[Porky]

Dear Indian Motorcycle customer,
Our records indicate that you are the owner of a unit affected by Safety Recall I‑19‑03 announced on November 5, 2019.
The reason for this recall:
Indian Motorcycle has determined the gear position switch used on 2014-2019 (111 c.i.) motorcycles may provide an inaccurate signal, which can lead to an incorrect gear being displayed. Oxidation on the contacts of the gear position switch may cause a change in resistance values resulting in the rider display indicating an incorrect gear. Incorrect gear indication during start-up can increase the risk of a crash.
What Indian Motorcycle and your dealer will do:
Indian Motorcycle is currently evaluating a permanent solution for this concern, which is targeted to be available in the Spring of 2020. Once the final repair plan is available at dealers, Indian Motorcycle will send another letter with additional instructions. This repair will be completed free of charge.
What you should do:
When starting your motorcycle you should exercise the following steps as outlined in the Owner’s Manual:
Straddle the motorcycle and bring it to the fully upright position. Retract the sidestand.
Move the engine stop/run switch to the RUN position
Shift the transmission to neutral
Apply the front brakes
Disengage the clutch (pull the clutch lever fully toward the handlebar)
Start the engine
If you have witnessed an inaccurate gear position, or if you have any concerns starting or riding your motorcycle, contact your authorized Indian Motorcycle dealer and schedule an appointment to have your gear position switch cleaned and inspected.
Your local Indian Motorcycle dealer can be found on our Dealer Locator page.
While your dealer is in the best position to answer your questions, you can also call our Customer Service Department at 1-877-204-3697 to speak with a representative.
Sincerely,
The Customer Service Team

This doesn't affect the SCOUT models.

Sam:nerd:

 

[Tobacco Road]

It's that time Sam, you know what to do....lain:

 

[hogcowboy]

Got mine yesterday and I'll be ignoring it unless they can prove it's potential problem on mine. I think it's the result of a bunch of lazy shifters myself. I've never seen what they claim is a problem

 

[oldenslow]

In this age of electronic aids, gizmos and doohickies on motorcycles, this is a good reminder that relying on any of them (even the simplest) instead of relying on sound, safe operational procedures can get you in trouble.

I have one bike with a gear indicator, one without. In every case, I start my bikes exactly as Indian is instructing. Even if the gear indicator on my Z650 craps out -- no problem. My '08 Suzuki C50 addresses the potential problem of in-gear starting in a very simple manner -- in gear or out of gear, it will not crank unless the clutch is disengaged.

 

[Retired Guy]

Have recently got in to the habit of putting the bike in neutral and pulling in the clutch lever before hitting the start button. Now if I can just remember to turn the fuel petcock on, I'll be good to go!

 

[ketchboy]

Why is a gear indicator so important? When you put the bike away, put it in neutral. Rock the bike back and forth to make sure the bike IS in neutral and forget it. Going for a ride? Rock it back and forth to make sure nobody messed with it. Don't know what gear you're in while riding? If it won't shift into another gear, you're in the highest gear for the bike. The rest? Listen to the engine. Lugging? Too high an RPM? Adjust accordingly. It's not that difficult.

If a person has to rely on all these electronic 'aides', maybe that person should find another hobby.

 

[hogcowboy]

I don’t know how people have the time to look at yet another dodad anyway. I have my hands full watching out for the idiots on the road.

 

[mike721]

My wife’s Indian has that issue. Her gear indicator is all mixed up. She ignores it, since it doesn’t bother her I never took it apart to fix it. Dealer said it’s not a warranted item.

Maybe they will fix it for free now!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hogcowboy]

My wife’s Indian has that issue. Her gear indicator is all mixed up. She ignores it, since it doesn’t bother her I never took it apart to fix it. Dealer said it’s not a warranted item.

Maybe they will fix it for free now!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yep, now you can ask them how they plan on getting out of a SAFTEY RECALL. Dealers tick me off. They could have at least looked into it and then say it isn’t a warranty item. But I would certainly like to see how they worm their way out of this. You got them now Mike. Jerks!!!

 

[mike721]

Yep, now you can ask them how they plan on getting out of a SAFTEY RECALL. Dealers tick me off. They could have at least looked into it and then say it isn’t a warranty item. But I would certainly like to see how they worm their way out of this. You got them now Mike. Jerks!!!

Yep, I do feel that they will now end up fixing this for free.
She already figured out to always pick up the kickstand before starting it, otherwise sometimes it gets confused and shuts off thinking it’s in gear.

What I don’t understand is why they used this system to begin with. Early Victory bikes up until 2009 used the exact same stepped resistance system and it proved so unreliable that in 2010 they went to a calculated system that works very well.

My 08 vision has a useless gear indicator, I fixed it, it screwed up again, I ignore it. They never work for long.

Yet they put the unreliable old system in the Indians in 2014 on??? I guess Victory and Indian didn’t talk to each other?

Scouts have the calculated system, they won’t have the issue.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hogcowboy]

I have no idea what you are talking about but I bet they can’t or won’t put the calculated system you refer to in as the correct fix. Something about being cheap comes to mind.

 

[mike721]

On the newer victory bikes and the Indian scouts there is no gear position sensor, only a neutral sensor.
The computer calculates the gear it’s in from the ratio of rpm between the engine and the output shaft of the transmission. That’s why the indicator on those bikes goes blank when you pull in the clutch, it can’t calculate the gear when they are disconnected.
The only time that system acts up is if the clutch is slipping, then it gives false, changing readings. But it’s also a good way to diagnose a slipping clutch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hogcowboy]

On the newer victory bikes and the Indian scouts there is no gear position sensor, only a neutral sensor.
The computer calculates the gear it’s in from the ratio of rpm between the engine and the output shaft of the transmission. That’s why the indicator on those bikes goes blank when you pull in the clutch, it can’t calculate the gear when they are disconnected.
The only time that system acts up is if the clutch is slipping, then it gives false, changing readings. But it’s also a good way to diagnose a slipping clutch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah, it certainly would be. Pretty nifty even.