Consumers normally assume that when they buy a new motorcycle that it will be in perfect working order. But design issues or simple material stresses can ruin that perfect ride before the ignition is even turned. In 2005, roughly 90,000 motorcyclists were injured a 14 percent increase from 2004. While many occurred due to (lack of) driving skills, weather, other vehicles, or simply bad luck, some were due to motorcycle defects.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides recall information and service bulletins on all vehicles including cars and motorcycles. To find out if your motorcycle has been recalled, select the manufacturer, model, and year to view current notices. You will then see if any component of the motorcycle has a recall attached to it.