Gutted crack in weld on frame

[Polestar]

Yamaha should stand behind that regardless of warranty. That is an obvious factory defect that could have put you in danger. Threaten a law suit.

Ditto!
Unless you opted for the weld repair, at Yamaha's expense, I'd demand- with threat of legal action if necessary-a new frame. Yamaha certainly understands its much less expensive for them to replace a frame, than loose sales due to bad pub and or loss of life due to a manufactureing defect. Frames aren't supposed to crack and it's a known issue.

 

[CrazyBiker]

IIRC these was due to some faulty programming of the robots on the assembly line due to which there was a batch of 06 and 07 frames that got botched up. Touchwood, mine is fine. But I am not worried as Yamaha will replace it out of warranty for free.

 

[Buildercher]

I was going to be weeks if not months to freight a frame from Japan & they may send me another lemon also. I opted for the frame to be repaired, welded & painted with certification by local tradesmen whom i trust. At least i know the frame will get welded correctly and the other welds will be inspected and rewelded if required. I just wan't the problem fixed with as less stress as possible so i can get on with riding as it is summer here atm.

Also dealer is footing the bill.

 

[Oldschool]

I was going to be weeks if not months to freight a frame from Japan & they may send me another lemon also. I opted for the frame to be repaired, welded & painted with certification by local tradesmen whom i trust. At least i know the frame will get welded correctly and the other welds will be inspected and rewelded if required. I just wan't the problem fixed with as less stress as possible so i can get on with riding as it is summer here atm.

I understand that. Hey, You can always have the frame powdercoated a different colour while you are at it, Yellow to match the bike maybe.

 

[Crazyjoe]

I was going to be weeks if not months to freight a frame from Japan & they may send me another lemon also. I opted for the frame to be repaired, welded & painted with certification by local tradesmen whom i trust. At least i know the frame will get welded correctly and the other welds will be inspected and rewelded if required. I just wan't the problem fixed with as less stress as possible so i can get on with riding as it is summer here atm.

Also dealer is footing the bill.

Make sure your welder knows to disconnect the electronics before he uses the frame as ground. Disconnect everything from ground that is electronic.

 

[FZ1inTX]

I was going to be weeks if not months to freight a frame from Japan & they may send me another lemon also. I opted for the frame to be repaired, welded & painted with certification by local tradesmen whom i trust. At least i know the frame will get welded correctly and the other welds will be inspected and rewelded if required. I just wan't the problem fixed with as less stress as possible so i can get on with riding as it is summer here atm.

Also dealer is footing the bill.

Glad to hear that SOMEONE is stepping up and taking care of the cost for you. So long as it isn't your funds, it's all good. Was this something Yamaha suggested as an option or is this the dealer who is making things right for you on their own? Either way, congrats!

 

[Buildercher]

My local bike shop is a Yamaha/ Kawasaki agent, they are great & just want the problem fixed and sorted asap unlike some dealers that don't want to know & leave you high & dry.

 

[Buildercher]

IIRC these was due to some faulty programming of the robots on the assembly line due to which there was a batch of 06 and 07 frames that got botched up. Touchwood, mine is fine. But I am not worried as Yamaha will replace it out of warranty for free.

The reason i have chosen the frame to be fixed locally is so they can inspect all the welds & reweld if required. Maybe with all the horror storys about frames there is something going wrong in Yamaha Japan, not a good look when your frames start cracking?. It is only a matter of time before there is a fatality. I always think better to be safe than sorry with 150hp+ between your legs !!!

 

[Rockdrummerzero]

I would advise you to think carefully about a fix rather than a replacement - the fix will devalue or put off a potential buyer of the machine when you come to sell, a frame replacement is far more 'palatable' to new owner, this assumes you will advise the potential purchaser of the issue, no offence intended. Also I have yet to see Yamaha's superb frame paint/process duplicated properly, I have seen/sold many FZ1's and the standard factory quality IS exceptional.

I do not wish to flame your thread here, just an observation from a professional FZ1 sales guy, and owner.

 

[NJFZ1]

The reason i have chosen the frame to be fixed locally is so they can inspect all the welds & reweld if required. Maybe with all the horror storys about frames there is something going wrong in Yamaha Japan, not a good look when your frames start cracking?. It is only a matter of time before there is a fatality. I always think better to be safe than sorry with 150hp+ between your legs !!!

From what I have seen the cracked frames seem to affect mostly the '06 model year. Have also heard of a few '07 frames cracked as well. Seems that Yamaha rectified whatever the problem was and I doubt a new replacement frame would have the cracking issue...

 

[CrazyBiker]

I would advise you to think carefully about a fix rather than a replacement - the fix will devalue or put off a potential buyer of the machine when you come to sell, a frame replacement is far more 'palatable' to new owner, this assumes you will advise the potential purchaser of the issue, no offence intended. Also I have yet to see Yamaha's superb frame paint/process duplicated properly, I have seen/sold many FZ1's and the standard factory quality IS exceptional.

I do not wish to flame your thread here, just an observation from a professional FZ1 sales guy, and owner.

I totally agree. Already enough buyers are detracted from buying the FZ1 due to the minuscule % of cracked frames. Last thing you want to tell the buyer is that this is the same cracked frame on the bike. There itself 99% of the prospective buyers will turn away including myself.

A frame replacement or a new/equivalent bike, nothing less else lawsuit.

 

[Buildercher]

I totally agree. Already enough buyers are detracted from buying the FZ1 due to the minuscule % of cracked frames. Last thing you want to tell the buyer is that this is the same cracked frame on the bike. There itself 99% of the prospective buyers will turn away including myself.

A frame replacement or a new/equivalent bike, nothing less else lawsuit.

I completely respect your advice and comments. After it has been rewelded & painted you won't be able to tell. As for resale value, i have invested in suspension & performance to make the FZ1 in my eyes the complete streetfighter comparable to a $30k Ducati or Brutale. I will be keeping it for at least another 50,000km or untill i bin it !!!, so resale value doesn't bother me.

 

[Buildercher]

From what I have seen the cracked frames seem to affect mostly the '06 model year. Have also heard of a few '07 frames cracked as well. Seems that Yamaha rectified whatever the problem was and I doubt a new replacement frame would have the cracking issue...

I wouldn't be so sure that it is only 07-08 models with frame issues. 09-10 could have been sitting in a Yamaha factory for 2-3yrs, with a bike that hasn't had any updates from 06 parts and bikes will roll-over year on year.

 

[Crazyjoe]

Glad my Gen I frame is OK.

 

[NJFZ1]

Glad my Gen I frame is OK.

It's just the rest of your bike that has the problems...lol

 

[NJFZ1]

I wouldn't be so sure that it is only 07-08 models with frame issues. 09-10 could have been sitting in a Yamaha factory for 2-3yrs, with a bike that hasn't had any updates from 06 parts and bikes will roll-over year on year.

I guess anything is possible, but I've yet to hear anything other than 06-07 having the issue. And at that it's a minuscule percentage...I know that's not much consolation when your bike happens to be one of the ones affected.

 

[Crazyjoe]

It's just the rest of your bike that has the problems...lol

No now --- the bike you speak of is in the trash can. My new 2002 just needs to be painted. Which I will do soon.

 

[NJFZ1]

No now --- the bike you speak of is in the trash can. My new 2002 just needs to be painted. Which I will do soon.

Oh that's right...I keep forgetting you bought Kevin's FZ1.

 

[Crazyjoe]

Oh that's right...I keep forgetting you bought Kevin's FZ1.

Yep --- I gotta get my bike purty --- I hate wrecking an ugly bike.

 

[FZ1inTX]

I completely respect your advice and comments. After it has been rewelded & painted you won't be able to tell. As for resale value, i have invested in suspension & performance to make the FZ1 in my eyes the complete streetfighter comparable to a $30k Ducati or Brutale. I will be keeping it for at least another 50,000km or untill i bin it !!!, so resale value doesn't bother me.

And if the xray shows the new weld is better than the original? :tup: Plus, who says you have to admit it was repaired? I mean, if it is a stronger weld than the factory, who would care?

To all, as with Tony, it is my understanding that it was a limited production run of frames where there was only one pass by the robotic welder instead of the required three passes. It is easy to spot one that might have a problem because the weld is narrower then a correct weld. I tried to locate the link that told me this information but I cannot locate it in any search.