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2004 Yamaha YZF-R1

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

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There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

34 reports with mileage · 3 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports0 fire reports6 injury reports

What owners actually said

37 reports
24,000 miles · Jan 7, 2016
Electrical System

OCTOBER 2013 ROTOR EXPLODED AFTER 12000 MILES WHILE RIDING CAUSING BIKE TO LOOSE ALL POWER AND SHUTDOWN ONCE BATTERY WAS FULLY DRAINED. THINKING MAYBE THIS WAS JUST A ONE OFF ISSUE, I REPLACED THE ROTOR. AFTER APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 12000 MILES IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN, THIS TIME IT DESTROYED THE STATOR ALSO CAUSING ~$800 WORTH OF…

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OCTOBER 2013 ROTOR EXPLODED AFTER 12000 MILES WHILE RIDING CAUSING BIKE TO LOOSE ALL POWER AND SHUTDOWN ONCE BATTERY WAS FULLY DRAINED. THINKING MAYBE THIS WAS JUST A ONE OFF ISSUE, I REPLACED THE ROTOR. AFTER APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 12000 MILES IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN, THIS TIME IT DESTROYED THE STATOR ALSO CAUSING ~$800 WORTH OF DAMAGE. WHEN TAKEN TO THE SHOP THEY HAD 3 OTHER R1'S WITH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE AND WHEN ORDERING THE NEW PARTS THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY YAMAHA. THE SHOP CALLED YAMAHA AND THEY SAID THE PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY A NEW MODEL BUT THEY WONT RECALL THE OLD FAULTY ONES.

NHTSA ODI #10818716

18,000 miles · Jul 17, 2015
Electrical SystemEngine

WAS RETURNING FROM A VACATION TRIP AND BIKE STARTED SOUNDING FUNNY. THEN ON HIGHWAY LIGHTS AND GAUGES STARTED GOING ON THE INTERSTATE BIKE STALLED LALMOST LOCKING UP BIKE IN CURVE WHILE RIDING ON WET ROAD. SEVERAL TRACTOR TRAILERS WERE BEHIND ME AND NEARLY ALMOST KILLED ME FROM THE SUDDEN CHANGE OF SPEED DUE TO BIKE KILLING POWE…

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WAS RETURNING FROM A VACATION TRIP AND BIKE STARTED SOUNDING FUNNY. THEN ON HIGHWAY LIGHTS AND GAUGES STARTED GOING ON THE INTERSTATE BIKE STALLED LALMOST LOCKING UP BIKE IN CURVE WHILE RIDING ON WET ROAD. SEVERAL TRACTOR TRAILERS WERE BEHIND ME AND NEARLY ALMOST KILLED ME FROM THE SUDDEN CHANGE OF SPEED DUE TO BIKE KILLING POWER. MANAGED TO GET TO SIDE OF INTERSTATE. KILLED MY BATTERY TO NO RETURN 80+$. OPEN SEARCHING WEB AFTER GETTING HOPE LOOKED AT THE STATOR AND FLYWHEEL(ROTAR) MAGNETS ARE EVERYWHERE!!!!!!! THIS ALMOST KILLED ME!!! NOT TO MENTION IT DESTROYED MY STATOR AND IT HARD TELLING WHERE ELSE THE MAGNETS WENT. YAMAHA HAS REVISED THIS PART AND KNOWS THE ISSUE BUT NO RECALL!!!!!! THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND FIXED!!!!!!!

NHTSA ODI #10734846

64,000 miles · Jan 25, 2015
Electrical System

ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPS WITHOUT ANY KIND OF WARNING ,BATTERY DIED ,AT THE SHOP I CHARGE THE BATTERY ,TEST BATTERY WAS GOOD ,VERIFIED CHARGING SYSTEM AT THE MOMENT NOT CHARGE ,REMOVED GENERETAR TO VERIFIED STATOR AND FOUND DESTROYED ROTOR ASSY'S AND PLASTIC AND MAGNETS IN THE OIL STRAINER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10678774

10,000 miles · Mar 22, 2009
TiresVehicle Speed Control

LOW SPEED, LOW RPM POWER LOSS. TOTAL ENGINE POWER LOSS (ENGINE DIES). SUSPECTED TPS FAILURE. TOOK MOTORCYCLE TO DEALER SHIP FOR REPAIR. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. TOOK A SECOND TIME TO DEALER, DID NOT REPLACE TPS, SAID IT CHECKED OUT OK. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A 3RD GENERATION TPS THAT CAN BE USED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10262704

4,000 miles · Dec 11, 2006
Structure

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE KICKSTAND ON THE VEHICLE WAS TOO SHORT. THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE BENT THE KICKSTAND AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FALL DAMAGING THE VEHICLE. THE SALES/ SERVICE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NOT THE MANUFACTURER.

NHTSA ODI #10175766

6,000 miles · Jul 27, 2006
Electrical System

I HAVE AN 2004 YAMAHA R1, AND WHEN I HIT 6K MILES THE BIKE STARTED TO CUT OUT,AND TURN OFF. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADDED COOLANT. THE BIKE RAN FINE WOULD ONLY ACT UP HERE AND THEIR. I NOW HAVE 13500 MILES AND THE BIKE CUTS OUT AND TURNS OFF ALL THE TIME, THE ACTIONS OF THIS PROBLEM HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH M…

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I HAVE AN 2004 YAMAHA R1, AND WHEN I HIT 6K MILES THE BIKE STARTED TO CUT OUT,AND TURN OFF. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADDED COOLANT. THE BIKE RAN FINE WOULD ONLY ACT UP HERE AND THEIR. I NOW HAVE 13500 MILES AND THE BIKE CUTS OUT AND TURNS OFF ALL THE TIME, THE ACTIONS OF THIS PROBLEM HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH MANY TIMES. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAY THEY KNOW NOTHING OF THE PROBLEM, AND SAID IT WAS BAD GAS. I HAVE TRIED OVER 5 DIFFERENT GAS STATIONS AND STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10163587

Mileage unknown · Jul 25, 2006
Vehicle Speed Control

I WAS TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 395 FROM THE WOODBRIDGE, VA. AREA DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC TIME IN THE MORNING ON MY WAY TO WORK. ABOUT A MILE AWAY FROM THE EXIT THAT I NORMALLY TAKE FOR WORK MY R1 STARTED TO JERK OR IT SEEMED AS IT WAS NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS, BUT AS I DOWNSHIFTED THE BIKE DROPPED IT'S RPM REALLY RAPIDLY AND THE BIKE…

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I WAS TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 395 FROM THE WOODBRIDGE, VA. AREA DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC TIME IN THE MORNING ON MY WAY TO WORK. ABOUT A MILE AWAY FROM THE EXIT THAT I NORMALLY TAKE FOR WORK MY R1 STARTED TO JERK OR IT SEEMED AS IT WAS NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS, BUT AS I DOWNSHIFTED THE BIKE DROPPED IT'S RPM REALLY RAPIDLY AND THE BIKE SHUT COMPLETELY OFF, AT THIS TIME I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60 MPH. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE CLUTCH AND TRIED TO HIT THE IGNITION STARTER SWITCH WHICH SEEMED TO DO NOTHING. SO I THEN TURNED THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION AND THEN BACK ON, HIT THE STARTER SWITCH AND THE BIKE STARTED. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS DURING HIGH SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BIKE AT THIS POINT. I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE IT WAS OVERHEATING BECAUSE IT WAS PRETTY HOT AND HUMID THAT MORNING. BUT IT DID THE SAME THING AS I GOT CLOSER TO MY WORK. ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK IT DID THE SAME THING SO AT THIS POINT I KNEW SOMETHING WAS REALLY WRONG. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT HOME SAFELY, BUT I HAD TO WORRY ABOUT MY BIKE CUTTING OFF AND SLOWING DOWN AND SOMEONE RUNNING INTO THE BACK OF ME BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO BEING THAT MY R1 WOULD JUST SHUT OFF SUDDENLY IF I DID NOT KEEP ON THE THROTTLE. DURING ALL OF THIS THE BIKE WOULD RIDE REALLY ROUGH AND SOUND LIKE A REMOTE CONTROL CAR, IN OTHER WORDS IT DIDN'T SOUND GOOD AT ALL. LUCKILY I MADE IT HOME SAFELY AND HAVE NOT RIDDEN THE BIKE SINCE THEN. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND HAVE READ SOME OF THE STORIES AND EVERYTHING I READ SOUNDS JUST LIKE MY PROBLEM SO IT MUST BE THE SAME AS WHAT WAS LISTED HERE ON THIS SITE. THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. *NM UPDATED 03/26/07*JB

NHTSA ODI #10163374

9,500 miles · Jul 19, 2006
Fuel System, Gasoline

MY 2004 R1 CUTS OUT WHILE DRIVING AND DIES WHEN YOU PULL THE CLUTCH. I AM A TECH AT A AUTO DEALER AND IT FEELS LIKE THE THROTTLE POSITION LOSES SIGNAL. IF THE PROBLEMS PERSISTS AND THE BIKE DIES WITH THE CLUTCH OUT, THE REAR WHEEL WILL LOCK! THE DEALERS WILL NOT WARRANTY THIS PART. THIS IS NOT A WEAR AND TEAR ITEM AND IT IS A SA…

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MY 2004 R1 CUTS OUT WHILE DRIVING AND DIES WHEN YOU PULL THE CLUTCH. I AM A TECH AT A AUTO DEALER AND IT FEELS LIKE THE THROTTLE POSITION LOSES SIGNAL. IF THE PROBLEMS PERSISTS AND THE BIKE DIES WITH THE CLUTCH OUT, THE REAR WHEEL WILL LOCK! THE DEALERS WILL NOT WARRANTY THIS PART. THIS IS NOT A WEAR AND TEAR ITEM AND IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10162839

10,221 miles · Jul 18, 2006
Fuel System, Gasoline

THE MOTORCYCLE STALLED WHEN COMING TO A STOP,MOTORCYCLE ALSO WOULD NOT START BACK UP UNTIL TURNING KEY OFF THEN BACK ON. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITENT AND HAS HAPPENED OVER 50 TIMES,THE BIKE SOMETIMES SURGES. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10162745

10,100 miles · Jul 12, 2006
Electrical System

MY 2004 YAMAHA R1 TPS SENSORS WENT BAD. 1.) AT ABOUT 10K MILES, IT HAS BEEN REPORTED ON: (THE FOLLOWING IS A LINK) HTTP://WWW.R1-FORUM.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?S=091BBE4CDE9A70B4FD9AA3194BDEEEDE&THREADID=98831&HIGHLIGHT=ENGINE+DIES THIS KNOWN PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO YAMAHA MANY TIMES. IT IS CRYSTAL CLEAR THEY REFUSE TO…

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MY 2004 YAMAHA R1 TPS SENSORS WENT BAD. 1.) AT ABOUT 10K MILES, IT HAS BEEN REPORTED ON: (THE FOLLOWING IS A LINK) HTTP://WWW.R1-FORUM.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?S=091BBE4CDE9A70B4FD9AA3194BDEEEDE&THREADID=98831&HIGHLIGHT=ENGINE+DIES THIS KNOWN PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO YAMAHA MANY TIMES. IT IS CRYSTAL CLEAR THEY REFUSE TO DO A RECALL. MY BIKE CUT OUT NUMEROUS TIMES ON THE FREEWAY. BEFORE KNOWING ABOUT THE LINK MENTIONED ABOVE, I WENT TO A AUTHORIZED MECHANIC IN WHERE THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM, AS A BAD TPS SENSOR IS INTERMITTENT. I DID NOT FIND THE WEBSITE UNTIL LATER. 2.) AT 10K MILES MY TPS STOPPED WORKING, AND THE BIKE FAILED TO OPERATE CORRECTLY. IT WOULD LUNGE FORWARD, STOP ALL TOGETHER, AND DIE IN TRAFFIC. 3.) AFTER THE DEALER FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM, I WENT ON THE ABOVE MENTIONED FORUM TO FIND OUT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHERE HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. I ORDERED MY OWN REPLACEMENT SENSOR (FROM YAMAHA IN SEATTLE) THAT IS MARKED "200" ( A REVISION THAT YAMAHA DID SINCE ALL EARLY 2004 MODELS HAVE THIS PROBLEM) VS THE TPS "100" PART NUMBER. AFTER THIS THE BIKE WORKED PERFECT. I WAS SO DISGUSTED BY YAMAHA, I SOLD MY BIKE. I HAVE RECEIPTS TO PROVE I BOUGHT THE NEW SENSORS, AND WITNESSES THAT SAW ME INSTALL THEM AND RUN THE BIKE AFTERWARD WITH NO PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10162180

Official recalls

1

06V371000 · Vehicle Speed Control

Sep 28, 2006

ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, AN IMPROPERLY DESIGNED THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR COULD CAUSE AN INTERMITTENTLY UNSTABLE IDLE WHEN THE ENGINE IS AT IDLING SPEED WHEN THE MOTORCYCLE IS STOPPED OR DURING LOW-SPEED OPERATIONS. THE ENGINE COULD STALL AS A RESULT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE ENGINE STALLS AFTER THE OPERATOR DISENGAGES THE CLUTCH IN A LOW GEAR WHILE RIDING, THE REAR TIRE MIGHT SLIP MOMENTARILY IF THE OPERATOR ABRUPTLY RE-ENGAGES THE CLUTCH. THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITH INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 16, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT YAMAHA AT 1-888-88-YAMAHA.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE06020 · Motorcycle Stalling

Opened May 23, 2006 · Closed Oct 5, 2006

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Other:fuel Injection System

OPERATORS REPORT THE MOTORCYCLE STALLS WHEN ROLLING OFF THE THROTTLE (E.G., TIP-OUT STALL WHILE APPROACHING A STOP) ALLEGEDLY DUE TO A FAULTY THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR (TPS).TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION, YAMAHA IS RECALLING THE SUBJECT VEHICLES TO INSTALL AN IMPROVED TPS.