The problem
On certain motorcycles, the pinch bolts that clamp the front forks to the axle may be 1/4" bolts or 5/16" bolts made of stainless steel. In both cases, these bolts may not be of sufficient strength over time to clamp the front fork to the axle tightly enough to prevent axle rotation.
The risk
If the axle is allowed to rotate, the axle could come out of the right front fork, collapsing the front end, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix
Dealers will inspect the front forks to determine whether the pinch bolts are 1/4" or 5/16" bolts made of stainless steel. If the forks are clamped with 1/4" bolts, the dealer will replace the forks with forks designed with 5/16" bolts. If the forks are clamped with 5/16" stainless steel pinch bolts, the dealer will replace the bolts with 5/16" bolts made of zinc plated steel. Owner notification began july 9, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact indian at 1-408-846-7228.
Contacts
Also, customers can contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
What to do
- Check your VIN. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls - it shows whether this recall applies to your vehicle and whether the repair has been done.
- Call a dealer. Any authorized Indian dealer will do the repair free, whether or not you bought the vehicle there. Quote campaign 02V176000.
- Ask about parts and a loaner. If parts aren't available yet, ask what to do in the meantime.
- Keep your paperwork. If you paid for this repair before the recall, you may be able to get reimbursed - here's how.