You gotta fight for your right to repair - SUPPORT H.R. 906!

[98valk]

IMO automobile companies and their unions aka democrat party support/votes are pushing against this.   cause u know only union workers and shops approved by auto companies should be working on your vehicle.

https://igniteadvocacy.com/go/you-gotta-fight-for-your-right-to-repair---support-h-r-906-/589

""Do you enjoy working on your motorcycle? Do you want to guarantee access to the parts, tools and service information needed to modify, service and maintain your bike? If you answered yes to these questions, it’s time to contact your member of the House of Representatives and ask them to cosponsor H.R. 906, the “Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair Act” or the “REPAIR Act”.

The REPAIR Act ensures that vehicle owners or repair shops are not denied access to the information, software or tools needed to work on vehicles. The proposed law also establishes rules regarding vehicle data access. This commonsense law will help preserve consumer choice and a fair marketplace.

As of August 20th, 56 members of the House of Representatives have signed on in support. Yet this bill remains with the House Committee on Energy and Commerce after many months. This committee has 52 Representatives on it, representing nearly all US States, so we must remind them that we have not forgotten this legislation! Tell them you support H.R. 906. ""

[psckam]

This belongs in the GENERAL forum NOT in the tech forum

[-mike-]

^this

[John Schmidt]

Personally, I don't see a huge issue with the post location but if deemed necessary I'm quite certain our moderator will relocate it as he has done with numerous other postings.

[Chrisj CMA]

This post has to do with the continued ability to do our own maintenance. Why not on the tech board? Way more non tech posts go uncontested every week.

[mello dude]

Just a question....we don't have the right now?

[Chrisj CMA]

Just a question....we don't have the right now?

We do but much of our ability rests on being able to buy parts. What I understood is that may change. No parts no right to repair.

[psckam]

The main reason this posting belongs in the general forum is because it is a strictly political posting. If you don't think so I suggest you read it again. I don't know about anyone else I for one have become a little tired of people using any chance to soapbox their political leanings. That is what the general forums are for.  Our 21 to 27 years old bikes would not be affected by this, any company that wants to make parts for our bike can and does. You can pretty much find any information about our bikes that you need, especially on this site among others. This is not a 'what about' forum. Keep the politics in the general forums and give the rest of us some peace.

[98valk]

today everything in our lives is political and has been for many decades.
not being passed would trickle down to all older vehicles.  There was a bill in the late '90s called the clunker bill. if it had passed any vehicle older than five yrs old would not be allowed to be driven/riden on the road. reason being used of course was vehicle pollution. politicians with auto workers unions and the auto companies saw huge job increases and major sales increase potential.   one can check Japan actually has a 5 yr vehicle on the road program in place for over 20 yrs now.
So this bill prevents a back door way to get older vehicles off the road and people have to buy new all of the time.
even now manufacturers are allowed to stop providing OEM parts after 10 yrs including our Beloved Valkyries.

https://www.mema.org/R2R

What's the issue?

As vehicles modernize, common repairs and routine maintenance increasingly require access to vehicle data, tools, and software that are currently controlled by vehicle manufacturers. These anticompetitive practices leave independent repairers unable to service certain vehicles and prevent aftermarket suppliers from managing demand and offering quality, safe, and affordable replacement parts to consumers.

If left unchecked, vehicle manufacturers’ repair restrictions stand to dramatically reduce available service options for American consumers, who overwhelmingly (70%) choose independent repair shops for post-warranty repairs.

Vehicle owners should have the right to choose who repairs their vehicle and with what parts – whether through independent aftermarket or vehicle manufacturer channels.

[carolinarider09]

I know this is not strictly related to the subject but.... in a way it is.

I have done work my motorcycles and vehicles for some years, slowing down as I get older and the cars get newer. 

Someone above mentioned "software" updates and replacing things that might affect how your car operates. 

Just two examples on my new 2024 Subaru Outback. 

Auto engine shutdown.  When you are stopped at a stop light for instance, the vehicle's engine will shutdown.  You have to manually stop this process each time you re-start the car.  It's a real pain. But you can, for $100, buy an electric device makes the "off" state for this activity the norm. 

The other thing is all of the sensors that are integrated into your car's electronics. In the Subaru, if you have the cruise control active set for say 55 mph, as you approach a slower car in your lane, the car will automatically slow dow and follow the car.

If you are on a four lane and doing the same thing and are now behind the car doing 45 mph, if you turn your left turn signal on, your car will begin to accelerate expecting you to pass the car in front. 

Same thing if you have the cruise control on and you are in the right hand lane and a car seemingly encroaches on that part of the roadway.  The car will automatically brake.

Point is, in cars at least today, there are many many little "devices (software/hardware) that control what the car does and that might make it harder to do what might have been considered in the past "routine repairs".

[Challenger]

Here is just one scenario that I have personally dealt with as a J.D. tech.
Tractor way out of warranty and blows an engine. New engine is $38,000. Used engine $5,000. Problem is the ECU is "Vin" specific and locked. Dealer has to be involved  along with Deere to download serial # and payload to get engine to work. Same way with any of the controllers on any machine. Can't even replace the speedometer on a Gator without the payload.

[Savago]

I just checked the list of sponsors for the bill, it seems pretty evenly signed by both R and D representatives.

Link:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/906/cosponsors?pageSort=alphaByParty

Right to repair should be a bipartisan issue as it impacts the lives of all Americans.

I quick reminder that the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is lead by Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA). I wonder *who* would be in charge of submitting the bill to the congress for voting?
;-)

It is possible to see here who are her main campaign contributors: https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/summary?cid=N00026314

The list has: AT&T, Comcast, Oil & Gas, Pharmaceuticals.

I don't think unions are the ones blocking this bill to go ahead.

[98valk]

look who is opposing it, National Automobile Dealers Association.  I wonder why??

https://www.nada.org/legislative/oppose-so-called-right-repair-bill-hr-906

[Savago]

look who is opposing it, National Automobile Dealers Association.  I wonder why??

https://www.nada.org/legislative/oppose-so-called-right-repair-bill-hr-906

@98valk: you are correct, dealerships don't want us to be able to fix our vehicles.

I just would like to point out that NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association), quote: "is an American trade organization representing nearly 16,500 franchised new car and truck dealerships" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Automobile_Dealers_Association).

I wouldn't call them a *union*, which is generally associated to *workers*.

They are an *association* that represents *businessmen*.

Unless I'm mistaken, they are the same guys who helped to enact laws that stop us from buying cars directly from manufacturers.