[Sandevo]

I used to never even consider a reverse gear to be necessary, based on my ability to think ahead with regard to parking, and my youthful strength.
I'm 66 now, I don't think ahead as well, and my youthful strength is a beautiful thing of the past.
If my conjecture that touring bikes are marketed towards the more "mature" age group is correct, why hasn't Indian, along with everyone except Harley, introduced an electrically-driven reverse gear to alleviate the anxiety and facilitate the ability of older riders to navigate tricky parking situations?
I've been riding on 2 wheels since I was 2, so it's not like I'm a clumsy newbie, I'm just old (never thought I'd get here)!
Does anyone know if a reverse gear is in Indian's future for the heavier touring models?
Thanks!

 

[Racer57]

Like you I'm 66 and I started at age 6. I had Goldwings from 1996-2018. Used reverse maybe 5 times and probably 3 of those was showing off. I had a habit of backing into spots and just never quit doing it I guess. But I will admit that it was nice to know I had it, even if I didn't use it.

 

[Sandevo]

Like you I'm 66 and I started at age 6. I had Goldwings from 1996-2018. Used reverse maybe 5 times and probably 3 of those was showing off. I had a habit of backing into spots and just never quit doing it I guess. But I will admit that it was nice to know I had it, even if I didn't use it.

That's a good point Racer! Nice to know you have it, even if you only need it when you spazz!

 

[Dr.Shifty]

Some Victory bikes had an option of reverse gear. A friend of mine with one says that the way it sits into the gearbox looks like it should also fit the TS motor, but that's only his guess. They would still have to do the engineering to set it up.

There's an aftermarket reverse capable rear sprocket that only fits HD and some people have approached them about setting it up for Indian but it looks like the company doesn't t see that as their future.

I'm with you, I'd like to see it. There have been a few times when I've had to ask for help pushing the bike backwards, not after parking face down a hill but when parking on slippery grass at bike shows where my boots couldn't get traction.

 

[Sandevo]

Some Victory bikes had an option of reverse gear. A friend of mine with one says that the way it sits into the gearbox looks like it should also fit the TS motor, but that's only his guess. They would still have to do the engineering to set it up.

There's an aftermarket reverse capable rear sprocket that only fits HD and some people have approached them about setting it up for Indian but it looks like the company doesn't t see that as their future.

I'm with you, I'd like to see it. There have been a few times when I've had to ask for help pushing the bike backwards, not after parking face down a hill but when parking on slippery grass at bike shows where my boots couldn't get traction.

Yeah Dr. Shifty,
There are just a few times when macho just doesn't work, particularly for us geezers!

 

[Dr.Shifty]

Yeah Dr. Shifty,
There are just a few times when macho just doesn't work, particularly for us geezers!

The funny part is that I only seem to go to bike shows with my HD mates, who are all much younger, gym fit, and mostly members of a patch club. I'm 70 and grandpa age for their noms. Asking one of them to give me a push is funny for both of us.

 

[Daniel5X]

Had a BMW K1200LT, came standard with reverse gear. Used it may be 10 times in 5 years, mostly in urban parking areas where people got parked after me in a way I had to use RG to get out. VERY usefull in such situation, I would love to have RG on my RM.
The new BMW R18 has RG as an option, I hope this will inspire INDIAN for the future

 

[Carlinla]

Contact a trike company. I do not remember which one but I have seen they had a reverse option for the Indian when triked out.

 

[Dr.Shifty]

A mate here in Oz had his RM converted to a trike with a kit from the US. The reverse gear is an electric motor setup - not the kind of thing that could be adapted to a bike.

He was still somewhere on the learning curve with it when he tried to reverse but forgot about the handbrake. The result was a lot of burnt out wiring.

 

[ndncowboy]

A mate here in Oz had his RM converted to a trike with a kit from the US. The reverse gear is an electric motor setup - not the kind of thing that could be adapted to a bike.

He was still somewhere on the learning curve with it when he tried to reverse but forgot about the handbrake. The result was a lot of burnt out wiring.

You mean they don't have a fuse in the reverse circuit? Very poor design then.

 

[Dr.Shifty]

You mean they don't have a fuse in the reverse circuit? Very poor design then.

That was my thought as well. Not only a fuse but a switch on the handbrake to prevent reverse when engaged. By the time the trike workshop imported the kit here to Oz and did all the work it almost doubled the price of the Roadmaster.

 

[ALP]

Lack of a reverse gear was a big deal to me when I was in the early stages of information gathering. The biggest bike I had ever ridden was a Shadow 750 and I was scared to death of size/weight of the RM. My riding partner had already decided on the new (2018) Goldwing which has a reverse gear. The second I sat on the GW I knew it wasn’t the bike for me. Besides, I really liked the looks of the RM! So, that’s what I got.

Now, that I’ve had the RM for about 2 years I can honestly say I haven’t missed not having a reverse. There may have been one or two times I may have used it; but I didn’t “need” it. So, if it raised the price of the bike by $100 or more (and I am sure it would), I would rather they not add it. For me anyway, the added cost of a reverse gear would exceed the value it provides.

 

[driver10]

One of the things I still miss about the old GW.

 

[Dr.Shifty]

I remember a youtube video a few years ago where a guy with a CanAm Spyder had a mate with a GW and challenged him to a reverse race. The GW had no chance of course, and I can't imagine anyone riding backwards on two wheels at the speed the Spyder could do. I guess you have to take your victories where you can find them.

 

[Joegopher]

Some Victory bikes had an option of reverse gear. A friend of mine with one says that the way it sits into the gearbox looks like it should also fit the TS motor, but that's only his guess. They would still have to do the engineering to set it up.

There's an aftermarket reverse capable rear sprocket that only fits HD and some people have approached them about setting it up for Indian but it looks like the company doesn't t see that as their future.

I'm with you, I'd like to see it. There have been a few times when I've had to ask for help pushing the bike backwards, not after parking face down a hill but when parking on slippery grass at bike shows where my boots couldn't get traction.

There were reverse modules standard on some Vision models and they could work on the Cross Country as well. With the different block and gear design of the Indian, it would be pretty doubtful that it would work.