Back

What to Do if Your Motorcycle Is a Lemon

Dec. 20 2021 Ownership Tips By Santa Maria Harley-Davidson

Share

The day you bought your used motorcycle may have been one of the most exciting days of your life. After a few weeks, though, maybe a few issues started to come up. If you have purchased a lemon, you do have options. At Santa Maria Harley-Davidson, our motorcycles are in excellent condition. If you are in the Ventura and Bakersfield areas, come see us in Santa Maria, California.

California's Lemon Law

Motorcycles are covered under California's Lemon Law. However, the application of the law in regards to motorcycles, boats, and trailers is different from the one that covers automobiles.

In the Civil Code, motorcycles are covered under consumer goods. If a consumer good is sold with a written warranty and bought with the purpose of family, household, or personal use, it is covered under the Civil Code. 

What Makes a Motorcycle a Lemon?

A vehicle is considered a lemon if it continuously breaks down shortly after purchasing it, regardless of any repair attempts. When it comes to the law, your motorcycle has to meet four criteria in order for you to take legal action.

  • For most states, you need to have visited the mechanic at least three times before lemon law can be examined as a possible scenario. 
  • In California, your motorcycle has to spend at least 30 days at the mechanic before it is considered a lemon.
  • You also have to discover the defects early because lemons can only be reported within a certain number of months or miles.
  • The need for repairs should be the fault of the dealer or manufacturer of the motorcycle.

Steps to Take if You Think You Bought a Lemon

Keep a detailed record of repairs. Your mechanic may be not filling out your paperwork properly while doing repairs on your motorcycle. Therefore, you want to keep all repair details and documentation of conversations with your mechanic and manufacturer in a folder. Your case is strengthened by the amount of evidence you have. 

It is important that you stay safe. A small issue with your motorcycle can be very dangerous. Regardless of whether or not you just got the bike back from the repair shop, don't take a chance. If you notice that there is a serious issue with your bike, don't drive it. 

If there is an opportunity for you to get compensated, your best bet is to get help from an attorney. A lawyer can help you with your case as they have experience dealing with these situations. So, they can help you understand your best legal options.

When it comes to determining if your motorcycle is a lemon, you need to understand California's Lemon Law. Legal representation can help you with that. At Santa Maria Harley-Davidson, we make sure you aren't getting a lemon. Our motorcycles are inspected to guarantee you are happy with your purchase. Come see our motorcycles in Santa Maria, California, also serving customers from Ventura and Bakersfield.