009 Yamaha Corporation Fact Book. ìWe
> strive to achieve our corporate mission by adhering to three principals.
> #1. Creating value that surpasses customerís expectations. We must
> remain keenly aware of customer's evolving needs, in order to provide
> them with quality products and services of exceptional value that
> surpass their expectations. We can and will earn a fair profit by
> making all-out efforts to satisfy our customers.î (The other two
> principals refer to management objectives.)
> I ask you:
> - Do you think it reasonable to expect a $20,000 dollar motorcycle to
> have a motor life expectancy of 17,000 km? Is this a reasonable
> expectation?
> - Does it sound like my expectations have been surpassed?
> - Is this an example of your definition of either quality products or
> services?
> - Is this really an all-out effort to satisfy me as a loyal Yamaha Motor
> Product customer?
>
> I await your response.
>
> Sincerely yours,
>
>
>
> Serge Zoritch
>
> P.S. The motorcycle was parked in my garage for almost three years (I
> had seizures due to a brain tumor.) The tumor was removed in Feb. 2007
> but I could not drive for two more years as I continued with more
> seizures. This accounts for the low mileage.
>
> The seizures are now under control and I would like to ride my
> motorcycle.
>
>
> S.Z.
> Cc: Yamaha newsgroups

nobody believes the story

"Mister Biggus" <_(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> nobody believes the story

Nobody believes "what" story ???