Yamaha Motor Corporation is getting ready to notify Yamaha dealers and Yamaha consumers of a 2014 Yamaha Bolt Recall. The recall involves a routing issue with the wire harness for Yamaha Bolts manufactured from March of 2103 through June of 2103. The Yamaha Bolt is a 950cc motorcycle that is completely stripped down, featuring a 58 cubic inch (942cc), air-cooled, 60º V-twin engine in a compact chassis. A brand new chassis design from Yamaha is probably the reason this possible defect was missed until the motorcycle hit the streets.
The Yamaha Bolt has a wiring harness that routes close to the rear exhaust area. The way the harness is routed, the heat from the exhaust can cause damage to the wiring harness, either melting or creating a short circuit. Should the harness become damaged while the motorcycle is running, the engine could stall leading to the possibility of a crash resulting in injury or death.
Yamaha has already determined the repair for the 2014 Yamaha Bolt Recall. The fix is quite easy, requiring a factory trained technician at a certified Yamaha dealer to install two retaining bands that will hold the wire harness away from the rear exhaust. Prior to installing the retaining bands, a visual inspection of the wiring harness is required to ensure that no damage has already occurred.
Starting near the end of July 2013, Yamaha will begin notifying Yamaha Bolt owners with a letter telling them to contact their local Yamaha dealer to set up an appointment for the modification. The 2014 Yamaha Bolt Recall will be repaired at no cost to the consumers.
Consumers requiring additional information can contact their local Yamaha dealer, call Yamaha Motor Corp at 800-962-7926, or contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.