Motorcycles Under Massachusetts Lemon Law

Massachusetts’s Lemon Law explicitly covers motorcycles under § 7N½ — with no minimum displacement floor.

Motorcycle coverage

• 1-year / 15,000-mile Rights Period applies.
• 3 same-defect attempts or 15 business days cumulative OOS thresholds apply.
• Same § 7N½(2) written notice requirement.

Common motorcycle defects

• Engine / electrical defects — fuel injection, ignition, charging system.
• Transmission defects — hard shifting, jumping out of gear.
• Brake-system failures — safety issue.
• Suspension failures — fork seals, shock leaks.
• Frame defects — recall-tied.
• Cooling system failures.
• Battery / charging system failures.

Manufacturer patterns

• Harley-Davidson — twin-cooled engine recalls, electrical issues.
• Honda Gold Wing — DCT issues, fuel pump failures.
• BMW R-series — fuel-strip recall pattern, final-drive failures.
• Ducati Multistrada — DVT engine issues, electrical glitches.
• Triumph Tiger — electrical, ECU issues.
• Indian — wiring harness recalls.

Safety classification

Motorcycle defects more often qualify as substantial safety impairment because motorcycle accidents are categorically more dangerous:

• Brake failures.
• Steering / handling defects.
• Sudden power loss at speed.
• Throttle hang.
• Fuel-system leaks.

Massachusetts doesn’t have a separate safety-defect threshold (same 3-attempt / 15-business-day rules apply), but safety facts strongly support c. 93A willfulness pleading.

Chapter 93A and Magnuson-Moss apply

Chapter 93A § 9 (mandatory double/treble + § 9(4) fees) and Magnuson-Moss (federal-court access D. Mass.) apply on the same basis as automobile cases.

New England motorcycle factors

• Short riding season — most cases involve short-duration heavy use.
• Wet-road handling defects are particularly safety-critical given New England rainfall.
• Cold-start performance issues in spring / fall shoulder seasons.
• Salt corrosion affecting electrical and brake components on early-spring rides.

Bottom line

Motorcycles get full Massachusetts Lemon Law protection with no displacement floor. Brake and handling defects almost always qualify as substantial safety issues. Document each visit and pursue OCABR arbitration or court action.

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