Went to a grand opening of a new Indian dealer this weekend and took a test ride on an Indian Chieftain. This dealer sells Harley, Honda, Victory, Indian and other brands in 3 separate buildings right next to each other. Indian has its own building as does Harley. Honda, Victory, Yamaha, etc., are together in the third building. This place is a huge bike mega center.
First off, I got a $100 gift card just for showing up which was a nice touch. They also had free drinks, food and a DJ. It was raining on and off so the place was mostly empty. The Indian bikes look great up close. Fit, finish and paint is right up there with Harley. The Indian bikes have a quality feel and look to them. Seating position and controls are very familiar if you've owned a Harley cruiser/touring bike.
I fired up the Chieftain and it has a really nice low rumble with the stock pipes. Sounds better to my ears than a stock Harley 103. The 111 engine looks great, sounds great and has more torque and power than the 103 as expected. The bike rode smooth and was very comfortable. The fairing had an adjustable electronic windshield which is great feature. I was able to adjust the shield so I could look over it or through it as needed. I got caught in a good downpour and having the shield up prevented most of my upper torso from getting wet. Water still came up from under the fairing though as there are no lowers or wind deflectors in stock form. Radio works well and the cruise control was smooth. Overall, I really enjoyed riding the Chieftain and if I was in the market for a Street Glide I think I would choose the Chieftain over it. The F6B however, is in another league altogether as far as power, handling and wind protection. When I rode the 100 miles back home I was very glad to be on my F6.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Scotrod
I would purchase one knowing with all the political correctness going on ( Washington Redskins , Cleveland Indians etc) the government would seize my bike and clothing because of its name
Well said, Fast Eddie 
