Royal Enfield Himalayan, Interceptor 650, Continental GT 650 Recalled

The brake caliper is prone to corrosion when exposed to de-icing salts on the roads in cold regions

• The recall only affects motorcycles sold in the UK, Europe and South Korea.
• The brake calipers are made by Brembo subsidiary Bybre.
• Earlier this month, Ducati and Triumph, issued a recall for corrosion-prone Brembo brake pads.

The Royal Enfield Himalayan, Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650 have been recalled in the UK, rest of Europe as well as South Korea. Around 15,200 motorcycles have been affected in total and the recall is due to a brake caliper corrosion-related issue in certain markets where de-icing salts are used on the roads. All three motorcycles employ brakes from Bybre. Bybre is a subsidiary of Brembo that caters to small-to-mid-displacement two-wheelers. 

Earlier this month, Triumph and Ducati recalled their bikes using Brembo brakes in the international market. The brake pads on the recalled units are said to be susceptible to corrosion and in some cases, it could even lead to the pad separating from the back plate. Coming back to Royal Enfield’s recall, bikes sold in the Indian market haven’t been affected fortunately. Here’s the brand’s official statement:

Company Statement:

Wednesday - May 20, 2020: Royal Enfield has discovered a brake caliper corrosion related issue in a very small number of motorcycles in some specific countries. Upon investigation, it was revealed that this corrosion is brought about by sustained, long-term exposure to riding on roads treated with certain salts, or a combination of salts, to prevent formation of ice during winters.

This corrosion causes damage to the brake caliper piston bore and assemblies, and can result in unusual braking sound, increased brake drag, and may impact braking action.

While this issue has been reported only in a small number of cases, Royal Enfield has decided to undertake a proactive, safety-related service action on the Interceptor 650, Continental GT 650 and Himalayan motorcycles sold across geographies where certain salts are used to treat roads, and can potentially cause damage to the brake caliper assemblies.

This is a precautionary service intervention, and will be undertaken across the UK, the rest of Europe and Korea. With immediate effect, around 15,200 motorcycles sold in these markets will be called in for inspection, cleaning and part replacement, if required. In a later phase of the service action, as a preventive measure, the caliper assemblies on these motorcycles will be replaced with the improved part, before the end of this year. 

We would like to reiterate that the 650 Twin motorcycles, the Himalayan are rigorously tested to global validation standards of quality and durability. The safety of our riders is of prime importance to us at Royal Enfield and we are deeply committed to the duty of care to all our customers. We are committed to to swiftly implement the service action, and customers will be contacted through respective local dealerships.