I test rode the Sport Chief up at Indian Ballarat. I am a very experienced rider for over 50 years, of all sorts of bikes, and I LOVED this bike. As the man said, it DOES have brilliant suspension and handling. Interestingly the wheel, tyre & forks sizes are identical to the mighty Challenger. What that means in effect is a really well planted motorcycle that is also very tractable and fun to ride. Yes, it's not light, but the way the weight is distributed makes that almost irrelevant, and the low seat height helps considerably. If you're looking for something different to the masses, check this bike out. I reckon you will come away with a big smile on your dial. and an Indian key fob in your pocket!
I have the 2022 FTR Standard & the 2023 Sport Chief. The FTR is really a great naked upright sport bike but for long rides & packing the lady on the back the Sport Chief is supreme. I don't have a problem with scraping the pegs even in twisty canyons here in Utah, the only time it scraped so far was with my gf on the back on a very slanty roundabout at slow speeds but I also have the forward controls & that may give just a tiny bit more clearance. I did do most of the performance upgrades on both bikes, de-cat 2-1 exhausts, Lloydz tunes, sport cams, but just stock suspensions. The Chief is definitely the torquiest thing I've ever been on but both bikes have more torque than you'll ever need. Highly recommended that you test drive an Indian if you're in the market. The ONLY thing I dislike about my Chief is the cruise control button is on the throttle side which makes it hard to thumb it without simultaneously affecting the throttle. The FTR has the switch it on the clutch side & that is superior. I dislike nothing about the FTR, it is all-around the best bike to commute or just to have a great day on.
Indian Motorcycle accomplished its goal of putting the Sport into the Chief. If you know American cruisers, this is the machine if you think sport Cruiser. The name really explains the bike. I love it.
Lighter weight with a more rigid construction meaning less flex and better stability. The only downside over "conventional" forks is that the seals are at the bottom of the oil bath rather than on top so they are more susceptible to leaking seals.
Nope exactly the same specs as the 2023 model.. there is no difference between the 23 and 24 model.. just the price, all suspension are exactly the same. Tech package is exactly the same....
@@thisisours1my bad, got my wires crossed thinking this was about the new scout. Anyway, the 23 and 24 models shared the same ride away price when new at $32,995 but the 23's have a bunch of run-out deals to clear stock.
