Yamaha/Star Judged Most Reliable Brand

Japanese manufacturers build motorcycles that are “significantly more reliable” than those made by companies in the U.S. and Europe, according to a just-released “Consumer Reports” survey of subscribers. They provided their experiences on more than 12,300 bikes built between 2008 and 2014.

Yamaha/Star was judged to be the most reliable brand. It topped the list with a predicted failure rate of only 11 percent. Honda and Suzuki tied for second place with a 12 percent failure rate, followed by Kawasaki with 15 percent. All are made in Japan.

U.S.-based Victory captured the fifth spot with a 17 percent failure rate, bettering American rival Harley-Davidson which came next with a failure rate of 26 percent.

More troublesome were models from by Triumph (29 percent), Ducati (33 percent), BMW (40 percent) and Can-Am (42 percent).

In the area of owner satisfaction – i.e. happiness – it was Victory that claimed first place with 80 percent of Victory owners saying “they would definitely buy the same bike if they were to do it all over again.”

Harley-Davidson was second with 72 percent saying likewise, with Honda a close third with 70 percent.

“Consumer Reports” did not have data on growing U.S. brand Indian, presumably because the revived brand was too new to be included.

The magazine also reported that “only Victory earned our highest rating for comfort; it also beat out the other brands for overall satisfaction and got a top mark in almost every category. Ducati, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Triumph each garnered our lowest mark for comfort.”

“Consumer Reports” has more survey info posted here.

– Bud Wilkinson