Product Warranty and Safety Recall Campaigns

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Product Warranty and Safety Recall Campaigns

Product Warranty and Safety Recall Campaigns

The Company currently provides a standard two-year limited warranty on all new motorcycles sold worldwide, except for Japan, where the Company currently provides a standard three-year limited warranty on all new motorcycles sold. In addition, the Company started offering a one-year warranty for Parts & Accessories (P&A) in 2012. The warranty coverage for the retail customer generally begins when the product is sold to a retail customer. The Company maintains reserves for future warranty claims using an estimated cost, which is based primarily on historical Company claim information. Additionally, the Company has from time to time initiated certain voluntary safety recall campaigns. The Company reserves for all estimated costs associated with safety recalls in the period that the safety recalls are announced.

Changes in the Company’s warranty and safety recall liability were as follows (in thousands):

	Three months ended						Nine months ended
	September 30, 2012			September 25, 2011			September 30, 2012			September 25, 2011
Balance, beginning of period	$	67,801		$	55,407		$	54,994		$	54,134
Warranties issued during the period	10,228			10,210			42,846			33,770
Settlements made during the period	(19,799		)	(15,016		)	(52,885		)	(37,882		)
Recalls and changes to pre-existing warranty liabilities	4,980			759			18,255			1,338
Balance, end of period	$	63,210		$	51,360		$	63,210		$	51,360

The liability for safety recall campaigns was $5.0 million, $10.7 million and $2.2 million as of September 30, 2012, December 31, 2011 and September 25, 2011, respectively.