Tag Archives: Warranty

Suzuki offers three-year warranty

Car companies are now offering Aussie customers up to 10-year warranties on some of their vehicles, yet most motorcycle companies only offer two-year warranties.

The longest motorcycle warranties we have seen have been five years for Yamaha’s Star cruisers and the now defunct Victory Motorcycles.

Now Suzuki Australia has launched a three-year warranty on its range of Boulevard, GSX-R, GSX-S, Hayabusa, SV and V-STROM models 250cc and above.

The program started on 1 October 2021, but eligibility has been backdated to 1 July 2021.

The extended warranty is on the condition the bike is serviced by an authorised Suzuki Motorcycle dealer or appointed Suzuki Service agent using only genuine Suzuki parts and ECSTAR oil.

CFMOTO Australia also includes an extra third year warranty if servicing is done by an authorised dealer.

Warranties can also vary according to the type of bike. Dirt bikes, for example, cop a harder time from owners, so some offer just a three-month, parts-only warranty.

While it would be good to get a longer warranty on a motorcycle, the customer should be careful to read the manufacturer’s warranty in full because not all are the same.

It will usually not cover service items that need replacing due to general wear and tear such as brake pads, chains and sprockets.

Customers should also be aware that their warranty may be voided if they modify their bike from the manufacturer’s original specification or use it for training, hire, competition or racing.

There is also an onus on the customer to have the bike serviced at correct intervals and to alert the dealer as soon as a problem arises, rather than waiting until a little noise becomes a major problem.

You can have your bike serviced by a qualified mechanic who is not part of the manufacturer’s franchise network, but warranties may be voided if they use non-factory parts or parts that are not equal to manufacturer specification.

The purpose of a warranty is to protect consumers against loss due to components that fail within an unreasonable period of time, or defects in vehicle assembly.

It has nothing to do with normal wear and tear, unless there is a fault with a component within a reasonable lifespan.

Manufacturers usually agree to replace or repair faulty parts at no cost to the owner. However, some don’t cover labour costs.

Warranty periods may also vary for the engine, and various parts such as tyres, battery, light bulbs, etc.

A side view of the new Suzuki GSX-R 1000R Phantom

You can buy extended warranties from some manufacturers or insurance organisations.

However, you should think first about how long you want to keep the bike.

Also, check whether the warranty can be passed on to the next owner. If it can, that’s a good selling point.

Manufacturer roadside assistance programs are becoming popular, but check whether you are paying for something that is already offered by your automobile association membership (RACV, NRMA, RACQ, etc).

If not, it may be cheaper to add that to your club membership rather than buying a separate assistance program from the manufacturer.

Some roadside assistance packages offer a host of benefits that may not be related to the bike such as travel and insurance assistance and even medical advice.

Ensure you read the contract carefully and don’t pay for anything you think you may never need.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Insurers should offer pandemic discount

Insurers should be offering a discount or extension on premiums because people are not able to use their motorcycles and cars as much.

We already suggested registration, warranty, roadside assistance and servicing offers should be extended and that met with approval among many readers.

So far, the only Australian motorcycle company coming to the party is Ural Australia who have extended warranties by three months.

Now QBE insurers have made a token gesture with a $50 gift card for private car owners and only $25 for motorcycle owners. They will contact customers soon with details of how to access the benefit.

They tell us gift cards will be able to be used for a “wide variety of goods and services including supermarket shopping, petrol, and at a host of other retail outlets”.

QBE Australia Pacific CEO Vivek Bhatia says the gift card represents about 25% of the average private-use motor insurance policy from April to June.

However, motorcycle insurance is often more expensive, so it may be a smaller percentage.

Still, it’s better than nothing.

We have heard that some other insurers are offering discounts for private cars, but we have not yet been able to confirm any discounts for riders.

Some people can still ride to work, to get grocers, visit the doctor or for a few other valid reasons.

For all other riders, their bike is just up on the stand in the garage on the trickle charger, burning registration money, wasting insurance premium and running down the warranty period.

Dynamoto motorcycle standCheck out the amazing Aussie-made Dynamoto stands

Insurance should surely be extended or discounted because there is little risk of a crash while it is in the garage up on its stand.

The only risks are that it could be stolen or destroyed in a house fire.

Extended warranty

We notice that in India, KTM, Royal Enfield and Benelli are extending warranties and free service offers for all models, while Benelli is also extending its roadside assistance program.

Royal Enfield is matching the offer in the UK so we asked Royal Enfield Australia if they would offer it here, but they have not replied.

Ural Australia has extended warranties by three months for all new motorcycles sold up to 30 June 2020 on top of the standard two-year manufacturer warranty.

2017 Ural Australia

What a great move to ensure the loyalty of customers.

Be aware that just because your bike may be idle and not racking up the kilometres to the next scheduled service, it may still need a service. Check your bike’s manual for the maximum time interval between services.

If you don’t rack up the distance, it probably still advises an annual service.

Click here for more details on how to hibernate your motorcycle.

Extend regoBenzina number anti-theft plate holder plate scam cloning

As for registration, it is made up of an insurance component and a payment to help maintain our roads.

If you are not riding, you are not an insurance risk and you are not doing any damage to the roads (not that motorcycles do much road damage anyway!).

So state governments should offer an extension of registration periods for these mandatory lay-offs they have enforced.

In New Zealand, they are extending vehicle registrations and warrants of fitness (annual roadworthy certificate) for six months.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Extend rego, warranty during lockdown

If riders are not allowed from take their motorcycle out for a ride during the current pandemic lockdown, then governments and manufacturers should extend registration, warranties and servicing periods.

Authorities won’t call it a lockdown, but effectively is!

Some people can still ride to work, to get grocers, visit the doctor or for a few other valid reasons.

For all other riders, their bike is just up on the stand in the garage on the trickle charger, burning registration money and running down the warranty period.

Click here to complete our three-minute survey on attitudes to the pandemic!

Extended warranty

Dynamoto motorcycle standCheck out the amazing Aussie-made Dynamoto stands

We notice that in India, KTM is extending warranties and free service offers for all its models until the end of June.

What a great move to ensure the loyalty of customer.

Be aware that just because your bike may be idle and not racking up the kilometres to the next scheduled service, it may still need a service. Check your bike’s manual for the maximum time interval between services.

If you don’t rack up the distance, it probably still advises an annual service.

Click here for more details on how to hibernate your motorcycle.

Extend regoBenzina number anti-theft plate holder plate scam cloning

As for registration, it is made up of an insurance component and a payment to help maintain our roads.

If you are not riding, you are not an insurance risk and you are not doing any damage to the roads (not that motorcycles do much road damage anyway!).

So state governments should offer an extension of registration periods for these mandatory lay-offs they have enforced.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Ducati offers four-year Multistrada warranty

As Ducati offers a four-year warranty on 2020 Multistrada models in Europe only, most motorcycles in Australia come with just two-year warranties.

Meanwhile, the car industry is offering up to seven-year warranties.

Isn’t it about time motorcyclists were offered the same sort of cover as car drivers?

You may say that riders are tougher on their bikes than most car drivers, but it can be done.

Yamaha has offered a five-year warranty on its Star cruisers for some time and the axed Victory brand offered a five-year warranty for a limited period to move floor stock.

Last year, BMW Motorrad Australia increased its warranty to three years on all new bikes and offered discount package service deals on new and used bikes.

BMW service package Deal servicing maintenance brakes brake dsc
BMW three-year warranty

Varied warranties

Warranties can vary according to the type of bike. Dirt bikes, for example, cop a harder time from owners, so some offer warranties based on hours of operation or just a few months.

While it would be good to get a longer warranty on a motorcycle, the customer should be careful to read the manufacturer’s warranty in full because not all are the same.

The Ducati Europe-only warranty campaign is called 4Ever Multistrada and offers unlimited mileage for all models in their 2020 Multistrada range such as the new Multistrada Grand Tour.

2020 Ducati Multistrada Grand Tour warranty
2020 Ducati Multistrada Grand Tour has four-year warranty in Europe only

Fine print

Their fine print says is also offers free roadside assist, covers manufacturing defects (excluding wear parts, aesthetic defects, battery and accessories) and only if scheduled services are done.

Most warranties do not cover service items that need replacing due to general wear and tear such as brake pads, chains and sprockets.

Customers should also be aware that their warranty may be voided if they modify their bike from the manufacturer’s original specification or use it for training, hire, competition or racing.

There is also an onus on the customer to have the bike serviced at correct intervals and to alert the dealer as soon as a problem arises, rather than waiting until a little noise becomes a major problem.

You can have your bike serviced by a qualified mechanic who is not part of the manufacturer’s franchise network, but warranties may be voided if they use non-factory parts or parts that are not equal to manufacturer specification.

Motorcycle Checklist
Make sure you mechanic uses the right parts

Warranty purpose

The purpose of a warranty is to protect consumers against loss due to components that fail within an unreasonable period of time, or defects in vehicle assembly.

It has nothing to do with normal wear and tear, unless there is a fault with a component within a reasonable lifespan.

Manufacturers usually agree to replace or repair faulty parts at no cost to the owner. However, some don’t cover labour costs.

Warranty periods may also vary for the engine, and various parts such as tyres, battery, light bulbs, etc.

You can buy extended warranties from some manufacturers or insurance organisations.

However, you should think first about how long you want to keep the bike.

Also, check whether the warranty can be passed on to the next owner. If it can, that’s a good selling point.

Roadside assist

Manufacturer roadside assistance programs are becoming popular.

However, check whether you are paying for something that is already offered by your automobile association membership (RACV, NRMA, RACQ, etc).

Readers offered 15% roadside assist discount
Check the MBW discount deal on roadside assist

If not, it may be cheaper to add that to your club membership rather than buying a separate assistance program from the manufacturer.

Some roadside assistance packages offer a host of benefits that may not be related to the bike such as travel and insurance assistance and even medical advice.

Ensure you read the contract carefully and don’t pay for anything you think you may never need.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Riders may get insurance refund

Any rider who was sold “worthless add-on insurance”, such as an extended warranty, when they bought their bike through a dealer may be eligible for a refund.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission says the worthless additions were sold to more than half a million car and motorcycle customers.

The corporate watchdog has announced another $1.7m in refunds of between $143,700 and $7.2 million to more than 30,000 customers. That brings the total to $130m over this issue.

Companies involved include Allianz, QBE, Swann Insurance and Suncorp.

Refund programs

The add-ons include protection insurance, consumer credit insurance, and mechanical breakdown insurance, which is also known as extended warranty.

ASIC found that some customers were sold sold mechanical breakdown insurance when cover would start after the manufacturer’s warranty expired, or where cover would expire shortly after the policy was written.

Riders who believe they have been sold these add-ons have been advised to contact their insurers to ask for their refund.

Last year’s royal commission heard evidence of questionable behaviour by several insurance companies.

ASIC Commissioner Sean Hughes says the failures highlighted by these insurers demonstrate why new design and distribution obligations – passed by the Parliament in March 2019 – are so important.

“ASIC will continue to monitor this sector to make sure the unfair practices of the past do not return; however, the industry has a key role to play in this too.”

The corporate watchdog is working to improve the design and sale of add-on insurance products to help prevent unfair sales.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

What to Know About Warranty and Insurance for Your Motorcycle 

Contributed post for our North American readers

Buying a motorcycle and hitting the open road is exciting. Filtering through different types of insurance and warranties? Not so much. 

Insurance costs money and doesn’t seem necessary – until you actually need it. The same can be said for additional levels of warranty to protect the bike. Once something goes wrong, you’ll be grateful for the extensive coverage that has you covered. 

If you are new to motorcycle insurance and warranties, you’ll need to learn a few things before settling on coverage. 

Yes, You Need It 

If you are debating whether insurance is worth the monthly payment, the answer is yes. 

Anyone who has been in some sort of accident will tell you just how useful the coverage is as soon as you need it. It is better to have insurance and not need it than to not have it and definitely need it. 

There are also legal requirements. Most states will mandate minimum levels of liability coverage before registering. Legally, you can face some heavy fines if you are discovered riding without insurance. 

So, bottom line, yes you need it. More importantly, you need good coverage. 

You May Already Have It 

For warranty, you may already have some coverage. New motorcycles will typically have basic warranty – some level of top to bottom coverage for a certain amount of time or mileage. This can cover some issues – but not all. 

Consider looking into extended warranty to cover more serious concerns for a longer period of time – like the reputable extended car warranty companies at Car Warranty Guru. Extended warranty is aftermarket warranty that extends beyond the manufacturer warranty. 

Go Above and Beyond 

For insurance, you can stop at minimum liability insurance, which meets state requirements and covers the other party when you are at fault. Most states have minimum coverage levels around $US25,000 of bodily injury coverage, about a total of $US50,000 per accident, and certain levels of property damage. 

Depending on where you live, those levels might not cover much. If you want to play on the safe side, opt for higher levels of coverage. 

If you are in a serious accident, you could find yourself filing bankruptcy after maxing out on the insurance coverage levels. Don’t be stuck paying someone else’s medical bills and keep yourself covered. 

Consider More 

So far, we’ve dived into just liability coverage. Comprehensive and collision coverage are other types of coverage that are equally important. 

Collision coverage kicks in when you damage another vehicle or cause damage to your bike. It can also help pay off any remaining loan balance. Comprehensive coverage is important when your bike is destroyed, disappears, or is damaged by something other than another vehicle. This can include theft, fire, and more. These two cover a lot more than liability, especially when you are fault in the accident. 

To be transparent, the cost of insurance for motorcycles, especially for younger people, can get quite high. If you are willing to make the commitment to being a motorcycle owner, expect to take the insurance hike that comes with it. 

Don’t Forget About Yourself 

In all of this worry about what happens to the other people in the accident, don’t forget about yourself. It is important to have insurance that will cover bodily damage to you as well. 

Medical payment coverage can help with broken arms and broken legs, as well as time away from work. Health insurance can only go so far, and sometimes it is not enough. 

Know What You Already Have 

When you buy a motorbike, it comes with lots of paperwork and confusing language, especially for someone new to all of it. As mentioned, you will have some level of warranty, sometimes from the dealership itself. Take the time to understand the language and know what is there to keep both you and the bike covered in times of need. 

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com