2015 INDIAN CHIEF VINTAGE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

ON TUESDAY SEPT 6, 2016 I WAS ON I 64 EAST HEADED TO WAYNESBORO VA FROM GEORGETOWN KY. A 407 MILE RIDE. ABOUT 320 MILES INTO TRIP MY RIGHT SIDE SADDLEBAG FELL OFF ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER. THE SHOULDER WAS TO STEEP FOR THE BIKE TO STAND ON ITS OWN. I FLAG HELP TOHELP WITH BIKE. CARS AND TRACTOR TRAILERS WERE DODGING THE SADDLEBAG. AFTER I GOT HELP HOLDING UP BIKE. I HAD TO RUN BACK DOWN HILL AND GO OUT INTO TRAFFIC TO RETRIEVE MY SADDLEBAG. IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. WHEN I GOT MY BAG SAFELY, I CHECKED TO SEE IF THE LATCHING MECHANISM WAS BROKE. BUT EVERYTHING WAS INTACT. THE BAG WASCRATCED UP PRETTY BAD. THE LEATHER CHEWED UP BUT EVERYTHING INSIDE WAS OK. I WENT BACK TO BIKE AND LATCHED IT BACK ON SIDE OF BIKE. AND CONTINUED MY TRIP BUT WAS PARANOID THE WHOLE TIME. POLARIS SAID IF BAGS ARE ATTACHED PROPERLY THEY CANT COME OFF BUT I KNOW THEY WILL. AFTER MARKET KITS ARE MADE FOR THIS PROBLEM. THEY WONT REPLACE OR REPAIR MY BAG AS THEY SAY ITS MY FAULT. I KNOW HOW TO INSTALL THE BAGS. IF THEY HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY PUT ON THEY WOULDNT HAVE RODE 320 MILES ON BUMPY I64. I HAD THIS BIKE FOR A YEAR BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. I DONT BELIEVE POLARIS WANTS THE EXSPENSE OF RECALLING AND FIXING A PROBLEM THAT YHEY KNOW YHEY HAVE WITH THIS LOCKING LATCH MECHANISM. THE SERVICE DEPT AT THE INDIAN DEALER RECOMMENDED BUYING AN AFTER MARKET KIT TO BETTER SECURE THE BAGS. THIS MAKES NO SENSE IF THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE LATCHES. I KNOW THERES OTHER INCIDENCES OTHER THAN MINE. POLARIS HAS REPLACED BAGS IN OTHER INCIDENCES. PEOPLE WHO RIDE MOTORCYCLES HAVE TO BE VERY ALERT TO OBJECTS AND DEBRIS AND ANIMALS ON ROADWAY AS IT IS. DONT NEED THE WORRY AND DANGER OF BAGS FLYING OFF FOR NO GOOD REASON. I THINK POLARIS SHOULD RECALL AND INSTALL KITS TO MAKE SADDLEBSGS SAFE FOR TRAVELERS.

SADDLEBAG MOUNTING SYSTEM ALLOWS SADDLEBAGS TO BECOME DISCONNECTED AND FALL OFF VEHICLE. LATCH MECHANISM APPEARS TO BE INEFFECTIVE WHEN BAGS ARE LOADED, OR ROUGH ROADS ENCOUNTERED. RIGHT SIDE SADDLEBAG HAD COME LOOSE 3 TIMES OVER A 2 MONTH PERIOD. ON A LONG TRIP, WHILE TRAVELLING AT 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE, THE RIGHT SADDLEBAG FELL COMPLETELY OFF THE MOTORCYCLE, WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE, ENDANGERING OTHER MOTORCYCLISTS AND HIGHWAY USERS BEHIND ME ON THE INTERSTATE. INTERNET SEARCHES FOLLOWING, INDICATE THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON ISSUE, WITH MULTIPLE REPORTS OF SADDLEBAGS FALLING OFF. AT LEAST TWO COMPANIES NOW MAKE AFTERMARKET ATTACHMENT SPOOLS TO PREVENT THIS, INDICATING THE PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD ENOUGH TO WARRANT A NEED FOR AFTERMARKET SOLUTIONS TO THE STOCK SADDLEBAG MOUNTING SYSTEM.

WHILE RIDING MY INDIAN 2015 VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE, THE RIGHT HAND SADDLE BAG FELL OFF CAUSING THE VEHICLE FOLLOWING ME TO SUDDENLY HAVE TO REACT TO THE HAZARD BY SWERVING BUT HIT THE BAG ANYWAY, CAUSING THE BAG TO BE COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND UNDER CARRIAGE CONCERNS FOR THE OTHER VEHICLE. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON THIS ISSUE, I FOUND THIS TO BE A FAIRLY COMMON OCCURRENCE AMONG THIS MODEL. 2014 -2016 MODELS ARE ALL THE SAME, NO IMPROVEMENTS OFFERED FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE PROBLEM IS COMMON ENOUGH THAT SEVERAL AFTERMARKET COMPANIES HAVE DESIGNED A BETTER DESIGN THAT CAN BE PURCHASED FOR ABOUT $100.00 PER SIDE. THE FACTORY DESIGN IS WEAK AND PRONE TO CAUSE THE BAG TO ONLY BE PARTIALLY ATTACHED. HUNDREDS OF OWNERS HAVE HAD THE BAGS FALL OFF AND ESPECIALLY IF A MOTORCYCLE IS FOLLOWING IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS AND POSSIBLE DEADLY. THIS HAPPENED ON ROUTE 19 NORTH, APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES NORTH OF FAYETTEVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA. A 4 LANE HIGHWAY. I WAS TRAVELLING 65 MPH.

WHEN IN A ACCIDENT THE FRONT OF THE FRAME BREAKS OUT. THIS CAUSES THE FRONT END TO SEPARATE FROM THE MOTORCYCLE. LEAVING THE RIDER WITH NO CONTROL OF MOTORCYCLE. AND EXPOSURE TO BODY INJURY AND POSSIBLE DEATH. IN THE LAST MONTH I HAVE LOCATED 6 BIKES THAT HAVE HAD THE ABOVE PROBLEM. I HAVE THE VIN # OF 4 OF THEN. INDIAN HAS CHANGED THE PART NUMBER ON THE FRAME SECTION, SO THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A PROBLEM THAT COULD RESULT IN THE DEATH OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER, THEY HAVE NOT MADE A RECALL TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. WHEN I CALLED AND ASKED ABOUT THE CHANGE TO THE PART. THEY CLAIMED THE NEW PART WAS STRONGER. AND GAVE ME A CASE # AND SAID THEY WOULD GET BACK TO ME. 2 WEEKS LATER . THEY DID NOT.

WHEN IN A ACCIDENT THE FRONT OF THE FRAME BREAKS OUT. THIS CAUSES THE FRONT END TO SEPARATE FROM THE MOTORCYCLE. LEAVING THE RIDER WITH NO CONTROL OF MOTORCYCLE. AND EXPOSURE TO BODY INJURY AND POSSIBLE DEATH. IN THE LAST MONTH I HAVE LOCATED 6 BIKES THAT HAVE HAD THE ABOVE PROBLEM. I HAVE THE VIN # OF 4 OF THEN. INDIAN HAS CHANGED THE PART NUMBER ON THE FRAME SECTION, SO THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A PROBLEM THAT COULD RESULT IN THE DEATH OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER, THEY HAVE NOT MADE A RECALL TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. WHEN I CALLED AND ASKED ABOUT THE CHANGE TO THE PART. THEY CLAIMED THE NEW PART WAS STRONGER. AND GAVE ME A CASE # AND SAID THEY WOULD GET BACK TO ME. 2 WEEKS LATER . THEY DID NOT.