Have any of you had experience with Yamaha dealers regarding the warranty? The warranty paper is somewhat vague on what it covers. My dealer already told me if I put a different pipe on it (other than Yamaha's), it would void my warranty. What I'm curious of is if putting something like a kill switch, or a different set of handlebars would also void the warranty.

2001 Yamaha 660R bone stock (still not broken in yet!)
1988 Yamaha Warrior w/ FMF pipe, Works Shocks, .20 over bore, and much more.

 

There is a FEDERAL law that forbids yamaha from voiding your warranty for changing the pipe, PERIOD. They will lose in arbitration and in court, PERIOD. It's the same law that says I can use any oil I want, and and light-bulb I want.

The only way yamaha can void the warranty is to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the after market part caused the failure. Now if you change pipes and lock the cylinder up, does yamaha have a case, no really! They have to prove that it was your pipe, and that NOTHING else caused the failure. The burden of proof is 100% on them! Now getting a car company to follow "The Magnuson Moss Act" can be difficult, but you can bet every service manager knows about it. Yamaha is bound by the same law, but getting them to admit it might take a court battle.

Brad

 

Bansheebrad:

I'm not contesting you at all...I went through this process with kawasaki a couple of years ago...It did not pan out for me though. I bought a zx7r ninja...Drove it home from the dealer...pulled into my driveway and tried to hit the kill switch..the bike stayed running. Not knowing the bike very well at the time..I turned off the key. Instead of the bike shutting down like it should. It revved through the roof and took my valves and a lobe on one of the cams with it. It finally shut off on it's own.
I fought and fought with the dealer on my warranty. I, to this day, do not know what caused it. I was forced in court to split the cost of repairs...and then I got a letter in the mail from kawasaki that was dropping the remainder of my warranty.
Again I tried to fight again..nothing. Eventually kawasaki sent me a gift certificate for $300..which was nowhere near what I payed for the repairs.

The dealer whole argument was that I should have known to pull in the clutch...put the bike in gear....put the kickstand down....and let out the clutch. That would have killed the bike. OMG...who the hell would think to do that when your new $7000 sport bike is time bombing right in front of you.