This is why Indian Motorcycles SUCK
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- Опубликовано: 10 дек 2022
- Hello everyone! Welcome back to Fast Lane TV. This video is about " This is why Indian Motorcycles SUCK ".
Indian Motorcycles are perhaps one of the few companies that have given Harley Davidson a run for its money. But not all of their bikes are quite that amazing and some people even go as far as to say that their bikes are plain bad.
Well, corrosion and paint bubbles on the chrome fender strips, which are tack welded to the fender skirts, are a regular complaint from Indian motorcycle owners. Consumer reports indicate that both the front and rear fenders are susceptible. The severity of the problem and whether or not it affects both fenders is dependent on the specific model and year of the Indian bike, as well as whether or not the fenders are chrome plated. While newer Indian motorcycles typically have their corroding chrome strips covered under warranty, this doesn't aid owners who purchase their bikes without one. At first glance, this may appear like a purely decorative concern, but several riders have reported rusting chrome stripes and fender skirts due to water getting in via the bubbling chrome's open seams.
Why, exactly, do the fenders of Indian Motorcycles corrode and bubble over with chrome? When chrome strips were soldered to the skirt, the fenders weren't always painted completely around the welds. Sometimes the chrome strips are only vinyl or plastic with a thin layer of chrome tape over the top. The chrome tape used on 2017 vehicles bubbles up when exposed to mild temperature and humidity fluctuations, allowing corrosion to build around it.
Another issue with these bikes is that clutch cables snap easily. Some owners blame subpar installation by the dealership, while others blame insufficient lubrication of the wires during maintenance. The peculiar design of the Indian clutch cable actuator has been blamed by more than a few mechanics for the frequent failure of Indian motorcycle clutch cables. "Compared to the clutch lever end, the anchor point at the actuator end is difficult to verify. If you routinely drive on a sandy road, the rate at which your clutch cable breaks will be directly proportional to how well you maintain it by cleaning and lubricating it at each service. In Indian bikes, many clutch cables fail at the weld that holds the cable within the actuator. Without proper lubrication, the clutch cable might break near its attachment points on either end during clutch disengagement.
Moreover, these bikes also have a tendency to suffer fading of saddlebags and seats. India’s original plan was to equip all of its motorcycles with real leather, which is why 2014 models were particularly susceptible to leather fading. To be sure, leather deteriorates in the sun, and many riders grumbled that the altered appearance of their Indian is due to the fading tan leather. Since 2015, when Indian began receiving complaints about the leather on their bikes, they've used bonded or artificial leather, which deteriorates at a far slower rate. Thus, while newer models (from 2015 onward) include better fade-resistant seats and saddlebags, a common complaint from Indian riders is that they are not made of genuine leather.
Another pretty common complaint with this bike is that the mirrors don’t stay tight. Indian motorcycle mirrors are unique in that they do not require fasteners to secure the mirrors to the handlebar stems. There are instead sliding adjustment nuts that come loose due to vibration. The mirror stem on Indian motorcycles is secured with a nut that is tightened around the stem itself. Once you've positioned the mirror where you want it, you may secure it by tightening the bolt. The mirror stem might become dislodged due to engine and wind vibrations by rattling back and forth. A loose Indian motorbike mirror can become a serious safety issue at highway speeds, flapping back and forth and even hanging upside down.
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no, I only subscribe to channels that arent click bait. BS But you made me watch so good on ya LOL
So basically no real issues got it. 👍🏽
Besides the fact that they're garbage.
Go buy one you’ll find out.
@@thelastrebelshow1627 bet
@@ColeChapman205 What do you have to bet with, these are not even Indians they’re Polaris with an Indian logo on the tank. 😂
@@thelastrebelshow1627 man i don't think you even know
The only problem I found with my Chief vintage is that I’ve forgotten about my Softail Deluxe.
Skirted/swooping fenders>>>>>>>regular Harley fenders
I’ll never forget my FLSTN.
I’m a Harley guy and I like some of the Polaris Indians. This video is silly. You can nitpick every machine
You mean Kawasaki Davidson? Google who owns kawa, i mean harley 😂
@@1arrowshort who gives a shit. Sounds like you’re hung up on this stuff: I bet you don’t even ride 😂
@@hootertexas9711 I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, most harley riders don't know that, but call themselves "hard core" I raced yamaha back in my motocross days so I'm not against Japanese bikes.
Harley isn't even American anymore, and an lose indian mirror is way better than a Harley falling apart lol
@@drummerdad80 stfu you don’t even ride. Or you just bought a Polaris
I can only ram a huge positive flag into the ground for my Indian. I am still very, very happy with my Indian Springfield. It is one of the very first ones, which I bought in 2016. Till today zero problems, no corrosion, no chrome problems, not a single engine/ transmission problem. Bike still looks like brand new! I still enjoy every km here in Germany with that great engineered thunder stroke engine.
I have 2005 88,000 miles no trouble, but polarize still has time to pock sand in your aSS, like they did us.
I bought a Scout Bobber and immediately regretted it.
Cuz I saw a Springfield on the way out off the lot.
Darf ich fragen was deine Lange ist. Ich bin selber 1,90 und ich zweifele ob es nicht zu klein fur mich ist. Was meinst du?
@@onehectareadventures Bei der Größe solltest Du auch unbedingt die großen Modelle favorisieren. Bin 1.83 m und fahre die Indian Springfield, also ne große Indian. Kenne einige mit 1.90 die auch die großen Modelle fahren und es passt. ...Für ne Scout bist Du schlichtweg zu groß! :-)
Now, let's make a video on Harley's defects. BTW, I own both brands so I can tell you they both have issues...and their individual strengths.
Absolutely, and let's not lose sight of the fact that a models weakness often results in an advanced aftermarket improvement...which leads to customisation & the full enjoyment of the biker life ✌
@Clovis Point yet I know people that have high milage 100k++ no issues on twinkies...M8s another bag...but...a drop of blood can leave an awful stain
Exactly....except Hondas....they're perfect 😂
@@Mr02kota too smooth, give us some vibes, the first CB750 fours were the perfect blend...and then.........
@@owenbruce4120 I ride a ctx 1300 and enjoy slow speed precision riding. Bike works wonders for that. Plus touring across country, plenty of power, radio, wind protection....but the early CB's... definitely an amazing machine
I’m an Indian fanboy and own one, also own a Harley. Only one of them had a check engine light come on and only one of them refused to take care of the issue unless I threatened them with litigation (it was under warranty). The other company picked up my bike when the battery died and they replaced it for free. I’ll let you guess which company did what.
Completely agree!
Indian has been excellent
I just got my first bike, a used BMW, Indian was at the top of my list but I wanted a used bike for my first bike, especially as a 25yo with a limited income lol, but if I get a touring bike I will probably buy a Indian, would also love for Indian to make an adv bike to compete with the pan american and well eveyone else lol
Indian! I have an Indian and I forgot to turn the key so my battery was dead the next day. I called Indian and they came to pick it up recharge the battery with no charge at all. My friend had the same issue but with a Harley and he didn’t had them pick it up cause they were gonna charge him for what ever they were gonna do to the bike
@@juancordero454you are correct, my Indian battery died, called them up, they picked it up at my house and told me it was the battery after testing same day and then replaced it. Harley wouldn’t fix my bike until I told them that they’d be receiving a lawsuit and that’s when they decided to fix it
To be fair I think it may have been a bad dealership service because my previous Harley died and they came to my house and picked it up for me. I have a 20 LRS now but I’m looking at adding the dark horse to my garage instead of a RG since Harley is screwing their base over.
I've been working on Indians for 3 years at a pretty big dealership, and most of what you say is only with the first couple years which have since been remedied. Breaking clutch cables haven't been a problem, the "chrome" trim is plastic which doesn't rust, but in my opinion they should have used actual metal trim. The engines are damn reliable, coming from the work that went into Victory.
Now if you want a problematic money pit, get a Harley. The twin cam motor was a huge mess for years. The timing chain setup dumped plastic and metal straight into the oil pump, the early design failed badly in a few thousand miles. After the very good Evo motor, HD went to the disaster of the twin cam, an engine lucky to make it to 50,000 miles before needing a complete rebuild. Have a failed lifter? Kiss your cases goodbye as the lifter bosses were not replaceable on the TC engine, unlike all previous designs. Transmissions were junk, plenty of failures, especially the early 5 speeds, which HD refused to take care of even under warranty. Now I hear the Milwaukee 8 has it's own bunch of problems, but doesn't that just go along with the pride of harley ownership? Own a Sportster, be prepared to be treated like crap at the dealership. As a mechanic you have to deal with idiot customers with bad attitudes and no idea of anything, the bikes covered in aftermarket crap that You will be blamed for when it breaks, even if the shop didn't put it on.
I love motorcycles and have been at dealership level for over 35 years, but by far the worst bikes I've worked on have been Harleys, followed by some Korean ones which made Chinese bikes look like Hondas quality wise. Master certified with BMW, certified Triumph, MV Agusta and Piaggio, yamaha scooters (! remember those?) and have worked on everything from Norton to Nimbus. Honestly I hate cruisers in general, but money is money..
I don't know much about quality issues with Indian bikes, but there are huge quality issues with this video
I need help I’m undecided I don’t know much about Motorcycles but I had a Harley Davidson Daina Lowrider, I decided it was true it was my first motorcycle and I was a little disappointed since I had to put a lot of money in it and one of his problems was the Claus cable and he threw oil, I would like to know how advisable it id Indian motorcycle or Kawasaki Vulcan?
@@davidfuentes9812 A vulcan isn't a bad bike, and you can find used ones cheap. Same with Hondas really. Indian are very nice, a little expensive and if you don't have a dealer nearby who you can buy one and have service done.
@@Oldbmwr100rs Thanks for the information, you know. I had a Harley Davidson low rider in 2003. Unfortunately, I threw oil and they replaced the clutch cable. Well, I put a lot of money in it, and they told me that they have problems, the truth is I don’t know much about motorcycles, but an Indian question what kind of problems he has regularly, if you could tell me I will thank you very much for answering me!!
@@davidfuentes9812 The Indians haven't really had problems overall, the early ones had software stuff that was fixed, mainly for the stereo and gps setups, but mechanically they've been very good. Victory motorcycles were also well sorted out by the time the company decided to put everything into Indian, and I like what they've done.
When I go cross country riding on my Chieftain with my Harley friends, I'm the only one not carrying tools!
Lol.
Lol!! I have a 1996 Honda shadow 1100. Now that you got me thinking 🤔 I don't even know or were my tool set is. Lmao 🤣.
Went to Sturgis on my scout along with with four other bikes, we were down one honda shadow and one street guide buy the time we got there. Everyone but myself traded in for a different bike and we came back with my scout, a chief and three road guides. Ironically, the clutch lever failed on one street glide about an hrs from Sturgis and he dumped the bike, because try stopping a bike that big with no clutch. Then the motor went in one of the other streets glides a month later. 🤷♂️
My 2000 Road King Classic has 103,500 miles. I’ve NEVER carried a tool kit and NEVER suffered a break down on a ride. On the flip side, an HD buddy of mine, flipped to Indian back in ‘17. He broke down while on a 3,000 mile group ride, had to be towed 100 miles to the nearest Indian dealer for repairs. He didn’t catch up to the group for a full day. He got tired of our Indian dealer taking forever to do basic maintenance, not having certified mechanics, off site repair shop, trouble getting parts.
Reminds me of 1960s Triumphs!
I had an Indian Scout for three years. Zero faults. Amazing tool.

I signed legal paperwork that refuses me to say anything discouraging about HD following a lawsuit!! Since, I have a 10 year old Victory with 166K, and a 3 year old Indian with 38K (my second Indian) My polaris are perfect!
All companies have issues. When there's competition, the consumer wins. I hope they both kick ass.
I just don't agree Harleys fall apart due to motor imbalance, Indian is smooth as butter and runs like race champ
All I heard of things that Indian use to do. Sounds like they have corrected all if not most of these issues. Indian have made great strides and innovations when it comes to the American V-Twin market, where as Harley Davidson has never done anything new or innovative. Same old tech at todays full prices.
Thank you. That's exactly what I heard too. They have an issue and they deal with it. It's like that in all industries, not just motorcycles. I work at the Jeep Gladiator plant. When we have an issue we deal with it. It's the companies that have known issues and continue to produce their vehicles with these known issues that suck.
@@jaxager Harley Davidson doesn't know how to make stronger engines. They just make bigger ones to compensate for their lack of technology. Indian made a water cooled 108 that can hold it's own against a 131. Not to mention, when you buy an over priced HD, you still have to upgrade to LED lights, update the suspension, get a new seat, and do a stage 2 just to make the bike what it should have been from the show room floor.
Some interesting comments. I own a 2017 Indian Springfield which I bought brand new. It has been used for extensive touring in North America and Australia.
The chrome is still near new everywhere. Some slight bubbling on the 3M plastic tape but you have to look for it. The front war bonnet was removed and recoated and sealed which fixed the base plate rust. Mirrors just require correct adjustment. My bike has the optional oil cooler. I let the bike warm up which takes longer. But it doesn't overheat even in extreme conditions while riding. But I don't let it overheat stationary either. I only use Indian Oil and I check that it's correct. The engine has to be ridden a decent distance so it's at operating temperature. Dealers don't do this and as a consequence they can get it wrong! Mine actually takes about 6 quarts but it has the additional oil cooler. So there's oil in lines and radiator.
Zero clanking completely reliable.
Great bike just needs good servicing adjustment and care. Still looks like new.
I love how you made this video to dunk on Indian, yet the entire comments section is roasting tf outta HD because their Harleys are junk and many have traded in their HD for an Indian 😂 every single large group ride I've ever been on has had atleast 1 bike break down, and its always a Harley
Getting ready to laugh at this video as I am a Harley rider, but then! Not even 5 minutes in and half of these problems apply to my softail 😭😭🤣 ima go cry and drink beer in the shower now, peese brothas✌️
I thought I only drank a beer in the shower. Only lesson is no bottles
Shower beers FTW!!!
I love my Indian..it’s the best bike I’ve ever ridden. I’ve only had one small issue with it and that was because I rode it in 16 degree weather and condensation built up when I stopped for gas. Other than that it’s my dream bike!
That's cold,
so, you have never ridden a victory. 106 better x2. Indian went woke like bud light. now polarize will dump sitting bull and bring Victory back stocks are all sitting bull looks at.
What else have you owned?
@@snidely_whiplash Yamaha Vtx1300 then an 1800, Hd softail then went to a road King and finally hd street glide. Those are the main bikes I spent the most time on anyway.
My son just got a 23’ Indian Sport Chief. Looks great but I love my forward controls
What consequense did the condensation build up result in?
2014 Indian Chief Vintage owner. No corrosion problems here.Had the pulley issue fixed at no charge. Every time I'm around Harley riders their chicks "ooooooo and awe" at my bike causing visible annoyance to their masters LOL. My bike never drips oil.Indians are cooooooooooool.......
Harley made the video
I have a 2022 Springfield and I love it. I bought it new, so yes I have a warranty. That said, I've had two issues since my purchase a year and a half ago. 1) the windshield developed small cracks at the bolt locations and 2) the front chrome piece referenced in this video began babbling. When I brought this to my dealerships attention they replaced it without charge. All in all I wouldn't own another bike. My personal opinion is when you by something, especially new, you shouldn't be surprised if some small minor things happen. It should only be an issue IF the dealership doesn't make it right!
Almost 60,000 absolutely trouble free fun miles on my 2017 Roadmaster. If you're looking for a good used Harley just look on the back lot of any Indian dealership. They're loaded with them.
Truth!
I have owned several motorcycles 3 Harleys. Traded my last Harley for an Indian Chief Vintage 2016 best bike I have ever owned. Runs great, no issues, looks great. You can get a bad motorcycle with anyone….It’s all your own perspective. Bashing Indians won’t get you nowhere! I see tons of positive statements below.
Have a 2015 chieftain with 22,000 miles and all problems talked about are not an issue with mine. With any bike routine maintenance is a must. When not riding have a place to put it where it is protected. Come from a long line of Harley riders and I love my Indian.
This video is just a little sensationalized and seems to have an agenda. The title alone proves that. As it said at the end, all brands have issues with all models at one point or another. This same video could be made about any other brand.
My 16 Springfield has 60k miles. Original clutch cable. Best bike I've owned. And I've owned many. Harleys
Yep, anybody posting flame bait like this video knows what they are doing... it got us here, but this video, and the resulting comments in many cases, are hot garbage. My Springfield is the best bike I've owned, hands down. I've put 10s of thousands of miles on Harleys, and enjoyed them as well, but I'm never going back. Indians only suck to those that never rode one. Citing random insufficient maintenance issues is absolute trash.
If you have a bike, then your better than 75% of people that don't. LIVE TO RIDE! RIDE TO LIVE! Safe travels friends.
Arthur Davidson, son of the founder of Harley Davidson’s told me that the Indian was the better motorcycle. I asked him if he was serious and he repeated those words again. He was such a cool guy.
I have a 2016 Indian Scout Sixty and have had no problems. I absolutely love mine.
Only issue is they will outprice big overrated brands. That's why too many obstacles not good for customers
These bikes sound like a nightmare.
Especially when you consider the price of them.
Most of those defects are a piece of piss to deal with, especially the cosmetics depending on environment location... I've owned many bikes from every continent and they all have issues of various kinds...currently on Harley, their issues are plentiful, everyone has a different experience, all part of the motorcycle life so let's get back to it shall we 😎✌
All I can say is I bought a new scout in 2021 and have rode the snot out of it in 3 different states and I've not had one single issue. I run with much larger Harleys and I have zero trouble keeping up.
I pass all the Harleys I ride with 😂
The piston slap oil dumping nonsense is complete bs since the engine is a wet sump. There is no scavenge system or oil tank.
My next bike is an Indian Springfield, and I would not even consider a new HD. The company has become a corporate part selling company after 2014. And talk about failures, the HD 2018 oil migration problem fix was a real example of a company sticking it's middle finger at the buyer sending out a paper target to drill through, oh! And stop in traffic with a 131 motor and cook the heads in under 1000 miles. I own an 03 heritage anniversary model and it is definitely the last unless HD UPS it's game. Indian has.
I love my ‘22 Chief…my only complaint is it’s too quiet…I had to remove the muffler and now I am loving it…
Indian guy here. I’ll just say Harley is a t-shirt company that makes bikes. That is all.
If we had a half decent Indian/Polaris dealership in town I would be riding an Indian right now. I went there first when I bought my first motorcycle as I wanted something different than what everyone else rode (Harley). I couldn’t get a single person to get off their damn phone and give a new rider a little bit of help! My wife said, loudly, “Let’s just go to Harley.” No one even flinched? So we did just that. Had my first bike delivered that night. Now on bike number 2, a ‘21 Low Rider S and I love it. Sometimes I wish someone would have paid me some attention and sold me an Indian, but I’ll never go back to that excuse for a dealership. I even complained to the owner and he called me a liar. Not a great way to sell motorcycles imo. No wonder there’s two big Harley dealerships in town and one tiny, crappy, little, Indian/Polaris/Honda/bmw dealership to compete with them. The dealership can make all the difference.
Bless his heart. The plastic chrome strips that are not welded but I attached through double back adhesive tape through 3M are easily replaced but yes they do fail. On my 2016 Indian Springfield I have never replaced mine, but they have failed this year and are going to have to be replaced That six years of good service before failure of a plastic chrome strip, that again, is not tack, welded to anything. My suggestion is, if you’re going to criticize, you might have your head out of your ass before you start, now, let’s discuss how much torque and horsepower my 116 Thunderstroke push to the ground whip , the tune, the exhaust and the upgraded air induction system.
2014 Chief Vintage owner here... LOVE it! Yeah the leather faded, but at least it's real leather and I think it looks even better once treated, which you have to do once in awhile. No brand is perfect to be sure, it's all a matter of personal preference. I prefer that smooth rumble of the Thunderstroke engine compared to potato potato potato potato... but to each his (or her) own. And it's rare that I stop for gas when someone doesn't come over and tell me how beautiful it is. Of course I let them go on and on for as long as they want. Pays for itself every time!
The only issue i see is they claim to be around over 100 years, but have been closed multiple times and bought, then sold by a buncha companies
I got the '21 Scout Bobber and love it! Really the only issue I had with it was a defective fuel pump at 350 miles that I had just replaced at just under 5k miles. Now it's like a whole new bike again.
I think all bikes got their issues both factory, personal and aftermarket. I'm personally heavily considering moving on up to a chief bobber darkhorse since I do a lot of highway miles.
Im not a fan of Indian nor a fan of harley. But I'd buy a Indian problems and all before I'd ever buy a harley. Just my preference and harley before I buy one id walk. Victory was the better brand out of the American made to me.
From what lve seen the suspension on the Indian is superior to HD. So no need to spend more to upgrade that. Snd balance handling better. The engineering on the Indian is better. Gear primary and opposite side secondary belt. U can change the belt much easier and quicker. Only 1 oil to change. A Harley is a Harley that’s what it is. It has its own distinction and feel. I like both. Some things l like better on one than the other. Buy what u like or want. But the best thing u can do is test ride different bike and then decide for yourself. Some are after looks and sound some like form and function.
Every brand certainly has their issues as stated...many of these in the video were from early days of the current Indian line. I have had 2 Indians (18 Springfield & now a 21 Roadmaster) and have had zero problems with either.
I’ve had two Harley’s (91 fat boy & 2004 road king). Just bought an Indian chieftain dark horse. Love all of them. This video is over the top like it was created by Harley marketing.
Harley owners wish they had these issues instead of what they're going through.
I traded off a HD Ultra Classic Limited on an Indian RoadMaster and now I traded it on a 23 Indian Pursuit. The Indian bikes are a much better bike than HD. Both have their own problems but Indian has a much better ride overall.
Welp... nothing you say changes the fact we took in nearly 80 Harleys in trade for Indians over bike week alone. Fox rear shock, forged aluminum chassis, agile weight balance, awesome tech.
Indian is winning in dirt track, super hooligan, king of the baggers, big twins and more. They are letting trophies do the talking while the bean counters in their offices at HD scramble to copy whatever they can.
PS, you're welcome for the idea to finally go liquid cooled just to survive.
It really sucks to have a clutch cable break many miles from civilization and be forced to shift gears without using the clutch to get home. Been there, done that.
I have both and your video is really cute....
Id take rusty chrome and cheap mirrors on Idian over Harleys pathetic warranty.
They "suck" so bad they are being sued by customers for Illegal practices and forced by the Feds to complying.
The aftermarket part for harley is huge due the shitty stock parts.
My stock Indian 116 makes my Harleys performance look so sad its not even a fair comparison.
My Indian didn't need 5k worth of exhaust and motor mods make get out of its own shadow like all my harleys needed. That "Sucks!"
Indian has a warranty that has fixed every one of these complaints at no hassel.
Each issue I have had was addressed and fix at no charge.
Ask a HD owner how they like the warranty and dealer treatment has been.
The voltage regulator went out on my Harley under warranty, got to the dealer, and 30 mins later I was out the door riding again with no money out of my pocket. Harley dealer has treated me fine thanks for asking.
After a succession of motorcycles ( 1968 Kawasaki Bushmaster,1969 Yamaha 350, 1970 Bonneville 650, 1971 Norton 750 and finally my dream bike 2016 Indian Roadmaster, although the Norton was by golly one helluva bike!!! ). I had 1 problem in 25,000 miles. My monitor died within 2 months. Replaced, never another problem. I had no noise problems, no failures... One complaint was ... heat. Boy oh boy.... at idle, the volcanic heat would just roast the right leg. So, I learned to ride so I minimized a dead stop. Just had to look ahead. one thing I LOVED doing was running the Sunshine Skyway bridge. Tampa Bay. LOOK IT UP...A SWEET BRIDGE! Go once each direction...(COP WATCH) then....open up. Man, the pulling power going up the bridge was so much fun. you had a 3 or 4 mile run-up to the uphill part of the bridge. I would be putting along about 80, hit the incline and twist the throttle maxed. No downshift, just twist the throttle. What a feeling!!!!
They suck when they fly past your Harley.
Who has ever said Indian isn't good? I have never heard a single poor word spoken about Indian bikes because they're mint.
My 2020 Iron ....2 months in...rust in all screws and on other parts of the bike. Problems even Harley had.
Old time Harley rider here. Harley dealership support for anything other than buying add ons went by-by with AMF. Hate to say it. I was there. Before 1981 you could get some service at a dealer ship,after if you weren't buying a new bike or a tee shirt they didn't have time for you. I still own my 75 FL and always will, and for new I went to Triumph, like the looks of Indian but I hung it up two rears ago. Rode my last ride. Keep the shiney side up.
You're talking about the Thunderstroke while showing the Power Plus. But this video misses its mark in other ways. For instance, citing complaints from a model year at least 8 years ago, preventative maintenance on the clutch cable... What do you ride? I ride HD and Indian among others
Boy, they really dug deep to find anything. Now, let's do Harley. I got three hours of material without trying. Love my '18 chieftain, no problems. Not a single one
How about Harleys sumping and transfer issues. The factory did nothing about the affected owners
Transfer issues? Both my Harleys in the 1990’s had major issues, but at least then they stood behind their bikes and took care of the problems even when the bike was no longer under warranty. Mine had a set of bad cases and they had to replace them. Oil was leaking though the cases and into the primary.
They did nothing for my 18 or 20 limited
Different ethics in today's industries... Turn out your pockets n hand it over while we screw you from behind 🤑😂😂
@@billschaner6222 I had a 90 FXRS/LowRider. It had a 12/12,000 mile warranty. Under warranty the return spring for the shifter broke, went thru the trans and ate up a couple gears and synchro’s. They fixed that. The tank decal flaked off at two years, should have been under the clear, they sent a new tank. The top end stopped oiling for some unknown reason, it scored the cylinders and beat the rockers and tops of the valves. Had to be bored 20 over and new pistons. Harley payed for everything, I payed for upgraded valve springs, Screaming Eagle. That was at 38,000 miles. Then I stated losing oil, about 1/2 a quart every 500 miles, wasn’t leaking wasn’t in the pipes, then I drained the primary, got 3 quarts. Found my oil. They had to stamp another set of cases with my serial number and I still had my bike back in two weeks. I traded and bought a 94 Custom LowRider. Had a couple issues nothing major, rocker box gaskets and the speedo quit. I ride a Honda ST1300, 75,000 trouble free miles to this point. Nothing but scheduled maintenance. As long as Harley fixed the problems I was fine, but when I payed $28,000 for a new bike and they wanted me to pay for things that should have been warrantied no questions asked. I was done. Not to mention the dealerships have turned into entertainment venues, it’s a joke. I think some of the people only ride back and forth to the dealership. I might pick me up a used Dyna they can be bought cheap!
@@billschaner6222 are you an addict? They didn't do anything for your 18 so you bought a 20. They didn't do anything for you 20 so are you buying a 22?
The title of the video seems a bit harsh. You are absolutely entitled to your opinion but also, you have to expect some rebuttal. I have owned Indian, Harley, Honda, Yamaha, and Buell (still Harley I know). All manufacturers have their weaknesses which is why you always hear the adage of not buying the first model year. My Harley has had oil leaks, loosening bolts, clutch basket failure, etc. My Yamahas had corroding exhaust, intermittent electrical issues, and charging issues, my Buell was plagued with issues. My Scout has been an amazing bike and to me, the "issues" are very minor compared to its strengths and I wouldnt hesitate to buy another one. Indian has fixed its major issues from starter issues, brake issues, etc. Youd seriously not buy an amazing motorcycle cause the mirror nut got loose or the clutch cable COULD break? Lets be subjective and look at the histories of issues with other brands...NOBODY makes a perfect product but we buy what makes us feel good and we either fix the issue when it pops-up, let it get covered under warranty, or just upgrade it.
1st of all they’re POLARIS motorcycles wearing an Indian Emblem. Considering the fact that POLARIS had a seriously dedicated clientele in the Victory Motorcycles World that they absolutely screwed by killing Victory so they could apply the Indian Emblem on motorcycles after they bought the rights to the Indian Name, I don’t understand why anyone who rode a Victory would ever buy another Polaris product.
Victory just couldn't get a strong foothold in the market. The dealer network was too small as well and the name just never got big enough. I'm glad Polaris bought Indian, and instead of just rebadging their bikes, made an entire new line of bikes to finally give Indian a real name and identity rather than just a pile of aftermarket Harley parts cobbled together with indian stickers. I work on Indian bikes, and overall they're pretty solid. They don't feel at all like a Harley, because harley's have their own feel like every brand does, but they're also well built and reliable, unlike Harley.. We promised our Victory customers we would always do all we can to take care of them, and I still work on plenty of them, sadly many dealers dropped them too early.
Do none of you know kawasaki owns harley Davidson? so you guys ride kawasaki with a harley badge 🤔
I have test drove several different Indians, They have their pros and cons, but not the wow i wanted when i rode them to make me buy. When I test drove my 2019 H.D. Roadglide special I immediately said lets write it up and i bought it ! plus the dealer threw in 2 k accessories as well ! Ask a Indian dealer about some free add on's , they act like they want a home-run on every bike. I still love the look of the Springfield and may buy one, one day anyway.
Harley doesn’t throw any thing in for free.I had to fight for a couple of teeshirts when I bought my 2016 ultra 😖😖😣
I had the same experience when I bought my 20 LRS. Just depends on your dealership because a lot of guys have bad experiences at their local ones haha
What this video doesn't mention is the problems mentioned here were basically all came with the introduction on the Polars Indian motorcycles in 2014. And all were covered by Polaris. What motorcycle doesn't have introduction issues? One of the biggest issues not even mentioned was the issue with their soft paint. Also not mentioned is the 111 motor which is industry leading and better than any HD engine ever created. I had a 2015 Chief and now have a 2023 Chief. They are amazing industry leading motorcycles. There is a reason all Indian motorcycle dealers have a large inventory of used HD trade-ins. Polaris did an amazing job of refining these Indians and todays Indians are extremely high quality including their bullet proof Thunder Stroke engine. Now you know the rest of the story.
The Victory was used as the learning curve to hopefully have a better machine to call the Indian. Once organized, the company dropped the news on Victory owners. The Victory bikes worth plummeted overnight. Poor stunt by Polaris. I purchased a Polaris 2011 Victory and it was a lemon. The first lemon motorcycle out of 16 motorcycles I owned over decades.
The Indian visually shows much of the Victory too me. I will not purchase Polaris again.
I'm guessing when something brakes you get it fixed, Indian makes some gorgeous bikes. Maybe one day I will park one next to my Harley street bob.
I sold my 2019 Road Glide after going through 4 motors and purchased a 2022 Indian Challenger Elite. The Indian has blown me away. I don’t miss my Road Glide at all.
@@jamieritchey814 4!?!
Other than issues which have already been addressed by Indian years ago everything discussed in this video combined would still cost less to repair or replace than the first 5000 mile service of a brand new Harley. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
My only Harley was a brand new 2012 SWITCHBACK.
It had so many issues that I can't even count them.
Harley knowingly sell softail range with monoshocks that don't work and sometimes from new. Had sportglide that front fender needed respray to remedy corrosion within two years when ridden in dry weather..
I've owned 10 Harleys over the years the problem$ never end I love my Indian 22000 miles on the bike so far runs like new no problems.
It's fascinating to me that a 1920 bike set the land speed record for fastest bike ever under 1000cc.
wow, wee. Obviously, I did not know Indian was making such a dent in the Harley market. This video proves it.
I think I better stop in to the one of the two Indian dealers near my home. I never realized Indian had become so big, that they would become the subject of a negative campaign by the opposition..
I pulled up next to a gorgeous Indian with hard bags and fairing. It was dark raspberry maroon with that beautiful Indian logo on the tank. I had to roll my window down and tell the guy, that motorcycle is gorgeous. The rider said, I hear that a lot..
someone needs to tell Harley, the old, saying, people that live in Glass houses, should not throw stones..
As an owner of a 2017 Indian chieftain, I can concur that none of these issues exist, living on the Florida gulf coast where saltwater and salt air can be an issue. I am a previous HD owner that had multiple rust issues on a 2014 Dyna. I’ll never own another HD for many reasons. That being said, I smoked a 114 Milwaukee with my 111 thunder stroke today.
I will be challenging every HD at red lights from now on!
Looks like your Indian Chieftain is not just a pretty face, but a powerhouse on the road too! Watch out, HDs!
Now I understand why Indian motorcycle has failed Twice before.
I will say that my clutch cable broke completely at 6200 miles On my 2022 super chief. Fact
Chrome should be banned outright from all motorcycles worldwide.
The price on these motorcycles are ridiculous !!! 😮
I like how they label a scout that has bar end mirrors that all Indians have mirror problems what a crock.
Infinitely nicer aesthetic sensibility as compared to Harley, sadly. Harley does not know how to put a bike together from a visual perspective any longer.
it's a Polaris, a company that bought the Indian motorcycle name and making bikes that try to resemble the real Indian motorcycle's that went bankrupt in 1953. i call them what they actually are, a Polaris. currently own 09 street glide, stock 96 ci with Python slip ons, with 168,000 kms / 105,000 miles, zero engine issue's still runs and sounds like the day it was made.
I was talking to a Harley owning woman one time and she said the finest vehicle on this earth is made by Harley-Davidson and polaris! And now Polaris owns Indian so I'm going to take her advice oh yeah that's right I already did.
So if you own a Volkswagen, you actually own a Porsche. Since Porsche owns Volkswagen.
😐 And Harleys are nothing but crap Bowling Company AMF rejects that try and fail to be the motorcycles they were before they became trash cans…
And more American made than Harley..lol
@@realityblast666 right now it doesn't really matter to me as all the big corporations in this world are owned by satanic pedofiles, they can all rot in hell.
I have a 15 chieftain and thankfully I’ve not had any problems.
I have a 2016 Chief Vintage and it has had all of those issues except the oil pump. Also front and rear motion sensors go out. I’ve had it for 7 1/2 years. Now the headlight indicator is flashing a blue light on the speedometer area.
Once he got to the clutch cable I stop. I owned a Victory Vegas even made a video about Victoru clutch cable HACK. My biggest gripe about POLARIS is they never try to improve or fix their mistakes. The front fender problem on the Vision had to be fixed by guys in the forums and aftermarket companies .Great alternative to Harley but the fit and finish is lacking . When you price your product near the KING OF THE ROAD your game plan needs to be better.
The biggest problem with Indian is fit and finish. Paint job is soft . Fit isnt up to par . Indian engine is STRONG AND prices should be lower than Harley .
Taking everything into consideration tween HD & Indian, I took a look into so many diff aspects of what I deem acceptable as for a lot of the things that need upgrades, are already on the list. Ask questions from Indian owners who work on their own bikes, you’ll get truthful answers that’s essential in choosing to direct where you’re throwing $25K at… good vid tho 👍🤙🏽
I've never owned or ridden an Indian motorcycle! But I have a few friends who have Indian's and they love them! Of course, they bought their bikes brand new within the last 3 or 4 years! So, time will tell how "dependable" and "low cost" they are!
Yeah. I'm going to listen to someone that can't pronounce "soldered" correctly.
Couple Indian bikes here; no rust but seat on the 16 Scout has faded; no biggie - been in the sun a lot. Also had Scout clutch cable break on my enroute to dealer; my fault though as I should have been inspecting it when I felt decreased resistance. 18 RoadMaster runs like a charm … no real issues there other than tire wear, but that’s on me due to mostly curvy roads and a heavier throttle than normal.
They have dye kits for leather works really good especially on the tan
It’ll look new again
None of these problems sound that bad tbh
Ugh, about half of these reasons seem to be people not maintaining there scooters.
Thanks for proving the old adage; "You know you're legit when the competition starts attacking you."
Indian AND Harley Davidson are American success stories. Glad they're BOTH still/again making bikes.
Competition is healthy and drives improvements - on both sides. The consumer is always the winner.
Insults and attacks only show you're classless and insecure.
Ride what ya love and Love what ya ride.
My Roadmaster has plastic chrome on the fenders so I don't know what corrosion you're talking about.
On my third indian first one was a scout put nearly 38000 on her no problems except battery and the dealership picked her up there service is exceptional Thanks Elkhart Indian
I've owned several motorcycles from Harley-Davidson, Honda Goldwing, BMW R1200 GSA, and 2015 Indian Chief Vintage. My Indian only has 9k miles on it and I've replaced (4) gear indicators on it as road debris disables it and doesn't read neutral therefore unable to start the bike. Indian will warrant the part/labor for life as it has a factory recall. Just a band-aid fix that my time can't be replaced towing it to an Indian dealer. Indian refused to buy the bike back from me and refused to provide a permanent solution. I've got the bike listed on Cycletrader. Will never buy an Indian again.
Stick with Honda or Yamaha
Their very good bikes and have great horsepower
Also... they're slow, heavy, low tech, expensive, no dealers etc etc
I know dozens of Indian owners and they're all smiles.
This video is sponsored by Harley Davidson.
Rather an Indian than a Harley still. At least they don't fall apart and they go round corners.
As an Indian tech, I went to the comments to strongly oppose this guys opinion but found that most of the comments here already beat me to it :) Indian is here to stay!
Back in 1979 my New HD Electra Glide constantly broke my clutch cables... I was traveling the world and while in Australia a local custom shop sold me a custom local made unit... after 12 more months I sold it and it still was fine....
lol, have a 2017 RoadMaster and it’s a beast! Over 30,000 and no problems! I ride with Harley’s and there have been many issue’s but that is life!
If your thinking about an Indian they are a great alternative to Harley..
Its downright disgusting the cheap crap and shortcuts used by all vehicle manufacturers not just motorcycles. This and their prices only go up and up while their quality and pride goes down down.
I have a indian chief bobber dark horse. My wife has a scout 20, my son has a scout 60. All have been fine, no issues apart from the fuel pump packed up on mine but was done under recall and i got the bike back in 3 days. I tried to buy a harley davidson before i got the indian, but the sales men just looked at me and fobbed me off because I was in my work clothes ( i'm a builder ) we all love our indians and the open days that we go to alot.
Was leaning towards a Pursuit this year. Till I watched a vid on changing an air filter on the model. Got to pull the freaking gas tank to change an air filter. Think I will pass on that.
Changing an air filter every, what, 10k miles or more? Sounds like a small price to pay
@@Mr02kota Your point is valid if one lives in an environment where the filter does not have to work too hard. I live in a semi desert environment. 3k max for me on air filter. Also with that have to part the fuel lines each time. Parts wear out, o-rings leak from such. Indian has made much progress in last few years. still has a way to go. I'll keep my eye on them. I bet they pay attention to these forums. :)
lol 3 bolts (18fp) a quick release & 2 electric plugs. Get a Goldwing, man
@@trepathy1 lol I ride a Honda....far superior motorcycles. 🤘