Royal Enfield has recalled 4,891 units of the Himalayan due to a brake-related issue. The models that were recalled were manufactured between March 1, 2017 and February 28, 2021.
As per Royal Enfield’s official communication with the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the salt used to treat and defrost roads in the winter could corrode the brake calipers, 'causing a decrease or total loss of brake function'. As many as 4,891 units of the Himalayan manufactured between 2017 and 2021 could be affected by this corrosion.
The potential defect may cause unusual and/or increased brake noise when applying brakes, an unusual odour/burning smell near the callipers, a drag feeling when attempting to accelerate, or unusual difficulty in pushing the motorcycle manually. These problems could increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
The braking system on the Royal Enfield Himlayan is supplied by Bybre (a subsidiary of Brembo) and Bosch (ABS system). An analysis by both companies also determined that if the brake callipers aren’t cleaned regularly during winter in countries with cold climates, where salt is used to de-ice roads, then corrosion is a possibility.
Brembo has recommended using anodised callipers to combat corrosion for the motorcycle being used in countries that use salt to melt ice on the roads.
The recall will ensure that affected owners will have the brake callipers on their Himalayan motorcycles replaced free of cost. The recall is not applicable to Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycles sold in India, for now.