2015 Yamaha R1 to be recalled over gearbox issue

Sales of the 2015 Yamaha R1 and the R1M have been stopped globally for a gearbox defect that may turn out to be dangerous in case of failure. Yamaha will soon announce the Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) of the motorcycles that have been affected by this issue and get them fixed.

Some components of the superbike’s transmission are not of the required strength and the failure will seize the gearbox that may result in rear-wheel locking and potential loss of control. The affected components include the second gear wheel which might fail under heavy stress or improper shifting. The third and the fourth gear may also get deformed under stress.

Yamaha will launch the Factory Modification Campaign globally to rectify the affected motorcycles and will replace the transmission assemblies at company’s cost. While we are yet to get an official word from Yamaha India, if you own a 2015 R1 or the R1M, you can wait for the VIN list or contact a Yamaha dealership to find out if your motorcycle is on the list.

Yamaha R1 – a 998cc litre-class superbike that develops 197bhp of power and 112Nm of torque restricted to a top speed of 299kmph – is imported as a CBU and costs about Rs 25 lakh in India.