Another spoke problem thread

[Rizzo]

About 800kms on bike (450 miles or so), and I lose a spoke. It was hanging off and banging into the swingarm just like I've read many others have. I was out of town on my first trip with the bike. Now that I'm home, I have 1400kms on the bike (about 900miles) and Yamaha says I'm responsible for the spoke. No help from local.dealer on this. I'm going to call yamaha as I don't feel I should be on the line for this. I assume I'll be buying an entire spoke set and watching the rear wheel like a hawk. I'm leaving for California in a couple.weeka so I need the bike good to go. This doesn't inspire confidence nor does it do wonders for Yamaha customer.service.
Like most of you, I expect never had a spoke issue with any bike before (35 years riding) but I do check them at regular intervals. I never thought I'd have an issue with a spoke, let alone this early.
If interested, I'll post on how things go turn out. Not looking great so far.

 

[RideDualSport.com]

It is pretty ridiculous to loose a spoke at 450 miles. Yamaha can figure out ABS, and tons of other high tech stuff, but can get their spokes right.


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[dietDrThunder]

Call Yamaha. There is no way on Earth you are on the hook for a spoke falling out at 400 miles. As an fyi Woodys Wheel Works sells individual spokes.

Also never spend a dollar at that awful dealer again

 

[Calboy]

You're totally overreacting. I've lost spokes on BMW Adventure bikes, if that will make you feel better.

 

[dietDrThunder]

You're totally overreacting. I've lost spokes on BMW Adventure bikes, if that will make you feel better.

Only a BMW rider would think it's ok for anything to be falling off your brand new bike at 450 miles Well, maybe a Guzzi rider...

On a serious note, I'm sure the spoke wacking about the swing arm did some damage. Even if it didn't, you can't buy individual spokes from Yamaha, making it extra ridiculous for the dealer deny responsibility on a brand new bike. Completely absurd.

 

[Jeff Milleman]

Same thing happen to me at 1100 miles and the dealer gave me a set of spokes , They said they should of checked them on my my 1000 mile service. This happens a lot on low mileage s10 as everything is getting set in. They need to educate the buyer so we can check these and after a couple thousand miles it should be fine ..

 

[AwesomeUsername]

Been there done that with the damn spokes. http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/the-yamaha-super-tenere-xt1200z-big-thread.545850/page-1403#post-26816390

That's my post when it happened. notched out my swingarm, ground an angle on my rim, bored out the spoke hole on the wheel, and scratched the hell out of my yoshi can.

I was still under warranty when this happened and it was the second time it happened since buying the bike. I personally did not check the spokes. I had my bike dealer serviced every time at the intervals and (assumed) they were checking them as the service manual advises.

Mother Yamaha thankfully took care of this last one as it was one helluva an expensive repair. Brand new swingarm, rear wheel, spoke set, AND they bought me a new yoshi exhaust can. I now have my spokes zip tied and check them every other fill up by pinging them with a allen key.

 

[bnschroder]

After reading about the spoke issues on the bike I zip tied my spokes and started pinging them after every long ride. Now, after 7,000 miles I finally got around to buying a 6" long 5mm Allen socket to torque the spokes and I was surprised that about half of the spokes on the rear rim needed a little twist to get to 5 nm, but none of the front spokes did. I am glad I finally invested in the right tool, but I think with a little maintenance I shouldn't have any real spoke issues (i.e. lost spokes). I credit this forum with being well prepared!

 

[Juan]

At around 500km I had a spoke failure on my 2013 S10. It sheared off close to the hub, losing the part where the thread is and having the other part banging around as the wheel turned. I didn't notice this until I stopped and pushed the bike with the engine off, hearing the grinding of the spoke against the swingarm housing the final gear. I was a few hundred km away from home, so I removed the damaged spoke and rode home without any problems (one spoke less is not a big deal). Back home I complained to Yamaha and got all sorted out under warranty. I suppose it all depends on how accommodating the dealer is for such instances which are not a clear-cut warranty matter.

 

[scott123007]

If you can prove that this happened before your first service was due, it should not be an issue for warranty. Unfortunately, that's where being a DIY'er falls short. If you bring your bike to a dealer for servicing and then you have a spoke problem, it's on them, but there is no way in hell you are going to convince a dealer that you performed that service yourself when it was due, (and did it correctly I might add), and expect them to go to bat for you, unless you have a very close relationship with them. I believe the manual says they are supposed to be checked at every oil change interval, so 600 miles , 4000, 8000, etc., or KM equivalent.

 

[silvergoose]

Over the years of owning and riding bikes spokes along with general bolt/nut tightening was just a matter of routine. I don't care if the bike is brand new or used, check it over.

If you want to talk about a spoke problem, lets talk about Alpina (Moto Guzzi and others). Alpina wheels use "O" ring seal to make the spoked rims tubeless ready. I have broken spokes, bolts loosen, nuts fall off and more. No big deal. Check the spokes tighten bolts/nuts and go ride.

The day I picked up my 2013 left over bike, it was taken home( not ridden) oil/filter changed, battery load tested, tire pressure checked. Yes, the dealer checked and signed off on the bike, but 3year oil is not good. Would you leave 3 year oil in your bike? All spokes were checked and found to be in spec, battery load tested good, then a 600 mile ride. Then I ran the 600 mile check list and changed oil/filter again.

YMMV, this is my way.

Good Luck

 

[WJBertrand]

It's unfathomable to me that the dealer would not support a warranty claim for this. I'm sure going past your dealer directly to Yamaha would get a different result. What if it had been a cast wheel that cracked or broke? I don't see any difference and I bet they wouldn't question covering the latter.

Note to self: pick up some tie wraps on the way home tonight...

 

[scott123007]

It's unfathomable to me that the dealer would not support a warranty claim for this. I'm sure going past your dealer directly to Yamaha would get a different result. What if it had been a cast wheel that cracked or broke? I don't see any difference and I bet they wouldn't question covering the latter.

Note to self: pick up some tie wraps on the way home tonight...

I am cautiously making a point without knowing all the facts, but taking a 900 mile trip on a brand new bike without making plans for its first (and in some ways most important) service was risky. Finding out that you have a problem at 450 miles and then still not taking it to the nearest dealer for service and/or to document the problem, was even riskier.

@ WJBertrand Although your point is taken about a cracked wheel, and it would most certainly be covered under warranty if no abuse was present, I don't see that as a valid comparison. A spoked wheel as opposed to a cast wheel is a maintenance intensive item and probably one of the more important adjustments done on the first service.

 

[WJBertrand]

@ WJBertrand Although your point is taken about a cracked wheel, and it would most certainly be covered under warranty if no abuse was present, I don't see that as a valid comparison. A spoked wheel as opposed to a cast wheel is a maintenance intensive item and probably one of the more important adjustments done on the first service.

True that a spoked wheel is a maintenance item, but not at only 450 miles, the first service isn't due until 600 miles!

 

[scott123007]

True that a spoked wheel is a maintenance item, but not at only 450 miles, the first service isn't due until 600 miles!

I agree with you 100 %, but it sounds like he waited until he returned from his 900 mile trip to say anything. That makes it a hard sell.

 

[silvergoose]

Common sense would dictate a complete review of a new bike prior to an extended trip. As it has been pointed out we do not have full details,eg, bike load, terrain and other specific bits of information.

::022::

 

[JRE]

After reading about the spoke issues on the bike I zip tied my spokes and started pinging them after every long ride.

^^^this...I zip tied mine before I had 50 miles on it.

 

[Rizzo]

It was a quick trip that was made at the last minute. The lost spoke happened on a Sunday and in the middle if nowhere. I had no choice but to ride it home the 300 miles or so. In retrospect, I should have checked the spokes but in reality, who. Among us would have checked the spokes in a brand new bike before an easy 600 mile round trip?
Bags were in the bike but hardly anything in them. No trunk
Not even a tank bag. It must have let go on a rough road we were riding down. Nothing really bad. This is an adventure bike right? Now that I've checked over the spokes, I had a bunch that were loose. Many low tones. Everything is fine now but for how long? I'll keep a close eye on them.
Leaving for California in 3 weeks. I guess if I have to. Uy an entire set, I will. Not happy with the service I'm getting though.
I admit that some onus is on me. Utterly this should never happen.

 

[dietDrThunder]

It was a quick trip that was made at the last minute. The lost spoke happened on a Sunday and in the middle if nowhere. I had no choice but to ride it home the 300 miles or so. In retrospect, I should have checked the spokes but in reality, who. Among us would have checked the spokes in a brand new bike before an easy 600 mile round trip?
Bags were in the bike but hardly anything in them. No trunk
Not even a tank bag. It must have let go on a rough road we were riding down. Nothing really bad. This is an adventure bike right? Now that I've checked over the spokes, I had a bunch that were loose. Many low tones. Everything is fine now but for how long? I'll keep a close eye on them.
Leaving for California in 3 weeks. I guess if I have to. Uy an entire set, I will. Not happy with the service I'm getting though.
I admit that some onus is on me. Utterly this should never happen.

Don't listen to the iCurmudgeons on the Inrterwebs. It is absolutely not your fault that stuff was falling off your brand new $13,000 motorcycle a few hundred miles after you took delivery.

 

[silvergoose]

While, I would never play the blame card, because quite honestly i could give a damn. Cynical I am, Curmudgeon maybe. But the fact remains, spokes are still a maintenance item. 450 miles on the clock at the start, 300 miles from home on a 900 mile trip, looks like the 600 mile check was missed.

Good Luck