Kawasaki USA Recalls Ninja ZX-10R, ZX-6R For Defective Gearbox

Kawasaki USA has issued a recall for the Ninja ZX-10R and the Ninja ZX-6R for potential transmission failure issues. The recall affects bikes sold from 2016 to the present, which according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) amounts to roughly 4,000 bikes.

The company says the issue pertains to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear that could potentially break under sudden impact load. This could lead to the rear wheel locking up leading to a potential crash. The cause of the issue has been pegged down to the strength of the materials used in making the gears which have proved to be insufficient to handle loads like sudden or hard downshifting. Kawasaki has already asked dealerships to replace the 2nd input gear along with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th output gears. This is more of a preventive recall as two warranty claims have already been reported for the same issue. As with most recalls, this one will be done free of charge.

What this means for India?
While Kawasaki does not sell the Ninja ZX-6R here, we do get the Ninja ZX-10R. The bike was sold here way before 2016. Hence, it is safe to assume that the 2016 to present ZX-10R’s and ZX-10RR's currently plying on Indian roads and race tracks could be potentially affected. We contacted Kawasaki India regarding this and they are currently formulating a plan to reach out to all ZX-10R customers and recall the bikes. Kawasaki dealerships across the country will soon reach out to existing customers and replace the affected parts free of charge. We expect a formal announcement regarding this in a day or two.

Should ZX-10R owners be worried?
Well, not unless you are belting your bike down a race track as it is highly unlikely that the impact stresses affecting the gearbox could be achieved on the road. If you are using the bike for track outings though, we would advise you to stay off it until the issue is fixed.