Indian Chief Issues
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ต.ค. 2024
- Issues with my 2022 Indian Chief. If you're in the market for this bike, there are some things you should know before you buy it.
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My 2022 Chieftain Dark Horse has had lots of quality control issues. I've had blistering paint on my rear fender, primary cover, and the exhaust tip on the Stage 1 slip ons. Indian replaced the rear fender and primary cover under warranty.. but the pipes got discontinued and they couldn't replace them so I got stiffed. The kickstand was also replaced due to a slight bend and the bike was leaning too far when on the side stand. Now I'm a month out of warranty and the front fender paint is blistering and I'm not sure Indian is gonna honor it because my warranty expired 4 weeks ago. I'm pretty disappointed and may end up trading it for a HD. Oh.. and when they replaced the rear fender.. my dealer broke the nubs off the side cover and didn't tell me. Instead they glued them back on and I ended up getting stiffed on that too.
Yeah. It's sounding like my experience... When I called customer service and gave them an ear full they ended up extending my warranty 2 extra years. But honestly I was over it and ended up trading the bike.
Also I would tell them about the dealer mishap and they'll make the dealer eat it. Or at least get you the replacement parts with unbroken nubs.
One thing about Indian/Polaris is that they do try to make it right. But there's only so much they can do when the flaws are inherent in design.
@@bertsbike Ya.. I called Indian yesterday. They told me to start with the dealer and see if they'll open a case. They were closed yesterday so I'll have to call today. I'm almost to the point of no return tho.. and may end up trading it soon. It's disappointing tho.. because mechanically, the bike has been solid and I've had no issues. Everything has been cosmetic QC issues.
God damn, those are a lot of little problems that turn into a huge pain in the ass. The fit and finish is probably the main thing keeping me from buying an Indian, but I REALLY want an FTR1200! I hope you have everything sorted so you can enjoy your bike!
Thanks man! I have to say the FTR fit n finish looks great from what I’ve seen. That’s my other “want” but the only thing keeping me back from that bike is it has a small tank and it gets terrible fuel milage for a bike. 😜
Indians are good bikes. Been riding mine since 2016. 60k miles.
Totally! On My 2nd Indian!
When cold starting a bike the ignition switch needs to be held down for 2-3 seconds. I have never had my bike which is a 2022 Chief Bobber die. But if you don’t hold the ignition switch down long enough when doing a cold start then it will die. After that when ridden you can press that ignition for just a second after it’s warm and it’s starts right up. I never had the fork issues. Or the pump. But I bought mine Oct. 2023. No issues so far. It rides beautifully and does what it’s supposed to do. Just like any vehicle out there some have problems and some don’t. It’s gonna happen because humans are not perfect. So what we put together and make is not perfect. Someone should not buy one cause there is a problems here or there. I have heard bad stories about Indian and Harley. Go with a bike you like. With warranty. Which I got a 7 year. Which includes all the problems listed are covered. Again I have been fortune to get one that has been doing wonderful. To each their own. But good luck with yours and hopefully things are better now for you.
Appreciate the comment and the watch! I got a great deal on mine with a 7yr. warranty. Indian added that after they couldn't rectify the issues. They also offered a decent buy back/trade in. But, by the 3rd Fuel pump, 3 Forks, Primary casing, Gasket, Tank paint issue, Faulty trigger switches, Laggy/no start and multiple burned days riding back and forth to the dealership. It was time to let it go. I'm not saying they're all like that but mine was a definite dog. Sure it would work "good enough" but that's not what I want to spend my hard earned $ on. To add insult to injury the dealer promised to buy it back if I wasn't happy with it, after two weeks I decided to let them do it but they said they would only trade it in on something else ("at a deal") but there was nothing else I wanted. I found it odd they went back on their word. In the end the bike was fixed as good as it could've been by Indian and most of the issues were rectified to "good enough status" but I was done with it. The warranty doesn't mean much to me if they don't have real fixes.
The auto start feature works the same whether it's held down or not. If it needs to be held down on 1st start that should be in the owners manual somewhere. I owned a Scout before and I never had to hold it down to get it to turn over on an ice cold start even in below 35 degrees.
I'm glad yours is working great tho! If mine was it would've been a helluva bike.
Just took delivery of my 22 Chief in Hawaii..the dealer couldn’t release the bike after I bought it due to the outstanding recall with the faulty fuel pump..the Polaris manufacturer was very responsive and they rushed the new pump right away and the issue was resolved..I haven’t encountered any other problems..Love the bike and enjoy riding it around the island…
Congrats! Good to hear that they got it sorted. I’m still loving mine! Thanks!
My Indian is totally fine and nothing is wrong with it. Bought it in January 22 and ride it for 3500 miles in Germany 👍🏻 love this bike. Could buy any harley but they look cheap against my dark horse 😜
Glad to hear it! Heck yeah they do look awesome!
We just received a warranty bulletin for the kick stand not folding up if hitting the ground when you forget to kick it up. They are figuring out a repair to resolve this issue. Wish this bike had a switch that would keep you from putting it in gear with the stand down, like our Roadmaster.
It does have the option. The overseas model has it and the fork lock. Sucks it doesn’t come with.
When I first thought about getting an Indian it was the FTR 1200(2019) but all the reviews about the problems kept me from getting one. Then Indian released the 2022 FTR & essentially fixed every problem riders were complaining about(Seat height, tire size, throttle & cold start, etc.) That caught my attention that Indian listens to their customers & is willing to improve their platforms rather quickly. After 2 years now it's been the best bike I've owned, the only issue it had wasn't an issue for mine but just a precautionary recall on a coolant plug or something small. After my first year on it I realized I was going to need to get on a Scout/Chief/Cruiser style to go on long rides without killing my back/knees so I've been eyeballing the Chief DH Bobber for some time now but the quality issues they had kept me from making the leap. Enter the Sport Chief announcement last week & viola, they've gone & fixed/upgraded everything about it that were my hangups(dual front brakes, inverted forks, fox rear suspension, front fairing, extra clearance for more lean, better wheels, nav fixes, etc.) So put in my order & it'll be here in a couple weeks. Thanks for your review, these videos really help fellow riders make wiser decisions with ownership & level expectations. My words of wisdom to anyone reading this thinking of getting onto an Indian: Just do it, they are a fantastic company that is doing everything right & puts the customer first, any issues you may come across always seem to get a timely solution. That's the kind of manufacturer that deserves our hard earned money.
Hey thanks for watching! I just put out a video on my thoughts on the Sport Chief actually. I totally agree with ya on the above. IMO there is only 1 Chief worth getting if you don’t get the base model… The Sport Chief. The suspension and breaks alone are worth it.
I'm glad you got good experience. Savannah GA shop is trash. Got a 2022 super chief that had the fuel pump replaced after the shop mechanic tried to bend the level check rod to the sending unit after they replaced the pump with a faulty pump. Just replaced the battery with the O'Riles brand. My forks pop too and it does the same cough start
I have noticed the right trigger is having the same issue, and my front fender was loose from the factory. I just popped 10k miles on it. It gets a decent wable above 80 but it is manageable.
I never had the wobble on mine. The best things on my bike were it seemed very stable and under stressed at high speed 60-85 mph. But with all the nagging issues, I started to loose faith and questioned its reliability. So I traded it for another (non-indian) bike.
I do love the esthetic and vibe of Indian in general but after owning 2 now, I feel like the engineering and tech of the components are really sub par and not as rugged as they need to be (The bigger bikes may be different). Solid engines it seems like tho.
Oof, I just put a deposit for a 2023 model because I heard great things but i'm hoping this isn't a bike that spends more time at Indian's garage than mine. Hope all of your stuff has been resolved man and thanks for making this video for things to look out for when mine comes in.
Thanks for watching. I haven’t had anything catastrophic. The issues are exactly that; “issues”. In my experience most motorcycles have something annoying/quirky if you look hard enough. Indians quirks (minus the fuel pump) just happen to be with things you interact with on the daily. Which is unfortunate. If you have a 23’ you’ll be outside the fuel pump recall.
It’s a great bike overall IMO. Congrats!
How is your 2023 bike?
That fuel pump issue would keep me away, and the clicking . Sad thing is the Victory line was so reliable and long lasting.
Indian platform probably is also but having bad parts reliability is a warning sign of a bike that’s gonna get traded in
Hopefully they can get it together… The design is solid but having parts made for your company that are unreliable are definitely an issue.
I do love the bike, but if there is anything else eye rolling… I may have to make another move.
Thankfully the overall design and motor seem to be solid. I don’t see any weird issues other than what I have found moving forward, so I’m on the optimistic side atm. 😝
Glad i cheaped out and got scout bobber 60.
@@efremendez Yes sir. You dodged a bullet.
Just browsing your channel and I saw you also owned the T100 Bonneville. I'm very keen on the Bonneville but there's this good deal posted today in my area for a 2022 Indian Chief at $8k. If given the choice to pick one, which one of the two? Maybe this is why the guy is selling, I don't know.
@@dexterlua1204 IMO I'd go with the Bonnie (I still have mine) for being just a solid no nonsense bike. The Chief is nice but I'm finding newer (2020 and on) Indian's have too many quirks and corners cut when it comes to whatever is controlling the cpu/can bus system. The dashes are gitchy and take forever to turn on and as you can see from my chief videos lots of little and some pretty big issues like the suspension/start up/paint/fit n' finish issues.
At 8k tho, I could live with some of the things. But I'd address some of the big ones... The fuel pump and front suspension come to mind.
If I did it all over again I would get a 2017-2019 scout (Owned one of those as well) and upgrade the suspension and maybe put some V&H Slash cuts on.
? Could the clicking at the forks be the "triple tree stem nut"? I have a Speed Triple with a little over 30,000 on it and noticed a similar issue. Once I adjusted the "spacers" under the triple tree and then tightened the stem nut back down, end of clicking?? Not fimilure with the tech terms, just thought I add my 2 cents for those trouble shooting.
Unfortunately it’s the actual forks. There are many documented chiefs with the exact issue 🤷♂️. Even after Indian “fixed” it, they still clicked away.
I have heard of the triple tree issue before tho. That would’ve been too convenient🙄. Thanks for watching and leaving comment.
My dealers mechanic came up with a fix to get rid of the front fork noise. He is now putting a small spacer on top of the fork cartridge. Easy fix...
Thanks Rickie. What dealership is it?
@@bertsbike Spartan Cycle in Clinten Twp. MI. Give them a call and talk to Chuck to see if they have any detail they can give you about the spacer fix.
I just sold me pristine 15 Chief Classic for a 23 Chief ABS. 2 completely different bikes except for the engine. The 23 is MUCH more refined. It's smaller and lighter and handles like a sport bike. The 15 was beautiful but was like riding a tank. I would highly recommend the 23. This review over emphases 1 problem.
Good info. I was leaning towards an Indian, now not so much!
Thanks for watching. Yeah, If I were to get another one, It would be the sport chief. That way all the suspension issues “should” be taken care of. You still got the fuel pump and CPU issues tho. 🤷♂️
I'd be checking with what the Lemon law is.
Hey, Bert. I've had a lot of similar issues with my bike. My clutch lever rattles somethin' fierce when I'm just cruising normally, kind of irritating. I also thought my bike hesitating to start was due to me adding some Dean Speed slip-ons, but it turns out it's likely just this fuel pump issue.
I have to agree with you on Indian's response. My dealer, and especially corporate, have been super helpful and patient with helping me fix everything.
I have my bike at the dealer now, and I think the only thing that upsets me is the amount of time it takes to ship new parts. Really sucks to drop off my bike in October and still be waiting on it.
Either way, great video on the Chief! I'll have to test out my forks to see if they make that awful clicking sound. I had mine fixed pretty early on too for some clanking sounds, but I never noticed them to begin with... dealer said they noticed it when I had it in for my 500 mile service and I just let them replace it since it was under warranty... haha.
I agree with your sentiment on still recommending the Chief. It's overall a pretty decent bike, just has a few kinks to work out. Hopefully the newer model year releases will have some of these things ironed out.
Hey Teed. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. I actually follow your channel! I was watching your videos before my chief arrived…
Yeah The “issues” sound worse than they really are. Still a great bike and best in its price point if you go base model IMO.
The supply chain issues really made acquiring parts a pain. But it’s just part of life now unfortunately 🤷♂️.
Do you think you’ll keep the bike long term?
@@bertsbike That's awesome! I'm glad you followed along. I have a tough time with content since I live in PA with all the snow and such. Plus I just suck at keeping a consistent upload schedule haha.
I agree. The Chief, depending on the model you get, is definitely a sweet price for what you're getting.
Yeah, supply chain stuff is a super pain, but it has definitely become the norm. Just today, I went to the dealer to pick up my bike but it turns out we need to wait for another part to come in. Looking at a late Feb or March delivery for the fuel pump and new handlebars. Yikes... haha.
Honestly, it has been on my mind a lot lately. I had a fairly strong bout of buyers remorse once these issues started creeping up. I kept thinking "Damn, I could've kept my Sportster and been ripping around" but then I remember how much of an upgrade the Chief is and how the issues haven't been too terribly bad. All of it has been manageable, but if anything major creeps up with the engine or critical components, I may have to slink back to Harley or try a different brand.
The main idea was for the Chief to become my final step towards "big bike" stuff. It's by far the largest bike I've ever owned CC and weight wise, and I don't think I could comfortably handle a touring bike... so this is as big as I'll ever go... at least for now! Haha.
Overall I hope the Chief holds up, because I want it to be an heirloom bike for me.
@@teed412 Yes. Those are my same feelings. I want the Chief to be a long term bike! I’m pretty confident these are the brunt of the problems tho.
Yeah, I try to keep the content coming but like you I’m balancing life/job and family as well. It’s also cold here in Nashville, so I’ve been off the bike more than I want to be! Hit me up if you ever come to the area! lets get together!
@@bertsbike I hear ya. The work/life balancing act is a tough one.
Sounds like a plan! I am going to experiment with some longer rides next season, so I'll definitely hit you up if I find myself out that way!
Random question, but does the Chief have cartridge forks? I get the same clicking out of my Sportster 48 with 49mm cartridge style fork internals. I built the suspension but didn't notice the noise until this past season, and I can't remember if it was there before or not lol. I had an incident where I was ran over and I'm thinking the guy that painted my fork lowers may have put too much fork fluid in the Progressive Suspension forks thinking they took the same amount of oil that other HD forks use.
🎉🎉
I just got my 2023 chief dark horse and I'm really hoping all of these issues were fixed with the new year models.
Thanks for watching. Let us know on here. Apparently, It’s a mixed bag…
I’ve had my 22 chief since October 2021 and have a little over 10K miles. There have been many time my bike doesn’t start on the first try and I was so glad to hear it was likely the fuel pump. But after getting a new one it’s exactly the same! Just the other day it took 3 try’s, and when I’m low on gas is when it’s apparent. And sometimes after it starts and I begin riding for a couple seconds it dies when I pull the clutch in. I wonder if the stage 2 tune is running too lean or rich and it’s not the fuel pump. My forks are clanky janky too but no other issues. Wish it was easier to put the sport chief ones on instead of having to get the brakes, wheel, and fender.
Yeah, The starting issue is really annoying. Come to think of it, when it has around 1 gal is when it does it the most. Either way it’s not supposed to do that… Just getting a little ridiculous at this point… 😩. Bike is back at the dealer getting sorted… again.
2023 model ...... the starter button is often dead on mine. Or I have to wait until the ride command fully loads before it will start. Other times.... immediate start. No other issues for me.
Thanks for watching. Interesting… Does it just do nothing or does it try to start?
Three Indians here and no issues! These bikes have a lot of systems going on at startup so it’s best to wait for everything to boot up and fuel pump to prime before hitting the start button. My Ktm is real sensitive to this as well. Just have to understand every bike is different and learn what they want. Ride safe!
I've got a 2018 chieftain limited and I can say that those problems that you're experiencing must be chief problems or exclusive to that post pandemic thunderstroke platform?
My bike was reliable until the two year warranty ran out then a front wheel bearing exploded on the interstate and the power windshield motor went out shortly after that.
I can say with confidence that my local dealer is mostly useless and that Indian had a hard time getting me parts shipped in at a reasonable time frame, to make me whole again and it was all at my expense. I ended up buying a used front axle bolt online because Indian showed the part as unavailable and I put all-ballz racing bearings back in the front wheel because I just don't trust the factory nsk bearings, now that I've had one grenade on me. The bike only had 10,000 miles on it when these two incidents happened. The bearing wasn't rusty and still had some balls left in it, so I know it didn't wear dry or wasn't a rust failure. It just came apart. What it did do was scalded the inner race to the axle bolt, so disassembly was impossible. I had to cut through the spacer and bolt to get it apart, which was the reason I needed a new bolt. It took 3 weeks just to get spacers and wheel seals through my dealer. I wasn't impressed.
I still wouldn't trade back to the Harley Ultra that I had before because it gave me some problems also and the Indian is just a superior riding experience in my personal preference.
Sorry to hear that you had those problems. Glad you rectified all your issues. They’re great bikes overall until something happens and the mechanics can’t think outside the box. I personally got tired of going back to the dealer on a brand new bike. At the end of the day what was supposed to be a simple rugged platform is anything but that unfortunately.
@@bertsbike I think the plandemic has played a big part in the quality control and supply chain issues of all brands.
I'm a transportation fleet mechanic and my company uses three major brands of trucks and we're having reliability problems with all brand new equipment in that field as well.
Machines will inevitably break. You just expect to get some significant use out of them before they do.
@@JP-ec9rl Yeah I agree, But I think there are many flaws inherent in the design of new Chief platform that plague many Chief owners; From the forks/fuel pumps/slow chips… coupled with supply chain stuff makes the platform really glitchy. When everything was working I loved it tho.
@@bertsbike you're probably absolutely correct.
Hopefully they don't ignore the problems and not produce a fix for it like general motors did with their 4 cylinder pcv valve issues for over a decade.
They sold a lot of overpriced plastic intake manifolds and valve covers that didn't fix the design flaw.
@@bertsbike unfortunately there's not a lot of aftermarket support for Indian models either.
Pwrfectly geared to give the harley experience lol
@@efremendez 🤣