Support The ‘Right To Repair’ Bill
Thursday, December 28th, 2023
This is where your bike ends up if there’s no one to fix it and keep it running.
How’s this for a scenario: Your dealer where you bought your motorcycle 12 years ago just told you that it’s too old, they don’t want to work on it any more. You’ve just been fired as a customer. Fine, you’ll go find some independent shop where they work on old bikes.
But each shop you go to tells you they can’t work on your bike because it requires specialized equipment and knowledge that the manufacturer deems proprietary information. You now have a very heavy, very expensive paper weight.
Does that sound a bit extreme? Maybe it is but that part about proprietary information and equipment is very real, as is the whole business of being fired as a customer. What can be done about this?
Both the AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) and MRF (Motorcycle Riders Foundation) have sent me emails recently urging me to contact my Congressional representative to push them to support H.R. 906, the “Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair Act or the REPAIR Act.” I’m passing this on to you.
I thought for sure one of the emails had more specific information, something about it coming up for some vote or something, but for the life of me I cannot find any such email. Dang.
Well, nevertheless, here’s the scoop. Quoting the MRF:
The REPAIR Act ensures that vehicle owners or repair shops are not denied access to the information, software or tools needed to work on vehicles. The proposed law also establishes rules regarding vehicle data access. This commonsense law will help preserve consumer choice and a fair marketplace.
Then there is this from the AMA:
Do you believe in the Right to Repair your own motorcycle? Politicians in Washington want to limit your ability to repair, maintain, and modify your motorcycle.
The AMA is working closely with members of Congress to fight for your Right to Repair, the simple idea that when you purchase something — like your motorcycle — you should have the right to repair it or seek an independent repair shop to do the work, and manufacturers must make the parts and information needed for repairs available to the public for a fair and reasonable price.
In the House of Representatives, the AMA is advocating for passage of H.R. 906, the REPAIR Act (Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair). This legislation will ensure that motorcyclists and independent repair shops have access to the tools, parts and information needed to repair motorcycles.
Right now there are three Colorado representatives who have cosponsored this bill: Rep. Pettersen, Brittany [D-CO-7]; Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2]; and Rep. Caraveo, Yadira [D-CO-8]. If your rep is someone else maybe you could drop them a line and push them to add their name to the list. I need to do that with Diana Degette.
Go ahead and give your rep a nudge. They’re there to work for you. Make them earn their pay.
Biker Quote for Today
“Try to remember the reason you started riding a motorcycle in the first place. For me, it was a couple of things but mostly rebellion.” ? Sonny Barger
