Recall: Some 2021 Honda CRF450Rs May Suddenly Break Their Chains

American Honda Motor Company is issuing a voluntary recall notice on certain 2021 CRF450R bikes because of a drive chain defect. On affected bikes, the chain could break during normal use, which would then cause your bike to come to a sudden stop. Depending on conditions, this could pose a safety threat to riders, and potentially cause crashes and/or injuries. 

Honda issued this recall via a press release dated April 7, 2021. The company did not note an affected VIN range, or mention whether affected bikes may show any specific symptoms prior to the chain breaking. There is currently no record of this recall in NHTSA’s public recall database, which would likely include more details than this press release has so far done. 

If you own a 2021 CRF250R, your best bet is to contact your local authorized Honda Powersports dealer, call Honda Powersports Customer Support at 866-784-1870, or use the “find a dealer” option on www.powersports.honda.com. They should be able to help determine if your CRF450R is among those affected by this recall.  

More Recent Recalls:

Recall: Some 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4s Have Faulty Valve Guides

Recall: Some 2019 And 2020 Arcimotos Could Unexpectedly Shut Down

Honda also mentions that affected riders will receive “further instructions on having their drive chain replaced.” While recall work is usually carried out by certified OEM technicians by law, this wording doesn’t make that part terribly clear. Hopefully, you’ll be able to find out all the details you need to know by contacting your local Honda dealer.  

If you’ve already experienced unexplained chain breakage on your 2021 CRF450R, you may also want to contact your local Honda dealer or the Honda Powersports Customer Support hotline listed above. Let them know what happened, and see if they can help you out. If you have any receipts for replacement parts or service, you may want to have those handy so you can provide them to Honda if necessary. Honda doesn’t mention such a scenario in its press release, but asking about it seems like a good idea, if you’re in that position. 

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