Yamaha Y-AMT recall: shift shaft can break, Germany still waiting

• Affected in Japan: 1,289 motorcycles built between June 2024 and August 2026
• Worst case: Gear changes are no longer possible and the motorcycle comes to a standstill
• Remedy: The workshop fits an improved shift shaft

Japan was first. Yamaha Motor reported the recall to the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) on 29 September 2026, and the campaign started a day later. Affected there are the MT-09 S, as the MT-09 Y-AMT is called in Japan, and the Tracer 9 GT+ Y-AMT. The recall has since reached Europe, but so far only in a single country. That is unusual. Normally, a notice like this quickly appears in the European Safety Gate alert system, and all EU countries then adopt the recall.

Which Yamaha models are affected by the Y-AMT recall?

The recall covers the MT-09 and the Tracer 9 with the automated Y-AMT shifting system. The abbreviation stands for Yamaha Automated Manual Transmission, a gearbox in which the system takes care of the gear changes.

The Japanese notice names two models. 686 units of the Tracer 9 GT+ Y-AMT are affected, built between 9 April 2025 and 27 July 2026. For the MT-09 S, it is 603 motorcycles produced from 10 June 2024 to 19 August 2026. Together, that makes 1,289 vehicles. The notice also states that not every motorcycle within the listed frame number range is actually affected.

Worldwide, all models built so far with the CP3 engine and Y-AMT are said to fall under the recall, meaning model years 2024 to 2026.

What is wrong with the Y-AMT shift shaft?

The shift shaft cannot withstand frequent shifting in the long run. Yamaha explains that the strength of the part was not sufficiently tested during development. Due to the many gear changes, the part can break over time.

The Finnish recall notice describes the damage in a little more detail. According to it, a stopper on the shift shaft can break. The shift shaft is part of the gearbox’s shift mechanism. The fault therefore lies in the mechanical part of the Y-AMT, not in the system’s electronics.

What are the warning signs before the shift shaft breaks?

A first warning sign is a shifting malfunction accompanied by the engine warning light coming on. In the worst case, the Y-AMT stops working entirely. Then no gear can be changed and the motorcycle cannot continue.

In Japan, 40 such fault cases are known so far. According to Yamaha, there have been no accidents. The manufacturer became aware of the problem through reports from the market.

What happens at the workshop?

Workshops fit an improved shift shaft to all affected motorcycles. In Japan, Yamaha informs owners by letter. Workshops learn about the campaign through the trade journal of the Japanese workshop association, and the recall is also listed on Yamaha’s website.

Is the Yamaha recall also active in Germany?

So far, there is no official recall for Germany. As of 10 October 2026, the campaign appears neither in the recall database of the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) nor in the EU Safety Gate alert system.

In Europe, only Finland is involved so far. The Finnish transport agency Traficom lists the recall under campaign code MC320. It covers 40 MT-09 and Tracer 9 motorcycles with Y-AMT and starts on 13 October 2026. The Finnish branch of Yamaha Motor Europe is responsible. The notice also lists three European type approvals. So this is not a special model for Finland, but the versions sold throughout Europe.

The campaign is also still missing from the Dutch recall register, even though Yamaha Motor Europe is headquartered in the Netherlands.

Previous recalls were handled differently in Germany. When Yamaha recalled more than 12,000 motorcycles in February 2025 over a throttle position sensor problem, the KBA tracked down the owners’ addresses. They then received an official letter. The KBA was also involved in the footrest recall for the MT-09 in April 2025. For the Y-AMT shift shaft, this step has not happened yet.

How does the recall fit with earlier problems on the MT-09 and Tracer 9?

It is not the first recall for this model family in recent years. In February 2025, Yamaha reported 13,624 motorcycles in Japan because of the engine control. Faulty programming caused the contacts of the throttle position sensor to wear too quickly. As a result, the engine speed could fluctuate, and in the worst case the engine stalled. There were 274 fault cases at the time. Besides the XSR900, MT-10 and Niken GT, 471 MT-09 S were affected, meaning Y-AMT models from 2024. It was already the second attempt, because a measure from 2022 had not been sufficient.

In Germany, that recall covered more than 12,000 motorcycles built between May 2021 and December 2024. Workshops installed a software update and replaced the sensor on machines that had already been ridden.

In April 2025, Germany saw a recall for 1,185 MT-09, MT-09 SP and MT-09 Y-AMT from model years 2024 and 2025. The rider footrests had the wrong shape and did not comply with the EU directive. The correct footrests can be recognised by a blue paint dot on the underside.

The shift shaft has also been an issue before. In an older recall for the MT-09, MT-09 Tracer and XT 1200Z, cracks could form when shifting with the foot lever. Back then, too, workshops replaced the shift shaft. The current case, however, concerns the automated shifting system that Yamaha has offered on the MT-09 since 2024.

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