Motorcycles Under Michigan Lemon Law

Motorcycles are excluded from coverage under Michigan’s Lemon Law. The MCL § 257.1401 definition of “motor vehicle” excludes vehicles designed to travel on fewer than 4 wheels, which removes motorcycles from coverage.

For Michigan motorcycle buyers, remedies primarily come from:

• Magnuson-Moss — federal warranty law with mandatory § 2310(d)(2) attorney fees. The strongest option in Michigan motorcycle cases.
• MCPA — limited reach post-Smith v. Globe Life but may apply for fraud/misrepresentation.
• Common-law warranty breach under Michigan UCC.

Common motorcycle defect categories

• Electronic engine management issues.
• Transmission and clutch issues.
• Brake system failures.
• Suspension defects.
• Charging-system failures (electric motorcycles).
• Frame and structural defects.

Manufacturer-specific patterns

• Harley-Davidson — engine oil leaks, clutch/transmission, EFI, brakes. (Note: Harley HQ in Milwaukee, WI.)
• BMW Motorrad — electronic suspension, ABS, transmission.
• Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki — model-specific.
• Indian / Polaris.
• Electric brands — Zero Motorcycles, LiveWire.

What Magnuson-Moss provides for motorcycle cases

Magnuson-Moss provides:

• Actual damages.
• Mandatory § 2310(d)(2) attorney fees on prevailing.
• Federal-court access (E.D. or W.D. Mich.) for amounts over $50K.
• 4-year limitations under Mich. UCC § 440.2725.

This makes Magnuson-Moss the practical fee-recovery hook for Michigan motorcycle cases.

What you should do

1. Pull every repair order.
2. Document any modifications.
3. Track days out of service.
4. File Magnuson-Moss federal action in E.D. or W.D. Mich.
5. Get a free case review.

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