On June 5th, Honda owners are expected to be handed a recall notice affecting the brand’s Rebel 250, Rebel 300, CRF250L, CRF250 Rally and CB250R, with the majority of the bikes produced between 2020 and 2022 – and this ain’t your typical bonked fairing recall, either.
“Back in January, Honda received a report from the Japanese Market where oil was spraying from the engine in [one of the relevant models], followed up by another report from the same month (but from India) where oil was leaking from the crankcase cover as well,” states HondaPro Kevin in one of his recent YouTube videos.
“…paint was misapplied to the inner surface of the press-fit plug hole; when the engine temperature rises, the paint can soften, allowing the plug to come out of the hole,” contributes the proof of Honda’s evidence.
This second notice was followed up by a third event in March, where somebody else in the Japanese market had the same issue, leading to an official, global recall as of April 6th.
While Honda’s affected 250 models might not reside in American markets, the inclusion of the Rebel 300 leads to the obligatory query: Will Big Red’s CB300R, CRF300L and CRF300 Rally be pulled next?
With a grand total of 5,421 units affected, time will tell Honda’s next move; meantime, if you encounter anybody who’s had this issue with one of the above bikes (in the relevant years), be sure to have them contact NHTSA’s toll-free Auto Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, or get on their website for more information at https://www.nhtsa.gov/. Better safe than sorry.
Your local Honda dealer will also be a great contact to ring for your best course of action as notices get sent out.