Consumer Reports tests Motorcycles
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Consumer Reports tests Motorcycles
I just got my May issue in which they report on reliability. BMW didn't fare well as a brand - came out last in the survey -but it's nice to see MCs getting some attention.
2004 Rockster
Re: Consumer Reports tests Motorcycles
I'm not a subscriber. Can you give us a few details? Specific models fare better/worse?
Re: Consumer Reports tests Motorcycles
From the May magazine
The CR survey covered about 4,700 bikes. In descending order of reliability, the marques were: Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda (all within a point or two of each other), followed by HD with BMW dead last by a good margin (roughly 3 times more owners reporting "more repairs" than for Yamaha). Despite that however, BMW (and Harley owners) "were among the most satisfied with their bikes."Yes, the artfully sculpted lines of a BMW motorcycle and the throaty rumble of a Harley-Davidson V-twin motor can stir your senses. But they’re often accompanied by more problems than Japanese motorcycles from Honda, Kawasaki, and Yamaha. Those are the findings from our first motorcycle reliability survey, conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, in which we asked subscribers to tell us about any serious problems or repairs they had experienced with their bikes in the previous four years . . .
'03 R1150R
Life member 365
Errabundi Saepe, Semper Certi
Life member 365
Errabundi Saepe, Semper Certi
Re: Consumer Reports tests Motorcycles
CR "surveys" are so flawed and sample size so small that it is statistically "invalid". I personally would not put any validity to anything they say. They have been sued so many times and have been able to weasel and slilther out of it because "freedom of the press" is such a strong defense in our court of law; one would have to prove irrefutably that there was malicious intent which is pretty much impossible. They have even manipulated photo sessions to produce the misleading "result" they want in order to sell magazines. The way they present themselves as "consumer's" union is absolutely despicable IMO.
2002 BMW R1150R
2004 Honda CBR600RR
2006 Kawasaki KLX250S
2008 Ducati Hypermotard
1996 Ducati 900SS
2004 Honda CBR600RR
2006 Kawasaki KLX250S
2008 Ducati Hypermotard
1996 Ducati 900SS
Re: Consumer Reports tests Motorcycles
Hm. 4,700 bikes is statistically significant.
Consumers' Union trash something dear to you? (Besides BMW, I assume.)
Consumers' Union trash something dear to you? (Besides BMW, I assume.)
#388 '02 R1150R Black: The darkest color.
Re: Consumer Reports tests Motorcycles
Let's see...NoRRmad wrote:Hm. 4,700 bikes is statistically significant.
How many brands of bikes are there?
How many models do each brand have?
How many of each model were sold?
4700 is not even close to being a significant sample size.
Furthermore how many of each bikes were surveyed? How many of the smaller manufacturer's owners were represented?
I don't have any allegiance to any particular bike manufacturer.NoRRmad wrote: Consumers' Union trash something dear to you? (Besides BMW, I assume.)
2002 BMW R1150R
2004 Honda CBR600RR
2006 Kawasaki KLX250S
2008 Ducati Hypermotard
1996 Ducati 900SS
2004 Honda CBR600RR
2006 Kawasaki KLX250S
2008 Ducati Hypermotard
1996 Ducati 900SS
Re: Consumer Reports tests Motorcycles
4,700 is a significant sample of the bikes tested -- which isn't all of them. Anyway, the question had to do with manufacturers, not models, and the article is a report on what owners had to say.
#388 '02 R1150R Black: The darkest color.
Re: Consumer Reports tests Motorcycles
Thanks for the reply. Having owned and ridden Beemers for two decades (except for the short hiatus that is about to end ) this doesn't surprise me. Beemers do require more maintenance although I can't recall ever being left along the side of the road like some Harley riders I knew. Earlier, I had a Honda CB900 and it was as reliable and easy to own as a car.
More maintenance? It's worth it to me.
More maintenance? It's worth it to me.