Super Tenere caught on fire today

[markjenn]

Yamaha has now recognized there is a problem and is dealing with it. I think that speaks well for Yamaha.

This problem became very well known no later than 2012. If and when Yamaha fixes this issue, they dragged their heels well over three years, refusing to even acknowledge they might have a problem. Sorry, but this speaks poorly for Yamaha. And they haven't actually fixed anything yet, even with this one customer who has suffered the loss. (Glad nobody was hurt.)

Honestly, I will be flabbergasted if they do any kind of fix for the general population now, although I'm certainly hoping they do. If you go back through these hard start threads, there have been several times when someone has managed to escalate this issue through the chain and found someone who supposedly was going to make something happen. Nothing ever has. I hope this time is different.

The "fix" listed earlier is silly.

- Mark

 

[Kevhunts]

This problem became very well known no later than 2012. If and when Yamaha fixes this issue, they dragged their heels well over three years, refusing to even acknowledge they might have a problem. Sorry, but this speaks poorly for Yamaha. And they haven't actually fixed anything yet, even with this one customer who has suffered the loss. (Glad nobody was hurt.)

Honestly, I will be flabbergasted if they do any kind of fix for the general population now, although I'm certainly hoping they do. If you go back through these hard start threads, there have been several times when someone has managed to escalate this issue through the chain and found someone who supposedly was going to make something happen. Nothing ever has. I hope this time is different.

The "fix" listed earlier is silly.

- Mark

If I remember correctly, there were a lot of owners complaining about the headlight harness issues but it wasn't until they finally sought help from the dealers that enough information got back to the factory and a recall was issued.

Most of the hard starting issues I read about were handled by this forum in which people figured out what to do the avoid or recover from the issue. How many actually pressed the issue with the dealer to the point where the factory got involved?

I'm not sure how many it takes to get the factory's attention but it appears they now have and a solution is in the works.

 

[tubebender]

Somewhere on this forum I wrote a big ole explanation of this. see if you can find it because all the answers are there.

This the one?
http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=2149.msg190441#msg190441

Or this?
http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=13867.msg218946#msg218946

Makes perfect sense to me.

Regarding Yamaha having a fix for older bikes. It would mean all dealers would have the equipment (and the brains) to update the software. Or you would have to send the ECU it to a central location.
Nope, not gonna happen.

 

[KCW]

Regarding Yamaha having a fix for older bikes. It would mean all dealers would have the equipment (and the brains) to update the software. Or you would have to send the ECU it to a central location.
Nope, not gonna happen.

How about this ...

(1) Yamaha issues a service campaign for the hard start, consisting of a ECU software upgrade.
(2) Dealers order the ECU kit, which includes an ECU with the updated software.
(3) You show up to the dealer with your bike, and they install the ECU that Yamaha sent them.
(4) Dealer sends your old ECU to Yamaha, and Yamaha updates it, and sends it off to someone else who ordered the "ECU Kit"

Pretty simple, actually.

 

[tubebender]

How about this ...

(1) Yamaha issues a service campaign for the hard start, consisting of a ECU software upgrade.
(2) Dealers order the ECU kit, which includes an ECU with the updated software.
(3) You show up to the dealer with your bike, and they install the ECU that Yamaha sent them.
(4) Dealer sends your old ECU to Yamaha, and Yamaha updates it, and sends it off to someone else who ordered the "ECU Kit"

Pretty simple, actually.

Agreed - if all ECU's were the same. But they're not and that's not my point.
There is no upside for Yamaha. The Tenere is a low volume bike and it would cost them money to update older models.
As Autoteach points out, a 'hard start' is common in all manner of FI vehicles.
Sure, it could be argued that a 'goodwill' campaign would benefit Yamaha but the numbers just don't add up.

Lets take the clutch vibration as an example. They monitor web sights like these and surely knew there were complaints.
They changed the basket design for new models but did they offer owners of older models anything? Nope - it was not critical and would cost them money.

The headlight harness, on the other hand, was critical as it could fail at night and cause an accident. In this case the cost/benefit made sense.

So, that's where I'm coming from. If Yamaha does offer an update for older bikes then great, and I will humbly eat my words. But I don't think so............

 

[autoteach]

This the one?
http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=2149.msg190441#msg190441

Or this?
http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=13867.msg218946#msg218946

Makes perfect sense to me.

Regarding Yamaha having a fix for older bikes. It would mean all dealers would have the equipment (and the brains) to update the software. Or you would have to send the ECU it to a central location.
Nope, not gonna happen.

Between the two of them, yes. All answers are there. Whether or not someone is satisfied with the answer is another problem, but not mine. It isn't a big issue, really.

My motto has always been, "I dont short circuit electrical components until they start on fire."

 

[Big Blu]

How about this ...

(1) Yamaha issues a service campaign for the hard start, consisting of a ECU software upgrade.
(2) Dealers order the ECU kit, which includes an ECU with the updated software.
(3) You show up to the dealer with your bike, and they install the ECU that Yamaha sent them.
(4) Dealer sends your old ECU to Yamaha, and Yamaha updates it, and sends it off to someone else who ordered the "ECU Kit"

Pretty simple, actually.

+ 1

That's exactly what Yamaha did with all FJR's, I think it was in 2007, when owners reported power loss at higher altitude. It was a voluntary action, not a recall. Owners were notified by Yamaha of the "fix" and told to contact their dealer if they wanted to participate in the program.

That action was followed a bit later by the ignition switch recall for the other "fail to start" issue.... the one that left me stranded 800 miles from home for 5 days and cost me food and lodging! Seems no spares were available in the US and it took either Yamaha or the dealer 5 days before the dealer agreed to remove a switch from a bike on the show room floor! THANKS Yamaha! :

Paul

 

[chwhnd]

Wow! Not good. As said, at least you are ok.

Is this the first reported fire of a Tenere?

Its the first one I have heard of but most of us know better then to crank any starter on anything for more then 30 seconds,it was one of my 1st lessons when I started driving but it seams not everyone knows this..btw ::006::

 

[Don in Lodi]

Its the first one I have heard of but most of us know better then to crank any starter on anything for more then 30 seconds,it was one of my 1st lessons when I started driving but it seams not everyone knows this..btw ::006::

It's the whole 'clear flood' thing. It's never been declared how long to go. Usually a flood clears in 10-20 seconds. Sit and watch the second hand, 20 seconds is a long damn time. I'm sure my 'hard starts' were cleared in less than 15 seconds. Gotta listen for those first catches when doing it and release the throttle. It's a tough one, trying to guess at what you're hearing.

 

[HeliMark]

How about this ...

(1) Yamaha issues a service campaign for the hard start, consisting of a ECU software upgrade.
(2) Dealers order the ECU kit, which includes an ECU with the updated software.
(3) You show up to the dealer with your bike, and they install the ECU that Yamaha sent them.
(4) Dealer sends your old ECU to Yamaha, and Yamaha updates it, and sends it off to someone else who ordered the "ECU Kit"

Pretty simple, actually.


If the "fix" is just software, I would think the dealers can do the update themselves. Yamaha could send the updated software, for all the different ECM's to the dealers and have them update them for one hour or less labor. Easy quick way.

Mark

 

[Big Blu]

Yamaha dealers DO NOT have the capability to reprogram ECU's. That's the way the mothership wants to operate.

Paul

 

[autoteach]

It's the whole 'clear flood' thing. It's never been declared how long to go. Usually a flood clears in 10-20 seconds. Sit and watch the second hand, 20 seconds is a long damn time. I'm sure my 'hard starts' were cleared in less than 15 seconds. Gotta listen for those first catches when doing it and release the throttle. It's a tough one, trying to guess at what you're hearing.

The question is what happened before the attempt to clear the flood. If they cranked the battery until dead 2 times and then try the WOT method, it will likely never work. But, like you said, my hard starts cleared in seconds. I dont wait past the 3rd or 4th revolution to go WOT.

 

[Don in Lodi]

The question is what happened before the attempt to clear the flood. If they cranked the battery until dead 2 times and then try the WOT method, it will likely never work. But, like you said, my hard starts cleared in seconds. I don't wait past the 3rd or 4th revolution to go WOT.

I've had a few times go that far. I've just stopped and done a retry. For me the 'hard start' is a longer no start than that. I love how this thing starts on what sounds like the second or third compression stroke. LOL, reminds me I need go move her into the garage...

 

[Donk]

Just got to thinking how far we have progressed. My '65 Sportster was a hard start every day and occasionally having flames coming out of the carb was no big deal. Many of the bikes I owned back in the day were "not always up to the task" of starting on any given day. I am not making light of the hard start problem and I do feel badly for the OP. I just happened to get to thinking about the good old days and how good in general today's bikes are.