Coming from a rider for last 49 years, Ive had all sorts of bikes in my very long riding "career" from 15cc to 50 cc at age of 6 and all the way up to numerous Harley heavy dnd models, however owning an Indian has always been my dream and now that I'm finally a proud Indian Springfield owner, I can honestly tell - this is the pinnacle of a motorcycle for me! Never mind that there's no immediate lineage between 1901 and 2024 or isn't there? It is just a best bike for me from absolutely every angle I look at it - style, quality, rideability, an all rounder and best in both words kinda bike. I LOVE INDIAN and as Jay Leno said, this time around they had both - heart and money in right place so long live Indian brand!
@@stoveboltlvr3798 thanks. Just know every stop will be a conversation and no one will belive it's not 50 years old. I've done 3 trips over 2k miles and it is the best touring bike I've had. Would recommend that bike 100% to someone looking for a bagger
After about 26 happy years of Suzuki Intruder I bought a Scout one year ago. The bike is beautiful and easy to drive. It's just a little bit heavy when you drive slow, but if you take care there's no problem. I kept the legacy of my father, because one century ago he owned an Indian Scout of the 1927 with the sidecar. Bye father, the tradition in our family continues...running where the streets have no name...
Harley guys who deride (see what I did there?) Indians as Polariseses seem to have selective amnesia about HD’s glorious AMF debacle. I’m awestruck, not to mention thunderstruck, every time I fire up my Springfield.
AMF didn't make Harley-Davidson, they brought money. Polaris changed the Victory motorcycles into Indian motorcycles. To suggest they are equivalent is a smooth brain idea. It's like having Yamaha start making a Pontiac firebird based off the Camaro to compete with a Mustang. It doesn't pass the sniff test.
@@Nostradamus-X yeah i guess that stuff’s more critical when there’s limited dealer network and zero aftermarket. When Polaris chops the brand like they did with Victory, you’ll be left with an orphan.
@@iuyozxyou say that I can find loads of parts for the scout on j and p cycles and more custom parts from eBay that’s just to name a few my scout has more after market parts than my dads evo roadster complain how you will I’ve road Harleys road king,sporster just to name some and I wouldnt trade my scout for them not by a long shot
I had an old uncle that owned a 1920's scout and a 1946 chief. I have always loved looking at those old pictures of him on his bikes. I very nearly inherited the chief, but missed it because some scrap iron guys got to it first and recycled it. Not to be discouraged, I finally bought a brand new scout in 2022. Awesome bike, a memorial to the old Indians and my Uncle George.
Been riding most of my life and had many bikes. Got my first Indian in 2020. Hands down the best bike I have ever ridden. Something very special about the Indian.
I was H-D only. Now I've got an Indian FTR and Pursuit. I like 'em. Harley needed competition from another American manufacturer. For a while they had gotten lazy. My brothers ride Harley, and while they stick with H-D, they think my Indians are cool.
I own a Harley-Davidson Sportster. I love to ride it. I like other Harleys and wouldn’t mind a new Street Bob. However , I am not an H-D loyalist. I checked out a few Indian motorcycles at the local dealer. They are gorgeous bikes and they seem to be well built. I would like to take one for a spin.
@@GLHS592 mine just needs an ID for insurance purposes. They know once you ride it, you won't stop thinking about it even if you don't buy that day. Also lots of them have demo days where they bring and entire fleet of bikes you can ride all day for free. I'm in Tennessee and we have one in April. So much fun. And it let's you get an idea of what you want and compare all the models!
I’ve owned 6 different Indian motorcycles. My current bike is the 2023 Pursuit Darkhorse Icon. I absolutely LOVE this bike. Indian bikes are fantastic.
I Was in the market for a NEW Bike 2 years ago. I shopped in at H.D. as well as Indian. To round it out Honda too. What did not impress me was the exorbitant prices & the unnecessary surcharge. Discussed, I shopped on line for used & found endless numbers of good bikes available for a price conscious consumer. I wasn't looking for a little putt putt puddle jumper. I was searching for a proper sized bike suitable for hiway & local roads. I kept hunting & located one, a 2014 Indian Vintage. At the age of 7 & 1/2 decades I figure I can ballance this machine for many more months & years ahead. Sure I do wish there were more Indian dealers to choose from, but am content to know there are plenty of independent motorcycle shops that will gladly take my $$$ for timely & reasonable rates. Am I going to ever buy new? Not unless my rich uncle leaves me his wealth. Since I have no rich Uncle, I guess the answer is obvious. I like my Indian Vintage. One last thing I am not too olde, I can still flat foot it at stops, I don't choose to go with a trike, .... And kudos to all the other old tyme riders.
I've ridden HD since 1978 and still have a 49 Pan and 84 FXR. I went to buy a new HD for my retirement. I'm riding a Roadmaster for my main bike now. What a superior machine! Oh yeah, I did have a 1924 Big Chief for a while but try getting parts for that!
Brought home my new 2023 Indian Challenger Dark Horse two weeks ago. Test road it and the Road Glide. Hands down the Indian won, with more power, riding comfort, ease of maintenance (along with free lifetime oil changes), modern technology (smooth bike/rider interface), and fun maneuverability! Very Happy with my choice!
Indian's Chieftain has been left to rot since the Challenger came out. However Harley's revised Street Glide and Road Glide show where Harley runs circles around Indian, fit and finish. They are also starting at a MSRP far less than the Limited and Dark Horse trims. My issue was when riding either the Chieftain or Challenger is the Polaris navigation system is horribly integrated. The work done on the inner fairing does nothing to make it look like was considered when designing the rest of the controls.
I have a 2015 Indian Chief. Love that bike, no issues. Highly recommend owning one. The one thing I would like Indian to do is make a dual sport bike, like a Suzuki DRZ-400. Even if it was under the Polaris name. An off road company that doesn’t make off road bikes. What’s up with that!?
The California model was called the “Gilroy” models, as they were built in Gilroy California. After they were bought out by entrepreneurs and the factory was moved to Kings Mountain, North Carolina, They are known as the “Kings Mountain” models. Yes, I agree, The Indian Motorcycle brand is an American company that employs American workers. And it’s true, Harley can thank Indian/Polaris, for putting the pressure on them, forcing then to make an improved and better motorcycle. Not better engineered than Indian, just a better Harley-Davidson.
The V-rod came out in 1999. Polaris was still building garbage Victory's then. You can thank the customer of Harley-Davidson for keeping them old school, that had nothing to do with Polaris. Harley-Davidson should have had a liquid cooled bagger way before Polaris ditched the Victory brand for an Indian brand name change. People are generally not very intelligent. People who say, Polaris motorcycles with Indian brands are related to the Indian motorcycle company that died are willfully stupid. If I bought one I'd rebadge it Victory because that's what they are.
You admitted that Harley is “old School.” True. They’re still using 20th century technology in a 21st century world on their big V-twins. Whether you like it or not, It wasn’t until the battle of the baggers, when Indian, kept whooping up on Harley, beating HD on every race especially on dirt track racing! The rules were even changed in favor of Harley, to give them the edge over Indian, because not only was Harley loosing every race on the dirt, they were loosing 1,2,and 3. That’s why Harley has come out with their 117,121 and 131 engines, just to try and beat Indian. At a cost to the consumer.
@@michaelschmitzerle2587 your bias has blocked your ability to read. Harley-Davidson has moved on just fine without Indian. Harley-Davidson also doesn't "need" Polaris. Harley-Davidson has for the most part been held back by its customer. I'm glad the Harley haters have another American company to buy motorcycles from, but it is by far the least competitor pushing innovation. It did probably help the price. The Victory is now the expensive choice.
I have owned Harleys for the past 44 years. Roadtested a 2024 Indian Roadmaster yesterday. The dealership had me sign the usual insurance waiver and said, "Go ride it! Now, one of my two present Harleys is a 2018 CVO Limited with a 117 cubic engine. Needless to say, I was very impressed. The Indian 116 Thunderstroke was quick and rolled on in high gear nicely. The handling was very nimble. After 30 minutes of riding, I ordered a 2024 Indian Roadmaster Elite. I must say, I should have listened to friends and made the move earlier. The fit, design, and finish are very nice. Can't get over its ergonomics and light handling. No more full body workouts riding a bagger Harley with a passenger!
Wow. I try to watch all your videos when you post them but this is the first time in a long time perhaps even first ever it actually popped up in my feed with out me having to search. You make great videos. Rock on.
I owned an Indian 125 in the early 80's. It wasn't the best bike I ever owned, but it was probably the most fun. It was a time when I didn't ride on the road any more and only rode dirt, such as dirt roads and railroad tracks. My understanding was HD had bought the Indian name and wanted to bring in a line of smaller cc bikes. Didn't matter to me, I'm a Honda man and the Indian was the only bike I ever owned that was not a Honda. I didn't really buy it, some guy needed some money and gave me the bike as collateral. I just rode the devil out of it until he repaid me.
My dad has a 15’ chieftain dark red with the 111 thunderstroke, his first bike in two decades l, when I asked him “why Indian?” He said it simply, the Indian is all new with bold classic styling, and the Harley looks like the same bike they sold since the early 00’s.
Another high quality, thoughtful video. Thanks! I would consider an Indian for sure if I was wanting such a bike. I've appreciated them ever since going to my first flat track race in Sacramento in 2018.
My dad had two friends who cane home from WW2, they both had Indians. They swore by them. I have remembered that since I was young. I bought a 2014 Chieftain and rode it 52 thousand miles. I am currently on a 2022 Challenger and have 27 thousand on this bike. Bullet proof. Love the warbonnet!!
A friend of my Dad's had a 1954 Indian Chief-didn't like Harleys. He could pick it up. (It was bigger than the ElectraGlide!) Cheers from the Pacific West Coast of Canada.
There is not much to complain about with the Indian range but there is one major flaw that holds them back from being a serious contender and that’s after sales, getting anything from cables to clutches from exhaust to aftermarket there is nearly nothing there. I have a friend who needed to rebuild his clutch , the parts took 4 months to arrive.
I have both brands. I used to scoff at people who said the dealer network was the reason to stick HD. But I have had multiple issues with my Challenger and the dealers suck. They don’t really know the bike, or have things like spare parts. I want to see both in the market. Makes for better choices for us riders.
Agree with your Indian dealership experience. I bought a new 2020 Challenger and rode it for 3 years putting just shy of 30k miles on it. Spent more time in the dealership for repairs than all other bikes I have owned combined. I was constantly having electronic issues and weird codes popping up and the dealership was never able to find the problem. Made it difficult to have confidence in the bike even though it was comfortable for long trips and very fast.
@@NWF_Rider electronics issues plague the platform. My navigation works maybe 70% of the time, CarPlay maybe 30% of the time. I will not be buying another one of these for sure.
We own 3 lndians in the family! Chief Vintage, Roadmaster and a Chieftain Dark Horse. Very rare in our country. We also have our IMRG (lndian Motorcycle Riders Group) Regards from Hungary! 😊
Bought my Springfield Dark Horse last November and still love the bike (nearly 12K miles now)! Once I rode it, I was sold. It handles better and rides smoother!
Well done mr Spokes. I had Harley's for 20 years. Nice time. But after a testride on a Triumph America back in 2007 that was the end of that. And looking back, I really wasn't the "feet-forward-rider". Gynecologist moped, we called them. Saw the HD lineup at the mc exhibition in Copenhagen last week and nothing tempted. Even the Street Glide with the midpegs were strange. The feet so far apart! Sitting on a small lunchbox with the arms in the air. Strange indeed! And the new Sportster...so ugly! Hoses and cables all over the place. Attempts to hide with plastic covers. Yak! I like light, powerfull, wellhandling bikes and would love to see an Indian Flattracker. But instead of my lovely KTM 790 Duke? Hardly. Keep these films coming, you're good at it!
The original company may be gone, but the brand lives on. And that’s okay. Many brands have been revived and no one talks about those like they do Indian. Like it or not, the Indian brand lives on and it’s here to stay.
Great video very informative and awesome points! Much respect for you digging in to the HD vs Indian history. Indian has improved and keeps improving through the years! Dont believe me? Look back when HD was selling 96 and what Indian was giving out! Hasta luego!
Love to see the Indian name come back, regardless of the ownership. The management is what makes the difference. Good attractive bike, made in America! Go Polaris!
Love Harley's, had several and was looking for a new bike and didn't like the new Harley's and now proud owner of a 2023 Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse
I agree. I own a 2022 FTR 1200 R Carbon, would be nice have a larger gas ⛽️ tank, but I learned to not let that get in the way plus about time to refill is a good time to stop, stretch and rest
22 chieftain limited. I went indian because when i went to 2 different dealerships, they ignored what I wanted and kept forcing the most expensive bike on the floor down my throat no matter how many times I said no.
I purchased a 2025 Indian scout bobber limited tech plus package, it’s an amazing motorcycle. Suspension is a little rough but I can live with that being 100% American made. I am absolutely thrilled with my purchase have about 2500 miles on it so far with no problems. The only modification so far is I replaced the exhaust with freedom performance radical radius pipes And it runs like a raped ape!
A bold move . . trying to tell the history of Indian in an 11 minute video. There's been books written on the subject. At 77 years old I've owned them all. Europeans, Americans and rice burners. My 21 Chieftain Limited has been the best of them all.
Traded up from Victory Gunner to Indian Cheiftain, to Roadmaster to Pursuit. Every bike made by Polaris is a dream machine compared to clunker Harley’s
Bought a new '23 Chieftain. Bought it over a new '23 street glide. The Indians ride, power, and price (base models) are quite a bit better. I always wanted a Harley but brand loyalty goes only so far..., and I've got Polaris sleds I'm happy with so there's that...
I love seeing a true underdog story unfolding infront of us. The resurrection of the first American motorcycle company rising from the ashes to reclaim its rightful place. Thank you for making a good video of the struggles of icon Indian motorcycles. Yes, I ride chief dark horse. 😂
I would say that the Royal Enfield is a serious rival to Harly Davidson. I love cruisers and when I went looking for a brand new one I went with the Royal Enfield Supper Meteor 650 over the Indians and Harly's for two major reason price and center stand.
I love the looks of the brand, and I am glad that they are growing. I don't have the coin to have a stable of bikes, but if I did, I would look at the Indian for sure. I love my Tiger, but your video on the Super Tenere peaked my interest in looking elsewhere. If Indian were to make a shaft drive. ADV bike, I know that I would check it out. Thanks for another great video! TC. Ps. I think that you and Brooke should consider a motorcycle inspired name for your baby. I think that Tiger works better than Scout and is less obvious than Harley.😂
Quite like some Indian models. The ftr and bobber come to mind. Definitely want an ftr. Where as I look at hd and there's just nothing. Indian has cleaner designs and their engines look better than hd's. So I can see why the sales are increasing.
I would think if a company was proud of their product they would put Polaris/Indian badges on them , like AMF did on HD's. So I agree, they seem to be deceptive.
Yes, they do. But this is true with any company that buys another one, or the right to it. The reason Polaris dropped Victory for Indian was because of the name. Victory just didn't evoke that nostalgia.
Great video! I hope Indian continues to make cool stuff. Not sure about an ADV bike, that market is very difficult to enter with so many good models and well established brands. What they really need to make is a lightweight hooligan bike, like a 400 super moto :)
I hope Both brands go bk and the someone buys them and make decently priced bikes, indiand are Ok but would buy one over the harley the fact they dont have a primary engines and trans separately to me it seems am buying a japanese bike for thr price of the harley also dont dig the looks. The victory on the other hand i almost Bought lol
Indian, definitely an interesting come back and as you said Finally Polaris came along and actually made it truly its own bike worthy of the Indian name rather than mostly off the shelf parts such as S&S Engines/ Harley repops. In 2012 I bought a 1999 Kawi Drifter 800, awesome bike loved it , wife and I did trip to Nova Scotia on it, wife and I also did many Ice cream runs on it as well, I only sold the bike about 2 weeks ago and honestly it was hard to sell. I also owned a 2015 Indian Scout a really really nice bike but it was with that bike I decided that feet forward style is not for me. I would take Indian over Harley any time. As for GPZ bikes, I live up the road and about 2 months ago I walked in after all the reno's were done and imagine my surprise to find out about they are lic. to sell Harley, Indian, BMW wow as well as the Lic they already had . GasGas, Ducati, KTM, Triumph there are probably more. Great Review on the Indian, Thanks buddy.
They look good, but i cannot ride cruisers. Only big ADVs are comfortable for me. I've had my 2012 1200gs since new, and have no plans to buy anything else.
I like the look of the FTR & Pan America, so I'm obviously not a big cruiser fan. And I'm not from North Amarica, so made in the USA doesn't resonate with me so much. Personally, I'd love to see a true XR-750 remake with a stripped down bike using the 975 engine. Until then I've got the x350 as an option with XR styling.
I like it: "How many Springfields could there be in the United States?" Sixty-seven. That's right, 67. So maybe it's OK to specify Sprinfield, Massachusetts...
Will definitely drop by GP Bikes to check out BMWs (esp. the new R12 due to be released soon) and Indians. Bought my used Sportster 1200 there a few years ago and would definitely buy from them again. Can't say the same for H-D - worst customer experiences (that's plural) I've ever had anywhere.
Coming from a rider for last 49 years, Ive had all sorts of bikes in my very long riding "career" from 15cc to 50 cc at age of 6 and all the way up to numerous Harley heavy dnd models, however owning an Indian has always been my dream and now that I'm finally a proud Indian Springfield owner, I can honestly tell - this is the pinnacle of a motorcycle for me! Never mind that there's no immediate lineage between 1901 and 2024 or isn't there? It is just a best bike for me from absolutely every angle I look at it - style, quality, rideability, an all rounder and best in both words kinda bike. I LOVE INDIAN and as Jay Leno said, this time around they had both - heart and money in right place so long live Indian brand!
For 21 years I owned only BMWs. 3 years ago I bought a Chief Vintage and 20k miles later, couldn't be happier!
Nice bike, that's what I'd buy too. Love the old style.
@@stoveboltlvr3798 thanks. Just know every stop will be a conversation and no one will belive it's not 50 years old. I've done 3 trips over 2k miles and it is the best touring bike I've had. Would recommend that bike 100% to someone looking for a bagger
Gotta say, the new Indians look pretty good, and the company isn't trying to become a boutique brand like you-know-who.
Their bikes are just as expensive
Yes they are....
It's definitely a different vibe in the dealerships and that's probably because they don't take their customers for granted.
I presume you're referring to Triumph with "you-know-who"?
@@millinutzno… HD
I wish they would actually use that original Indian Red. It’s beautiful.
Not gonna lie! that is sexy, i might see if i can get a wrap for my fenders and tank on my new chief
I've owned all kind of bikes throughout my life and now I just purchased my first Indian and truly love it
After about 26 happy years of Suzuki Intruder I bought a Scout one year ago. The bike is beautiful and easy to drive. It's just a little bit heavy when you drive slow, but if you take care there's no problem. I kept the legacy of my father, because one century ago he owned an Indian Scout of the 1927 with the sidecar. Bye father, the tradition in our family continues...running where the streets have no name...
Harley guys who deride (see what I did there?) Indians as Polariseses seem to have selective amnesia about HD’s glorious AMF debacle. I’m awestruck, not to mention thunderstruck, every time I fire up my Springfield.
AMF brought to the company modern CNC equipment and began the development of the EVO.
Yeah, considering the AMF buyout, can you really say that Harley is the same company that started in 1903?
AMF didn't make Harley-Davidson, they brought money. Polaris changed the Victory motorcycles into Indian motorcycles. To suggest they are equivalent is a smooth brain idea. It's like having Yamaha start making a Pontiac firebird based off the Camaro to compete with a Mustang. It doesn't pass the sniff test.
The last line if the Indian deriding HD ad was, "There's never been a better time to join the tribe." I love the irony and couldn't agree more.
I just bought a Challenger, even after seeing the new Road glide. It's STILL better equipped and better performing than even the new Road Glide.
LONG LIVE INDIAN!!
The Indian is the better buy. Plain and simple.
Why?
@@iuyozxReliability, quality, and value than Harleys! I know the truth hurts!
@@Nostradamus-X yeah i guess that stuff’s more critical when there’s limited dealer network and zero aftermarket. When Polaris chops the brand like they did with Victory, you’ll be left with an orphan.
@@iuyozxyou say that I can find loads of parts for the scout on j and p cycles and more custom parts from eBay that’s just to name a few my scout has more after market parts than my dads evo roadster complain how you will I’ve road Harleys road king,sporster just to name some and I wouldnt trade my scout for them not by a long shot
@@Uselesshandlw Good for you, champ 😉. Maybe one day you’ll learn how to use a period. In the meantime enjoy your Chinese eBay parts.
I had an old uncle that owned a 1920's scout and a 1946 chief. I have always loved looking at those old pictures of him on his bikes. I very nearly inherited the chief, but missed it because some scrap iron guys got to it first and recycled it. Not to be discouraged, I finally bought a brand new scout in 2022. Awesome bike, a memorial to the old Indians and my Uncle George.
knew a religious fanatic whose brother had a Scout ,ran and was rideable ,and he took it to the dump ,eyes roll.........................
Been riding most of my life and had many bikes. Got my first Indian in 2020. Hands down the best bike I have ever ridden. Something very special about the Indian.
My father-in-law had '51 Chief, beauty of a bike that, according to him, was the fastest bike in Winnipeg at the time.
I was H-D only. Now I've got an Indian FTR and Pursuit. I like 'em.
Harley needed competition from another American manufacturer. For a while they had gotten lazy. My brothers ride Harley, and while they stick with H-D, they think my Indians are cool.
I own a Harley-Davidson Sportster. I love to ride it. I like other Harleys and wouldn’t mind a new Street Bob. However , I am not an H-D loyalist. I checked out a few Indian motorcycles at the local dealer. They are gorgeous bikes and they seem to be well built. I would like to take one for a spin.
most offer test rides. my dealer will let me walk in, show id, and ride whatever, whenever.
Yes. I'm checking out some of those chiefs this spring. Maybe I'll make a video about them.
Once you ride an Indian, it is hard to go back to HD
@@Slayer_syndicate I'll have to go back and ask. I figured they wouldn't let you test ride a motorcycle unless you showed them you could afford it.
@@GLHS592 mine just needs an ID for insurance purposes. They know once you ride it, you won't stop thinking about it even if you don't buy that day. Also lots of them have demo days where they bring and entire fleet of bikes you can ride all day for free. I'm in Tennessee and we have one in April. So much fun. And it let's you get an idea of what you want and compare all the models!
I’ve owned 6 different Indian motorcycles. My current bike is the 2023 Pursuit Darkhorse Icon. I absolutely LOVE this bike. Indian bikes are fantastic.
I Was in the market for a NEW Bike 2 years ago. I shopped in at H.D. as well as Indian. To round it out Honda too. What did not impress me was the exorbitant prices & the unnecessary surcharge. Discussed, I shopped on line for used & found endless numbers of good bikes available for a price conscious consumer. I wasn't looking for a little putt putt puddle jumper. I was searching for a proper sized bike suitable for hiway & local roads. I kept hunting & located one, a 2014 Indian Vintage. At the age of 7 & 1/2 decades I figure I can ballance this machine for many more months & years ahead. Sure I do wish there were more Indian dealers to choose from, but am content to know there are plenty of independent motorcycle shops that will gladly take my $$$ for timely & reasonable rates. Am I going to ever buy new? Not unless my rich uncle leaves me his wealth. Since I have no rich Uncle, I guess the answer is obvious. I like my Indian Vintage. One last thing I am not too olde, I can still flat foot it at stops, I don't choose to go with a trike, .... And kudos to all the other old tyme riders.
I've ridden HD since 1978 and still have a 49 Pan and 84 FXR. I went to buy a new HD for my retirement. I'm riding a Roadmaster for my main bike now. What a superior machine! Oh yeah, I did have a 1924 Big Chief for a while but try getting parts for that!
This is why im subscribed, Keep up the great content🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Thank you! Greatly appreciated.
Brought home my new 2023 Indian Challenger Dark Horse two weeks ago.
Test road it and the Road Glide.
Hands down the Indian won, with more power, riding comfort, ease of maintenance (along with free lifetime oil changes), modern technology (smooth bike/rider interface), and fun maneuverability! Very Happy with my choice!
Indian's Chieftain has been left to rot since the Challenger came out. However Harley's revised Street Glide and Road Glide show where Harley runs circles around Indian, fit and finish. They are also starting at a MSRP far less than the Limited and Dark Horse trims. My issue was when riding either the Chieftain or Challenger is the Polaris navigation system is horribly integrated. The work done on the inner fairing does nothing to make it look like was considered when designing the rest of the controls.
Yes, the both the Chieftain and the Springfield need updates. That's the cool thing about competition, it keeps bringing us better bikes.
I Love my Scout!!! (after suspension upgrades)
Love my Springfield. 65k miles.
I have a 2015 Indian Chief. Love that bike, no issues. Highly recommend owning one. The one thing I would like Indian to do is make a dual sport bike, like a Suzuki DRZ-400. Even if it was under the Polaris name. An off road company that doesn’t make off road bikes. What’s up with that!?
The California model was called the “Gilroy” models, as they were built in Gilroy California.
After they were bought out by entrepreneurs and the factory was moved to Kings Mountain, North Carolina,
They are known as the “Kings Mountain” models.
Yes, I agree, The Indian Motorcycle brand is an American company that employs American workers.
And it’s true, Harley can thank Indian/Polaris, for putting the pressure on them, forcing then to make an improved and better motorcycle. Not better engineered than Indian, just a better Harley-Davidson.
The V-rod came out in 1999. Polaris was still building garbage Victory's then. You can thank the customer of Harley-Davidson for keeping them old school, that had nothing to do with Polaris. Harley-Davidson should have had a liquid cooled bagger way before Polaris ditched the Victory brand for an Indian brand name change. People are generally not very intelligent. People who say, Polaris motorcycles with Indian brands are related to the Indian motorcycle company that died are willfully stupid. If I bought one I'd rebadge it Victory because that's what they are.
You admitted that Harley is “old School.”
True. They’re still using 20th century technology in a 21st century world on their big V-twins.
Whether you like it or not, It wasn’t until the battle of the baggers, when Indian, kept whooping up on Harley, beating HD on every race especially on dirt track racing!
The rules were even changed in favor of Harley, to give them the edge over Indian, because not only was Harley loosing every race on the dirt, they were loosing 1,2,and 3.
That’s why Harley has come out with their 117,121 and 131 engines, just to try and beat Indian.
At a cost to the consumer.
@@michaelschmitzerle2587 your bias has blocked your ability to read. Harley-Davidson has moved on just fine without Indian. Harley-Davidson also doesn't "need" Polaris. Harley-Davidson has for the most part been held back by its customer. I'm glad the Harley haters have another American company to buy motorcycles from, but it is by far the least competitor pushing innovation. It did probably help the price. The Victory is now the expensive choice.
I bought an FTR (17" wheels). What a gorgeous muscle bike it is and a delight to ride.
In agreement 💯 %. I own a 2022 FTR 1200 R Carbon and just Love my bike….
I seriously consider Indian every time I'm in the market. If they put out an adventure tourer, I would buy it in a hot second.
I'm shocked they haven't made one. They've had that engine for a while.
@@DifferentSpokesTV maybe they're just doing their research and hoping to put out something that is the best in the class?
Great video. I love my Scout!
I have owned Harleys for the past 44 years. Roadtested a 2024 Indian Roadmaster yesterday. The dealership had me sign the usual insurance waiver and said, "Go ride it! Now, one of my two present Harleys is a 2018 CVO Limited with a 117 cubic engine. Needless to say, I was very impressed. The Indian 116 Thunderstroke was quick and rolled on in high gear nicely. The handling was very nimble. After 30 minutes of riding, I ordered a 2024 Indian Roadmaster Elite. I must say, I should have listened to friends and made the move earlier. The fit, design, and finish are very nice. Can't get over its ergonomics and light handling. No more full body workouts riding a bagger Harley with a passenger!
Good stuff.
When is baby day?
Remember sleep now, after you won't..
Thanks for the tip. It's going to be in late May sometime so there might be a bit of break in the videos around that time.
Wow. I try to watch all your videos when you post them but this is the first time in a long time perhaps even first ever it actually popped up in my feed with out me having to search. You make great videos. Rock on.
I owned an Indian 125 in the early 80's. It wasn't the best bike I ever owned, but it was probably the most fun. It was a time when I didn't ride on the road any more and only rode dirt, such as dirt roads and railroad tracks. My understanding was HD had bought the Indian name and wanted to bring in a line of smaller cc bikes. Didn't matter to me, I'm a Honda man and the Indian was the only bike I ever owned that was not a Honda. I didn't really buy it, some guy needed some money and gave me the bike as collateral. I just rode the devil out of it until he repaid me.
Yes, some of those mini bikes look like the current Monkey and that's a fun bike. They didn't bear much resemblance to pre 1953 Indians though.
My ‘15 Indian Scout was voted Motorcycle of the Year and Cruiser of the Year. Turns heads everywhere. It’s a keeper !
They are beautiful bikes and the performance is modern as well.
My dad has a 15’ chieftain dark red with the 111 thunderstroke, his first bike in two decades l, when I asked him “why Indian?” He said it simply, the Indian is all new with bold classic styling, and the Harley looks like the same bike they sold since the early 00’s.
Another high quality, thoughtful video. Thanks! I would consider an Indian for sure if I was wanting such a bike. I've appreciated them ever since going to my first flat track race in Sacramento in 2018.
My dad had two friends who cane home from WW2, they both had Indians. They swore by them. I have remembered that since I was young. I bought a 2014 Chieftain and rode it 52 thousand miles. I am currently on a 2022 Challenger and have 27 thousand on this bike. Bullet proof. Love the warbonnet!!
A friend of my Dad's had a 1954 Indian Chief-didn't like Harleys. He could pick it up. (It was bigger than the ElectraGlide!)
Cheers from the Pacific West Coast of Canada.
Thanks!
There is not much to complain about with the Indian range but there is one major flaw that holds them back from being a serious contender and that’s after sales, getting anything from cables to clutches from exhaust to aftermarket there is nearly nothing there. I have a friend who needed to rebuild his clutch , the parts took 4 months to arrive.
i have the 2014 vintage and i think its my favorite so far and i been riding since 72 and got 2 harleys and 3 yamahas
I have both brands. I used to scoff at people who said the dealer network was the reason to stick HD. But I have had multiple issues with my Challenger and the dealers suck. They don’t really know the bike, or have things like spare parts.
I want to see both in the market. Makes for better choices for us riders.
Agree with your Indian dealership experience. I bought a new 2020 Challenger and rode it for 3 years putting just shy of 30k miles on it. Spent more time in the dealership for repairs than all other bikes I have owned combined. I was constantly having electronic issues and weird codes popping up and the dealership was never able to find the problem. Made it difficult to have confidence in the bike even though it was comfortable for long trips and very fast.
@@NWF_Rider electronics issues plague the platform. My navigation works maybe 70% of the time, CarPlay maybe 30% of the time. I will not be buying another one of these for sure.
We own 3 lndians in the family! Chief Vintage, Roadmaster and a Chieftain Dark Horse. Very rare in our country. We also have our IMRG (lndian Motorcycle Riders Group) Regards from Hungary! 😊
Bought my Springfield Dark Horse last November and still love the bike (nearly 12K miles now)! Once I rode it, I was sold. It handles better and rides smoother!
I just got into riding but I've always thought Indians were better to look at than Harleys, got my first scout almost a year ago and I LOVE IT
Well done mr Spokes. I had Harley's for 20 years. Nice time. But after a testride on a Triumph America back in 2007 that was the end of that. And looking back, I really wasn't the "feet-forward-rider".
Gynecologist moped, we called them.
Saw the HD lineup at the mc exhibition in Copenhagen last week and nothing tempted. Even the Street Glide with the midpegs were strange. The feet so far apart! Sitting on a small lunchbox with the arms in the air. Strange indeed! And the new Sportster...so ugly! Hoses and cables all over the place. Attempts to hide with plastic covers. Yak!
I like light, powerfull, wellhandling bikes and would love to see an Indian Flattracker.
But instead of my lovely KTM 790 Duke? Hardly.
Keep these films coming, you're good at it!
I absolutely love Indian. Polaris is doing a great job with them.
9:35 Yes, Harley, tell us about that Cagiva 125 (2 stroke...) bearing your name back in the Eighties 😜
I love my FTR! Could we see an Excelsior revival in the future?👀
Already tried and failed in the early 90s
Would love to try one but, honestly, I can’t see replacing my Goldwing DCT Tour. The automatic transmission has been revolutionary.
I like Indians, I have a ‘23 Chief Bobber and it’s a great machine. Checks the boxes and then some- well constructed and everything feels premium
Super video. You always make great history videos! ☺️
Thanks! Got that playlist on my channel :)
Love your intelligent, clear, thoughtful, detailed vids!!
(If you ever sell that Roadster, let me know!!)
The original company may be gone, but the brand lives on. And that’s okay. Many brands have been revived and no one talks about those like they do Indian. Like it or not, the Indian brand lives on and it’s here to stay.
Great video very informative and awesome points! Much respect for you digging in to the HD vs Indian history. Indian has improved and keeps improving through the years! Dont believe me? Look back when HD was selling 96 and what Indian was giving out! Hasta luego!
Love your videos
Thanks!
Love to see the Indian name come back, regardless of the ownership. The management is what makes the difference. Good attractive bike, made in America! Go Polaris!
Love Harley's, had several and was looking for a new bike and didn't like the new Harley's and now proud owner of a 2023 Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse
I've been binge watching your videos. It's a good way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon. Thank you 👍
I just bout an Indian FTR Carbon R, and I absolutely love it!
I was comparing the sport chief and low rider s last year. The chief just fit me better out of the box. It's an amazing machine.
I think that there were some two stroke motorcycles in the 125-175 cc range labeled as Indian in the 1970's. Does anyone know who made them?
Thanks
I love my 2019 Indian FTR1200S.
Anything you don't like about it? I heard the slow fueling can get on owners nerves. A beautiful bike I'm definitely going to get at some point.
I dont mind the slow fueling. I take my time fueling anyway. @@Jack908r
I agree. I own a 2022 FTR 1200 R Carbon, would be nice have a larger gas ⛽️ tank, but I learned to not let that get in the way plus about time to refill is a good time to stop, stretch and rest
22 chieftain limited. I went indian because when i went to 2 different dealerships, they ignored what I wanted and kept forcing the most expensive bike on the floor down my throat no matter how many times I said no.
Indian all the way
I purchased a 2025 Indian scout bobber limited tech plus package, it’s an amazing motorcycle. Suspension is a little rough but I can live with that being 100% American made. I am absolutely thrilled with my purchase have about 2500 miles on it so far with no problems. The only modification so far is I replaced the exhaust with freedom performance radical radius pipes And it runs like a raped ape!
At the 11:30 approx did you notice the Indian engine just start smoking?
A bold move . . trying to tell the history of Indian in an 11 minute video. There's been books written on the subject. At 77 years old I've owned them all. Europeans, Americans and rice burners. My 21 Chieftain Limited has been the best of them all.
FTR1200 is so good, going to get me one of those
A FTR 750 would be a wet dream.
Yes. I've been calling for both Harley and Indian to make a 750 flat tracker style bike but nothing yet.
I would love to have an ftr but its engine is too big resulting in costing too much in fuel and its a bit out of my price range.
Traded up from Victory Gunner to Indian Cheiftain, to Roadmaster to Pursuit. Every bike made by Polaris is a dream machine compared to clunker Harley’s
I just traded my Street Glide for a Pursuit. Love it ! Far superior bike. Indian does need to work on its Dealer network and have longer hours.
Bought a new '23 Chieftain. Bought it over a new '23 street glide. The Indians ride, power, and price (base models) are quite a bit better. I always wanted a Harley but brand loyalty goes only so far..., and I've got Polaris sleds I'm happy with so there's that...
I love seeing a true underdog story unfolding infront of us. The resurrection of the first American motorcycle company rising from the ashes to reclaim its rightful place.
Thank you for making a good video of the struggles of icon Indian motorcycles.
Yes, I ride chief dark horse. 😂
I just got a 2019 chief and I love it. Looks good nest to my triumph Bonneville. Now I just need to add a moto guzzi
Could you link that date you had about reliability you showed that compared the brands?
I would say that the Royal Enfield is a serious rival to Harly Davidson. I love cruisers and when I went looking for a brand new one I went with the Royal Enfield Supper Meteor 650 over the Indians and Harly's for two major reason price and center stand.
I love the looks of the brand, and I am glad that they are growing.
I don't have the coin to have a stable of bikes, but if I did, I would look at the Indian for sure.
I love my Tiger, but your video on the Super Tenere peaked my interest in looking elsewhere. If Indian were to make a shaft drive. ADV bike, I know that I would check it out.
Thanks for another great video!
TC.
Ps. I think that you and Brooke should consider a motorcycle inspired name for your baby. I think that Tiger works better than Scout and is less obvious than Harley.😂
I have two harleys but just got an Indian and loving it
Quite like some Indian models. The ftr and bobber come to mind. Definitely want an ftr. Where as I look at hd and there's just nothing. Indian has cleaner designs and their engines look better than hd's. So I can see why the sales are increasing.
They market the bikes like they have been making them since 1901. Just seems a little misleading. Nice bikes though.
I would think if a company was proud of their product they would put Polaris/Indian badges on them , like AMF did on HD's. So I agree, they seem to be deceptive.
Harley do the same thing even though AMF owned them for years.
Shouldn’t Harley Davidson say “ established in 1981” after AMF sold the company?
Yes, they do. But this is true with any company that buys another one, or the right to it. The reason Polaris dropped Victory for Indian was because of the name. Victory just didn't evoke that nostalgia.
@donaldelder540 sort of, but the company never went out of business, and the original people bought it back
Great video! I hope Indian continues to make cool stuff. Not sure about an ADV bike, that market is very difficult to enter with so many good models and well established brands. What they really need to make is a lightweight hooligan bike, like a 400 super moto :)
Yes, or an FTR 750 based on their flat tracker race bike.
I have a 2020 Scout 60 and love it.
I’ve had 2 Indians they’re awesome
The only reason i bought a HD was ... the nearest dealer is 3 hours away, on a good day.
I hope Both brands go bk and the someone buys them and make decently priced bikes, indiand are
Ok but would buy one over the harley the fact they dont have a primary engines and trans separately to me it seems am buying a japanese bike for thr price of the harley also dont dig the looks. The victory on the other hand i almost
Bought lol
Love my 2023 Roadmaster, had a 2000 Vic SC, then a 2016 Vic Magnum. Polaris knows what their doing.
Indian, definitely an interesting come back and as you said Finally Polaris came along and actually made it truly its own bike worthy of the Indian name rather than mostly off the shelf parts such as S&S Engines/ Harley repops. In 2012 I bought a 1999 Kawi Drifter 800, awesome bike loved it , wife and I did trip to Nova Scotia on it, wife and I also did many Ice cream runs on it as well, I only sold the bike about 2 weeks ago and honestly it was hard to sell. I also owned a 2015 Indian Scout a really really nice bike but it was with that bike I decided that feet forward style is not for me. I would take Indian over Harley any time. As for GPZ bikes, I live up the road and about 2 months ago I walked in after all the reno's were done and imagine my surprise to find out about they are lic. to sell Harley, Indian, BMW wow as well as the Lic they already had . GasGas, Ducati, KTM, Triumph there are probably more. Great Review on the Indian, Thanks buddy.
The scout bobber is the best looking modern bike imo
I did grow up wanting a Harley. Although, I'm glad I bought an Indian instead. They just look way better in my humble opinion.
I have a 2024 springfield darkhorse love it
Love My 21 Scout Bobber in White Smoke 😍👍
They look good, but i cannot ride cruisers. Only big ADVs are comfortable for me. I've had my 2012 1200gs since new, and have no plans to buy anything else.
The 50cc Italian Indian mini bikes are prett cool though.
I like the look of the FTR & Pan America, so I'm obviously not a big cruiser fan. And I'm not from North Amarica, so made in the USA doesn't resonate with me so much.
Personally, I'd love to see a true XR-750 remake with a stripped down bike using the 975 engine. Until then I've got the x350 as an option with XR styling.
Indian forever!!!!
I like it: "How many Springfields could there be in the United States?" Sixty-seven. That's right, 67. So maybe it's OK to specify Sprinfield, Massachusetts...
Funny, you said Harley would still be making evolution motors too bad they’re not testing in the ever built
When Indian closed up, a Dump by the company was filled with new parts still in their boxes.
Will definitely drop by GP Bikes to check out BMWs (esp. the new R12 due to be released soon) and Indians. Bought my used Sportster 1200 there a few years ago and would definitely buy from them again. Can't say the same for H-D - worst customer experiences (that's plural) I've ever had anywhere.