Weld failure on the fork stops on a 2009 indian motorcycle. Caused the motorcycle to lose control on numerous occasions and resulted in a rider losing control and crashing the motorcycle. The weld on the fork down tube that prevents the handle bars from turning too far broke off and caused a rider to crash. Upon inspection of the weld after the crash it is clearly visible that the weld is not sufficient to hold the fork stop in place. Review of the call out sheets for the assembly of the bikes calls for a 1/4 inch weld all the way around the fork stop lug. This lug has a 1/16th tack weld on 3 sides. It appears to be a tack weld that was put on to hold the lug in place prior to final weld. The problem encountered is that when the weld breaks it allows the bars to be turned too far resulting in an ability to oversteer the motorcycle. I had this over steer happen to me on 3 occasions and couldn't figure out what had happened. The owner of the bike was not so lucky. It caused him to crash in a low speed turn. I know of 1 other incident where a rider went down in a low speed turn while on a demo ride in the north east area of the united states. I can provide pictures of the lug and welds and I can provide call out sheets for the weld from an earlier version of the frame that was assembled in gilroy, california. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. This issue really concerns me as there is no way to tell when the lug might break. In the wrong circumstances the over steer can result in serious potential for bodily injury. I have contacted mr. Chris bernauer the general manager of indian motorcycle on numerous occasions about this incident and he refuses to discuss it with me. I can also tell you indian motorcycle company bought the motorcycle back from the owner mr. John white and now has it in their kings mountain facility. I suspect part of the buy back agreement was an nda. I am not bound by any nda and rode the machine 8700 mile.
The worst 2009 Indian Chief Roadmaster problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Body1
- Steering1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Body1
- Steering1
Recalls 3
Wheels: rim
- What is wrong
- Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain model year 2009 Deluxe and Standard, 2009-2011 Roadmaster, 2009-2013 Vintage, 2010 Bomber, 2010-2013 Classic and Dark Horse, 2011 Blackhawk Dark and Blackhawk motorcycles. The rear rim may crack and cause a loss of air pressure.
- Risk
- The cracked rim can lead to a flat rear tire, which could cause the rider to lose control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Indian will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear rim, free of charge. Indian mailed an interim letter to owners in September 2013. Parts are now available. A second notice was sent to owners during April 2014. Owners may contact Indian at 1‑888‑704‑5290.
Recall number 13V391000 · Recall details
Exterior lighting: headlights: switch
- What is wrong
- Polaris is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 indian motorcycles for the body control module (bcm) which can cause the headlight to turn off in some circumstances. If the headlight switch is slowly moved from one position to another (high beam to low beam or low beam to high beam), both beams may be on momentarily and the bcm interprets this as an overload condition.
- Risk
- The bcm turns off the headlight until the next time that the key is turned on. The unexpected loss of headlight function could impair a driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the bcm free of charge. The safety recall began on august 4, 2011. Owners may contact polaris at 1‑651‑408‑7579.
Recall number 11V343000 · Recall details
Structure: motorcycle: kickstand/center stand
- What is wrong
- Polaris is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 indian motorcycles for failing to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 123, "motorcycle controls and displays." the side stand may not fold rearward and upward if it contacts the ground when the motorcycle is moving forward.
- Risk
- If the stand does not fold rearward and upward while the motorcycle moves forward, the driver's ability to control the motorcycle could be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the side stand free of charge. The safety recall began on august 4, 2011. Owners may contact indian at 651‑408‑7579.
Recall number 11V344000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2009 Indian Chief Roadmaster 7
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Best practices for gauges, speedometers, and tachometers providing information regarding how to clean and...
- EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: STOP SALE on affected motorcycle(s) identified in your inventory until further notice.
- Indian motorcycle: at time of production, some motorcycles were assembled using rear defective wheel,...
- Models between 2008-2012 may have defective rear wheel
- Indian motorcycle: the rear shock absorber on the motorcycle CAN be adjusted for the weight the motorcycle...
- Indian motorcycle: transmission oil level check
- Indian motorcycle: engine oil level check
What 2009 Indian Chief Roadmaster owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Compare the 2009 Indian Chief Roadmaster
Other model years
20092019
Questions about the 2009 Indian Chief Roadmaster
Is the 2009 Indian Chief Roadmaster reliable?
Owners have filed 1 complaint about the 2009 Indian Chief Roadmaster, fewer than a typical Chief Roadmaster model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Indian Chief Roadmaster?
Body and structure, with 1 complaint. Next is steering (1).
How many recalls does the 2009 Indian Chief Roadmaster have?
3 recalls, covering wheels, exterior lighting and structure.
Was there a recall on the 2009 Indian Chief Roadmaster body?
Yes, 1 recall: 11V344000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
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