The Yamaha YZF-R3 is seeing two recalls this week, one for its gear shifter assembly, and another for its cooling system.
The gear shifter recall affects 11,240 bikes from the 2015-2016 model years, whereas the radiator recall affects 16,760 bikes, from the 2015-2018 model years.
Kawasaki is recalling certain bikes from its 2018 model year Z900 series of motorcycle.
The recall affects 1,173 units from the Z900 , Z900 ABS, and Z900RS models, and concerns a rear brake hose and rear wheel rotation sensor wire, which may have been incorrectly routed, allowing them to contact the rear tire.
If the brake hose contacts the rear tire, the hose may be damaged, which could reduce the braking performance of the motorcycle. Similarly, if the wheel rotation wire gets damaged, the ABS may not function properly.
Either condition can increase the risk of a crash, and thus a recall has been filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
In addition to the Ducati Panigale V4 recall that we saw earlier this week, we have another safety issue from the Bologna brand.
This time it concerns the Monster 821, Monster 1200, and Supersport models from Ducati, which may suffer from the shift lever having been incorrectly assembled, which could possibly result in the shift knob detaching from the lever.
If the knob falls off the shifter, a bike could get stuck in gear, which poses a safety issue to the rider, so a recall has been created with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
In total, 2,705 units from the 2017, 2018, and 2018 model years are affected by this recall.
Another recall for the day, Ducati North America is recalling certain 2018-2019 Ducati Panigale V4, V4 S, and V4 S Speciale motorcycles. The recall stems from the Panigale V4’s oil cooler, which may leak oil from the output port.
According to the recall documents, the oil cooler output port may crack during extreme usage, like when the 1,103cc superbike is being used on a race track. The recall affects 1,663 units of the Panigale V4 lineup,
Generally speaking, when you see a recall for an engine item on a motorcycle, like a connecting rod, it is a big deal. Such recalls have caught a few brands out, and it usually means a large investment of time and energy on the part of the OEM.
Some brands make complete engine swaps, while others will pay their technicians to make the appropriate fixes and repairs. Invariably customers aren’t happy with the solution, and it is not out of the question to hear talk about lawsuits and other legal remedies.
Today’s case though, well it is a bit different. BMW Motorrad has found that the connecting rods on the BMW F850GS may not have been installed correctly. But, the recall only affects one motorcycle…and it hasn’t even been sold yet.
I don’t think we have ever seen a recall for just one motorcycle before here at Asphalt & Rubber, let alone one that hasn’t been sold by a dealer, but here we are.
By our counting, today marks the ninth time that the Polaris Slingshot has been recalled in the US market, as Polaris Industries is recalling certain 2015-2016 Polaris Slingshot, Slingshot SL and Slingshot SL LE motorcycles autocycles equipped with a back-up camera.
The issue stems from the fact that the back-up camera may fail internally, which may melt the voltage regulator and also possibly blow the fuse for that circuit. If this occurs, it would prevent the taillight from functioning properly.
If the taillight fails to operate, then the affected Slingshot would fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.
There is also a risk that a melted voltage regulator could cause a fire on the vehicle. In total, Polaris says that 11,371 Slingshots are affected by this recall.
There is a joke in here somewhere about sport bike mirrors being useless, but here we are, reporting that the Ducati Supersport is being recalled because vibrations from the motorcycle might distort the rider’s viewing of objects in the rear-view mirrors.
It is certainly not on the same level as the last recall for the Supersport, but Ducati North America says that the vibrations occur at certain speeds and rpms, and Ducati Motor Holding has changed its mirror design because of customer feedback on the mirrors.
If you recently bought a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, then it is very likely that your new motorcycle is part of a massive recall from the Bar & Shield brand, as 177,636 machines are affected by an issue with their hydraulic clutch.
Specifically, the issue affects the Brembo secondary clutch actuator cylinder, which may leak fluid internally. If this leak continues for an extended period, the clutch master cylinder reservoir could lose enough fluid to expose the hydraulic clutch circuit to air, which may cause the clutch master cylinder to lose the ability to generate enough lift to disengage the clutch.
The final recall from this week, and in addition to the recall for the Yamaha SR400, Yamaha Motor USA is recalling the Yamaha Super Ténéré for issues with its electrical system.
The issue stems from the fact that over time a gap may develop in the protective sealant where the lead wires of the accelerator position sensor (APS) and throttle position sensor (TPS) connect to the electronic control unit (ECU).
This gap may cause corrosion to the wires, and thus change the resistance of the wires, which would send an incorrect signal to the ECU.
Because of this, the corrosion might prevent the engine from returning to idle after the throttle is released, and thus poses a potential safety hazard.
Yamaha SR400 owners should take notice, as Yamaha Motor USA has issued a recall for the model, from the 2015 model year through 2018.
The issue stems from the engine oil line flare nut, which may be insufficiently tightened, and allow oil to leak onto the rear tire. In total, just over 1,900 units are affected by the recall.
Suzuki has a recall out on 6,928 motorcycles because of a fuel pump O-ring that have been twisted during installation, and therefore is causing fuel leaks on three motorcycle models from the Japanese brand. The affected bikes include the Suzuki GSX-R1000 family (2017), the Suzuki V-Strom 650 family (2017-2018), and the Suzuki GSX-S750 (2018).