Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 7 | 0 |
| 2011 | 2 | 0 |
| 2006 | 8 | 0 |
| 2005 YZF-R1 | 3 | 2 |
| 2004 YZF-R1 | 37 | 1 |
| 2003 | 1 | 0 |
| 2002 | 1 | 0 |
| 2001 | 1 | 0 |
| 2000 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | 0 | 0 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Electrical system23
- Power train9
- Engine9
- Fuel system, gasoline8
- Engine and engine cooling8
- Vehicle speed control6
- Unknown or other4
- Tires4
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 395 YZF-R1 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died, and 382 people died inside them. These are counts, not crash rates: a model with more cars on the road shows up more often, and people killed outside the vehicle are not counted here.
| Model year | Vehicles in fatal crashes | Deaths in the vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 3 | 3 |
| 2022 | 14 | 13 |
| 2021 | 8 | 8 |
| 2020 | 17 | 15 |
| 2019 | 3 | 2 |
| 2018 | 11 | 10 |
| 2017 | 8 | 8 |
| 2016 | 16 | 16 |
| 2015 | 15 | 16 |
| 2014 | 21 | 19 |
| 2013 | 16 | 15 |
| 2012 | 17 | 16 |
| 2011 | 12 | 12 |
| 2010 | 14 | 13 |
| 2009 | 33 | 32 |
| 2008 | 16 | 16 |
| 2007 | 33 | 32 |
| 2006 | 24 | 23 |
| 2005 | 38 | 38 |
| 2004 | 21 | 21 |
| 2003 | 21 | 21 |
| 2002 | 8 | 7 |
| 2001 | 6 | 6 |
| 2000 | 8 | 8 |
| 1999 | 11 | 11 |
| 1998 | 1 | 1 |
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain) · how we count
EU safety alerts
Safety Gate, the European Union's rapid alert system, names the YZF-R1 in 3 alerts. European versions can differ from the North American car.
The gear pinions may break, which may lead to gear failure and a crash.
Because of possible damage to an O-ring, fitted poorly when the engine was assembled, motor oil can leak from one of the oil pipes. As the oil pipe is located outside close to the engine, at the level of the exhaust manifold, the leaking oil could drop onto th…
The electrical resistance in the harness between the sensors and the electronic control unit of the engine is too high. As a result, false signals are sent to the control unit, which lead to high or unstable idling conditions. The engine speed cannot go back t…
Safety Gate (European Commission) · CC0
Recalls
2 campaigns cover the YZF-R1.
YAMAHA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005 MOTORCYCLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN OCTOBER 2004 AND APRIL 2005. THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR CAN FAIL.
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.
NHTSA recalls