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http://www.latimes.com/business/aut...eports-motorcycle-ratings-20160127-story.html
Interesting read:biggrin:
Sam:coffeescreen:
Interesting read:biggrin:
Sam:coffeescreen:
Motorcycle reliability??
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17,857 Posts
It would be interesting if they had some actual figures that reliability could be inferred from. What they offer is opinion only.
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The article is just reporting that CR will continue it's ratings of motorcycle brands and reviewing what the last report found.
While we should not take CR's findings as gospel, it is nice to have as many resources as possible when researching possible purchases.
While we should not take CR's findings as gospel, it is nice to have as many resources as possible when researching possible purchases.
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804 Posts
11% of Yamaha owners can expect to need repairs in the first 4 years.
40% of BMW will need repair in that same period.
But let's see. My current BMW has a 3 year 36,000 mile warranty plus roadside assistance. My last Yamaha had a 1 year warranty. Plus they wanted me to pony up $500 for an extended warranty.
Within the first six months of ownership, my BMW had a fuel vent valve that was stuck open and causing it to run lean, otherwise, it's been flawless. My FJR had a recall on the ECU and the steering head bearings in the first 6 months.
Consumer Reports and LA Times are full of it.
40% of BMW will need repair in that same period.
But let's see. My current BMW has a 3 year 36,000 mile warranty plus roadside assistance. My last Yamaha had a 1 year warranty. Plus they wanted me to pony up $500 for an extended warranty.
Within the first six months of ownership, my BMW had a fuel vent valve that was stuck open and causing it to run lean, otherwise, it's been flawless. My FJR had a recall on the ECU and the steering head bearings in the first 6 months.
Consumer Reports and LA Times are full of it.
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17,857 Posts
Oh. It's one of those newspapers, eh?LA Times wouldn't know facts if they tripped over them Eye.
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From the comments on the article:
"After towing for AAA for 15 years I can honestly say I've towed maybe three or four Japanese bikes and the rest were Harley Davidson"
Could that be because HD's actually get RIDDEN? So far this month I'm seeing 5:1 HD's versus metric bikes actually on the road.
"After towing for AAA for 15 years I can honestly say I've towed maybe three or four Japanese bikes and the rest were Harley Davidson"
Could that be because HD's actually get RIDDEN? So far this month I'm seeing 5:1 HD's versus metric bikes actually on the road.
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2,600 Posts
As stated, they're "reporting" a bunch of personal opinions as fact. Do they include the number of miles each gets ridden?
I work with a guy who rides a BMW, he claims it's the best bike he's ever owned, "never brakes down" he claims. Of course it spends MOST of it's time in the garage (he only rode it 300 miles last summer). He doesn't ride nearly as much as when he was younger he has said. Compare that to a guy on first shift who put over 20K on his Harley last summer. Hmm, I wonder who might be in need of service more often?
I lost all respect for CR as credible when I was a mechanic. I know the BS they like to sling as facts...
I work with a guy who rides a BMW, he claims it's the best bike he's ever owned, "never brakes down" he claims. Of course it spends MOST of it's time in the garage (he only rode it 300 miles last summer). He doesn't ride nearly as much as when he was younger he has said. Compare that to a guy on first shift who put over 20K on his Harley last summer. Hmm, I wonder who might be in need of service more often?
I lost all respect for CR as credible when I was a mechanic. I know the BS they like to sling as facts...
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2,600 Posts
Hey! Don't dis Ronco man, they sold the best stuff. :coffeescreen:
That won't happen because CR has to sell subscriptions so their news releases aren't going to quote numbers. Their thinking is "You want numbers? Subscribe to CR."
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23,527 Posts
I got whiplash on that turn. What does CR have to do with LATimes? Maybe I'm think CR means something different than you do. So what is CR to you or in this case?
I was thinking Consumer Reports.
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I guess I'm in the minority in thinking the numbers were realistic and fell in line with expectations.
They also made the valid point that it only tells part of the story of why a particular bike would be worth buying.
They also made the valid point that it only tells part of the story of why a particular bike would be worth buying.
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2,123 Posts
Hog the LATimes article is about CR.
Consumer Reports claims to not take advertising and therefore are unbiased........that claim is partially true, they don't take advertising.
However back when the Japanese car manufacturers wanted to get into the Corvette market, the reviews were so biased that someone did a "follow the money", who owns what, who advertises where, and so on..........CR has many $$$ reasons to be biased against all things American made.
Consumer Reports claims to not take advertising and therefore are unbiased........that claim is partially true, they don't take advertising.
However back when the Japanese car manufacturers wanted to get into the Corvette market, the reviews were so biased that someone did a "follow the money", who owns what, who advertises where, and so on..........CR has many $$$ reasons to be biased against all things American made.
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But there is no way to know if expectations reflect reality.
Not a single manufacturer releases any figures on how many repairs get done on their bikes. There is no way to compare break downs or repairs per average mile from one brand to another. For example, if 10% of brand X owners feel their bike will need repair that doesn't have anything at all to do with how many brand X bikes are on the road, for how many miles, and how many of them have actually needed repairs.
Not a single manufacturer releases any figures on how many repairs get done on their bikes. There is no way to compare break downs or repairs per average mile from one brand to another. For example, if 10% of brand X owners feel their bike will need repair that doesn't have anything at all to do with how many brand X bikes are on the road, for how many miles, and how many of them have actually needed repairs.
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23,527 Posts
Gotcha. It was the LATimes so I didn't even look. You can't trust ANYTHING they say.
You're right. This helps explain it:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...cle/reliable-motorcycle-brands/2310630325001/
It clearly states that they interviewed owners for the report, not repair shops or experts. And we all know what opinions are like.
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768 Posts
Plus, some people are more anal than others. The anal people I know take their stuff in for minor stuff that others wouldn't even notice. And in my experience, it correlates to how much they paid for it. For example, I know a guy who paid $7000 for his bike. He LOVES it. And everyday he is on two wheels is the best day of his life. Another guy paid $20,000 for his, and can't enjoy himself because his fuel gauge is inaccurate.
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