Yamaha->ke301 has issued a massive recall involving a handful of 2015 models, including the FJ-09->ke2127, FZ-09, FZ6R->ke2045, Super Tenere->ke4422, Super Tenere ES and YZF-R6->ke1937. It’s an ironic turn of events days after a Consumer Reports survey revealed that Americans found Yamaha as the most reliable motorcycle brand in the market.

But such is the nature of the beast that is the recall and in this particular instance, the recall was warranted because of problems related to the bikes’ transmission.

According to Yamaha, the root of the problem lies in the shift cam segment stopper that can be found on the transmission shift shaft. Based on the image provided by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the inner edge of this particular component is sharp where it bends when it’s supposed to be rounded with a smooth radius. The physical defect could lead to the stopper cracking when its subjected to continued stress brought about by constant use of the affected bikes. When this happens, the transmission could fail entirely, leading to the possibility of a bike losing its capacity to shift gears seamlessly. That’s a bad predicament to be in especially when a rider is riding the bike at high speeds. Lose the ability to shift and the bike could jerk violently, leading to a rider possibly getting thrown of his bike.

Understandably, Yamaha is advising owners of affected models not to ride their bikes until the problems are addressed. The company’s dealerships have been alerted to replace the entire shift shaft assembly of the 4,900 models affected in the US.

All affected models were produced from Sept. 1 to Nov. 17, 2014, so if you're bikes fall on these dates, you might need to contact Yamaha to make sure that your bikes are on the up-and-up.

Continue reading to read more about Yamaha's massive recall.

Why it matters

On a lighter note, the announcement of this particular recall couldn't have come at a worse time for Yamaha. It's only been a few days since the company was deemed as the most reliable brand by a Consumer Reports survey. Not that it was feeling itself, but this recall announcement must've burst a lot of bubbles over at the Yamaha HQ.

But seriously speaking, this issue shouldn't be taken lightly because of the potential consequences that could come if owners ignore the recall notice from Yamaha. Problems involving a bike's transmission need to be addressed as soon as possible. If that isn't an option, it's a good idea to just heed Yamaha's warning not to ride any affected model until the physical defect in the shift cam segment stopper is fixed.

You know me, I'm Captain Cautious. If there's a problem with my bike, I'd steer clear of it until it's fixed. For the sake of those who own models that are being recalled, I hope they understand the magnitude of the problem and take the necessary steps to get them fixed before even thinking about riding these bikes.