- Wed Jul 07, 2021 6:50 pm
#97520
Just read this post after having an accident caused by my front calliper suddenly seizing on. I too had received the recall notice but it does state safe to ride and cleaning is sufficient - wrong. I had contacted both local dealers and neither could give me a date for replacement. I had no external signs of corrosion and the bike was fine during my usual checks pre-ride, no brake drag. I rode half a mile, slowed using the brakes to turn right, accelerated slowly after completing the turn, I am still on an estate so no more than 20mph. I had gone no more than 50 yards and the bike felt like it had no power, that’s when I made my second mistake, the first being believing the recall, of pulling the clutch intending to stop. The bike immediately snatched the handle bars to the left and locked the front wheel. I hit the tarmac along with the bike. Broken wrist, ribs and internal bruising. The front brake was solid on. Since then I wrote to Royal Enfield explaining the event and as a functional safety engineer, requested details of risk assessment proving it is safe to allow these bikes to remain on the road with a known potential failure mode. I have never received a response so fast from a company ever. They wanted the bike immediately but I said it would be independently inspected first as I do not trust them - I had the “smoking gun”. Following the inspection I allowed them to take the bike and they replaced the callipers and all damaged parts, the bike was returned last Monday. I have my opinion on this and can only share my failure and events - maybe I was really unlucky but then again, internal corrosion of a front brake callipers preventing piston retraction isn’t acceptable, especially on a bike 6 months old.