Is it legal for a motorcycle dealership to sell a bike that has a recall without letting the buyer know about?

I had my 2007 Honda Rebel put in the shop many times thus far and this last problem just happened yesterday and I am wanting to be able to make them buy my bike back since I have had it in the shop for 2 of the 5 months I have owned the darn thing. The crankshaft seal had a recall on it and it blew while I was riding one night and it had a recall put up last year and it was only a month or two ago that it happened. The dealers were even notified that they had to have the problems fixed before selling them again.

Just took it in and it is the clutch. And they say that honda does not cover teh clutch under warranty since they say it is a wear and tear part of the bike. I have only been able to ride the bike for 3 of the 5 months I have owned the darn thing. should a clutch go out that easily?

I think you have to have the bike in for the same problem 3 times before you can pursue any "lemon law" action.

See if you can go above the dealer and get in touch with Hondas regional sales and service reps and express your dis-satisfaction to them. I doubt that they'll buy it back, but I'm sure they will be able to put some heat on the dealership to get it fixed right.

Look at the lemon laws in your area. I north carolina, they have to buy it back if it falls under the law. Of course, I've seen that with cars, I'm sure it applies to motorcycles.

First, make sure the lemon laws in your state apply to motorcycles. You cannot assume that since they apply to cars/trucks, that they apply to all vehicles.

It will vary by your jurisdiction, most manufacturers have a dealer agreement that states the dealer must check for recalls before selling a vehicle. That's still a pretty slippery slope though, all that the dealer has to do is prove that they checked it for recalls before you bought it.... they could have done that a year ago when they 1st got it in (if that's how long they'd had it) and if a recall came out since then, they still did their part. If you purchased it new, your owner information should have been registered with the manufacturer, in which case, the manufacturer (Honda) could see that you owned this bike, and that it still had an outstanding recall and should have sent you a letter. If you bought it used, they are obligated to contact the last known owner.
Either way, all this rambling aside.... it's the right thing to do to do any recalls before a customer takes delivery, but not necessarily unlawful to send it on out with a recall either in civil or criminal law.
Moral of the story.... establish a relationship with a good dealer. People that shop everywhere to save every last penny get exactly what they paid for.

Dont pay a cent for the repairs but you cant make them buy it back ,But you can ask"Strongly"

I work in a bike shop and a good dealer will not let a bike go out that has a recall and we also call customers that we know have recalls. The parts recalled should be under warranty. even if your bike has a warranty any longer. Honda should cover the parts and labor. Don't let the shop tell you otherwise.