I liked the way you described the bike “this bike has a identity crisis” I couldn’t have said it better myself. They defy logic with the way they handle and maneuver. I own a sport touring bike and I was absolutely blown away with this Indian. I actually like the Road master even better. Nice job 👍
Harley better catch up. This is inbetween a Street Glide and Goldwing in features. Im a Harley fan but i do like the Springfield and Chieftain DarkHorses 👍
Rabid Hedgehog don’t forget the Indian Recalls and pings it’s engines make. The rust issues don’t help, as well as the bike starting on its own will in your garage, risking your family’s life.
Pauly P actually most talk about the suspension but compare it to the Glide but never the ultra with has the more comfortable shocks. The Glide is made with lower sport suspension . Plus those who complain never take the time to properly adjust them for their weight. As for the frame, who told you INDIAN has a better frame? Nobody has ever blogged or complain about the 2017 to 2019 frames.
Great review man!! I am stuck between Indian chieftain, Yamaha star venture and Harley street glide. This review makes me lean more towards the Indian. On a side not... what headset are you using? Is it the Sena 10c?
I like this review for the birds eye view which all do,but this one I could feel,as you displayed the tach for us and did a great job of describing what you were feeling.Those corners couldn't get any smoother.Might be prudent to wait and see the Harley response to all this bad ass.Don;t like the sound ,as it purrs along.Set 'em up Joe, g[ass packs for everyone,ha ha ha.lolly
Well they are working on a full liquid cooled touring engine. So something is sneaking in soon. The 111 has been pretty spot on with reliability though.
It is more of just a way to cut heat down on stop and go traffic at idle or very slow speeds like parade duties. At all other conditions and speeds it's a two cylinder.
The Goldwing is still a sportier Motorcycle than the Chieftain in the regards to it's ride and the rider's posture on the bike since you have mids on the Wing and the engine is far smoother as well. But the Chieftain has more character and a much easier to use infotainment and nav system as everything is handled through touch or handlebar commands whereas the Wings have an incredible amount of buttons to work with. I like the comfort on both and the way both handle and the power plants of both. I would say Chieftain due to the character and ease of use on the fly, Wing if you want silky smooth precision and a more sporting quality.
@@RabidHedgehog thank you! I currently own an 08 goldwing and am in the market but haven't gotten a chance to ride anything due to the time of year. I really want all the new infotainment goodies,bluetooth, nav, etc that come on the new bikes. If my bike had that I would be set. Shopping between the harleys and Indians.
Put it in sport mode, set the windshield where I want it and that would never be touched again EVER. Too bad they don't offer it without that huge screen.
I am really having a hard time choosing between the Indian Chieftain Limited in Bronze Smoke or the H-D Street Glide in scorched orange. Both bikes are beautiful, I spent the weekend riding the Chieftain on Saturday and the Street Glide on Sunday, i can't decide :( The only thing i HATE about the Chieftain is the instrument cluster, it looks like Johnny 5 from Short Circuit, i know its not that big of a deal, but it is what i look at every time i am on the bike. I do like the feel and ride better than the Street Glide. My current touring bike is a 2016 Victory Magnum, love that bike, but it feels much larger than the Harley or Indian, the one thing i love about the Indian Chieftain is how small it feels for such a big bike whereas my Magnum feels like a big bike but that could just be the 21" front wheel. Going to hav to make a decision soon or might as well wait till fall and get a 2020.
If you have a list to make of pros cons of each bike write them side by side and see which one out weighs the other. Or flip a coin if you're feeling lucky. These are tough decisions when they're both that close to the soul. Have to find the tipping point.
@@RabidHedgehog actually did that exact thing today Indian Chieftain Pros - Suspension, Power Windshield & remote locking saddlebags. Indian Chieftain Cons - I hate the instrument cluster I find both handle very well, but i would give the edge to Indian Chieftain as it handles well for such a large bike and feels smaller than it is. H-D SGS Pros - Love the Scorched Orange colour. More Torque H-D SGS Cons - Suspension, Price is higher (about $1500 when you add in Indian standard features) Looks dated, hasn't really changed in 15 years.
Sony FDR-X3000 4K Action cam. Microphone is a purple panda lavalier attached to a Tascam DR-05 field recorder. Walk around shots are done with either a Canon M100 mirrorless or a Panasonic W series 4K compact camcorder.
I kinda miss the big front fender look myself, and I'm going to have to throw a little water on the 3 stage adjustment (admitting I haven't rode one of the new cheiftains, but I have/own a larger air cooled Vee Twin displacement cruiser than this Indian) You refer it to as the Sport, Normal, Touring modes as engine and fuel mapping, but I believe its just changing the throttle position-span range (which they can do since it's electronic throttle control), but not changing the engine fuel mapping. Fuel mapping would but helpful or needed if you change the intake or exhaust resistance. I would be considering one of these for my next bike, I like the smoke white, but riding behind fair dash, that's just too much white for me, kinda like looking at a snow ball in the middle of a hot summer day. Maybe the dash was more blacked out, I would like it more. Thanks for uploading the review, I might be heading to the big city tomorrow to look them over...BTW, You forgot all about the rear cylinder deactivation feature (needed in my opinion)... and from what I can tell, this bike would have to be in Sport mode to come close to matching the hwy throttle response of the big Yamaha vee twin.
I did get the parade mode at the very end when I was on the exit I was like OOooooh yeah, but it is hard to remember that when it was like in the 30s and 40s that day.
I hadn't heard of it call parade mode, but yea, that would apply... Other annoyance I have with this model year is that dang hydraulic brake reservoir, blocking the right side speaker. Its like the forgot to set the proto type fairing on a completed bike to see what if anything clashes
I do not see the similarities in any of them with the exception of the Octane and Scout as they were very close. But touring, no. The Arlen Ness features on the Victories made them far more futuristic looking and not to mention the poor design of the control structures. They are night and day different.
Lot of Harley owners jumping over to Indians for various reasons ,(to many to mention,only time will tell what bikes go to number one.Personally I don't think Harley's going to die off way to many people own them and will remain loyal. I don't know but how many times has Indian gone away?
Well no one else had the pockets of Polaris and with the FTR1200 coming to us this coming year and the forward thinking on that bike points to the fact this company is indeed looking ahead. Harley has a ton of work to do before it shoots itself in the foot. This year's FXDR was a great showing of terrible parts bin engineering and lack of understanding of current riders. Night Rod had forward pegs, but at least the line had the Street Rod with appropriate peg positions.
I am probably in the minority here but I do not like it. Liked the old one better. This one looks too generic. This is coming from a guy who likes the regular Springfield.
Indian DOES NOT copy HD. I rode for more than 50 years. Indian is OLDER than HD. I really wanted an Indian. I'm done. I broke my hip, on my 2011 "Dyna StreetBob." I've had 6 Motorcycle crashes. I didn't want to push my luck. I'm CHRISTIAN. Are you ready for Jesus to come back ? I am. Look up "End-Times Prophecy," on RUclips. BELIEVE.
Yet Harley puts a worse screen on a 40K CVO.... So.... yeah. Issues are screens have to survive vibes, dust, water, etc. so I do not expect the best really out of any of them.
Only 3 minutes into the video and it's already more informative than anyone else i've seen so far. Good job.
Thanks for the support and feedback!
Great review. Thank you for knowing what you are talking about before actually filming.
Thanks!
I felt the same immediate power when I rode the Springfield Darkhorse. It was addicting. Also that White Smoke color is my favorite on any bike ever.
It's a cool color and this bike makes me happy enough I might have found my touring model.
The Indian is a great bike. I went from a HD STREETGLIDE to the Indian Chieftain Limited. As soon as I test rode it I was hooked
Stay safe out there!
Yes sir did the same and you can tel immediately which bike is superior..
I liked the way you described the bike “this bike has a identity crisis” I couldn’t have said it better myself. They defy logic with the way they handle and maneuver. I own a sport touring bike and I was absolutely blown away with this Indian. I actually like the Road master even better. Nice job 👍
Harley better catch up. This is inbetween a Street Glide and Goldwing in features. Im a Harley fan but i do like the Springfield and Chieftain DarkHorses 👍
I would love them to catch up for dang sure. It's time for them to start moving before their competition gets too far ahead.
Pauly P if it’s in between Harley and Goldwing, why should Harley play catch-up?
Rabid Hedgehog don’t forget the Indian Recalls and pings it’s engines make. The rust issues don’t help, as well as the bike starting on its own will in your garage, risking your family’s life.
@@tax905972
Because that puts Harley at 3rd for features, suspension, and frame. But I heard Harley is thinking of revamping in a couple of yrs.
Pauly P actually most talk about the suspension but compare it to the Glide but never the ultra with has the more comfortable shocks. The Glide is made with lower sport suspension . Plus those who complain never take the time to properly adjust them for their weight. As for the frame, who told you INDIAN has a better frame? Nobody has ever blogged or complain about the 2017 to 2019 frames.
A superb machine they will move a lot of these better than Harley EK
Great review man!! I am stuck between Indian chieftain, Yamaha star venture and Harley street glide. This review makes me lean more towards the Indian. On a side not... what headset are you using? Is it the Sena 10c?
Headset is a 20C. However the audio capture is done by a purple panda lav mic and TASCAM DR-05 recorder.
I like this review for the birds eye view which all do,but this one I could feel,as you displayed the tach for us and did a great job of describing what you were feeling.Those corners couldn't get any smoother.Might be prudent to wait and see the Harley response to all this bad ass.Don;t like the sound ,as it purrs along.Set 'em up Joe, g[ass packs for everyone,ha ha ha.lolly
If Indian starts making a bigger motor just as reliable as this 111 it’s over for Harley
Well they are working on a full liquid cooled touring engine. So something is sneaking in soon. The 111 has been pretty spot on with reliability though.
I’d like to have heard more of the cylinder cut off. Could that be utilized as the economy mode?
It is more of just a way to cut heat down on stop and go traffic at idle or very slow speeds like parade duties. At all other conditions and speeds it's a two cylinder.
How tall are you and does the screen get any more upright? I'm 5'8.
I am 6 feet tall and the screen is adjustable and swappable as well if you need a different style.
How would you compare this bike to the 2012 goldwing you test drove?
The Goldwing is still a sportier Motorcycle than the Chieftain in the regards to it's ride and the rider's posture on the bike since you have mids on the Wing and the engine is far smoother as well. But the Chieftain has more character and a much easier to use infotainment and nav system as everything is handled through touch or handlebar commands whereas the Wings have an incredible amount of buttons to work with. I like the comfort on both and the way both handle and the power plants of both. I would say Chieftain due to the character and ease of use on the fly, Wing if you want silky smooth precision and a more sporting quality.
@@RabidHedgehog thank you! I currently own an 08 goldwing and am in the market but haven't gotten a chance to ride anything due to the time of year. I really want all the new infotainment goodies,bluetooth, nav, etc that come on the new bikes. If my bike had that I would be set. Shopping between the harleys and Indians.
Put it in sport mode, set the windshield where I want it and that would never be touched again EVER. Too bad they don't offer it without that huge screen.
I do not mind the screen on them as much as I would think. But yes sport mode is the way to fly on these.
I am really having a hard time choosing between the Indian Chieftain Limited in Bronze Smoke or the H-D Street Glide in scorched orange. Both bikes are beautiful, I spent the weekend riding the Chieftain on Saturday and the Street Glide on Sunday, i can't decide :(
The only thing i HATE about the Chieftain is the instrument cluster, it looks like Johnny 5 from Short Circuit, i know its not that big of a deal, but it is what i look at every time i am on the bike.
I do like the feel and ride better than the Street Glide.
My current touring bike is a 2016 Victory Magnum, love that bike, but it feels much larger than the Harley or Indian, the one thing i love about the Indian Chieftain is how small it feels for such a big bike whereas my Magnum feels like a big bike but that could just be the 21" front wheel.
Going to hav to make a decision soon or might as well wait till fall and get a 2020.
If you have a list to make of pros cons of each bike write them side by side and see which one out weighs the other. Or flip a coin if you're feeling lucky. These are tough decisions when they're both that close to the soul. Have to find the tipping point.
@@RabidHedgehog actually did that exact thing today
Indian Chieftain Pros - Suspension, Power Windshield & remote locking saddlebags.
Indian Chieftain Cons - I hate the instrument cluster
I find both handle very well, but i would give the edge to Indian Chieftain as it handles well for such a large bike and feels smaller than it is.
H-D SGS Pros - Love the Scorched Orange colour. More Torque
H-D SGS Cons - Suspension, Price is higher (about $1500 when you add in Indian standard features) Looks dated, hasn't really changed in 15 years.
What setup do you use to vlog?
Sony FDR-X3000 4K Action cam. Microphone is a purple panda lavalier attached to a Tascam DR-05 field recorder. Walk around shots are done with either a Canon M100 mirrorless or a Panasonic W series 4K compact camcorder.
Great video. I’ve seen Harley reviews that suck have way more views.
Thanks for the support! I will say the reason being is because it says Harley...
I kinda miss the big front fender look myself, and I'm going to have to throw a little water on the 3 stage adjustment (admitting I haven't rode one of the new cheiftains, but I have/own a larger air cooled Vee Twin displacement cruiser than this Indian) You refer it to as the Sport, Normal, Touring modes as engine and fuel mapping, but I believe its just changing the throttle position-span range (which they can do since it's electronic throttle control), but not changing the engine fuel mapping. Fuel mapping would but helpful or needed if you change the intake or exhaust resistance. I would be considering one of these for my next bike, I like the smoke white, but riding behind fair dash, that's just too much white for me, kinda like looking at a snow ball in the middle of a hot summer day. Maybe the dash was more blacked out, I would like it more. Thanks for uploading the review, I might be heading to the big city tomorrow to look them over...BTW, You forgot all about the rear cylinder deactivation feature (needed in my opinion)... and from what I can tell, this bike would have to be in Sport mode to come close to matching the hwy throttle response of the big Yamaha vee twin.
I did get the parade mode at the very end when I was on the exit I was like OOooooh yeah, but it is hard to remember that when it was like in the 30s and 40s that day.
I hadn't heard of it call parade mode, but yea, that would apply... Other annoyance I have with this model year is that dang hydraulic brake reservoir, blocking the right side speaker. Its like the forgot to set the proto type fairing on a completed bike to see what if anything clashes
Nice bike. Nice review!
Snippy lol 😂 that’s what I want a snippy motorcycle
Snippy is good :)
I would have to believe you are making more power at throttle settings in sport mode. Why would it review faster. Maybe wrong, dunno
Just throttle response
I love mine.
Ride it safe!
Staydus, what is staydus? Lol🤣🤣🤣
Okie for Status
Oh come on you really don’t think that bike looks like a street glide you out of your mind
Too blocky for a Street Glide.
Indian company road master chiftin and spingfeild better than any bike in the world
They are indeed great machines.
INDIAN...MADE BY POLARIS...LOOKS MUCH SAME AS VICTORY....
I do not see the similarities in any of them with the exception of the Octane and Scout as they were very close. But touring, no. The Arlen Ness features on the Victories made them far more futuristic looking and not to mention the poor design of the control structures. They are night and day different.
Lot of Harley owners jumping over to Indians for various reasons ,(to many to mention,only time will tell what bikes go to number one.Personally I don't think Harley's going to die off way to many people own them and will remain loyal. I don't know but how many times has Indian gone away?
Well no one else had the pockets of Polaris and with the FTR1200 coming to us this coming year and the forward thinking on that bike points to the fact this company is indeed looking ahead. Harley has a ton of work to do before it shoots itself in the foot. This year's FXDR was a great showing of terrible parts bin engineering and lack of understanding of current riders. Night Rod had forward pegs, but at least the line had the Street Rod with appropriate peg positions.
I am probably in the minority here but I do not like it. Liked the old one better. This one looks too generic. This is coming from a guy who likes the regular Springfield.
They did keep the original look with the Chieftain Classic. I like them both though.
Agree, seems to have lost a little of that Indian identity but of course it is still a very nice looking bike
Indian DOES NOT copy HD. I rode for more than 50 years. Indian is OLDER than HD.
I really wanted an Indian. I'm done. I broke my hip, on my 2011 "Dyna StreetBob."
I've had 6 Motorcycle crashes. I didn't want to push my luck.
I'm CHRISTIAN. Are you ready for Jesus to come back ? I am.
Look up "End-Times Prophecy," on RUclips.
BELIEVE.
John Spencer they all have and it’s clear.
Streetbob is meant for kids. Time for a nice touring bike.
2011 has nothing on the 2017 - 2019 bikes. Hell they have nothing on the 2014 to 2016 bikes.
That dash is terrible - does not belong to a $25K bike! - Cheap!
Yet Harley puts a worse screen on a 40K CVO.... So.... yeah. Issues are screens have to survive vibes, dust, water, etc. so I do not expect the best really out of any of them.