So as I come back into this, it appears that a number of separate topics are being mixed. The following is just a bit of how recalls and such work:
Yamaha has been working on the hard start and been focusing on the ECU. While they've been typically tight-lipped during development, we've known about their efforts for many months.
If there is a release date in February, which is only a couple of weeks away, I'll join the folks suggesting that we wait and see. No manufacturer will admit to one and prior to release, NHTSA will have an internal campaign number which will only be announced when the recall is issued. So no surprise that there is nothing on the NHTSA site currently.
When manufacturers want a mandatory change, they issue service letters or similar, which they ask NHTSA to adopt as a safety recall or by EPA as a statement of compliance failure. The manufacturer pays either way. My guess is that with the stalling, this will come as a NHTSA recall, and these are installed by dealers unless the owner specifically tells the dealer not to.
I've seen some dealers incorrectly assert that they MUST do a safety recall, even if the owner tells them not to, but the motorcycle IS still your property. Before ANY service FIRST discuss with the dealer what you do and don't want done. If you do not want the action and they still insist, see if the dealer will accept your work request in writing to cover the companies involved. (Yamaha Motors, Yam USA, and dealer) You may need to go elsewhere if they will not agree, and whether they will agree is THEIR choice.
Related issue - Many times mechanics have done unwanted recalls despite the work order saying not to. They see the bike, know a recall applies, miss the unusual customer refusal, and do the work. If the work goes into the computer, the dealer absolutely can not un-do it. (They would be creating what legally would be considered as a known unsafe vehicle.) The only thing you can do is pay somebody like AVC8130 or FlashTunes to change the flash again.
Something not mentioned so far are future actions, whether NHTSA or EPA. Even if you have the recall and pay for an aftermarket reflash, if the dealer hooks up the maintenance cable in the future, he will probably note that you have a non-compliant ECU. Once again, this is why it is SO important to talk to your dealer about what work will be done BEFORE you hand them your bike.
EPA recalls actually are mandatory, as EPA compliance is a basis of the vehicle being sold in the US. If this turns out to be an EPA action and you don't want the ECU change, it gets stickier, but the best approach is again to talk to the dealer BEFORE they have the bike.
States are all over the map (bad pun) about how EPA actions relate to their registration programs. At least two States will prevent renewal, a few more could, but most have not for cars. If you have been following the VW debacle, the Federal relation with how States make these changes is a big debate right now.
I've seen nothing relating anything about this to a vehicle fire. The ECU is about fuel-air ratio and timing which are contained within the engine and injection system. Further, of all the Teneres sold around the world in a nearly 6 year period, there has been only one fire I've heard of, the owner described holding the starter button for a minute (talk about heat!!!), and there's been no discussion of the usual suspects in vehicle fires, such as the ease of improperly reconnecting a fuel line fitting after maintenance.
Hell calling my local Yamaha dealer is like asking a rock for directions, they could care less. Unless you want to buy something.
