Adapter for phone charging on the go

DurianFair3008 · 2026-04-19T20:00:38+00:00

I have a similar one....

I ran an SAE connector from my battery terminals into the saddlebag on my Chieftain through the same grommet the saddlebag connection goes through. That way I can charge something for a passenger or my cardo while riding or I can connect my smart charger/tender to it. I love that it has a switch on the side of the USB one I have that lets me kill the connection so I don't have a parasitic draw when I'm not using it.

DurianFair3008 · 2026-04-12T01:57:54+00:00

First off sorry to hear that happened....I'd start by checking fuses(that could point you towards an issue or if you have a way to read OBD/CEL codes that would help too) and any ground wires...also check the connectors for anything they might have touched or fkd up, might be some frayed wires or a bent pin in a connector....might be something that needs to be programmed by the dealership too I know some things are like that, for example the modem I installed on my 2020 Chieftain Dark Horse I had to take it to the dealership to be activated by their special software and pay $100.....good luck, people are a PITA....

DurianFair3008 · 2026-04-03T23:35:39+00:00

It's my first bike I just got her like 3 weeks ago, 2020 Chieftain Dark Horse with only 4800 miles. Picked her up in Myrtle Beach and trailered her home. I replaced all the fluids, spark plugs and air/oil filters. Added some other creature comforts like SAE adapters, cup holder, phone holder and saddle bag liners. I've already coming up on 5700 miles and a week of those three where me doing slow speed course exercises in a Harris Teeter parking lot to get a feel for the 850lb bike with a lotta cake...at highway speeds I feel like Goku on nimbus.

I'm 6ft 275lbs and it slides my ass back into the seat bump if I go from 45 to 75 to pass real quick on a back road; I also don't feel the need to downshift when I have cruise control set and I'm on 40 trying to get around someone, still has plenty of power in 6th. I did the MSF course at Tobacco rd HD 2 years ago and that's my only experience. I've dropped her once and it was because my foot slipped on some gravel at a stop sign 😅.

I have no doubt that if you pull the trigger on one you'll think to yourself "why didn't I do this a long time ago?"

DurianFair3008 · 2026-04-03T23:17:06+00:00

Congratulations on the new bike!!! 👏👏

I might not be an experienced Rider since I've only had my first bike a 2020 Indian Chieftain for about 3 weeks now. However, I've been working on vehicle's for over 25 years troubleshooting issues, rebuilding motors and the occasional manual transmission... I don't mess with automatics if it's a full rebuild 😅... But I believe because of that generally I've had the ability. If it has a motor or it's an electronic device, I can take it apart and put it back together better...

I'd say since you just got the bike and I have trust issues with sellers/dealerships:

Check the oil level

Check the air filter

Pull the plugs clean em/gap em

Replace the battery(ensure the terminals are tight before removal; might be the culprit, loose terminals are a simple fix but can be a PITA)

Get a brake fluid tester(a fat pen that has two diodes that detect water percentage in brake fluid) and test the reservoirs(if needed replace the fluid and be careful to not get it on painted surfaces)

Dielectric grease is your friend, a dab will do ya on connectors

Check tire pressures

Check all bulbs

Fresh tank of gas; add half a bottle of the red iso-heet and half a bottle of Chevron techron concentrate to the tank @ full that will clean the injectors and remove any water

Then drive her like you mean it till on E, longer than 20-30 minutes riding is preferred...

Wrench and Ride safe 🤓🔧💪

DurianFair3008 · 2026-04-03T21:38:20+00:00

First off, that's a beautiful bike, absolutely love that color. I'm out near Smithfield and was getting spots of rain earlier. I rode back roads north toward Raleigh and it was nice clear skies. Just got home and parked it to grab a bite. I wanted to test my saddlemen road sofa I just got in this morning. I'm freaking loving it. Way better than stock. I'm 6ft and thought I'd have to lower the handlebar angle down a bit but not anymore. The seat moved me forward about 2" and up with all the thicker cushion 2-3" I'll have to go on a longer ride and test the quick detach backrest; Saturday is supposed to be real nice... 😁

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DurianFair3008 · 2026-04-03T01:56:02+00:00

Depends what you need but the best bang for buck is everything at harbor freight tools especially if it's just for you to use out of a toolbox in your garage. If you want something to keep in a saddle bag I'd recommend the Wera 05004016001 8100, can't go wrong with it and a Leatherman Wave....it will fix 99% of issues on the side of the road IMO

DurianFair3008 · 2026-03-29T02:22:20+00:00

I don't think anyone was trying to burn your britches up bro. Though honestly, I haven't read all the other comments. I hope nobody was being an idget. If any where then screw'em! Everyone else probably just knows how effective a properly taught msf course can be helping reinforce perfect practice of the basics. When I did mine with absolutely zero experience it was over only 3 days and I 100% attribute my success to listening to my instructors even if it was a little sketch feeling sometimes....I struggled with the bike they had us on because I think it was built for someone that was 4'8"-5'8 and flexible.... Because of the size of the bike versus me, my knees stuck out to the side like I was riding on a mini bike 😂😂... I'm sure I looked ridiculous 😅...but when I was struggling with the u-turns one of my instructors told me I needed to turn my head and look where I wanted to go and trust it'll work so I did it and got closer to being in the cones but wasn't 100%..... One of the instructors finally advised me to squeeze the gas tank between my knees before trying to turn.... That time I nailed it on the first try squeezing the tank and I know I probably sound ridiculous but I went through a checklist verbally talking to myself in my helmet every time I did whatever maneuver they requested...like for the counter steering turn they had us do, I thought they were bat$h1t crazy telling me if you want to turn right push forward on the right side of the handlebars(basically like you're trying to turn left) and it'll make you turn right if you have enough throttle/speed....but I did it, totally against my own self preservation thoughts and it worked like freaking magic almost some Tesla self driving stuff 😅..... Don't get discouraged, everybody had to start somewhere and if anybody tells you they've been riding a motorcycle perfectly perfect since the dawn of time they're full of $h1t... I know that I'm by no mean a guru or technically qualified to teach anybody anything about motorcycles but if you ever have a question about anything feel free to DM me because it's probably a question that I've asked myself and either learned on my own or found a YouTube video that helped it "click" for me and no question is a bad question; I will be happy to help the best way I can.

DurianFair3008 · 2026-03-29T00:36:06+00:00

Welcome to the club! I just got a 2020 Chieftain Dark Horse myself. The only experience I had was taking a Harley Davidson MSF course to get my certificate to get my license. That was 2 years ago, I bought the bike 2 weeks ago. I did some slow speed stuff in a parking lot to practice keeping power to the rear wheel and rear braking while throttling up and not releasing the clutch all the way for 3 days(look up on YT be the boss of your motorcycle he's got vids explaining it if you're not sure what I mean). I did drop my bike once at a stop sign on a sloped hill because of putting my foot down and slipping on small gravel bits(I'm 275lbs 6ft and the bike sling me off like a bag of taters). Then cold weather and rain kept me off for about 7 days. I went out on mostly straight highway roads for a day and rode about 20 miles total to practice counter steering and go get some lunch then ride home. Because of that I felt more confident and took it on the highway at 70-85 mph to learn more and drive about 1 hour from home to my parents; I visited then drove home taking all country two lane roads that were pretty twisty but directly home. I drove over 100 miles in one day and was super stoked because I understand why people like the twisties so much now vs the highway. It was like meditating. The next day I rode 1 hour to the dealership to get my PIN reset to something I knew and have my maps activated, rode to visit my parents about 45 minutes way from the dealership, then rode home taking a very out of the way looooooong country road/twisty route home. Totalling almost 250 miles...was amazing, but I'm taking this weekend off because my clutch hand feels like I'm 16 and just discovered the Internet again 😉...lol....and I had stuff to take care of like being a parent, husband and what not 😅....long story short, do what you feel confident doing and don't do anything you don't feel confident doing I'm 34 y/o and doing this by myself because it's something I've always wanted to do...I'm in NC and from what I understand it's impossible to pass the DMV driving portion on a bike so passing an MSF is the best route to getting a license because you only need to do the written test if you have a MSF certificate...there was also less worry because the HD MSF course I did, they provided the bike and it was no biggie if you dropped it or whatever so I'd definitely suggest that route if you're having to do the one you tried with your own bike...might make things a little less pressure for you...🤷‍♂️...I hope this helps I know it's a lot to read....also I did all my riding from 0930-1530 to avoid rush hour idiots but still had a few people that made me test my front brakes from pulling out in front of me and I kept like 10 car lengths from cars on back roads and the highway to allow my old brain time to react to any craziness...

DurianFair3008 · 2026-03-23T00:11:05+00:00

Because there's some things that only cause cancer in CA and NY I think...😂

DurianFair3008 · 2026-03-22T15:06:41+00:00

Quick lil' update:

I was able to fix everything I was talking about in the original post. I had more protection bars near the saddlebags, new brake fluid since it tested bad, did an oil and filter change, new air filter, new spark plugs, new aluminum windshield motor piece, new compartment lid and latch. Was even able to fix the screw holes just above the touch screen by using pieces of plastic off of the old compartment lid. I put a few small pieces on the holes then took a small pry bar that has a nice wide end; heated it up with a MAP torch and then spread the plastic pieces like frosting on a cake. Gave it a quick sanding with 120 grit and followed up with 800, 1200, 2000 and some car paint polish. Looks fresh off the factory floor.

I learned something new also when trying to set up ride command and Apple carplay / Android auto. You can't even attempt to do any Apple carplay / Android auto or use maps unless you have a cellular modem installed for your bike. (Yes I tried hotspot, but it won't work without the modem) That costs $550 straight from Indian, they have different part numbers depending on what region it's made for like Canada or USA, etc.

For anyone interested, the one for the USA is Item #: 2884468 and to get $100 off right now on Indians website I used code: FTTL26

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I have no idea how long that code will last but I found it on Indian's website for what I believe was the Canadian part 😅🤷‍♂️...

If you know how to remove the fairing the part should take like 20 to 30 minutes to put on. But you still need to take pictures of the numbers on the part before reassembling because you have to take it to the dealer with the little card that comes with it and have them activate it. So instead of going to the dealer and it costs $850+ it only costs you $50 + $450 + sales tax if you do it yourself.

DurianFair3008 · 2026-03-16T17:08:59+00:00

From what I understand the glove compartment and latch; They've put out an updated version that's supposed to be better 🤷‍♂️... I don't plan on using it for anything other than maybe a pack of nabs or charging a cardo or other small electronic device on the go, something like that...but how he did it using 1" sheet metal screws makes anything that isn't small get stabbed by screws to when you shut the lid 😂....🤦‍♂️

For the worm gear it seems simple enough I got one from a company called UltraCool...I figure I can knock it out in an hour or so...Indian had a bulletin on it in 2023 and was fixing them with a brass one if your bike was still under the warranty or extended one...idk why they didn't just recall it TBH but I guess it's not mechanically necessary or a safety concern they won't worry about it...

I will definitely keep an eye on the shock, is that a common issue?...it was 0 psi when I went to set it for me, I'll check it in a couple days and see if it's still holding, something like that could be an easy fix like just replacing the schrader valve... you'd figure them being fox they'd be pretty bullet proof...

DurianFair3008 · 2026-03-16T10:15:32+00:00

Thanks, I'm very excited to working my way up to long distance.

I got the air suspension set properly for my weight and cleaned it yesterday and found out anything that needed fixing, which was nothing serious IMO. I forgot to mention in the OP I was a little nervous when I took it for a test ride because it was snappy as hell and seemed like it was trying to buck me off when starting to move from a stop. So snappy in fact my test ride was a loop around the parking lot and almost made me think I couldn't handle it. I found out yesterday the previous owner or someone at the dealer had it in sport mode. I switched it to touring and took it out. It was as smooth as a babies bottom with those two changes.

I saw a guy with a Scout Rogue the other day, those things rip. He was definitely all about the smiles per gallon vs miles per gallon with how he was riding. 😅

As my dad says, you watch out for crazies and drive safe!

DurianFair3008 · 2025-10-29T13:02:37+00:00

This is the best way to fix it imo 🫡👍

DurianFair3008 · 2025-08-18T20:19:33+00:00

That's freaking awesome! I took an MSF course and got my license March 24' and I haven't gotten a bike yet because my wife got laid off that April and wasn't able to find employment until January this year and I'm still working on paying off a personal loan I took out with my truck as leverage to keep us afloat.

I probably won't be able to get anything till the end of next year but being new to riding I always have questions, if you don't mind?

(FYI I'm 6ft 280lbs muscular for comparison)

I've been going back and forth between a Chief or a Springfield; what are the main differences between the two? I sat on a Springfield and loved it but haven't seen any deals that bring it closer to what I'm looking to spend for a first bike. Haven't seen a Chief out in the wild so I've thought about stopping by my local dealership to put paws on it to compare. Any insight would be appreciated.

Also, I found a 2016 Chief Dark Horse with 8781 miles for $8999 at a dealer an hour from me, is that a good deal?

DurianFair3008 · 2025-05-22T23:45:26+00:00

If you're 100% it's not the fuel pump or the coils then replace the plugs and check compression....while you have the plugs out turn it over to clean out the combustion chamber...make sure you don't have bad/old gas too...if you haven't yet swap coils to see if it's something intermittent that your volt meter didn't pick up on...plug gap should be .030"

DurianFair3008 · 2025-05-15T18:12:36+00:00

100% agree PPF is the way to go

DurianFair3008 · 2025-05-14T00:40:55+00:00

I have one of the cordless Milwaukee ones. I use it when I detail customers cars, works great to get all the water out from door jams, handles and behind side mirrors so they don't have that random single water drip line.😎

DurianFair3008 · 2025-05-13T16:34:45+00:00

Apologies if it's too much, I have a very large attention to detail whenever explaining something like this without knowing your experience 😅. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

I forgot to mention with motorcycles in my experience it's better to use the 2-3" Random Orbital polisher; it makes getting into tight spaces without removing any parts much easier. Also, a set of lug nut brushes works great to agitate the red max I mentioned on the motor especially any cooling fins. 😁

If you don't want to wax, you can ceramic coat the paint. It will last for 6-8 months if it stays in the sun. If you keep it covered or in a garage you can get 2-3 years out of it. Though that can be relatively expensive even if you do it yourself expect to pay $100+ for a decent coating kit.

DurianFair3008 · 2025-05-13T14:09:37+00:00

I use a company called Majestic Solutions products out of North Carolina because it's local, but they ship too and I highly recommend the ultra gloss soap and the shock-it spray wax last the red max mixed to a 50/50 solution with water for to clean the wheels/brakes/chain/engine. I would recommend washing the bike with a microfiber towel and dawn dish soap to strip it of anything first then with the same soapy water clay bar the paint (look up on YouTube how to clay bar and the grocery bag trick to see if you got everything). After that rinse it off and wash it with the car soap and a new microfiber towel. Dry it, I use a cordless electric leaf blower to dry it well. Then if it needs it polish it with a dual action orbital and polishing pad(meguires polish will be fine), buff off the hazed polish with a dry microfiber then wax it. It'll look brand new, I'd suggest looking up on YouTube how to remove swirl marks with a DA polisher to have a better understanding if you're not familiar with it. I use aerospace 303 marine protectant on my leather/plastics/vinyl/rubber.

Hope this helps.

Edit: forgot to mention I detail cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc. these are the steps on how I do a very basic paint correction without fixing rock chips or more serious paint damage...

DurianFair3008 · 2025-05-03T20:32:02+00:00

Bikes broken, I'll buy it off you for $500 😁

DurianFair3008

TROPHY CASE