OK, sell me on the F6B

[lhurker]

Hi all!

I'm tentatively in the market for a new bike, having ridden a large Honda bagger for many years now.

Current contenders are the Honda Gold Wing F6B (l) vs the Indian Chieftain (r)

As I’m 55, this would probably be the last bike I’d ever own. I want to ride, too, not wrench. Reliability and low maintenance are key.

Here’s what I’m thinking:

HONDA F6b:

PLUSSES:

• 1800cc 6-cylinder boxer engine, liquid-cooled, known for balance of torque vs high-end and for longevity
• Shaft drive
• ~$2K lower asking price than the Chieftain
• Modern electronic features
• Great Honda fit & finish, engineering

MINUSES:

• Does not have old-school look nor much chrome
• No reverse gear on the F6B like the ‘Wing — they dropped it to save weight

INDIAN CHIEFTAIN:

PLUSSES:

• 111ci/1800cc V-Twin engine, air-cooled
• Belt drive
• TONS of chrome & old-school styling — freaking gorgeous
• Modern electronic features

MINUSES:

• Indian Motorcycle has been in & out of bankruptcy since last century. While the brand is now owned & produced by Polaris, I don’t know how long Indian will be around this time.
• I’m not familiar with long-term reliability of the brand
• ~$2k Higher asking price than the F6B

Please share your riding experiences on the F6B to help me make a better decision!

Thanks

[stroguy]

You're 55 and don't need chrome. It's ride time not chrome polish time. Have you driven an F6B? Most reliable package you can buy.

[shooter]

You can add chrome. A lot for the $2000 difference. That Indian ain't much better than a HD. The Honda is blazingly fast and corners like a Moto GP bike. Honda us a proven package with millions of miles in the field testing. Water cooled. Stro guy rides one. Oh , and this.20150612_140046-1.jpg

[CheesyRider]

• ~$2K lower asking price than the Chieftain

Keep in mind that real world pricing makes the F6B closer to $5K less than the Cheiftain. It seams the Indians sell for close to MSRP, but even current year F6Bs can be found with big discounts.

[Jimmytee]

It's all in what you want. I simply love the flat six motor. I also don't believe you'll find a better performer between the two. The Indians are sharp looking, but I think the F6B is awesome in looks and doesn't look like every other cruiser on the market.
I believe the Indians will probably be here to stay for awhile. Seems this comeback with Polaris has some staying power.

[carpdm]

Does the Indian have reverse? Ride'm both, then decide.

[unsub]

Hi all!

I'm tentatively in the market for a new bike, having ridden a large Honda bagger for many years now.

Current contenders are the Honda Gold Wing F6B (l) vs the Indian Chieftain (r)

As I’m 55, this would probably be the last bike I’d ever own. I want to ride, too, not wrench. Reliability and low maintenance are key.

Here’s what I’m thinking:

HONDA F6b:

PLUSSES:

• 1800cc 6-cylinder boxer engine, liquid-cooled, known for balance of torque vs high-end and for longevity
• Shaft drive
• ~$2K lower asking price than the Chieftain
• Modern electronic features
• Great Honda fit & finish, engineering

MINUSES:

• Does not have old-school look nor much chrome
• No reverse gear on the F6B like the ‘Wing — they dropped it to save weight

INDIAN CHIEFTAIN:

PLUSSES:

• 111ci/1800cc V-Twin engine, air-cooled
• Belt drive
• TONS of chrome & old-school styling — freaking gorgeous
• Modern electronic features

MINUSES:

• Indian Motorcycle has been in & out of bankruptcy since last century. While the brand is now owned & produced by Polaris, I don’t know how long Indian will be around this time.
• I’m not familiar with long-term reliability of the brand
• ~$2k Higher asking price than the F6B

Please share your riding experiences on the F6B to help me make a better decision!

Thanks

Since you're asking I don't think you can compare a belt or a chain drive to the shaft drive on a GL1800. Of the three I would have to say the shaft is essentially quiet and maintenance free, whereas the other two are not. I would put the belt drive in the negative column. Specifically on Polaris Victory machines there are numerous owner reports of belt chirp and alignment issues. Enough reports to make me [if I were in your shoes] think there may be a real issue buried in there somewhere. You also point out correctly that Indian has had numerous owners over the years. That's a deal breaker me [if I were in your shoes] because again as you've pointed out you want ride time, and not wrench time with the dealers or lack thereof. God, it would be like finding Artesians looking for someone to escalate issues to at Polaris.

[Greg O]

First off your not going to get old school styling and reliability, so you have to pick one. I rode Harley Baggers for nearly 20 years. This is the bike for comfort and reliability. This bike is so simple to clean you rarely have to get out the hose. I prefer my bikes murdered out. I am also 55 and don't see myself going back to Harley Davidson. It also seems like everybody and there brother has a Harley these days. I wanted something different.

[gandydancer]

Harley rider most of my 49 years on bikes--had a 2008 Wing and then 2013 f6b when they first came out--HD Rushmore changes got me back to Harley---good changes and a good bike but missed the power of the 6cly--back on a f6b---nothing like riding in the "hills" of Texas and not down shifting--Indians look great and run good--most folks I`ve talked to simply say they are still very much like HD`s---test ride both and go for it---

[Old Ryder]

Since you're asking I don't think you can compare a belt or a chain drive to the shaft drive on a GL1800. Of the three I would have to say the shaft is essentially quiet and maintenance free, whereas the other two are not. I would put the belt drive in the negative column. Specifically on Polaris Victory machines there are numerous owner reports of belt chirp and alignment issues. Enough reports to make me [if I were in your shoes] think there may be a real issue buried in there somewhere. You also point out correctly that Indian has had numerous owners over the years. That's a deal breaker me [if I were in your shoes] because again as you've pointed out you want ride time, and not wrench time with the dealers or lack thereof. God, it would be like finding Artesians looking for someone to escalate issues to at Polaris.

I had 2 Victorys---one had the belt chirp. Go over to the Victory and Indian forums and it is a mixed bag as far as responses to the problem. Some guys got new sprockets and some---like my dealer---played dumb to the issue and was happy to replace it at full MSRP and $90 hour labor charge. But that was Vic. I rode all the Indian models and they are a quality bikes. My concern would be dealer support and the price associated with it. I have experienced quite a bit of "heartburn" and "elevated anger issues" in dealing with Polaris on the most simple items. Not sure about Indian, but with Vic, ALL warranty work must be given written permission before work is started and even then, the wait for parts can be excessive. (Google is your friend) How close is your Indain dealer? Closest to me is over 150 miles away and if he doesn't make you happy, then how about 200 miles? That being said, bot of my Victorys were quality machines, but if you want to add accessories, at this stage of production your only option is Indian. That may not sound like a big deal, but on my Cross Roads, when I went to add a backrest and luggage rack, there was one option and the combo was close to 1K. Yep---that is not a misprint. Look it up.

Now for the F6B, the dealer thingy is not an issue for 2 reasons. 1) they are all over the place and 2) you never need them because it never breaks down. There are more goodies for the B than I could ever afford---remember there are a ton of Wings on the street and almost everything that fits a wing can fit the B. There is also a reason this generation of Wing/F6B has been in production for well over a decade. Personally, after years polishing chrome on Harleys, I am happy to wash my bike and be done in 10 minutes, but that is just me.

My biggest issue with the B will most likely be yours. You will spend money making the seat, bars and windshield fit your specific body. Some guys fit from the stocj OEM position, but most have to change something. Once you do that, you will have the best combination of comfort and touring----then when you open it up on the twisties you will most likely be able to hang with the sportbike crowd, too.

I'm done!

BTW---welcome to the board.