The National Highway Transport Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a recall notice for a number of model year 2018 Triumph Street Triple bikes. The cause of this safety recall lies within the electrical system of the bikes, and, if the defect occurs, it may put riders and road users in danger.
The problem might appear because of water infiltrations in the left handbar switch assembly. Due to incorrectly sealed components, water may interfere with the functions of the headlight and turn indicator switches.
If the turn signal fails to operate properly, other motorists would be unable to perceive a rider’s intentions and this may lead to a vehicle crash. Likewise, a headlamp failure will significantly reduce a motorcycle’s conspicuity, putting the rider in danger. It goes without saying that if the headlight goes out during nighttime while the motorcycle is being operated, the risk of a crash increase drastically.
NHTSA also warns that water contamination of the said components can lead to unintended tracking of electrical current, which in turn, can affect other parts of the system. No warning signs are given prior to the apparition of the defect.
Triumph received claims for non-functional turn signals in November 2017, but after inspection, no faults have been found in the replaced parts. In March this year, Triumph’s Quality Department identified water contamination as one of the possible causes. After the end of the investigation, on May 2, the Recall Committee decided to issue the recall letter.
No accidents, injuries or damages have been reported. In the US, the recall affects 1,242 motorcycles, in the MY 2018 Street Triple R, Street Triple R – Low Seat, and Street Triple RS series. Further news is expected as to whether bikes sold in other markets are affected by this recall.
All users will be contacted by Triumph to schedule a dealership appointment. The defective left-hand switch cube will be replaced free of charge (parts and labor). Triumph also states that the repair must be carried out by dealers, and not by customers.