I bought my first Indian motorcycle last December and I have never had such a comfortable and ease of management on a motorcycle before, I am so happy and glad I made this purchase. Indians rock! PS I am 74yrs old and I have had many motorcycle brands throughout the years and Indian has first place 🥇 in my life!
I was in Las Vegas, NM and saw a fella with a roadmaster and I asked if if he ever rode Harley;s and he said forever but after getting the Indian, he’d never go back. He said it was better balanced than Harley. I rented a chieftain and preferred it to Harley. Harley so scared that they won;t allow Eaglerider to rent Indians anymore or paid them not to
im planning to get the challenger. i know goldwing is better but challenger looks better in my opinion. id be way more happy with the indian. i hate the look of goldwings engine.
There's no doubt that a Goldwing is a great bike, but recently I've been seeing (maybe because I'm looking at an Indian) several previous Goldwing owners that are riding Indians now.
I have had nothing but grins and smiles since getting my 2022 Challenger back in January. I traded in my 2018 BMW 1200RT for it. It definitely has a different attitude from any other bike I've owned in my 45 years of riding. Quite frankly it is a refined American Badass Bike.
I know exactly what you mean. I have a Harley FXDF Fat Bob with stage II and short shots. It gives me the ‘attitude’ ride. I also have a BMW R1200RT with full touring top box and panniers that gives me the touring ride. I certainly like the HD brand and image but at the end of the day a bike is a bike 👍👍
I bought my 2020 Indian Challenger right from factory and took delivery on August 23rd 2020. Over all it is the best bike I have owned so far, I have owned 37 bikes so far. Only things I changed are exhaust, air breather, ECU tune and crash bars. I added Cobra exhaust because they were cost effective at the time and look great. I added K&N breather and the "stage one air" from Indian. Installed non OEM crash bars. Then added the best part, Lloyd'z ECU CRT-V1 tune. The bike is fast, handles great, and has long ride comfort, oh and it has great braking. For me, this is a keeper. Enjoy the ride and keep the shiny side up.
Traded my 2021 Road Glide Special on a new 2022 Challenger Limited. I put 10k miles on the Road Glide Special. It was a top heavy dinosaur 🦕. Harley-Davidson service costs are outrageously high. I had to upgrade the windshield, suspension and stereo system on the Road Glide Special. No upgrades needed other than a heel Toe Shifter on the Challenger.
You are a goofball! Who knew? You had some real fun with this one. Made me smile early in the morning. Love your work and follow all your videos. Thanks for what you do.
I very much like Indians but the lack of dealers and parts in Australia is a major concern if you breakdown outside of a major city. I would love to get an Indian Roadmaster but I'll stick with my Goldwing for all the reasons you buy a Honda for.
I test riding the Harley Road glide and the Indian challenger and decided to go with the 2024 Honda Goldwing. I just love the sound of the boxer engine and smoothness for long hauls.For the price and all the technology you can't go wrong with a Goldwing.
Nice bike - the Challenger sure has a great look, personality and flair. I love that you were able to describe bike selection as a freedom of personal choice ....especially pertaining to the bikes we ride. Rid'em all and love the one you own. Thanks for the dose of humor and have fun with your new ride!
So glad to see you jumping on an Indian. I've tried telling so many non-believers how awesome they are... all the power and features. Gotta spend 15k minimum to make a road glide perform near the challenger.
A stock Indian beats any stock Harley in gearbox smoothness, refined ride, balanced with the torque. After test riding the Indian Chieftain Dark Horse, I was sold and bought one. Your analogy is bang on, best of both worlds, middle of the spectrum.
I own a 2022 Pursuit Premium that I bought in June from Heritage Indian in Rogers AR also and as of today (9-28-22)I have 9600 Miles on it and they did my mods of K&N air filter and Lloyd's tune and 2 into 1 Bassani. It has been the perfect touring machine. I have riden about 300,000 miles over the last 25 years touring all 48 states and Mexico and Canada mostly on a HD Road Glide and just the last 5 years on a 2017 Springfield Indian Chief. Hope to see you on the road ! Indian Built the Ultimate Touring bike ! Oh and I love Mountain Dew also !
My wife and I spent a week in Jamaica this past February and we met a guy from Minnesota that was a senior design engineer for the Challenger project. It was cool to visit with him about it.
I traded my 2012 Victory Cross Country Tour on a 2006 GL 1800 and wrote a check for the difference and it's all mine. Definitely like the independent steering and better Windmanagement on the Wing. It's just so smooth too.
Ice cream and philosophies 👍👍 "A life unexamined is a life only half lived" I "Reflect" as I try different bikes AND push 82 how as I age my "Tastes" change 😅 I am thankful where I mostly ride ride 6 cars are a traffic jam. I now consider smiles over miles but I look forward to finding the subtitle difference in bikes AND my own differences. Physically and mentally. This on a "Fixed income, and nearest service 150 to 200 miles away. THUS I choose older bikes sans "Electronics"
I think you bought a dang fine motorcycle. Not because I necessarily like or dislike it or, your neighbor told you he liked it. You bought that bike because it was right for you. At the end of the day, that’s what matters. Congratulations on your new beautiful bike. Enjoy it and ride safe. If there was one thing I could change on that particular pick it would have been color. Lol. Cleaning black vehicles is tedious plus I think a brightly colored bike gets seen more. I can’t wait for your reviews on it. 👍
I have an 18 DCT like the one you had. Same white color too. I’ve customized it to my liking so much I just can’t imagine selling it. The Corbin seat and full Helibar system has made it so darn comfortable for me I can’t think of owning anything else. It’s paid for, so that contributes to my love of the bike too. I would like to ride the Indian. It looks like an absolute torque monster. Thanks for the video.
I sure love my challenger. I had a victory vision before and I loved it, my only complaint was not enough horse power. The challenger definitely has plenty of torque and horse power and comfort.
🤣Hilariously delivered! I like Indian's too. Really wish I'd bought one instead of a Harley, especially since they are made in USA, maybe I will sell my Harley and get one. Thank you for sharing your sense of humor with us. Love it!
I'm a retread rider getting back into the sport by going back in time with a 1998 Honda Valkyrie Tour. The Valkyrie has such a presence that it always draws a crowd of onlookers. Many of which are dumbfounded to find out that it's 25 years old! Anyway I'm tickled pink as to how satisfying it is to ride my Valkyrie. On the other hand, however, at fifty nine years old, I'm also looking for some of the convenience , comfort, and safety features that are found on luxo-touring bikes today. Such as, heated seat & grips, cruise control, reverse, anti-lock & traction control. And not-to-mention audio, nav, & communication. Also, it would be an added plus if it was stamped with "Made in the U.S.A." and continuity of brand or model (Wing Nut!) loyalty. While I appreciate your analogy about chocolate, vanilla , and swirl ice cream, which led you to the Indian Challenger, did you consider any other tourer? Such as the Yamaha Venture, Kawasaki Voyager, or any of the BMW K1600 series? For me it seems that our Bavarian friends at BMW may have the closest with the R-18 Transcontinental. In so many ways BMW picks up where Honda left off with the Valkyrie. Like you Kevin, I watch & read a lot of reviews on touring bikes as was the case with the R-18 Transcontinental. So when I recently had the opportunity to demo the BMW 's Uber tourer, it met my expectations. What did take me by surprise was how well my 25 year old Valkyrie held up. For me, my conundrum is not so much as switching ice cream flavors, but rather sticking with my "old fashion" flavor and adding some new fangle sprinkles & new assortment of goodies? Or walking across the isle and the new ready to go flavor with all the pre-package goodies included?
Loved this video Kevin! Great perspective and awesome humor! We test rode an Indian before we purchased our current Harley, but that was before they had the Challenger. My wife didn't like the passenger seat as it sloped forward toward the driver. The dealer indicated that could be fixed with a new seat...but at our cost of course...
I bought my first Indian 3 weeks ago. I bought the Springfield. Sure wish they would’ve told me about the hotdog desert and drink option on challenger😂
I have a chocolate Road King and a vanilla (or maybe swirl) K1600 GTL in my garage. Really enjoy both of them and my wife thinks the RK is gorgeous, loves riding on the back and would never allow it to be sold. I guess this is my solution to the flavors and a happy wife - two ice cream cones.
Wonderful summary!! My ride is a 2003 Honda Valkyrie 1500C F6 at 75 years old. I would definitely love to own an Indian as well. When I buy my next bike , it could very well be the Indian Challenger , because it's lighter and easier to handle in parking lots..The Goldwing is a superb bike, however , there is to much plastic and baggage for my liking..
Grats on the new bike! I love my 2021 Challenger Dark Horse. It's not a perfect bike, but most of my complaints about it are very easily fixed with software updates. They've already fixed several of my issues I had with it. Still have some work to do with the Ride Command though.
Indian has successfully installed the ice cream dispenser, but it's also a regional restriction. You must take delivery in Alaska and as before there is only one type. In this case they are Eskimo Pies.
I'm so glad Polaris brought back the Indian marque to such a magnificent degree. They are making some wonderful bikes. I absolutely love my stunning 2019 Indian Springfield in steel gray and metallic burgundy! Cruiser Heaven, all day, every day!
Polaris did well with establishing the Victory brand and put themselves in position to revive the iconic Indian. I have to think that they thought long and hard before discontinuation of Victory. In the aftermath of the "to big to fail", 2008 Great Recession crisis, all of the "Big Three" American auto manufacturers shut down one or more brands in their portfolio. Even the Motor Company ended up shutting down Buell. I figure it's all for the bottom line & sustainability. Of course I, for one, am grateful that marques such as Indian, Triumph, & Royal Enfield have been revived. And I am even appreciative of Harley-Davidson's independence from AMF and it's return to prominence in the motorcycle universe.
I hope you have more luck with your 2022 Challenger than I have had so far. I got 1,600 awesome miles out of my LTD before it left me stranded 180 miles from home on a week-long trip to NY and VT. After a $940 tow home the dealer says "fouled rear plug"; I said, that's a symptom not the problem. But I'm just a nerdy bean-counter, so what do I know about bikes. Within 150 miles of getting it back it sputters and goes into limp-mode; thankfully this time only 3 miles from home. Back to the dealer... this time dealer says "it dropped the tune" Really??!! They re-flash the tune...Another band-aid IMHO. I am paying another dealer to pick it up and diagnose the real problem. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge Indian MC fan, long before Polaris resurrected the brand for good. My 2015 Chief Vintage was indestructible, and I consider the Challenger the best handling bike I have ever driven, but if it's unreliable then it's useless. The Indian Forum has plenty of Challengers with similar problems, so buyer beware... I think some of these bikes are coming off the assembly line with inherent problems...
Thanks for sharing your experience. I feel that none of today's manufacturers are immune to these kinds of quality control issues. You also raise a vital point and that is dealer support. It's crucial to have a competent dealer who has the know-how & wherewithal to be able to service what they just sold you.
If I had a local Indian dealer I'd get the Challenger, but I'm leaning Road Glide because my nearest Indian dealer is 3 hours away. I've spent time on the Indian forums and Facebook groups for the Challenger and there do seem to be a lot of people having issues with them. Makes me nervous to buy one with my dealer being so far away. Otherwise, it would be my pick.
@@chasingtrail unfortunately that what you find in almost every type of forum. People like to complain and share their problems. The vast majority of happy people don't always post. My 2020 Challenger DH has been great from day 1. Only been back to the dealer once for the 500 mile service. Other than that I do all my own service and the bike has been fantastic.
Very entertaining video and nicely done. I am fortunate to have both a 2018 Goldwing and 2021 Challenger. Both are fun to ride and have different personalities . Cheers!
If i get any space in my garage I want a mid-90s gold wing. I used to see them on roadtrips as a kid and thought they were so cool with their front brake cover
Still have my 2008 Wing. I am still on the fence which direction I will go when I am ready to upgrade. I test road an Indian Challenger fee years ago. It was very nice. Dealer support tho is 3hrs away unfortunately.
Why did I sell my '23 Road Glide ST that I spent $$$$ on upgrades? I don't know. I miss it... but maybe... maybe the reason is because I never gave the time to Indian... never checked them out... I'll be checking out the Challenger for sure. Maybe I'll be moving there. Hard to say exactly WHY I do anything.
I am thinking about selling my 2022 DCT Tour and buying an Indian Pursuit. I am test riding the Indian tomorrow. The Honda is silky smooth. But i like having the clutch
I'm so angry and bummed out. I have a Scout, and just called my local indian dealer. They said I had to order a Challenger-Vending Edition, and wanted to charge me way over MSRP. Wonder if I can upgrade my current one....
Congrats on the new ride! I’m real excited about the news I heard from my local Indian Dealer here in NY. Rumor has it NY shops will have models fitted with a pizza oven! LOL!! Congrats again brother. Enjoy every mile!
I just got my hands on an Indian Pursuit. I wouldn't call it an in-between motorcycle, I think it's something on its own. I bought it for two-up touring, the pillion is going to be much happier with that than riding pillion on my R1250GSA, which is my daily victim.
Wow Kevin Perfect timing. I am so glad I finally bought the right bike, the perfect bike! I appreciate that you helped me to see that. It took me from 1969 to December 2022 figure it out. I did that in spite of multiple degrees, and all of the advertising as tempting as it is. My bike can cook more items than yours as well. Pretty much anything. I don’t even need to look at gauges or dials to know, it simply tells me!!! Better than Artificial Intelligence to be sure. I do not need a dealer for anything! It gets great milage, does the way past the speed limit with aplomb! Will always be worth what I paid for it. Even has a reverse…actually better than a GW! Fun factor is off the charts and can go over terrain better than most single track conveyances! Yeilds as much as 60mpg if ridden easy. As for accessories and farkling fun… the imagination is the only limit!!! I was going to type a lot more etc….. but I decided to make it short. FWIW…I have owned Honda GW, Indian, BMW GS, K bike, sport and full tour etc, HD ( the most unreliable of the bunch) Suzuki’s, Kawasakis, Yamaha, Italian brands, other European brands. They were all a version of flavors plain or exotic…. but the one that beats them all, and cooks the perfect meal, and can turn into what ever mood I happen to be in….. is:…. drum roll… My much beloved Suzuki DR650! About the meals…from camping to restaurant hoping its is marvelous! AND I DONT NEED NO STINKIN’ ECU!
Yep, I purchased the Gold Wing because I was tired of the Beer and Pretzel dispenser on my Road King; but now, I am getting weary of the sakai and sushi of the Wing; but the Japanese Cheesecake selection has me hooked for life.
Attention all Indian owners. Stop holding the start button down when starting your bike. It's a one touch start system. Tap the start button and release!
Because of the success of the hot pocket feature Honda is now offering a bolt on special feature for all their other models - unfortunately it only serves calamari.
I purchased my 2021 Challenger the the summer 2020. Over that time, I turned my Limited Challenger into a Pursuit before I ever heard that the Indian organization developed the Pursuit before it was coming out. Everything I put on the bike fit very well, but I had to spend my kid's inheritance to upgrade my Challenger. I also had the Indian dealership install a Stage 2 with cams, but to be honest, it was a waste of money as I really didn't notice much difference in power or torque. I was told that I needed to replace my exhaust and upgrade my ECU, but that is another $1500. I really love the Challenger, but instead of nickles and dimes, Indian went right for the $$$$ sign. I also replaced the OEM seat with a heated Saddleman touring seat. The rep for Saddleman said it would take a few miles to break in and become comfortable. Its not like my a$$ is sensitive, but 3500 miles later, its still as hard as plywood. I really love my Challenger (now that I have an air cushion to sit on) and its almost everything they say it is minus the Stage 2 kit. Also, the hot dog saddlebag heating unit was discontinued. Lastly, lube up the grommets holding the side panel every season. They dry out pretty quickly here in the high desert. The dealership informed me that failed grommets are not warrantied0, nor was the replacement of my side panel which was very irritating. I paid an unreasonable price for a plastic replacement. Its ridiculous how much a plastic side panel costs. If you do upgrades you might anticipate that you may be waiting for them up to one year as I experienced with my lowers. If you are thinking about an Indian... any Indian bike, you need deep pockets. I will say Indian manufactured a very good product that I immensely enjoy riding. But there are a few downsides to consider.
I had a 21 GWDCT for almost a year. Liked it a lot, smooth controls, robust power, electronic suspension, took it cross country and back. The engine is incredibly reliable. But, I didn't like the worthless drop guards, and potential high cost to replace body components. I traded it in for a new 22 Harley SGST. Haven't tried an Indian yet, but for now, I'm riding a couple new Harleys.
I bought my first Indian a 2021 Vintage Darkhorse and I’m just mad I didn’t give Indians a shot years ago! To each his own but I could never go back to HD now.
It's clear to see Indian trying to take market share from all the big brands. I know BMW must have one eye on them too, particularly with the recent launch of the R18. Even though I ride in the UK, the new "food vend" option on my BMW has a Europe region menu, so I get Bratwurst, Strudel and coffee. Normally being British I am strictly a tea drinker, but the coffee is certainly passable.
Understood completely! Just bought a 2021 kawasaki vaquero, ecu was horrendous, not going to send ecu out to get ivanized, bike popped and spit on deceleration, roll on throttle is terrible, extremely top heavy, sold it 1 month later, bought a used 2012 road king classic, completely stock and love it, ironically at 5'6" I find the gold wing cramped, love the road glide special but not at 30k, food story is a little silly, hot dogs, apple pie, and mountain dew should not be a part of your diet lol
And here I am, still trying to figure out why you sold your Valkyrie... I can imagine getting a second or third bike, but I can't fathom selling my Valkyrie 🤣
Agreed! Except no substitute! That being said, I only wish Honda would reissue an updated Valk with all the comfort features like the Gold Wing has. Make it a six speed too! LOL
That challenger is a hot rod, I test rode one and liked it. The road master fit me better. I have a road glide limited and just prefer it as I'm used to wrenching on H D
One thing for sure about H-D is it's straight forward engine architecture. Sticking with the tried & true V-twin engine type cuts down on the many, many variables that you have to deal with other brands. Case in point is when Honda debuted the gen-4 Gold Wing 1500, they went out of their way in the promo material to state that the new (then) '88 Wing had less then 10 percent parts interchangeability than with the prvious gen-3 GL1200 series.
Great ice cream analogy, I use to look at women the same way, but since I got married, I only get chocolate, with lots of boldness and attitude! I sure miss that silky smoothness of vanilla ice cream.🎉
I also sold my 2020 goldwing and bought a Indian Pursuit love the bike. It has more character then the Honda. the Goldwing is a great bike but it doesn't have as much attitude.
Hmm. I wanted all the characteristics you listed of the Goldwing, an even smoother engine and transmission, but then still be faster than the Challenger, especially in the twisties, and went with the BMW K1600GT. But then I'm not sure about ice cream flavor. Guess I'll go with Deutsch Eiskaffee/German Iced Coffee, which is strong, chilled coffee with vanilla ice cream in it.
I’m 73 years old. I sold a ‘97 and an ‘06 Goldwing, and purchased a new ‘17 Indian Roadmaster. Loved my Goldwings, but I’ve never had so many positive comments about any motorcycle I’ve owned that I get almost anytime i’m stopped or parked as I garner from my beautiful ‘17 Roadmaster, with over 60 thousand miles plus, pretty much trouble free, American made Indian!
No dct on anything besides Honda or scooters is the deal-breaker. NC750X owner here. Frunk, sporty, DCT. Better ride quality is the only thing missing but a golding is just too big and heavy for my tastes.
I too love the Indian Challenger but I would not trade it for my 2018 😢Goldwing Tour DCT Airbag! I would love to have one as a second or third bike! By the way yours is equipped, it looks more like the Indian Pursuit.
Kevin the New Orleans option also has the safety lockout so the bike will not start for 4 hours after dispensing Indian to the rescue once again. Enjoy the bike
I fully understand that! I started with a NC as my first and vanilla bike. Meanwhile I got a Hornet, which is more... chilli. And recently I got an old Freewind, which I want to ride also light offroad... However I did not sell the others so I can lick my vanilla whenever I like :D
I bought my first Indian motorcycle last December and I have never had such a comfortable and ease of management on a motorcycle before, I am so happy and glad I made this purchase. Indians rock! PS I am 74yrs old and I have had many motorcycle brands throughout the years and Indian has first place 🥇 in my life!
Thanks for sharing
God bless you sir
I was in Las Vegas, NM and saw a fella with a roadmaster and I asked if if he ever rode Harley;s and he said forever but after getting the Indian, he’d never go back. He said it was better balanced than Harley. I rented a chieftain and preferred it to Harley. Harley so scared that they won;t allow Eaglerider to rent Indians anymore or paid them not to
Another great video Kevin! I love the looks of the Challenger, Indian did a great job on the design of it.
You are what I want to be if I can manage to get to that age. Keep rippin’
I love that Goldwing doesn't need to look or act like anything but itself. HD and Indian are nice but Goldwing is a giant step ahead.
Haha have you ridden a Indian?
im planning to get the challenger. i know goldwing is better but challenger looks better in my opinion. id be way more happy with the indian.
i hate the look of goldwings engine.
There's no doubt that a Goldwing is a great bike, but recently I've been seeing (maybe because I'm looking at an Indian) several previous Goldwing owners that are riding Indians now.
I have had nothing but grins and smiles since getting my 2022 Challenger back in January. I traded in my 2018 BMW 1200RT for it. It definitely has a different attitude from any other bike I've owned in my 45 years of riding. Quite frankly it is a refined American Badass Bike.
Right on
I know exactly what you mean. I have a Harley FXDF Fat Bob with stage II and short shots. It gives me the ‘attitude’ ride. I also have a BMW R1200RT with full touring top box and panniers that gives me the touring ride. I certainly like the HD brand and image but at the end of the day a bike is a bike 👍👍
What the world needs now is ....... Humour sweet humour !
And a two foot long New Orleans Style Daiquiri. :)
I’ll take the bong instead
I bought my 2020 Indian Challenger right from factory and took delivery on August 23rd 2020. Over all it is the best bike I have owned so far, I have owned 37 bikes so far. Only things I changed are exhaust, air breather, ECU tune and crash bars. I added Cobra exhaust because they were cost effective at the time and look great. I added K&N breather and the "stage one air" from Indian. Installed non OEM crash bars. Then added the best part, Lloyd'z ECU CRT-V1 tune. The bike is fast, handles great, and has long ride comfort, oh and it has great braking. For me, this is a keeper. Enjoy the ride and keep the shiny side up.
Traded my 2021 Road Glide Special on a new 2022 Challenger Limited. I put 10k miles on the Road Glide Special. It was a top heavy dinosaur 🦕. Harley-Davidson service costs are outrageously high. I had to upgrade the windshield, suspension and stereo system on the Road Glide Special. No upgrades needed other than a heel Toe Shifter on the Challenger.
The road glide from Harley is my preferred touring bike I love the shark nose design of the fixed fairing and how comfortable the suspension is
You are a goofball! Who knew? You had some real fun with this one. Made me smile early in the morning. Love your work and follow all your videos. Thanks for what you do.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I very much like Indians but the lack of dealers and parts in Australia is a major concern if you breakdown outside of a major city. I would love to get an Indian Roadmaster but I'll stick with my Goldwing for all the reasons you buy a Honda for.
I test riding the Harley Road glide and the Indian challenger and decided to go with the 2024 Honda Goldwing. I just love the sound of the boxer engine and smoothness for long hauls.For the price and all the technology you can't go wrong with a Goldwing.
Beautiful bike. Personal choice will always win out. No such thing as the 'wrong kind' of bike.
100%
Well, I don't think a new rider should get on a 1000cc super bike.
This video answered every single question and doubt I had about trading in my goldwing for a Indian. Thanks for the video
Nice bike - the Challenger sure has a great look, personality and flair.
I love that you were able to describe bike selection as a freedom of
personal choice ....especially pertaining to the bikes we ride.
Rid'em all and love the one you own.
Thanks for the dose of humor and have fun with your new ride!
So glad to see you jumping on an Indian. I've tried telling so many non-believers how awesome they are... all the power and features. Gotta spend 15k minimum to make a road glide perform near the challenger.
AFTER spending more to get the HD out of the dealership, than you did for the Challenger in the first place.
@@danielstewart7732 yes.
I have a 2015 Chief. I love that bike. The only issue hurting Indian is dealer network. I wish you the best with your Challenger
A stock Indian beats any stock Harley in gearbox smoothness, refined ride, balanced with the torque. After test riding the Indian Chieftain Dark Horse, I was sold and bought one. Your analogy is bang on, best of both worlds, middle of the spectrum.
Congrats!
Never heard of the hot dog option, on the old Triumphs there was a button that automatically dispenses all the oil when you park.
@@scot6089 it just makes sure the bike gets fresh oil.
Pffft. Hot dog and oil dispensers…..a Harley dispenses a chest full of tools (cause you’re gonna need em)
I own a 2022 Pursuit Premium that I bought in June from Heritage Indian in Rogers AR also and as of today (9-28-22)I have 9600 Miles on it and they did my mods of K&N air filter and Lloyd's tune and 2 into 1 Bassani. It has been the perfect touring machine. I have riden about 300,000 miles over the last 25 years touring all 48 states and Mexico and Canada mostly on a HD Road Glide and just the last 5 years on a 2017 Springfield Indian Chief. Hope to see you on the road ! Indian Built the Ultimate Touring bike ! Oh and I love Mountain Dew also !
I have been thinking about a Lloyds tune to improve the throttle response.
My wife and I spent a week in Jamaica this past February and we met a guy from Minnesota that was a senior design engineer for the Challenger project. It was cool to visit with him about it.
I traded my 2012 Victory Cross Country Tour on a 2006 GL 1800 and wrote a check for the difference and it's all mine. Definitely like the independent steering and better Windmanagement on the Wing. It's just so smooth too.
Love the comparison. I’m definitely a Harley guy, but if I had to pick a different bike I’d go Goldwing.
Ice cream and philosophies 👍👍
"A life unexamined is a life only half lived"
I "Reflect" as I try different bikes AND push 82 how as I age my "Tastes" change 😅
I am thankful where I mostly ride ride 6 cars are a traffic jam.
I now consider smiles over miles but I look forward to finding the subtitle difference in bikes AND my own differences.
Physically and mentally.
This on a "Fixed income, and nearest service 150 to 200 miles away. THUS I choose older bikes sans "Electronics"
God Bless you for staying in the saddle! And there's a lot to be said about riding old bikes that are not troubled by electronic gremlins!
Kevin, you're a genius! Love the hotdog feature but I'll wait until 2023 so I can get the ice on my apple pie. Congrats on the new bike.
I think you bought a dang fine motorcycle. Not because I necessarily like or dislike it or, your neighbor told you he liked it. You bought that bike because it was right for you. At the end of the day, that’s what matters. Congratulations on your new beautiful bike. Enjoy it and ride safe. If there was one thing I could change on that particular pick it would have been color. Lol. Cleaning black vehicles is tedious plus I think a brightly colored bike gets seen more. I can’t wait for your reviews on it. 👍
I have an 18 DCT like the one you had. Same white color too. I’ve customized it to my liking so much I just can’t imagine selling it. The Corbin seat and full Helibar system has made it so darn comfortable for me I can’t think of owning anything else. It’s paid for, so that contributes to my love of the bike too. I would like to ride the Indian. It looks like an absolute torque monster. Thanks for the video.
I sure love my challenger. I had a victory vision before and I loved it, my only complaint was not enough horse power. The challenger definitely has plenty of torque and horse power and comfort.
Polaris,IMHO, builds fantastic bikes. And I feel touring bikes like the Vision, lead onto the tour-de-force of the Challenger & Pursuit models.
🤣Hilariously delivered! I like Indian's too. Really wish I'd bought one instead of a Harley, especially since they are made in USA, maybe I will sell my Harley and get one. Thank you for sharing your sense of humor with us. Love it!
I'm a retread rider getting back into the sport by going back in time with a 1998 Honda Valkyrie Tour. The Valkyrie has such a presence that it always draws a crowd of onlookers. Many of which are dumbfounded to find out that it's 25 years old! Anyway I'm tickled pink as to how satisfying it is to ride my Valkyrie. On the other hand, however, at fifty nine years old, I'm also looking for some of the convenience , comfort, and safety features that are found on luxo-touring bikes today. Such as, heated seat & grips, cruise control, reverse, anti-lock & traction control. And not-to-mention audio, nav, & communication. Also, it would be an added plus if it was stamped with "Made in the U.S.A." and continuity of brand or model (Wing Nut!) loyalty. While I appreciate your analogy about chocolate, vanilla , and swirl ice cream, which led you to the Indian Challenger, did you consider any other tourer? Such as the Yamaha Venture, Kawasaki Voyager, or any of the BMW K1600 series? For me it seems that our Bavarian friends at BMW may have the closest with the R-18 Transcontinental. In so many ways BMW picks up where Honda left off with the Valkyrie.
Like you Kevin, I watch & read a lot of reviews on touring bikes as was the case with the R-18 Transcontinental. So when I recently had the opportunity to demo the BMW 's Uber tourer, it met my expectations. What did take me by surprise was how well my 25 year old Valkyrie held up. For me, my conundrum is not so much as switching ice cream flavors, but rather sticking with my "old fashion" flavor and adding some new fangle sprinkles & new assortment of goodies? Or walking across the isle and the new ready to go flavor with all the pre-package goodies included?
The engines on those are really cool looking imo.
It's not that crazy to keep two or three motorcycles. They take up a lot less space than a car
Riding my 2019 Roadmaster never fails to get compliments everywhere I go.
Congratulations on the new bike! Ride what you like; just ride.
AMF ownership H-D motorcycle's flavor = ROCKY ROAD
Funny!
Loved this video Kevin! Great perspective and awesome humor!
We test rode an Indian before we purchased our current Harley, but that was before they had the Challenger. My wife didn't like the passenger seat as it sloped forward toward the driver. The dealer indicated that could be fixed with a new seat...but at our cost of course...
Kevin the best part of this video is no doubt: the sound of the coins, thanks for your great humor !!!
the dine-in-dash must be a feature of the Pursuit. I've got the base model Challenger and I just eat bugs....
What a nice food menu feature on the Indian! Man, wish my Harley had that 😢
I bought my first Indian 3 weeks ago. I bought the Springfield. Sure wish they would’ve told me about the hotdog desert and drink option on challenger😂
I have a chocolate Road King and a vanilla (or maybe swirl) K1600 GTL in my garage. Really enjoy both of them and my wife thinks the RK is gorgeous, loves riding on the back and would never allow it to be sold. I guess this is my solution to the flavors and a happy wife - two ice cream cones.
Very nice!
I'm glad you touched on the important features of the bike. A good Apple Pie crust is essential.
Wonderful summary!! My ride is a 2003 Honda Valkyrie 1500C F6 at 75 years old. I would definitely love to own an Indian as well. When I buy my next bike , it could very well be the Indian Challenger , because it's lighter and easier to handle in parking lots..The Goldwing is a superb bike, however , there is to much plastic and baggage for my liking..
Grats on the new bike! I love my 2021 Challenger Dark Horse. It's not a perfect bike, but most of my complaints about it are very easily fixed with software updates. They've already fixed several of my issues I had with it. Still have some work to do with the Ride Command though.
Indian has successfully installed the ice cream dispenser, but it's also a regional restriction. You must take delivery in Alaska and as before there is only one type. In this case they are Eskimo Pies.
Thanks for that info Scott.
Your seven months early with your April Fools Episode.
Yes, but can you pick it back up by yourself without hurting you knee or back? Fun to watch, thanks!
Not a problem if you don't drop it. ;)
Bought my 21 RM last year and man what a bike best of both worlds indeed.
I ride a 2018 GW, non tour 6-speed...I don't think the Indian is for me, but, hey, I'm glad you like it! Love your videos!
Ok, so ya finally explained the switcharoo, I’ll except your reasons and APPROVE. 👍🏼
It doesn’t matter what I ride if you like it.
@@MCrider ….Great point.
I'm so glad Polaris brought back the Indian marque to such a magnificent degree. They are making some wonderful bikes. I absolutely love my stunning 2019 Indian Springfield in steel gray and metallic burgundy! Cruiser Heaven, all day, every day!
The return of Indian is a fantastic American story. The whole motorcyle universe is all the better for it.
@@nelsonphilip4520 I concur.
Should've never killed off Victory in the process though. Both could've existed as they are entirely two different brands and styles.
@@derek17005 I agree, even some Victory dealerships could've thrived enough to also become Indian dealerships expanding the network.
Polaris did well with establishing the Victory brand and put themselves in position to revive the iconic Indian. I have to think that they thought long and hard before discontinuation of Victory.
In the aftermath of the "to big to fail", 2008 Great Recession crisis, all of the "Big Three" American auto manufacturers shut down one or more brands in their portfolio. Even the Motor Company ended up shutting down Buell. I figure it's all for the bottom line & sustainability.
Of course I, for one, am grateful that marques such as Indian, Triumph, & Royal Enfield have been revived. And I am even appreciative of Harley-Davidson's independence from AMF and it's return to prominence in the motorcycle universe.
Have loved my 2021 Challenger since picking it up on New Years Eve.
I hope you have more luck with your 2022 Challenger than I have had so far. I got 1,600 awesome miles out of my LTD before it left me stranded 180 miles from home on a week-long trip to NY and VT. After a $940 tow home the dealer says "fouled rear plug"; I said, that's a symptom not the problem. But I'm just a nerdy bean-counter, so what do I know about bikes. Within 150 miles of getting it back it sputters and goes into limp-mode; thankfully this time only 3 miles from home. Back to the dealer... this time dealer says "it dropped the tune" Really??!! They re-flash the tune...Another band-aid IMHO. I am paying another dealer to pick it up and diagnose the real problem. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge Indian MC fan, long before Polaris resurrected the brand for good. My 2015 Chief Vintage was indestructible, and I consider the Challenger the best handling bike I have ever driven, but if it's unreliable then it's useless. The Indian Forum has plenty of Challengers with similar problems, so buyer beware... I think some of these bikes are coming off the assembly line with inherent problems...
Thanks for sharing your experience. I feel that none of today's manufacturers are immune to these kinds of quality control issues. You also raise a vital point and that is dealer support. It's crucial to have a competent dealer who has the know-how & wherewithal to be able to service what they just sold you.
If I had a local Indian dealer I'd get the Challenger, but I'm leaning Road Glide because my nearest Indian dealer is 3 hours away. I've spent time on the Indian forums and Facebook groups for the Challenger and there do seem to be a lot of people having issues with them. Makes me nervous to buy one with my dealer being so far away. Otherwise, it would be my pick.
@@chasingtrail unfortunately that what you find in almost every type of forum. People like to complain and share their problems. The vast majority of happy people don't always post. My 2020 Challenger DH has been great from day 1. Only been back to the dealer once for the 500 mile service. Other than that I do all my own service and the bike has been fantastic.
Very clever and well done. Appreciate the humor and unique approach as always. All great choices!
Very entertaining video and nicely done. I am fortunate to have both a 2018 Goldwing and 2021 Challenger. Both are fun to ride and have different personalities . Cheers!
If i get any space in my garage I want a mid-90s gold wing. I used to see them on roadtrips as a kid and thought they were so cool with their front brake cover
Great episode Kevin! Love both bikes, heck, the Road King was cool too! Glad your enjoying it!
Still have my 2008 Wing. I am still on the fence which direction I will go when I am ready to upgrade. I test road an Indian Challenger fee years ago. It was very nice. Dealer support tho is 3hrs away unfortunately.
That’s not bad.
Why did I sell my '23 Road Glide ST that I spent $$$$ on upgrades? I don't know. I miss it... but maybe... maybe the reason is because I never gave the time to Indian... never checked them out... I'll be checking out the Challenger for sure. Maybe I'll be moving there. Hard to say exactly WHY I do anything.
I am thinking about selling my 2022 DCT Tour and buying an Indian Pursuit. I am test riding the Indian tomorrow. The Honda is silky smooth. But i like having the clutch
I'm so angry and bummed out. I have a Scout, and just called my local indian dealer. They said I had to order a Challenger-Vending Edition, and wanted to charge me way over MSRP. Wonder if I can upgrade my current one....
My BMW 1200 GS came with a sauerkraut dispenser 😂
Congrats on the new ride! I’m real excited about the news I heard from my local Indian Dealer here in NY. Rumor has it NY shops will have models fitted with a pizza oven! LOL!!
Congrats again brother. Enjoy every mile!
Wow...I do like Pizza.
I just got my hands on an Indian Pursuit. I wouldn't call it an in-between motorcycle, I think it's something on its own. I bought it for two-up touring, the pillion is going to be much happier with that than riding pillion on my R1250GSA, which is my daily victim.
Wow Kevin Perfect timing. I am so glad I finally bought the right bike, the perfect bike! I appreciate that you helped me to see that. It took me from 1969 to December 2022 figure it out. I did that in spite of multiple degrees, and all of the advertising as tempting as it is. My bike can cook more items than yours as well. Pretty much anything. I don’t even need to look at gauges or dials to know, it simply tells me!!! Better than Artificial Intelligence to be sure. I do not need a dealer for anything! It gets great milage, does the way past the speed limit with aplomb! Will always be worth what I paid for it. Even has a reverse…actually better than a GW! Fun factor is off the charts and can go over terrain better than most single track conveyances! Yeilds as much as 60mpg if ridden easy. As for accessories and farkling fun… the imagination is the only limit!!!
I was going to type a lot more etc….. but I decided to make it short. FWIW…I have owned Honda GW, Indian, BMW GS, K bike, sport and full tour etc, HD ( the most unreliable of the bunch) Suzuki’s, Kawasakis, Yamaha, Italian brands, other European brands. They were all a version of flavors plain or exotic…. but the one that beats them all, and cooks the perfect meal, and can turn into what ever mood I happen to be in….. is:…. drum roll…
My much beloved Suzuki DR650!
About the meals…from camping to restaurant hoping its is marvelous! AND I DONT NEED NO STINKIN’ ECU!
Congrats on the new steed! Safe travels!
Yep, I purchased the Gold Wing because I was tired of the Beer and Pretzel dispenser on my Road King; but now, I am getting weary of the sakai and sushi of the Wing; but the Japanese Cheesecake selection has me hooked for life.
What I think you meant is that Indian are designed and produced in the USA, as I understand there are no other parts of America that manufacture it.
Attention all Indian owners. Stop holding the start button down when starting your bike. It's a one touch start system. Tap the start button and release!
Tru dat.
Good to know 😊
Congrats on your new ride. It’s stunning!!!
Because of the success of the hot pocket feature Honda is now offering a bolt on special feature for all their other models - unfortunately it only serves calamari.
Before i watch. Greed pride and glory. Money changes everything and everybody. Good to see your human
I purchased my 2021 Challenger the the summer 2020. Over that time, I turned my Limited Challenger into a Pursuit before I ever heard that the Indian organization developed the Pursuit before it was coming out. Everything I put on the bike fit very well, but I had to spend my kid's inheritance to upgrade my Challenger. I also had the Indian dealership install a Stage 2 with cams, but to be honest, it was a waste of money as I really didn't notice much difference in power or torque. I was told that I needed to replace my exhaust and upgrade my ECU, but that is another $1500. I really love the Challenger, but instead of nickles and dimes, Indian went right for the $$$$ sign. I also replaced the OEM seat with a heated Saddleman touring seat. The rep for Saddleman said it would take a few miles to break in and become comfortable. Its not like my a$$ is sensitive, but 3500 miles later, its still as hard as plywood. I really love my Challenger (now that I have an air cushion to sit on) and its almost everything they say it is minus the Stage 2 kit. Also, the hot dog saddlebag heating unit was discontinued. Lastly, lube up the grommets holding the side panel every season. They dry out pretty quickly here in the high desert. The dealership informed me that failed grommets are not warrantied0, nor was the replacement of my side panel which was very irritating. I paid an unreasonable price for a plastic replacement. Its ridiculous how much a plastic side panel costs. If you do upgrades you might anticipate that you may be waiting for them up to one year as I experienced with my lowers. If you are thinking about an Indian... any Indian bike, you need deep pockets. I will say Indian manufactured a very good product that I immensely enjoy riding. But there are a few downsides to consider.
I had a 21 GWDCT for almost a year. Liked it a lot, smooth controls, robust power, electronic suspension, took it cross country and back. The engine is incredibly reliable. But, I didn't like the worthless drop guards, and potential high cost to replace body components. I traded it in for a new 22 Harley SGST. Haven't tried an Indian yet, but for now, I'm riding a couple new Harleys.
Congrats on your new bike.
I bout fell out of my chair laughing when you opened up to reveal the hot dog.
Good One !
I bought my first Indian a 2021 Vintage Darkhorse and I’m just mad I didn’t give Indians a shot years ago!
To each his own but I could never go back to HD now.
It's clear to see Indian trying to take market share from all the big brands. I know BMW must have one eye on them too, particularly with the recent launch of the R18. Even though I ride in the UK, the new "food vend" option on my BMW has a Europe region menu, so I get Bratwurst, Strudel and coffee. Normally being British I am strictly a tea drinker, but the coffee is certainly passable.
The pop dispenser on my 2021 Challenger jams often, and the apple pie is always too hot. But the hotdogs turn out OK.
Understood completely! Just bought a 2021 kawasaki vaquero, ecu was horrendous, not going to send ecu out to get ivanized, bike popped and spit on deceleration, roll on throttle is terrible, extremely top heavy, sold it 1 month later, bought a used 2012 road king classic, completely stock and love it, ironically at 5'6" I find the gold wing cramped, love the road glide special but not at 30k, food story is a little silly, hot dogs, apple pie, and mountain dew should not be a part of your diet lol
And here I am, still trying to figure out why you sold your Valkyrie... I can imagine getting a second or third bike, but I can't fathom selling my Valkyrie 🤣
Agreed! Except no substitute! That being said, I only wish Honda would reissue an updated Valk with all the comfort features like the Gold Wing has. Make it a six speed too! LOL
I completely agree.
Definitely could use that 6th gear... Reverse gear from the Goldwing would be a nice addition as well.
That challenger is a hot rod, I test rode one and liked it. The road master fit me better. I have a road glide limited and just prefer it as I'm used to wrenching on H D
One thing for sure about H-D is it's straight forward engine architecture. Sticking with the tried & true V-twin engine type cuts down on the many, many variables that you have to deal with other brands. Case in point is when Honda debuted the gen-4 Gold Wing 1500, they went out of their way in the promo material to state that the new (then) '88 Wing had less then 10 percent parts interchangeability than with the prvious gen-3 GL1200 series.
You're killin' me... great show
Great ice cream analogy, I use to look at women the same way, but since I got married, I only get chocolate, with lots of boldness and attitude! I sure miss that silky smoothness of vanilla ice cream.🎉
Love it!! Have a safe, blessed weekend.
Thank you! You too!
Hey my HD Switchback comes with babyback ribs feature. I’m happy with that!
Texas or KC style ribs?
Excellent pivot from Masters degree to foot-tall margueritas!.
I also sold my 2020 goldwing and bought a Indian Pursuit love the bike. It has more character then the Honda. the Goldwing is a great bike but it doesn't have as much attitude.
Ride whatever trips your trigger,...but attitude is only in the mind of the rider and not the machine
I actually traded my goldwing in for a 2022 roadmaster dark horse.
Hmm. I wanted all the characteristics you listed of the Goldwing, an even smoother engine and transmission, but then still be faster than the Challenger, especially in the twisties, and went with the BMW K1600GT. But then I'm not sure about ice cream flavor. Guess I'll go with Deutsch Eiskaffee/German Iced Coffee, which is strong, chilled coffee with vanilla ice cream in it.
Thanks for another great video Kevin! Do you also have a Triumph?
Yes, I have a Rocket 3 and Speedmaster.
Love ya! LOL Best RUclips review. Ever. I've been impressed with the Challenger, after 2 test rides. Likely my next ride. Keep up the great work!
After that explanation It makes perfect sense! Very nice ride.
I’m 73 years old. I sold a ‘97 and an ‘06 Goldwing, and purchased a new ‘17 Indian Roadmaster.
Loved my Goldwings, but I’ve never had so many positive comments about any motorcycle I’ve owned that I get almost anytime i’m stopped or parked as I garner from my beautiful ‘17 Roadmaster, with over 60 thousand miles plus, pretty much trouble free, American made Indian!
Thanks for the laughs clever man. Well explained and fun. Enjoy it!
Glad you enjoyed it!
No dct on anything besides Honda or scooters is the deal-breaker. NC750X owner here. Frunk, sporty, DCT. Better ride quality is the only thing missing but a golding is just too big and heavy for my tastes.
I have a 2023 wing. Dct. I love it. My friend has the top of the line indian. He loves it.
Personally, I like brats and burger’s more than hotdogs, and season based beverage’s which are included…
So I’ll stick with my Harley for now.
I too love the Indian Challenger but I would not trade it for my 2018 😢Goldwing Tour DCT Airbag! I would love to have one as a second or third bike! By the way yours is equipped, it looks more like the Indian Pursuit.
Kevin the New Orleans option also has the safety lockout so the bike will not start for 4 hours after dispensing Indian to the rescue once again. Enjoy the bike
Good to know.
I absolutely adore my Challenger!
So you traded the Gold Wing for a fast food dispenser on wheel?
Almost makes me want to trade in my 2019 Chieftain Darkhorse…I mean I really like hot dogs…
All beef too!
I fully understand that! I started with a NC as my first and vanilla bike. Meanwhile I got a Hornet, which is more... chilli. And recently I got an old Freewind, which I want to ride also light offroad... However I did not sell the others so I can lick my vanilla whenever I like :D