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Post by w650 on Jun 25, 2017 4:31:43 GMT -5
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Post by rockynv on Jun 25, 2017 23:05:38 GMT -5
Based on Consumer Reports who's rep fell considerably 20 years ago. I cancelled my subscription when I found too many of their ratings to be too far off from reality. Some of the most reliable vehicles I have ever owned got a bad rating for reliability from Consumer Reports.
Note that the data being used in this report is only current to 2014 so three years old already.
Each model you consider regardless of the maker has to be considered on its own merits. Yamaha may have come in #1 however consider that on some of the Star models you have to spend hundreds of dollars at each oil change to have the exhaust system removed and replaced in order to change the oil filter making a $25 oil change at the dealer potentially into a $500 one. Oddly they do not mention the starter ring gear issue on some of the V-Star Yamaha's either. Maybe they don't consider the starter not engaging correctly to the ring gear and chewing it to pieces until it fails a reliability issue. Buying a bike based solely on this excerpt from a 2015 Consumers Report may not get you a reliable bike with low cost of ownership.
The brands mentioned at the top do make some stellar bikes however so do some of the brands near to the bottom of their list. You gotta look before you leap.
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Post by spandi on Jun 26, 2017 6:52:00 GMT -5
In the internet age, I rely much more on the feedback and reviews from people who ALREADY OWN the product I'm interested in. Consumer reports simply cannot keep pace with today's fast charging markets.
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Post by Jarlaxle on Jun 26, 2017 8:48:25 GMT -5
Consumer Reports has had a large GIGO problem for a very long time.
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Post by w650 on Jun 27, 2017 11:59:07 GMT -5
IMHO this report is right on the money. European brands always suffer in this Country because of one simple factor. In Europe people are absolutely scrupulous about maintenance schedules. Stay on them and they never break down.
Welcome to America European guys. The Japanese wisely set up headquarters here early on to observe the habits of US riders. They learned that most riders here don't adhere to strict schedules. Not the Europeans. It explains the costly, numerous breakdowns on European scooters and bikes in the hands of "Joe Average Citizen". They will always live at the bottom of these ratings until they do.
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Post by ricardoguitars on Jun 27, 2017 14:07:31 GMT -5
Japanese manufacturers have a lot of experience on 3rd world countries, where maintenance is a big issue for most vehicles, in fact, there are lots of models sold in those countries that are not available on rich countries, like the Suzuki AX100, a 2 stroke 100cc work horse that doesn't require any maintenance aside from lubing the chain, it can be disassembled by Average Joe with just a screw driver and a couple of spanners.
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Post by w650 on Jun 27, 2017 17:03:55 GMT -5
Japanese manufacturers have a lot of experience on 3rd world countries, where maintenance is a big issue for most vehicles, in fact, there are lots of models sold in those countries that are not available on rich countries, like the Suzuki AX100, a 2 stroke 100cc work horse that doesn't require any maintenance aside from lubing the chain, it can be disassembled by Average Joe with just a screw driver and a couple of spanners. Try that with a Ducati. It takes a long time for a skilled mechanic to adjust the Desmo valves. The CG-250 clone in most Chinese 250 bikes was a Honda design made for the Third World. Pushrods and simple oil changes, if ever, were of primary importance besides intense durability. |
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