Harley-Davidson is facing federal antitrust litigation in Milwaukee over warranty terms that allegedly forced bikers to buy its branded replacement parts, reported Bloomberg.
The lawsuit accuses the company of cornering the aftermarket through restrictive terms that remove warranty protections from bikes if they undergo independent repair work. The market is allegedly “vast” thanks to the intense loyalty of riders who keep their Harleys on the road for many years.
The complaint against Harley-Davidson alleges that its warranty included a number of provisions that restricted consumers’ right to repair and violated other Warranty Act protections. For example, the company’s 2021 warranty states that “the use of parts and service procedures other than Harley-Davidson approved parts and service procedures may void the limited warranty” and that the “use of aftermarket performance parts may void all or parts of your limited warranty. See an authorized Harley-Davidson dealer for details.”
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