Triumph's New Dirt Bikes Are Getting a Big Recall. Needs New Cylinder Heads

That's a big issue, but it's being fixed.

Photo by: Triumph

By: Jonathon Klein

Aug 18, at 7:02am ET

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It seems that almost every single motorcycle manufacturer now has some sort of dirt bike in its lineup, whether already in showrooms or being actively developed. And it's easy to see why. They're relatively inexpensive and are a hit among the youths of today. It's so hot, even players who've never played in the space have entered the market.

We're talking folks like Harley-Davidson, Ducati, and Triumph, the latter of which developed not one, but two dirt bike platforms to round out a whole lineup of off-road machines, including a 250 and a 450. Unfortunately, the larger of the two's birth hasn't been fully smooth sailing.

Recently, it was announced that the entire 450 lineup was getting recalled. And it ain't just for some missing Loctite.

Included in the recall are Triumph's 2026 TF 450-C, TF 450-E, TF 450-X, and the 2025 TF 450-RC Edition. The cause of the recall? The cylinder head on the brand's 450cc square single can see excessive friction can cause them to go "pop goes the weasel."

According to the recall notice posted on Transport Canada, and then reposted by Triumph USA, "On certain motorcycles, a problem inside the engine could cause it to stall while riding," adding, "A sudden loss of engine power could increase the risk of a crash." The specific cause, however, is that the rocker arm assembly could see a bunch of friction, way out of tolerance, and can lead to either a more gradual reduction of power or sudden reduction, the latter of which could cause a crash.

What do you think?

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As for the fix, Triumph says the whole cylinder head needs to be replaced. Not great, but the notice says that "Triumph will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your motorcycle to a dealership to replace the cylinder head," so it seems that the company will fix the issue ASAP.

It's not, however what you want for your headlining motocrosser, though. But at the time of writing, the issue with the 450 doesn't seem to also affect the 250, nor the 450s from last year, apart from the single RC-Edition.