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Several 2015 Yamaha YZF-R3 Recalled for Upper Triple Clamps that May Crack

Even if we are used to recall campaigns that involve hundreds or thousands of motorcycles, the latest Yamaha recall aims to fix a staggeringly low number of bikes. Only sixteen 2015 model year Yamaha YZF-R3 bikes are being recalled in the US, but the current reports don't mention anything about other markets.
2015 Yamaha YZF-R3 3 photos
Photo: Yamaha
2015 Yamaha YZF-R32015 Yamaha YZF-R3 woith defective fork
The affected R3 motorcycles have been assembled with an incorrectly manufactured upper triple clamp. Yamaha says that in certain conditions, this part may crack while riding, causing the loss of steering and this increasing the risk of a crash.

Frankly, we'd be a bit blunter and say that in case a rider loses steering control, he or she will crash on 99% of occasions or so (just don't take this figure literally, please). And this means that the owners of the affected R3 machines are in danger.

This repair will also see the steering lock, main switch and fuel caps replaced

In the US, Yamaha has identified the 16 vehicles and has instructed the dealers on how to carry out the repairs. While this is a routine operation, we can only hope that the owners have been contacted already and nobody gets injured... or worse.

Yamaha says that all the customers have been notified by mail and informed that they should not operate the bikes. We frankly thought that Iwata could at least call these fellows, given the reduced number of defective bikes.

Wonder how many R3 are experiencing the same problem around the world. If you bought a YZF-R3 maybe it's a smart move to contact your dealer and ask some serious questions about the recall, just to make sure.

As for the repair, the main switch is already installed in the upper triple clamp so it means that the keys that were delivered with the bikes might no longer work. Yamaha is aware of the situation and will supply the dealers with new steering locks and fuel caps.

No mentions of crashes or injuries were made.
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