Consumer Reports: BMW & Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Are Less Reliable than Japanese o

This interesding article can be found here:

http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/news/consumer-reports-motorcycle-reliability/

And this surprises you how?

Ya ma ha ha.

Communism is good for some things...

Er, I think.

The Japanese companies are still trying to understand character and inspiration. They often focus so hard at making a bike perform flawlessly they never take a step back and consider the riding experience as a whole.

I wonder how the comparison would had played out if other Euro brands had been included such as Triumph, Ducati, Moto Guzzi, KTM, Aprilia, etc

When I think about riding excitement, inspired design and styling, Japanese brands don't jump to the forefront. Maybe once upon a time but certainly not now, at least for me.

People always focus on the big players but so many find great happiness in the shadows as it were.

Harley and BMW sell a lifestyle or statement that goes along with the bike.

Don't suppose BMW's part comes from the final drive explosions?

HD's is already well known. No need to go into them.

screw that jap crap, I ride genuine chinese iron.
Mike

And Japan sells motorcycles

Bingo

NO surprise here.

The Japanese just know how to build a quality bike. The Star (Yamaha) cruisers look nearly as good as a Harley, ride better, perform better, don't rattle your nuts off, are more reliable, and significantly less money. With the exception of the GS series, the Japanese have BMW beat in every category but snob appeal. Regarding the GS series, BMW just understands adventure bikes better than anyone else. The Yamaha Sup Tenere is a good bike, but it's no GS killer by any means. For me, I'll take performance and quality over image every time. I'm not rich enough to put up with extra problems just so I can say I have a Harley or a Bimmer.

Yes, and for the rest of us who don't have to buy our friends....

Why is it that I see far more serious high mileage Harleys and BMWs? I've seen a few high mileage jap bikes but many more of the two mentioned. The very definition of conundrum. Could it be that the Japoanese bikes are still viewed as disposable?

Hell I've got an Italian bike with 100K+ on it so WTF do I know?






One of my Harleys has 3 times that on it.

No one commented on how the "reliability" indicators are on a few issues nearly all with fixes under $200! Yeah, budget busters for sure. (Read the original Consumer Reports article.

Also note that customer satisfaction is MUCH higher with HD and BMW!

What a poor example of reporting news!

Jim

About 6 weeks ago, I saw a 2009 Honda rebel, that's a 250cc twin, with 76,000 miles. I listened to it run and it sounded like it was just pulled off the show room floor. It was a daily rider that rarely, if ever, saw the inside of a garage. The owner claimed it didn't burn oil, and he rides it on the freeway. Yes it's an older motor design, but I suspect a typical example of most reasonably maintained Hondas.

I have a BMW 650 single. It provides an instantaneous thrill when you twist the throttle, and it gets 55 MPG under throttle abuse. Folks put tens of thousands of miles on this model of German pride. You better believe there is a list of well known issues that go along with ownership. Fortunately I haven't experienced any of them.

If you buy Japanese you better like it. You most likely will tire of it, before it dies. I like my Japanese bikes. I don't worry if I'll make it back home, what's going to fail, if I'll be able to fix it myself.

Hmmm

I owned 3 Airhead Beemers and was always messing with something on them. The last one was a '88 R100RT and while in shop getting electrical issue sorted (circa 2002), my lady said the most beautiful words we can ever hear

Why don't you buy a new bike?

I bought a Honda VTR1000 and have never looked back. No moto is perfect, but other than usual maintenance - I've only had 1 break down since '02 (converter unit crapped out)

I'm riding it until it implodes...

I don't think reliability is all that important to most HD owners, it's the image that counts most. Same goes for most BMW owners but to a lesser extent. I suspect the same is true for Jaguar, Mercedes Benz, Ferrari, and other high end car owners. That's just fine if it's what you want. Me, I'll take a reliable old Honda that's cheap to run. Even my Chinese made Lifan has been totally reliable for over 40,000 miles so far.

Classic.

Funny how people with certain bike get stigmatized. Yeah I own a gs. Before that I owned a hyabusa. Kawi zx10 and a Yamaha r1. So what? You people need to worry more about your own welbeing than my "pretentiousness" if that is even a word. It's rwdiculoys to even say that I bought a gs because I want to "buy my friends" or need to be part of the club.

Pardon my poor spelling and grammar