R1 crankshaft failures - interesting video by The Workshop

[MrGman]

I thought EDR or whoever the company is that really got this crank thing into the publics eye, said they had seen this across all the years of the 15+ bikes?

I never knew there was a change on 16+ bikes. My worry when I owned mine wasn’t the crank, more the number I had heard of dropping valves.

[naetype]

I don't have an R1 neither am I an engineer but this was fascinating, made all the better for the technical explanations being enhanced by judicious and excellent use of the best anglo-saxon expletives. Swearing of the highest order, and I paraphrase: 'this isn't a shearing failure this is what we call an ultimate failure, it just went fking bang'

Extra points for proper Northern accent, mug of tea and tab in hand

[Krikkit]

Interesting analysis - seems very sensible from what I can see, and as he says the addition of thrust washers to the crank and a revised case really is a smoking gun.

[Pat H]

Its a great video.

Northern bloke in shed with mug of tea and fag demonstrates incompetence of huge industrial corporation and, in effect, the subsequent cover up.

Poor show by Yamaha, given the risk of personal injury when a quarter of your engine suddenly stops rotating.

They won'd be getting my business anytime soon.

[PTF]

Subscribed

You're riding it and then BANG. It's fked

Edited by PTF on Tuesday 7th January 12:43

[Walter Sobchak]

I never knew about this, I knew the 2015s had gearbox issues but thought that they were pretty solid on the whole, glad I bought the king of recalls instead of the R1 now!.

[Biker's Nemesis]

[R1 Dave]

Good video but left me a bit concerned: I have a 2015 on 13k miles and out of warranty!

[Jazoli]

It might be the cause of the failures but its never 100%, most of the failures seemed to be on tuned bikes with non standard maps on the ecu's according to others in the know, but I'm no expert just a casual observer, there's a thread on PBMag forum which discusses Matt's video also.

If I had one in the garage I'd be checking the px value

[Biker's Nemesis]

You're fked then Dave. According to the expert

[R1 Dave]

Jazoli said:

It might be the cause of the failures but its never 100%, most of the failures seemed to be on tuned bikes with non standard maps on the ecu's according to others in the know, but I'm no expert just a casual observer, there's a thread on PBMag forum which discusses Matt's video also.

If I had one in the garage I'd be checking the px value

Well that's made me feel better: mines mapped also lol

[Krikkit]

R1 Dave said:

Jazoli said:

It might be the cause of the failures but its never 100%, most of the failures seemed to be on tuned bikes with non standard maps on the ecu's according to others in the know, but I'm no expert just a casual observer, there's a thread on PBMag forum which discusses Matt's video also.

If I had one in the garage I'd be checking the px value

Well that's made me feel better: mines mapped also lol

Oh dear...

I agree with Jazzle though - I think the failure mode is clear, but the root cause isn't. Be interesting to find out though.

[Biker's Nemesis]

Mine isn't mapped and it's a 2016 model year. It does make you think though.

It should be ok though as it hasent been reved much.

[warch]

Pat H said:

Its a great video.

Northern bloke in shed with mug of tea and fag demonstrates incompetence of huge industrial corporation and, in effect, the subsequent cover up.

Things always sound trustworthy when it's a northern bloke saying them. Especially from the sanctity of his shed.

[rat840771]

Could this also happen on the MT10?

[Pat H]

Krikkit said:

I think the failure mode is clear, but the root cause isn't. Be interesting to find out though.

The root cause seems to be that nothing controls the crank end float, to the point that a crank web drifts into the orbit of the balance shaft, which is contra-rotating at engine speed.

What's mind boggling is that the crank has already been machined to accept the simple £7 thrust washer that would control the end float and cure the problem.

The fact that Yamaha has corrected the problem on subsequent model years means they know exactly what the cause is.

You really don't want to have your knee down and 10,000rpm on the dial when the crank web and the balance shaft bang heads.

Fortunately, when the crank breaks, it looks like the primary drive side of the crank keeps rotating, so it probably won't just lock the wheel. I guess it's a good job that the balance shaft web isn't on the other side of the engine.

[Pat H]

rat840771 said:

Could this also happen on the MT10?

Don't think so.

I'm pretty sure that on the video he mentions this.

[Biker's Nemesis]

rat840771 said:

Could this also happen on the MT10?

The guy in the video says no. I hope not because I have one of those also.

[blade7]

Workshop guy = clever fella.

[Djtemeka]

Going, going... then fken HADOKEN!
Hahahahahabahaaa