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Stop Riding: Husqvarna & GASGAS Braktec Rear Caliper Recall (CPSC + NHTSA)

CPSC recall 26-710 covers ~21,040 U.S. 2021-2024 GASGAS and 2022-2024 Husqvarna off-road bikes whose Braktec rear caliper can crack or break, and CPSC says stop riding them. Related NHTSA 26V443 covers ~6,257 plated FE S / ES dual-sports: check your VIN and book the free dealer repair.

Trail Roamer Editorial TeamAug 20, 2026 · Updated Sep 5, 2026 · 5 min read
Red GASGAS off-road motorcycle, right side, a model covered by CPSC recall 26-710 - Credit: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)

If you own a recent Husqvarna or GASGAS dirt bike, enduro, cross-country, motocross, or plated dual-sport with a Braktec rear brake, treat this as a stop-ride safety story first. On August 20, 2026, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC recall 26-710) announced that KTM North America is recalling about 21,040 GASGAS and Husqvarna off-road motorcycles in the United States - plus about 4,140 sold in Canada - because the rear brake caliper can crack or break, reducing braking effectiveness and creating a crash hazard with risk of serious injury or death. CPSC’s remedy language is unambiguous: stop riding the recalled motorcycles immediately and contact an authorized GASGAS or Husqvarna dealer for a free repair. No incidents or injuries were reported in the CPSC announcement.

A day earlier, on August 19, 2026, GASGAS and Husqvarna Mobility each published manufacturer notices stating that 2021-2024 GASGAS motocross, enduro, and cross-country models with Braktec brake systems, and 2022-2024 Husqvarna enduro and cross-country models with the same systems, must have the rear brake caliper - including the caliper bracket - replaced at an authorized dealer, free of charge, and valid for all markets. Brand notices say that under certain riding conditions excessive loads may occur on the rear caliper and that, in rare cases, the component can break. Model year alone is not enough: within some ranges the Pierer group fitted both Braktec and Brembo hardware, so a VIN check is mandatory.

How to confirm your bike: use the official VIN tools only. Find the 17-digit VIN on the right side of the steering head (CPSC). Enter it at the Husqvarna recalls-check page (https://www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com/en-us/service/recalls-check.html) or the GASGAS recalls-check page (https://www.gasgas.com/en-us/service/recalls-check.html). Street-legal dual-sport owners should also run the same VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls) and ask the dealer specifically for campaign 26V443. Customer service for both brands is 888-985-6090, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. Don't improvise a backyard caliper swap, grind, weld or brace. The free remedy is a dealer replacement of the affected rear caliper and bracket, and that's where this job belongs.

CPSC-listed off-road models (primary table, recall 26-710). Husqvarna: 2022 FE 350, FE 501, TE 150i, TE 250i, TE 300i; 2023 TE 150, TE 250, TE 300, TE 300 Heritage, FX 350, FX 350 Heritage, FX 450, FE 450, FE 450 Heritage, TX 300, TX 300 Heritage; 2024 TE 150, TE 250, TE 300, FE 350w, FE 450, FE 501w. GASGAS: 2021 EC 300; 2022 EC 250, EC 300; 2023 EC 250, EC 300, EX 250, EX 250F, EX 300, EX 350F, EX 450F, MC 125, MC 250, MC 250F, MC 350F, MC 450F; 2024 MC 125, MC 250, MC 250F, MC 350F, MC 450F, EC 250, EC 300, EC 450F, EX 250, EX 250F, EX 300, EX 350F, EX 450F, EW 500F. Units were sold at authorized dealers roughly September 2020 through June 2023 for about $7,300-$13,000; built in Austria; imported by KTM North America Inc., Amherst, Ohio. Fast Track recall.

Separate dual-sport track - NHTSA campaign 26V443. KTM North America’s NHTSA filing (report received August 7, 2026) covers about 6,257 street-legal machines: 2022-2024 Husqvarna FE 501S (3,685) and FE 350S (1,710), plus 2024 GASGAS ES 500 (516) and ES 350 (346). The defect description: the J.Juan/Braktec rear caliper’s primary pin casting can crack or break when rolling backward, which can crack the bracket and possibly break the caliper in forward motion - reducing rear-brake effectiveness with no prior warning. Remedy: free rear-caliper replacement; owner notification letters were mailed August 31, 2026, per NHTSA; VINs searchable from July 15, 2026. An improved caliper (primary pin area widened from 6.5 mm to 10.5 mm) entered production for Model Year 2025, so MY25+ units are outside this defective-population window per the filing.

KTM orange and Brembo - generally not this campaign. Manufacturer and specialist coverage state that corresponding KTM models fitted with Brembo brakes are generally not part of the Braktec rear-caliper campaign. That carve-out is about the brake supplier on the bike, not the Pierer group badge on the shroud: a Husqvarna or GASGAS can still fall in or out of scope by VIN even when a sibling KTM of similar displacement does not. Prior front-caliper casting campaigns involving the same supplier family are separate actions - a 2025 front-caliper visit does not clear this rear-caliper recall. Still verify VIN.

Why dual-sport, enduro, and dirt riders should act this week. Off-road TE/FE/FX/TX and GASGAS MC/EC/EX/EW machines sit primarily under the CPSC stop-ride lane; plated FE S and ES dual-sports sit under NHTSA 26V443. Same supplier hazard family, different regulators. Soft rear lever, sudden travel increase, visible caliper cracks, or a recent backward-roll load on a covered dual-sport are reasons to trailer the bike - not to “limp home” for one more trail day. Bring the VIN screenshot, ask for the free Braktec rear-caliper (and bracket) campaign repair, and keep the dealer work order.

The short version: if your off-road GASGAS or Husqvarna is on CPSC 26-710's model table, CPSC says stop riding it. If you own a street-legal dual-sport covered by NHTSA 26V443, NHTSA hasn't issued a do-not-ride advisory, but it's the same rear caliper problem, so check the VIN on the official recall tools and book the free dealer repair now. KTM models with Brembo brakes are generally out of scope, and this isn't a brake job to do yourself.

Sources

FAQ

Should I keep riding until the dealer appointment?
No if your unit is under the CPSC off-road stop-ride recall or shows rear-brake compromise. CPSC says stop riding immediately and arrange free dealer repair. NHTSA's 26V443 record does not carry a do-not-ride advisory for the covered dual-sports; the CPSC stop-riding notice applies to the off-road models.
Is this the same as NHTSA 26V443?
Related Braktec/J.Juan rear-caliper hazard family, different regulatory lanes. Off-road MC/EC/EX/EW and TE/FE/FX/TX units: CPSC 26-710. Street-legal FE 350S/501S and GASGAS ES 350/500: NHTSA 26V443 (~6,257 units).
Are KTM models included?
Manufacturer and specialist coverage state corresponding KTM models with Brembo brakes are generally not in this Braktec campaign. Confirm with VIN - do not assume by brand group alone.
Where do I check my VIN?
Official only: https://www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com/en-us/service/recalls-check.html, https://www.gasgas.com/en-us/service/recalls-check.html, and https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls for plated dual-sports. Phone: 888-985-6090 (8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET, Mon-Fri).

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