Kawasaki has rolled out a recall for the Z7 Hybrid and Ninja 7 Hybrid. Incorrect programming of the electronic transmission control system may cause it to shift into neutral when upshifting.
For us, it didn’t miss a beat during our extensive test, but at the end of May 2024, Kawasaki Motors, Ltd (KML) received information from both the European distributor (KME, Kawasaki Motors Europe) and Kawasaki Motors Corp., USA (KMC) that on one of the distributor’s engines, the gearbox had shifted into neutral when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear.
The affected engines were shipped to Japan where they were examined by KML’s Quality Assurance Division to determine the problem. In July, KML received a second report from the European distributor, this time one of the engines had a problem when shifting from 4th to 5th gear.
Investigation revealed that the problem was caused by incorrect programming of the electronic transmission control system. Because it is basically a safety issue (the failure of the transmission can theoretically lead to a crash), Kawasaki has now temporarily stopped sales.
When asked, Kawasaki says that the software update will be available in the second half of November, and sales will restart as soon as the update is available.
– Thanks for information from Motorfreaks.