Indian Motorcycle Company Recalls 7,392 Roadmaster Motorcycles

Indian Motorcycle Company, based out of Spirit Lake Iowa, is recalling 7,392 of its 2015-2017 Roadmaster motorcycles. The company states that water may enter the trunk wiring harness, potentially causing the brake light to remain illuminated even when the brakes aren’t being applied. This can cause confusion to vehicles behind the motorcycle—when drivers are unsure as to when the motorcycle is actually braking, it can increase the risk of a crash.

This recall potentially affects over seven thousand bikes. Indian will notify all affected owners, and dealers will replace the trunk wiring harness with an updated one with sealing plugs in the connectors free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 30, 2018, but owners can call Indian customer service at 1-877-204-3697 to check on the status of the recall and repairs. Indian’s number for this recall is I-18-01.

It’s important to take care of any recalled parts or defects before a motorcycle accident occurs. You can check the status of any vehicle (including motorcycles) at any time on the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration website.

Product liability involving motorcycles

Just like cars and trucks, motorcycles are susceptible to defects at all stages of the manufacturing process. Typically these defects happen at one of two stages in production: design or production. If a defect happens in the design stage, it means that one or more of the components of the motorcycle was improperly designed and now puts the bike at risk for an accident. Perhaps the design of the wheel was off by a few millimeters, something difficult to notice at first, but when the motorcycle hits high speeds, it will begin to wobble and eventually tip over, causing an accident and injury.

With a production or manufacturing defect, the design was satisfactory, but something went wrong during the production process. Perhaps the company used shoddy material, or a machine placed piece incorrectly, causing a defect in the motorcycle part.

Types of problems that can happen with defective products involving motorcycles include defective tires (blowouts), defective brakes (loss of braking power), or defects in the fuel tanks, steering mechanism, or engine. These can all cause serious accidents.

Who is responsible if you are injured?

In cases with defective parts, attorneys look at what’s called the “chain of distribution.” It could be the manufacturer, the parts manufacturer, the dealership, or the shipper or middleman.

If you were involved in a motorcycle accident and either you or the other driver were driving a bike with defective parts, you may have a claim. Talk to our Chicago motorcycle accident attorneys at Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers and we can help secure compensation for your injuries. We invite you to schedule a meeting with our legal team through our contact form, or by calling 312.548.9019 today.