The New Indian Chief Thunder Stroke 111 merged threadfest

[bad Chad]

Thinking about it more - I originally said I'd like a Vintage with the bags and wheels from a Chieftain - but now I'm thinking I'd rather have a Chieftain with the windshield of the Vintage (but keep the LED driving lamps, assuming they're different from the lamps currently on the Vintage).  ;-T

Honestly, this is a real serious contender for me when I buy another big road going bike in a couple of years.

Cali 1400 (Custom with windshield and HB C-Bows)
Indian Chieftain/Vintage
Vic Cross Roads 8-Ball
RK

Honestly not sure what I'd buy if I had to tomorrow.

Lots of good stuff to choose from!   Thought at 15k for a new Cali Custom or 23k for an Indian Chieftain, the $8,000 difference might play into it?   Seems like a Cali Touring would be a closer comp for the Chieftain, only $4000 more for the American made bike there.

[Kev m]

Lots of good stuff to choose from!   Thought at 15k for a new Cali Custom or 23k for an Indian Chieftain, the $8,000 difference might play into it?   Seems like a Cali Touring would be a closer comp for the Chieftain, only $4000 more for the American made bike there.

Those are probably the two most diverse bikes in my current list of interest, which pretty much pivots around RK competitors and what they offer better/different than the RK.

But to me the RK still sets the standard with features like quick-detach bags and windshield, front and rear crash bars, passing lamps etc.

Still I'm not completely in love with the TC motors, and the RK is a little gaudy (do you REALLY need chrome fender trim and fender lights with everything else you've got?). So I'm looking at alternatives too.

The Indian motor with gear primary drive and likely smarter camshaft set-up than the RK is pretty attractive. Likewise the Guzzi mill has a whole lot to offer.

True the Cali Touring would be a better comparison - BUT I'm really not in love with the look of the bags on the touring (nor the fact that they aren't quick release). And the Custom offers other things I prefer over the Cali Touring from an ergonomics/chassis standpoint and from other amenities - color of the wheels and mirrors, shape of the bar, color/fit of the seat etc).

I normally would want the passing lamps of the touring - but the LED running lights on the Cali seem sufficient to me.

So starting with the Custom and adding HBs C-Bows/Stryker bags, and a crash bar, and topcase mount would probably be my preferred set-up. And adding all that to the $15k custom takes a couple of thousand out of the difference.

Now the Chieftain is a departure from my usual tastes for other reasons - but it might be just enough to attract me to try something with a fairing and not worry if the bags aren't quick-detach (I'm assuming they're not). And it certainly seems to be offering a number of other features that I probably won't be concerned about difference in price when the time comes (not to mention the RK is closer to $18-20k in the first place).

[wheaties]

How about a dealership that carried both Indian and Moto Guzzi?  Seems like an interesting balance, foreign and domestic, meat & potatos along with spicy Italian.

[bad Chad]

You got me with "passing lamps"?    I thought the passing lamp was the finger trigger for momentary flashing of the high beam?

[rocker59]

You got me with "passing lamps"?    I thought the passing lamp was the finger trigger for momentary flashing of the high beam?

No, that's the "flash to pass" function.

"Passing Lamps" is an old-time nomenclature.  It refers to the chromed aux lamps you see on the HD touring bikes.  Today, most people would call them "fog lights" or "driving lights".

[Kev m]

Sorry for the confusion...what rocker said.... ;-T

[Lannis]

How about a dealership that carried both Indian and Moto Guzzi?  Seems like an interesting balance, foreign and domestic, meat & potatos along with spicy Italian.

It also seems like an excellent, fast-track plan for a billionaire to become a millionaire .....  :D

Jethro - "Uncle Jed, when I get done investin' yore money, you'll have a MILLION DOLLARS!"

Uncle Jed - "Son, I got fifty million now ..... "

Lannis

[wheaties]

It also seems like an excellent, fast-track plan for a billionaire to become a millionaire .....  :D

Jethro - "Uncle Jed, when I get done investin' yore money, you'll have a MILLION DOLLARS!"

Uncle Jed - "Son, I got fifty million now ..... "

Lannis

No doubt!  Just because it works for restaurants doesn't mean it will work for bikes.  Reminds me of, "How does a jazz musician end up with a million bucks?"

[Chuck in Indiana]

My favorite Indian was , and still is , the four , something elegant about them , I rode a '37 model that belonged to my Ex's cousin , smooth and fairly powerful .
Wonder if Polaris has any plans regarding a four , they could call it " The Ace in honor of it's history .
Dusty

this.
I hoped Polaris would do a modern inline 4. I couldn't care less about another wrong way V twin. Sorry. I wish them well, but.....pfffft.  ;D

[190 Octane]

I do like the modern inline 4 idea, something similar to the Rocket III, plus one.

[jas67]

Jas67
Wonder if Victory might build a motogp bike ?  ::) Then things could get interesting . Or maybe Polaris nee Indian will build a competitor for the venerable XR 750 motor , stir up some real rivalry . Yea I know , HD hasn't built true XR750s in years , but still .
Dusty

Dusty, I don't see Victory building a motogp bike, but I think it would be cool if they did.    They would certainly have to build a different configuration engine than the currently do (90 degree if it is a V-twin, but more likely a 90 degree V4).   
Now, a modern take on the XR750 would be cool, though, HD tried that three times with the XLCR and the XR1000, and the XR1200.    I still may buy an XR1200X if I find one for a reasonable price.

[Rough Edge racing]

 Polaris knows how to build stuff... The Indian is long gone....Only it's name is left just like the newer Triumphs have nothing to so with vintage Triumphs.If Guzzi folded and was restarted by Polaris you think it would still be a unique machine ?  I'm not saying remain stuck in past,just thoughts...

[Kev m]

Harley struggles with sporting models because of their narrow marketing focus. Triumph has proven a company can address nostalgia and sports successfully under one brand.

Keep in mind Sportsters being both smaller AND CHEAPER than BTs regularly sell between 40k-70k units per year, meaning more than Guzzi, Ducati, and classic Triumph models combined.

So there is likely a market for a smaller, cheaper standard bike under the Indian brand and hopefully a sportier one under them or Vic.

Rough Edge - to answer your question - if it was still a longitudinal crank, 90 degree v-twin, with shaft drive and similar styling, then YES, it would still be again.

[jas67]

I do like the modern inline 4 idea, something similar to the Rocket III, plus one.

A modern version of one of these would be very cool!

[rocker59]

Harley struggles with sporting models because of their narrow marketing focus. Triumph has proven a company can address nostalgia and sports successfully under one brand.

Keep in mind Sportsters being both smaller AND CHEAPER than BTs regularly sell between 40k-70k units per year, meaning more than Guzzi, Ducati, and classic Triumph models combined.

So there is likely a market for a smaller, cheaper standard bike under the Indian brand and hopefully a sportier one under them or Vic.

Rough Edge - to answer your question - if it was still a longitudinal crank, 90 degree v-twin, with shaft drive and similar styling, then YES, it would still be again.

If I were a betting man, I'd put money on the next product from Polaris/Indian being a "Scout" sized and intended to compete with Sportster.

[Andrew Thomas Evans]

Harley has reaped the benefits of their dirt track success for years ,

I was talking to some guys who did dirt track racing back in the day, they said a "dirt track bike" was mostly what you had laying around that could be beat - at least for hobby people. There were a lot of harleys laying around, they took a beating, and thus a lot of them found their way to the track.

[Kev m]

FWIW my casual observation as a Harley rider of 2 decades is that MOST Harley riders I've spent time with don't know or give a crap about dirt track (or just about any other form of motorcycles racing). A few care about the Harley drags, maybe the highest percentage who do care about any form are probably NASCAR fans.

[Kev m]

Mostly true , but every dirt track event I have attended the parking lot was dominated by Harleys , and the stands were a moving advertisement for the brand .
At an amateur road race in East Texas several years back , the few HD riders in attendance were rooting for a Moto Morini because at least it had a V twin .
Dusty

Sure, that doesn't surprise me. But I suspect that's still a small percentage of their customers. But I guess a small percentage to Harley can be a large pool of possibilities to Vic, Indian, Guzzi or the like.

[CND]

Read the review article. Interesting line from the comments section.

"I look at the new Moto Guzzi California and it gets my blood stirring, the Indian doesn’t."

Bingo! Isn't that what it's all about?

To each their own.

[Rotten Ralph]

Kev M , I would just like to see a return of the old rivalry between Indian and HD  regarding dirt track supremacy , thus my desire to see Polaris build a 750 CC
dirt track motor and challenge HD head on . Those jokers at Harley have been resting on their laurels far to long with the now antique XR 750 motor .  ;D
Of course it won't happen , but at least some other brands are represented at the pro flat track level now . Wishful thinking on my part , flat track is the most exciting form of racing in the US , want to see it healthy again , like in the past when Honda took on HD , or in the days of old with the Brit brands .
Dusty

 :+1

[John Ulrich]

A modern version of one of these would be very cool!

That would be too cool for us vintage guys who do not have $75,000 for an old one

[oldbike54]

So we are in agreement . A modern four and a dedicated 750 CC dirt track motor . Wonder if PolarIndian will be any more receptive to our ideas than the mother ship at Piaggio ? ;D
Dusty

[Matt]

Bought new, 35years,  110k miles, original motor, never broke down on me ever


I haven't clicked on this thread as it holds no interest for me.

I was wrong

'77 Low Rider?   :food

 

[Rainman]

A modern version of one of these would be very cool!

This should be the Chief

And this the Scout.


http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/uploadedImages/articles/issues/2012-11-01/Indian-Model-841.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_841

In Utopia. :BEER:

[leafman60]

Bought new, 35years,  110k miles, original motor, never broke down on me ever


I haven't clicked on this thread as it holds no interest for me.

I was wrong

'77 Low Rider?   :food

 

Early '78.  Same thing.

[Gary]

Well I just signed up for my test ride. Wahoo!

[tonUPRacer]

I wonder how long before there's a lawsuit filed to drop the name "Indian" "Cheiftan" and the front fender light as degrading. I 'spose the attorneys at Polaris have already anticipated those possibilites.

[Gary]

We still have the Atlanta Braves and the Cleveland Indians.

[LongRanger]

I'm not sure how "Indian" or "Chieftan" is degrading. Those are honorable names, not derogatory or racist like "redskin" or "savage."  ???

[CTYANKEE]

I was hoping for something a bit more modern looking. To me, looks like an old coca cola cooler on wheels.
Just my opinion.