Magazine’s motorcycle survey is surprising to some
Consumer Reports’ initial study finds Japanese brands the most reliable.
Early last year, with little fanfare, the buyers advocate magazine Consumer Reports began rating motorcycles for reliability and customer satisfaction.
The results of its f irst study have confounded some bike owners and manufacturers.
The study, conducted among the 3 million subscribers to the magazine and its website, drew responses from 1 million automobile owners and more than 11,000 motorcycle riders. They shared their experiences and opinions on more than 12,000 individual motorcycles purchased new from 2008 to 2014.
The survey found that the Japanese brands Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda and Kawasaki were the most reliable, while Triumph, Ducati and BMW were, in the report’s delicate language, “more repair- prone.”
Statistically, that meant that Yamaha owners are least likely to experience “se- rious problems” with their bikes, and owners of the Can- Am three- wheelers are most likely — four times more likely — of the brands in the survey.
In raw numbers, the study said, only about 11% of new Yamahas will need serious attention in their f irst four years of life.
Suzuki, Honda and Kawasaki ranked very tightly behind Yamaha — all under 15%. Then came everyone else.
Harley- Davidson owners are twice as likely to experience problems that require repairs as owners of the Japanese brands, with 26% of new bikes needing attention. Triumph owners were a little more likely than that. But Ducati and BMW owners can expect problems. The study predicted that 33% of new Ducatis and 40% of new BMWs will require repairs. Can- Am scored lowest, with 42%.
“There is a four times greater chance that a BMW will need repair than a Yamaha,” said Consumer Reports’ deputy editor, Jeff Bartlett. “That’s pretty significant, when you consider the cost of servicing a BMW is substantially higher.”
The report drew measured responses from motorcycle brands. Most major manufacturers de- clined to discuss or comment on the findings. Others said studies of this kind can be helpful, under certain conditions.
“It’s a great thing for consumers as long as the ratings are overseen by experienced motorcycle editors,” said Indian Motorcycles’ Robert Pandya.
“People really know and trust Consumer Reports,” said Victory’s Gary Gray, who said the study may have contributed to an uptick in Victory sales. “They didn’t double, but these things are always good for retail.”
Curiously, despite these statistics, the most reliable motorcycles were not the best loved by their owners. Harley- Davidson owners rated their machines second- highest, after the smaller Victory brand, among those who were asked whether they would buy the same motorcycle again.
An impressive 72% of Harley owners said they would, compared with 70% of Honda owners, 68% of BMW owners, 66% of Ducati owners and 63% of Yamaha owners.
Survey participants were also asked to rate their brands in terms of overall satisfaction, styling, acceleration, handling, cost of maintenance and repairs, comfort and “fun.”
By those terms, the results differed somewhat. Only 66% of Ducati riders said they’d buy another, but that brand ranked at the top, category by category, hitting the highest grade for everything but cost of repairs and “owner satisfaction.” BMW was a tick behind, giving up a bit on “comfort.”
“Enthusiasts really are more motivated by style, cool factor and brand image,” said Bill Nation, coowner of the high- end Los Angeles motorcycle shop ProItalia.
And paying more for purchase and maintenance may actually support brand image.
“There is a truism that [ the customer] who pays retail seems to be more satisf ied with his purchase than those who grind us on price or seek out the low- ball dealer,” Nation said.
The 2015 study, Bartlett said, is the first in a planned series. A new survey is underway now and may include brands for which the first one didn’t have enough data — Indian, KTM and Motoguzzi, for example. The results will be published in 2017.