Do Your Own Motorcycle Repairs Without Voiding Your Warranty
The following is a guest post provided by ProTool Warehouse.
Man working on motorcycle. Image Source: http://images.wisegeek.com/man-working-on-motorcycle.jpg
Due to misleading claims made by motorcycle manufactures/distributors regarding warranty fulfillment requirements, you may be wondering if it is possible for you to do your own motorcycle repairs without voiding your warranty. Contrary to popular misconception, you are allowed to perform repairs using your own equipment and aftermarket parts, without having to worry about violating your manufacturer’s warranty.
The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975
Almost 4 decades ago, the U.S. Government enacted a warranty-governing statute, sponsored by Sen. Warren Magnuson and U.S. Representative John Moss, known as the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. The “Tie-In Sales†provision within this act actually declares it illegal for a dealership or manufacturer to imply that a warranty will be voided if repairs are performed independently or with the use of aftermarket parts. In other words, a manufacturer is not allowed to require a consumer to purchase a part/service from a specific company in order for their warranty to remain valid, as this would create a conflict of interest in which manufacturers could force artificial monopolization by coercing people to buy from them only.
Federal Trade Commission Legislation
Furthermore, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) reiterates the provisions of the Magnuson-Moss Act in an online report entitled “Auto Warranties, Routine Maintenance, and Repairs: Is Using the Dealer a Must?†which can be found on the FTC official website. In summary, the report states that you are not obligated to purchase your parts or repairs from the dealer whom you bought your motorcycle from, and that any dealer who tells you this is in direct violation of U.S. statutes.
Other Reasons to Repair Your Own Motorcycle
Now that you know your warranty won’t be voided if you decide to repair your motorcycle independently, consider the advantages of doing so:
Conducting your own motorcycle repairs will let you save money in two ways – you’ll be purchasing the necessary parts directly (instead of through a dealership/repair shop), and you won’t be paying for the labor involved. You’ll also gain knowledge about how your bike works, so if you ever need to perform emergency repairs in the future, you’ll be well prepared to do so. Also, once you’ve become knowledgeable about the mechanics of your motorcycle, the saying “if you want something done right, do it yourself†holds true, as you can be sure that repairs are performed to your specifications. If you’re going to be working on your bike independently, you may want to begin comparing specialty tool sets to ensure you’re equipped with the necessary hardware.
Tags: motorcycle repair
July 8th, 2013 at 6:11 pm
That is awesome! I live in Tacoma, and my bike has been out of commission for a few weeks, and I was worried about the warranty, but its nice to know I can do my own motorcycle repairs without worrying about it. Thanks for this post, its helped me quite a bit.
August 29th, 2022 at 11:28 pm
A lot of new motorcycle owners do DIY motorcycle repair only to find out their hard-earned money went into the damages it caused. DIY repair is okay as long as it is carried out right and with limitations. It is imperative that motorcycle owners know such risks.