South Carolina Motorcycle Rights Association

Right To Repair
Must Be Protected
Bob Kay - IMA Chairman

The Right to Repair affects all of us whether we work on our own bikes or have a shop work on them. The information and tools necessary to make repairs must be available to independent dealers and individuals. Not everyone who owns a newer motorcycle (under ten years old), wants to go to a franchise dealer (regardless of the brand), to get their bike serviced or repaired. We should not be penalized with the threat of losing our warranty for taking our bikes to our favorite independent dealer, whom we have trusted and supported for years. Furthermore, if your bike is over ten years old, most franchise dealers will not even work on that bike.

Most bikers I've met enjoy working on their bikes as much as riding them. It is part of our culture to hang out with our buddies and help each other. Most franchise dealers would prefer to eliminate independent dealers and then charge us outrageous prices for parts and labor. Franchise dealers and manufacturers work hard to restrict parts and updated information from the Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket. Even worse than the high prices is the ridiculous amount of time they want to tie your bike up for service in the middle of riding season. The existence of independent dealers is essential for the survival of our culture, riding lifestyle and the future of motorcycling.

Harley stopped the production of carbureted bikes in 2007 and will not work on your carbureted bike because it is over ten years old. Few have the technicians on staff with experience to work on older bikes. If you own a 2007 – 2013 Harley, where do you go for an electronic fuel injection tune? Harley no longer supplies programable ECUs for these bikes and the EPA has restricted the Aftermarket from selling the current generation of modules to street bike owners. There is even a campaign to penalize any dealer willing to tune your fuel-injected bike. All this is supposedly to help create a clean climate. However, the EPA will not even publish emission standards/limits that are acceptable for the Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket so that it can manufacture the components that will be environmentally compliant. It may seem like motorcycle manufacturers would like to sell you a new bike, service it twice a year and sell you another new bike in five years, but End-of-Life Directives for motorcycles are another issue for discussion at another time.

The MRF has been fighting for our Right to Repair and has pledged its full support to the Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket to continue this battle. We cannot do it alone. We need your support by joining the IMA today so that we may continue fighting this attack on our rights and lifestyle. I will address our Right to Modify and build custom bikes in your next issue of the American Biker Journal.

Bob Kay is the Chairman of the Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket Council (IMA). Formed by the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF), the IMA is a council to review the challenges that independent motorcycle dealers and custom bike builders face. Independent motorcycle dealers and custom bike builders wishing to join the Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket Network can click the links below and select the Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket membership type.