Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Gummiente wrote:

jstark47 wrote:So was their evaluation of the bikes knowledgeable and realistic? I've noticed Consumer Reports tends to look at cars from a different point of view than me - things that are important to them aren't so much to me, and vice versa. I'm wondering if the same would hold true for motorcycles?

Ah, yes... the infamous Consumer Reports Umbrella of Logic. These were the people that soundly trounced the Dodge Omni (a front wheel drive subcompact introduced wayyy back in the early 80's) because it failed one of their emergency manouevers test. This "realistic" test consisted of a chain being wrapped around the steering wheel and bolted to the floor so as to allow only 1/4 rotation in either direction. The "realistic" test was to accelerate to a steady 80kmh (50mph), quickly twist the steering wheel 1/4 turn and then let go of the wheel. The Omni, predictably, went into a hissy fit and was given a fail grade.

I haven't read an issue of that rag since.

They most certainly do goof. But they do admit to it - at least some of the time - which is better than other companies.

I don't remember that particular test - but I do remember the Dodge Omni and its twin the Plymouth Horizon. My Father-in-law and one of my sister-in-laws had them for years.

I thought they were hideous vehicles, but they did last a long time.

RhadamYgg

MrShake wrote:I put zero confidence in consumer reports.

IMHO when they weight the value of a produce, they put to much weight on cost, and not enough on fit and Finnish or quality.
They also have the unfortunate following of zealots who will shop with their rag in hand making foolish decisions.

I have confidence that they test items, that they try to be objective and they try to be as safety oriented as possible.

That being said - I agree with you. They do focus on things (at least with vehicles) that you have to work with in order to know what it is you really want.

At least I don't think I drool when I read their magazine...

RhadamYgg

jstark47 wrote:

RhadamYgg wrote:What I'd value about Consumer Reports would be... Their objective nature in looking at bikes. So many motorcycle magazines.... And it seems like so much of the same content... And raving about each and every bike, even things that turn out to be dogs.

Check out Motorcycle Consumer News. They take no advertising from the motorcycle manufacturers, and they are pretty objective. I've been getting it for a year, and it's the only motorcycle mag I subscribe to now.

Hmm, I've heard of them before. I think David Hough worked with them as well, but online when I run in to them - it looks like they are England based?

RhadamYgg

RhadamYgg wrote:

jstark47 wrote:

RhadamYgg wrote:What I'd value about Consumer Reports would be... Their objective nature in looking at bikes. So many motorcycle magazines.... And it seems like so much of the same content... And raving about each and every bike, even things that turn out to be dogs.

Check out Motorcycle Consumer News. They take no advertising from the motorcycle manufacturers, and they are pretty objective. I've been getting it for a year, and it's the only motorcycle mag I subscribe to now.

Hmm, I've heard of them before. I think David Hough worked with them as well, but online when I run in to them - it looks like they are England based?

RhadamYgg

There's an English publication by that name:

http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/

But jstark is refering to this US publication:

http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/

Gummiente wrote:

jstark47 wrote:So was their evaluation of the bikes knowledgeable and realistic? I've noticed Consumer Reports tends to look at cars from a different point of view than me - things that are important to them aren't so much to me, and vice versa. I'm wondering if the same would hold true for motorcycles?

Ah, yes... the infamous Consumer Reports Umbrella of Logic. These were the people that soundly trounced the Dodge Omni (a front wheel drive subcompact introduced wayyy back in the early 80's) because it failed one of their emergency manouevers test. This "realistic" test consisted of a chain being wrapped around the steering wheel and bolted to the floor so as to allow only 1/4 rotation in either direction. The "realistic" test was to accelerate to a steady 80kmh (50mph), quickly twist the steering wheel 1/4 turn and then let go of the wheel. The Omni, predictably, went into a hissy fit and was given a fail grade.

I haven't read an issue of that rag since.

MrShake wrote:I put zero confidence in consumer reports.

Amen brothers!

Consumer Reports is full of dodo. They will manipulate, distort, fabricate, and outright lie to "orchestrate" a result that they want and to sell magazines. They have been caught so many times and have been sued so many times, it is utterly amazing that people even read this magazine.

One famous example was when they hired professional stunt drivers to get the Isuzu Trooper to ride on 2 wheels so they can have that as their cover shot. The stunt driver had to repeatedly attempt this to get it just right for the cover shot. Isuzu was the Lee Harvey Oswald of the SUV world so Consumer Reports could sell mags.

Another comical and useless thing they do is the Used Car Reliability. In previous years, they have based their results on a survey of as little as 100 owners! Insufficient Data anyone? I think my Statistics professor in College would have had a heart attack with that one.

Many specialty magazines have just blasted Consumer Reports on their fraudulent and useless testing methods. For example, a famous Audio magazine heavily criticized Consumer Reports' "testing" of speakers which consisted of their staff sitting in an acoustically neutral room and picking which speaker sounded the best to their ears!

I once read a test report by them of a high performance sports car and they complained that the suspension was too harsh and that the intake roar at full throttle was too loud.