Looks like Ducati->ke622 and Yamaha->ke301 got to spend the holidays with the ghost of engineering-mistakes-past, but unlike the traditional ghost of the past, this is more in the style of the 1988 hit Scrooged when Carol Kane's character beat the Hell out of Bill Murray's Scrooge. We have a recall on the Ducati Scrambler to look at and a problem with the Yamaha XC 155F->ke5459, so let's get started and see what the manufacturers are doing to fight back.

Continue reading for information on the recalls.

Yamaha

First up, the Tuning Fork Co has a relatively minor problem with the wiring on up to 2,640 2015 XC 155F SMAX scooters->ke2256 that rolled off the line between September 17th and October 27th of that year. As it turns out, some of the speed-sensor wires were improperly secured, and relative motion between said wire and the front forks can cause the copper to fatigue and fail, opening the circuit to the electronic speedometer and causing it to fail. According to the factory, this could cause an unsafe riding condition when speed awareness is suddenly lost, but methinks this is an overreaction to appease the liars, er, lawyers. This is a scooter after all, and I find it absurd that a rider should suddenly find his/her/itself suffering from a dangerous lack of awareness from such a failure, but it's their necks on the line and can approach it how they see fit. The campaign is expected to begin this month, and authorized dealers will be replacing the sensor lead wire free of charge. Customers can expect to be contacted by Yamaha if they haven't been already, and concerned owners can contact the factory at 1-800-962-7926 and inquire about recall No. 990111, or contact the NHTSA at 1-800-327-4236.

Ducati

Next up, Ducati has a problem with its popular Scrambler model that spans a couple of production years. Up to 5,502 models manufactured between February 17, 2015 and November 11, 2016 may have an issue with the side-stand pivot nut that can fall off and affect the position of the sidestand. While this may seem to be not such a big deal, there are aggravating factors to consider; namely that if the sidestand gets out of position, the sidestand safety switch can interrupt the ignition circuit and prevent the engine from starting (bad thing) or cause it to suddenly lose power without warning while riding (very bad thing). Duc plans on rolling out the repair campaign on the 23rd of this month, and dealers will be standing by to replace the pivot bolt, and presumably the nut as well, free of charge. Owners can expect to hear from the factory, but if you think you may have fallen between the cracks for whatever reason, you may contact the factory at 1-800-231-6696 about recall SRV-RCL-16-004. As usual, the NHTSA is standing by at 1-800-327-4236 and concerned consumers can visit their website at www.safecar.gov if telephone conversations ain't your style.