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California Lemon Law for Motorcycles

California's lemon law applies to motorcycles just as it does to cars and trucks. If your new motorcycle has a defect that the dealer can't fix, you have the same rights to a buyback, replacement, or cash settlement.

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Key Takeaways

Motorcycles and the California Lemon Law at a Glance

California's lemon law covers motorcycles the same way it covers cars and trucks. If your bike still has a manufacturer's warranty and a serious defect the dealer cannot fix after a fair number of tries, you can demand a buyback, a replacement, or a cash settlement.

Who Qualifies

owners and lessees of a motorcycle bought in California that is still under a manufacturer's written warranty.

Repair Thresholds

four attempts on the same substantial defect, two attempts for a defect that risks death or serious injury, or 30 cumulative days out of service.

What You Can Recover

a buyback of your payments minus a small mileage offset, a comparable replacement bike, or a cash settlement, plus incidental costs like towing.

Cost to You

nothing up front. Under the Song-Beverly Act the manufacturer pays your attorney fees when you win.

Good to Know

For used bikes, the 2024 Rodriguez v. FCA decision narrowed protections: a used bike sold with the balance of a factory warranty usually no longer qualifies for a buyback or replacement, but a certified pre-owned bike with its own new warranty may still qualify and damages plus attorney fees can remain on the table.

What Qualifies?

  • New motorcycles purchased or leased in California
  • All makes, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, BMW, Ducati, etc.
  • Sport bikes, cruisers, touring bikes, and adventure bikes
  • Electric motorcycles

Common Defects

Engine problems (overheating loss of power, stalling)

Transmission and clutch issues

Electrical system failures

Fuel system problems

Frame and structural defects

Brake system malfunctions

ABS system failures

Oil leaks

Motorcycles covered by California lemon law

California lemon law protection for owners of defective motorcycles.

Qualifying

Is Your Motorcycle a Lemon?

To prove your motorcycle is a lemon, you must be the owner or lessee of a motorcycle covered by a manufacturer's warranty, and establish that one of the following applies:

The defect must occur within 18 months of delivery or 18,000 miles, whichever comes first. You also have a legal obligation to notify the manufacturer, so consult a lemon lawyer as soon as you suspect your motorcycle is a lemon.

Your Options

Your Rights Under California Lemon Law

Once you've proven your motorcycle is a lemon, you may choose one of the following remedies.

Repair

Allow the manufacturer to properly repair the defect once and for all.

Replace

Require the manufacturer to replace it with a motorcycle as good as or better than the original.

Refund

Return the motorcycle for a full refund of your down payment and monthly payments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Motorcycle Lemon Law Questions

Answers specific to motorcycle owners weighing a California lemon law claim. For a free review of your bike, contact our team or estimate your award with the buyback calculator.

Yes. A motorcycle bought or leased in California with a manufacturer's warranty is a consumer good under the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, the same statute that protects car and truck buyers. The law does not single out motorcycles, but it does require that warranty to be in place. If your bike came with a written warranty from Harley-Davidson, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, BMW, Ducati, or any other maker, and a covered defect cannot be fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts, you have a claim worth looking into.
The problem has to be substantial, meaning it affects how the bike runs, its value, or your safety. On motorcycles we see recurring engine trouble such as stalling, overheating, or sudden loss of power, plus transmission and clutch failures, fuel delivery faults, electrical and wiring gremlins, brake or ABS malfunctions, and frame or structural defects. Cosmetic blemishes and normal wear items like tires or brake pads usually will not qualify on their own. What matters is whether the dealer has had a fair chance to repair the same covered defect and it keeps coming back.
There is no single magic number, but the statute gives guideposts. For a defect that could cause death or serious injury, such as a brake or throttle failure, two repair attempts can be enough. For other substantial defects, courts generally look for four or more attempts on the same issue. A bike that has been in the shop for 30 or more cumulative days for warranty repairs can also qualify, even if no single repair hit the attempt count. Keep every repair order, because those dates and notes are what prove the case.
Electric motorcycles follow the same Song-Beverly rules, but the defects look different. Instead of engine and transmission complaints, riders report battery degradation, charging faults, range that falls short of what the powertrain warranty promises, motor controller failures, and software or display bugs that disable the bike. Many electric models carry a separate, longer warranty on the battery and drivetrain than on the rest of the motorcycle. Check which warranty covers the part that is failing, since that determines whether the defect is within the protected period.
Keep riding records and paperwork. Save every repair order, invoice, and piece of correspondence with the dealer or manufacturer, and write down the dates the bike was out of service. California law requires you to give the manufacturer notice and a chance to repair, so report each problem through an authorized dealer rather than a third-party shop. Then talk to a lemon law attorney before your warranty window closes. The defect generally needs to surface within the first 18 months or 18,000 miles for the strongest presumption to apply.
You can choose a buyback or a replacement. A buyback refunds your down payment, monthly payments, and related costs, minus a small offset for the miles you rode before the first repair attempt. A replacement gives you a comparable new motorcycle. Either way you may also recover incidental costs such as towing and registration. Under the Song-Beverly Act the manufacturer pays your attorney fees and costs when you win, so representation costs you nothing out of pocket. For used bikes the rules tightened after the 2024 Rodriguez v. FCA decision: a used motorcycle sold with the remaining balance of a factory warranty generally no longer qualifies for a buyback or replacement, though a certified pre-owned bike sold with its own new warranty may still qualify, and used-bike owners can often still recover damages and attorney fees. We review used-bike claims to see which remedies apply.

Buying secondhand? See how protection works for a used vehicle, or read about an extended warranty dispute.

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Cost You Another Day.

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