The New Indian Chief Thunder Stroke 111 merged threadfest

[Arizona Wayne]

I've seen the Indians and they are impressive !   Just not my cup o' tea and too heavy for me.  I read the fringes zip on/off so that issue can be dealt with real quick.  The motors are beautiful, IMHO.  ;-T  I read they are selling well.

Saw 2 1400 Guzzis for the 1st time @Laughlin River Run too and they looked small compared to the Indians, Harleys.  Lot of Victory, Indian demo bikes.  Too bad no Guzzi demo bikes.  >:(  The Guzzi display was small potatoes (dealer) compared to the big boys.

[Arizona Wayne]

The kid and I ran into the demo truck in Madison Wi. a few weeks ago. They tried to get us to take a demo ride. Sorry, not interested. They did have a gorgeous maroon sidecar rig (40K) that I'd look good on..
In person they didn't look nearly as ponderous as I expected. Fit and finish were top notch. Cruisers. Pfffft.

I saw a factory white Victory trike @ LRR for $40K  :o  It was huge to match it's price.

[rocker59]

Today I went to the Heritage Motorcycles NW Arkansas open house and Indian demo day in Rogers, Arkansas. 

I really enjoyed riding the Chief Vintage, this time with no windshield!  Really nice engine on these bikes.  Smooth, but still some of the V-twin feel communicating to the rider.  Nice long floorboards that offer a lot of options for foot placement.

Overall, the Chief is one helluva first effort from Polaris. Nice solid, powerful, comfortable motorcycle.  I'd definitely pick a Chief over a Road King/Road Glide...

Chief is a big, nice Lincoln Town Car of a motorcycle.  I want to own one.  But, just not ready to plunk down $20k - $25k for a motorcycle.

I was a little like a duck out of water.  I rode my Guzzi Sport 1100 to the event (only non cruiser in the full parking lot), and was the only one (other than ride leaders) with hi-viz jacket, gloves, and my own helmet!  (there was a table of loaner halfies for the demo riders who showed up without helmets)


That's me, third in line, looking all the world like one of the ride leaders.  LOL!

[Triple Jim]

...it looked like a parade float going down the road...

Funny, I rode my Mille to a neighbor's house and talked to the wife for a few minutes.  When she saw the bike, she said "Oh, you rode a little street bike."  She's from a background of small dirt bikes, so I was puzzled, but didn't argue.   :D

[Arizona Wayne]

I went to the Laughlin River Run gathering yesterday @ Laughlin, Nevada and saw 2 of the big Indians on display, 1 dressed, the other not.  Actually they didn't look that big to me surrounded by a multitude of Harleys & Victory's.  Saw a few on the road around Oatman too.  In fact there was a Guzzi guy w/a black 1400 Guzzi peddling something on a card table @ the east end of town.  Had no customers when I went by.  Also a couple Ex-Hendersons @ Laughlin parking lot, 1 chromed up, the other w/less chrome.  ???  They had both been ridden there. I was on my black 250 MP3 and still many bikers have never seen a MP3 before.  ;D  Oatman was so crowded with bikers & roaming burros, I'm glad I was on my MP3 to make it thru!  :BEER:  Riding to Oatman is a trip in itself.  Also saw a # of those Polaris car like 3 wheelers both on the roads & under the hood on display.  Their all aluminum DOHC motor sure is beautiful to look at!  ;- ;-T  

[Arizona Wayne]

I grew up a few miles outside of DC and never really got the hang of navigating that city.  Every time I started to do well, they'd make another street 1-way.  I remember once being able to see the building I was trying to get to, and by the time I followed 1-way streets for a while trying to get there I was about a mile away and lost.

That sounds like San Francisco to me.  Or try Portland, Or.  If you miss an off ramp you're SOL!   They don't even let you know ahead of time to get ready for it.  :wife: