Test Rode an Indian Chieftain

[XKnight]

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.

[Scotrod]

Hmmm, Sounds like Stubbs gave in to the 'Indian in it's own building' thing I heard about,,,
:shrug:

[CheckpointChcky]

I, too, like the looks of the Indian.

[XKnight]

Hmmm, Sounds like Stubbs gave in to the 'Indian in it's own building' thing I heard about,,,
:shrug:

This was actually Cowboy Honda/Harley/Indian in Beaumont. I haven't checked out the Indian dealers in Houston yet. I know Mancuso has them. Didn't even know about Stubbs carrying them.

[Scotrod]

Every time I try to guess where you bought/where you went, I'm wrong... :icon_doh:

I have no idea who carries Indian in Houston,,,, I saw 'em at the B, B & BBQ Rally in Fayetteville last summer and haven't had the urge to look at one since! :icon_biggrin:

Polaris already has one MC company,,, I have no idea why they thought they needed another one,,, :crackup:

[fast eddie]

I myself don't think:icon_rolleyes: 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:icon_doh:. I am also starting a campaign to stop Italian dressing, French fries German potato salad and Polish sausage ! So the next time you go to eat please show some sensitivity and just say I would like some food.:moon:

[badpapi]

:crackup:
I myself don't think:icon_rolleyes: 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:icon_doh:. I am also starting a campaign to stop Italian dressing, French fries German potato salad and Polish sausage ! So the next time you go to eat please show some sensitivity and just say I would like some food.:moon::crackup:

[F6BLK]

I do like the new style Bat wing fairing W/driving lights!Nice bike..Close to 30Grand the way I want it!!

http://www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/chieftain-motorcycle

[Hornblower]

I myself don't think:icon_rolleyes: 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:icon_doh:. I am also starting a campaign to stop Italian dressing, French fries German potato salad and Polish sausage ! So the next time you go to eat please show some sensitivity and just say I would like some food.:moon:

:lolup: Well said, Fast Eddie :yes:

[chipmaker]

I rode them last year and I was impressed, I could see the leathered out model sharing garage space with my F6B...

6519

[chipmaker]

I rode them last year and I was impressed, I could see the leathered out model sharing garage space with my F6B...

6519

BTW, Go Redskins...

[luckyluciano]

With all due respect to anyone who owns an Indian or is about to. I too test drove the chieftan. They look very beautiful. Few nice toys. But that's it!
Even though the engine is large displacement, I found it a gutless dog of a bike.
Very disappointed and boring to ride. I twisted the throttle and needed to wait what seemed like 3 seconds for the engine to respond.

Coming from the VTX 1800 and now the 6, performance I important to me. The Indian is not tuned for performance.
The Indian is not for me. A big Yawn to ride. It's just a look at me bike, but it all stops there .

[Scotrod]

IMHO,,,,

If Indian doesn't come out soon with something that DOESN'T look like an Indian,,, their market share will only continue to shrink,,, :suicide2:

Nostalgia can only get ya so far,,,

Wash tub fenders!?!?! :puke:

[XKnight]

With all due respect to anyone who owns an Indian or is about to. I too test drove the chieftan. They look very beautiful. Few nice toys. But that's it!
Even though the engine is large displacement, I found it a gutless dog of a bike.
Very disappointed and boring to ride. I twisted the throttle and needed to wait what seemed like 3 seconds for the engine to respond.

Coming from the VTX 1800 and now the 6, performance I important to me. The Indian is not tuned for performance.
The Indian is not for me. A big Yawn to ride. It's just a look at me bike, but it all stops there .

If you thought the 111 Indian motor was underpowered then whatever you do don't test ride a 103 Harley because you will think you're standing still. :icon_lol:

[powercruzer13]

If you thought the 111 Indian motor was underpowered then whatever you do don't test ride a 103 Harley because you will think you're standing still. :icon_lol:


:icon_mrgreen::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup:: lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::icon_twi sted:.batman-smilie.

[Scotrod]

Vic, er, Indian, er Vindian is pretty happy about posting their TQ numbers, but they are pretty quiet about HP on the 111.

IMHO, the VTX 18 has a pretty decent helping of both,,,:yes: The Stratoliner had more TQ, but less HP, and the Wing is a little less TQ / good bit more HP than the Strat,,, (I've slept a little in-between all that so your experiences may differ)

I've ridden a '12 103 SG and it's nothing exceptional for power. Rode a 13 CVO Road King and it had nice TQ, but certainly nothing that I hadn't experienced before,,, :jerkit:

Vics are kinda like 'tweeners,,, 'More' power than a HD but less than a VTX 18, Strat, etc.

Haven't ridden a Vindian,,, I probably would just for S + G,,,, that is,,,, as long as I didn't have to wait in line! :shock: :crackup:

[XKnight]

Vics are kinda like 'tweeners,,, 'More' power than a HD but less than a VTX 18, Strat, etc.

Haven't ridden a Vindian,,, I probably would just for S + G,,,, that is,,,, as long as I didn't have to wait in line! :shock: :crackup:

I had a Victory Cross Roads with the 106 engine and in stock form it wasn't very impressive. After doing a typical Stage 1 upgrade (pipes, air intake & tune) the bike really woke up. Still no comparison to the F6B, but way better than a Stage 1 Harley.

As for the Indian waiting line, unless you plan to do a demo at Sturgis I don't think it will be an issue. The demo day I went too had 5 people at the Indian dealer and that included me, my friend and 3 sales people. These bikes don't seem to be flying off the showroom floor. I do hope they can stay in business this time though. Indian definitely gives Harley some well needed competition.

[Cool Hand Luke]

I test rode new Indian Chief at Daytona Bikeweek this year as they first came out and was impressed. It was comfortable, handled well, had a good stock sound. As a cruiser it rode very well. It appeared to be of very high quality. I may get one eventually, I am partial to the base blue one:

6536

I would like to add my own fairing and hard saddlebags, not yet available but I'm sure aftermarket will follow shortly.

But, I am not giving up my HD VRSCF anytime soon. I customized it for touring but kept all the performance. HD 103 may be a dog, but my Revolution 1250cc engine in my Muscle is not! At 125hp, 86 ft pounds of torque and less than 700lbs. weight the bike is much fun:

65376538

[austin_tech]

I test rode the Classic and the Chieftain. Fell in love with the Chieftain, awesome ride, and all the bells and whistles are awesome.
I love the bluetooth, the stereo is unmatched, and of course cruise and electronic windshield. Plus, just a gorgeous bike. If I got a V-twin again, it would be a Cheiftain.

[Paul B Blues]

Thanks for all the info, they do look good though. What would worry me is the fact that this is what their 3rd rebirth, just how long would they be around this time. Not likely to see many here in the UK.

[edgeman55]

Thanks for all the info, they do look good though. What would worry me is the fact that this is what their 3rd rebirth, just how long would they be around this time. Not likely to see many here in the UK.

They are run by Polaris-same company that makes the Victory brand Money is there to back them up and I to was impressed with fit and finish on these bikes.I have seen a few on the road here in Reno,NV.

[racer]

If Indian doesn't come out soon with something that DOESN'T look like an Indian,,, their market share will only continue to shrink,,, :suicide2:

Nostalgia can only get ya so far,,,



Nostalgia...

it has worked pretty well for HD.

[Scotrod]

Nostalgia...

it has worked pretty well for HD.

Key word is HAS. HD has played nostalgia for all its worth, and I believe they've finally realized that now,,,

Look at what HD's doing now,,,, Water assisted cooling on some bikes, 2 completely new low displacement water cooled bikes, an electric ~prototype,,,~

The market they are reaching out for today has very little to do with your typical 'Nostalgic Silverback',,,

If Indian wants anything more than just the 'scraps' off HD's table, they better start doing something far more impressive than just 3 bikes that all look like something you'd find in Great Grandpa's barn,,, or,, stick a fork in 'em,,,, they're done. 'RIP"

[billphoenix]

I saw one up close and the imitation Flathead Look is cheap and weird looking.

The chrome heads with grooves to simulate Flathead Fins, looks fake.

Very unappealing to me.

65546553

[powercruzer13]

One can only hope for the day when ALL the motorcycle companies other than Honda lose their fascination with the V-twin as the go to powerplant. Especially the air cooled versions. When I saw the Polaris purchase of the Indian name I thought.. Good God, just what we need, ANOTHER line of V-twin cruisers. :icon_rolleyes:
Inline fours, either way, V-4, V-6, parallel twins, triples... lots of other options are possible.
Am I the only one that thinks like this? :icon_twisted:

[Scotrod]

Inline fours, either way, V-4, V-6, parallel twins, triples... lots of other options are possible.
Am I the only one that thinks like this? :icon_twisted:

Nope. The HD bandwagon has sold a lot of V-twins, and Engineer's everywhere have had to -suffer- through that 'phase',,, (Give em what they want, not necessarily what makes 'sense' from a mechanical/Engineering standpoint)

Also,,,as far as I can see, I'm done with air-cooled bikes, regardless of configuration. Hot, mechanically noisy, and generally not that 'prolific in performance',,,.

The natural smoothness of opposed pistons are hard to beat, but I'd also be open to an I or V design

[racer]

Key word is HAS. HD has played nostalgia for all its worth, and I believe they've finally realized that now,,,

Look at what HD's doing now,,,, Water assisted cooling on some bikes, 2 completely new low displacement water cooled bikes, an electric ~prototype,,,~

The market they are reaching out for today has very little to do with your typical 'Nostalgic Silverback',,,

If Indian wants anything more than just the 'scraps' off HD's table, they better start doing something far more impressive than just 3 bikes that all look like something you'd find in Great Grandpa's barn,,, or,, stick a fork in 'em,,,, they're done. 'RIP"

The touring water heads retain their nostalgic look. The "new" 500 and 750 are both v-twins and certainly don't look "modern". HD certainly turned its back on the buell look. They should do well overseas.

the elecric bike is a true cutting edge exercise. We'll have to see how that one shakes out.

Scraps off harleys table could feed a decent sized company. I think Indian will be around a long time. Harley, like Honda, isn't going anywhere.

[Steve 0080]

H.D. has 40% of the market... +1 :lolup:

[motozeke]

H.D. has 40% of the market...

I know... which never ceases to amaze me. Around where I live (SoCal), it seems to be 40% cruisers, 40% sport bikes, and 20% everything else. That means 80% of the market is into the inefficient, impractical or uncomfortable and the other 20% have heads on their shoulders and view riding as more than a fashion show or a race.

That's a little hyperbolic I know... I just don't get the fascination with cruisers and sport bikes. :shrug:

[racer]

I just don't get the fascination with cruisers and sport bikes. :shrug:

People like all kinds of things, I guess that's what makes the world go around.

[richw56]

One can only hope for the day when ALL the motorcycle companies other than Honda lose their fascination with the V-twin as the go to powerplant. Especially the air cooled versions. When I saw the Polaris purchase of the Indian name I thought.. Good God, just what we need, ANOTHER line of V-twin cruisers. :icon_rolleyes:
Inline fours, either way, V-4, V-6, parallel twins, triples... lots of other options are possible.
Am I the only one that thinks like this? :icon_twisted:

You're not alone.
I owned a V65 Magna (which had a phenomenal 1100 cc V-4 power plant) from 1983 until around 2003, and have wondered ever since 1983 why we haven't seen more bikes with V-4s out there. They convey the popular V-twin type of look for those who like it, but with a truckload of better performance.
I'd appreciate more variety in the motorcycle marketplace in general, and like several of the other posters here, I'm not all that impressed with new bikes that are built to look and perform like antiques.
I think the high prices often being charged for such 'nostalgia' (a.k.a. obsolescence) make it even more ridiculous.

[Scotrod]

No one manufactures car's that look like antiques, but bikes,,, :shrug:

[Retired Army]

Who was it said, "if you think you can trust your government ask a Indian?" :duck:

[Gumby]

No one manufactures car's that look like antiques, but bikes,,, :shrug:

Ford mustang
Ford gt
Chevy camaro
Dodge challenger
Chrysler pt cruiser
Chevy hhr
Chevy ssr
Plymouth prowler
Mazda miata
Alfa Romeo spyder
Morgan anything
Mini Cooper
Fiat 500
VW beetle
Jeep Wrangler
That list includes some pretty popular vehicles, including some, like the miata and wrangler that account for a fair share of that manufacturers market share. People like nostalgia.

But, nobody makes cars that perform like antiques or have antique engineering or rely so completely on the name like HD. It's true they are now making UJM bikes straight out of the 80s. I predict they won't be able to give them away. They will die faster than the BLast

[Scotrod]

Where is the 57 Chevy on your list? Caddy's with fins???

Valenced fenders are like the fins of yesteryear,,, Sure, they will sell a couple dozen Vindians in each region, but they have to come up with something a helluva lot more exciting and original than that to survive as a company.

The whole 'Indian" concept, as it's being played today, is the ultimate exercise in .beating.

[KenSk8Man]

I test rode both the HD CVO 110 Cu In Road Glide Custom, and the Indian Chieftan 111 Cu In. My last bike was a 2000 HD FLHT 88Cu In, and my current bike is a 2013 F6B.

On BOTH bikes, handling was so poor, I thought I was making square turns atop a fully loaded refrigerator lying sideways. Throttle response at best could be described as "unresponsive". Aside from the cultural aspect of V-Twin ownership and the low level of jap bike acceptance from the V -Twin riders, I see no reason to ever buy an American made cruiser or touring bike.

Sad to no longer be riding my Harley? Not at all.

They still look awesome from a classic perspective, but from a performance and handling perspective, they are severely lacking.

[opas ride]

An old friend of mine always use to say that "The Masses Are Asses"...I think this may be true to many in the Harley world...Everyone's got one type mentality, so I might as well join the group!!!

[Scotrod]

making square turns atop a fully loaded refrigerator lying sideways. .

OLE CHIT!!!! :crackup:

[mercator1]

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.

The electrically adjustable windshield is what is keeping me looking at BMW and Victory, instead of grabbing up an F6B. I really like the feature on the Vision and K1200GT I rode. However, if you find a shield that works for you, no real need to move one up and down.