Hey all! I bought the base model demo bike, with a 1000 miles. Got a great deal. Only ever rode singles before owning it and dirt bikes at that. Rode a Harley Sportster once , was real impressed. The FTR is something else. I looked for years in the mags for a bike to get , " one of these days". Seeing the nimble Indian was a gotcha moment. Borrowed money and ride it more on gravel roads, than paved. Will get a set of 70/30 bias Pirrellis . I highly recommend it. An average rider, myself; it's a beast in tiger's clothing. The bike handles, an apex bump, no drama. No problem with second but it needs the clutch cycled a few times, in order to select first , without a stall clunck, when cold. Only complaint, that i can live with. The rest of the package, more than makes up for that fault. Safe rides friends. Regards Adam.
Nice review. It showed some of the pros and cons of the FTR. I've owned the FTR Race Replica like this one for about 10 months. The pros are the handling is excellent. It's so manouverable, it's almost bicycle-like, stable with a light steering feel. For me the ergonomics are perfect. I'm 5'10" with a 32" inseam and I can comfortably flat foot it. The riding position is upright, very slightly leaned forward. The pegs are fairly high, so it is difficult to stand on this bike without crouching. Also, this bike is stunningly beautiful. there's nothing else quite like it on the road. I get thumbs up and "nice bike" comments from strangers all the time. The cons however, were obvious from the start. I find the clutch is very soft pull, and not over-sensitive once you get used to it. Very easy to hill-hold, or feather the clutch for slow speed maneuvering, but the stall that you had when leaving the parking lot, it wasn't your fault! This bike stalls a lot. Whenever it wants. Especially during warm up, and even sometimes while coasting at idle or waiting at a red light. The reason being is that bike manufactuers ship their bikes with a lean air-fuel ratio in order to make the exhaust gas hot enough to fully activate the catalytic converter and thus minimize emissions. The tradeoff is that the engine runs rough and stalls, especially when cold, and the RPMs are a little bouncy, leading to a yo-yo ride, at least that's been my experience. All of those cons are solved by an aftermarket tune, which almost every FTR owner gets. Indian did release an ECU update in February, but in my opinion, it only made things worse. The dashboard light you saw was the Chassis Error lamp, which can light for a number of reasons, like the brake lamp is out or drawing the wrong amount of current etc. The check engine light is beside it, and for me it goes on when the gear position sensor fails to report the gear position, or after the ECU update, it often reports a Cylinder #1 misfire. It eventually clears itself. A few owners report extreme engine vibration, mine are minimal, while others are thankfully vibration free. Overall, this bike is great fun to ride! It has a cruiser-style engine that Indian is famous for, mounted in a sporty frame. Tons of low-end grunt! I can start in 3rd or 4th gear without stalling. This bike definitely has a fun factor that other bikes don't have, and right now might be the right time to pick one up because Indian has dropped the price and offered incentives on the 2019 models, as these bikes just aren't moving.
Where u think that 60 degree overhead cam 1200 vtwin came from....it even has damn near the exact same bore and stroke of the HD Vrod circa 2002 and power.......they basically put a vrod engine in a Ducati streetfighter frame with flat track wheels. Cool bike but it's a rip off of a few bikes.
I did a test ride on a 1200S two weeks ago and felt about the same as you. I never took it out of standard mode but I was impressed with how quick it was! The brakes were very responsive and overall I just wanted to get on it more than I could in the city I was riding in! Great video!
I test rode the FTR and liked it pretty well. Then I test rode the 2020 Triumph Rocket lll and bought it on the spot. Blows the FTR out of the water in every catagory.
So, I just rode an FTR this weekend. I did a 600 mile ride on my bobber and ended at the Indian dealer 'cause I wanted to test ride a few bikes .. just cause. I really like the FTR - it's NOICE!
I own one for a few months now. everything you say it's true in the addition that it starts to burn your thighs after 10 mins of riding because of open design. Still, I would recommend this bike over all others. it's really a head-turner.
I test drove one last year and it is a beast I got a speeding ticket while testing it but the cop sit and checked out the bike for quite a while I like it but I'd definitely be in trouble all the time with it
If you had to lay it down cause of ABS then you would have skidded faster without ABS and hit the object going faster or got slammed down going much faster because of skidding so say YES!! To ABS
Hey Block: I've been a subscriber for a couple years now I'm so glad that you haven't been commercialized as some of the others I'm subscribed to, I can relate to some of the sponsors, but when a chanel becomes more of a commercial than a blog you need to rethink the channel, keep up the good work. I live in Kentucky and I am going to Biketoberfest this year. I would love to buy you a drink and meet you. Keep up the good work, dueces...
Unfortunately I was a subscriber for a while and unsubscribed due to the product push all the time. I do have to thank him for introducing me to Shadtree though.
I rented one. It’s a whole lot of fun for about 30 minutes. After that it’s very unpleasant. I ended up buying a 2020 scout and a 2019 Roadmaster. Epic bikes. The scout is a true gem.
I got to demo a base FTR and a Race Replica in September 2019. Loved the Race Replica. Thankfully I didn't have a check engine light go on like you did. Gear changes were good. The power was awesome. For comparison, I normally ride a 2017 Aprilia Tuono Factory, a 2019 MV Agusta Brutale RC, and a 2018 KTM 390 Duke. The FTR was lively. I just couldn't justify the $17k MSRP at the time. Now that they're going for $13k to $15k, that's getting into my price range.
Bought race replica couple weeks ago. I never saw myself with a street bike. Dont care for long, low, heavy cruisers. All I've ridden was motox bikes. When I saw this, I had to have one. I love the height. Feels like my old dirt bike. Its light, nimble, strong and torquey.
I was watching with captions on and when he first started riding and all you could hear was the motorcycle, the captions said “[Music]” and I felt that on a spiritual level 😂
My friend literally just picked up delivery of his yesterday and he was nice enough to let me take if for a 5ish mile rip. I only rode it in standard, though I'd like to see how different it responds in sport mode. My take as compared to my 17 FZ09: Brakes are WAY nicer. Suspension is WORLDS better - like it's made me realize how truly poor the FZ's suspension really is. Ergos feel similar as compared with 09 with the OEM comfort seat - but the 'tank' bumps my knees out which took away a little confidence ripping it around turns. It's the first Vtwin I've ridden and gave me an instant understanding of an engine that sort of feels alive with its firing pulses. I actually dig it. Lots of personality. My biggest gripe though and one that maybe I'd forget about just by switching into sport was that I found in standard that the power kicked in really strange. It was like if you wanted to just cruise around the first 1/2 of the throttle felt really tame and so then you give it a bit more suddenly it would absolutely take off. My 09 might be an twitchy touchy thing but its consistently twitchy and touchy. I've learned to have a really smooth throttle hand because of it.
I test rode one about a year ago. It was a fun bike but I don’t know that I’d own one. It pulls decently, but it doesn’t rev high enough, so you’ll be shifting a lot. For something on the sportier side, I’d just like to be able to wind it out a little more and enjoy that exhaust note and power band . It looks cool, but it’s just missing something. Not quite a cruiser but not a sport bike either.
I have an FTR. That's a fault indicator light. There is another light for "check engine." The fault light comes on for gear shift issues (which he appeared to be having) which can stem from changing modes or playing with ABS/Traction Control, etc. when in gear or even putting the bike in gear with the side stand down. The bike stores codes, which can be accessed via the screen, so it may have been a leftover light that was there from someone playing with the bike before Block. The FTR's also had a recall for faulty circuit breakers throwing off faults. This one may not have gotten the recall performed yet. As others have said too, and I have experienced slightly with my bike, it is a first year model and it still is a little buggy.
BamBam08x: It’s an Indian. The check engine light is the only thing that works on these bikes. I know firsthand. I have a Chief Dark Horse. I’m going back to the dealership AGAIN next week. My wife is gonna follow me in case I don’t make it. Brand new and having serious issues. The dealership insists that I ride it in. They don’t give a rats ass. I have buyers remorse to the 10th power. I’m going to wear a Harley shirt when I go. Just steer clear. Go with Harley or something Japanese!
I test rode one a few months back and this is what I think. The bike looks real good. The fit and finish is excellent. I have a Ducati Monster 1100evo that I have dialed in suspension wise and fueling wise so that will influence these next comments. The torque did not impress me compared to my Monster and the same goes for the handling. The mapping is terrible, the bike is not smooth at all. I don't understand why the after market can create excellent maps but the manufactures can't. The brakes are great, Brembos what do you expect. I consider this bike a naked sport bike with the looks of a dirt track bike. The suspension is not designed for off road and there is no protection for the bottom of the engine. I wouldn't take it off road. Bottom line, nice bike that needs to be tuned for the individual and about 2000 bucks overpriced.
If there was a Cannonball run where you could ride three stretches across America (3 different bikes), I would definitely ride the Indian 1200 S on the last stretch to the finish line. Great video Block
I sat on an FTR but haven't ridden one yet. I couldn't flat foot it either, it's so tall! Not my kind of bike but I'm sure it's excellent for the sportier riders.
Hey blockhead! I got mine last summer, absolutely love it! I changed out the stock exhaust and removed the catalytic, put on a Toce and had Indian of Charlotte tune it! So made it even lighter weight and more power! Absolute blast
I had the same issue when I test rode a scout bobber, that shift-lever feels really mushy. But god those 1200 indian engines are something else, the evolution feels like an ancient turd in comparison. The bobber came out 6 months after I purchased my HD 48. I have to admit that I have some buyer's remorse even if I still love my sportster !
Ive heard that Fuelmoto has a tune for this bike using the Power Vision 3 that solves a lot of the ecm issues this bike has and completely changes the ride even bone stock.
Just bought the race rep. It is brilliant on tight back roads. It needs a few mods, I've put on a tail tidy, taken off the cat, altogether removed about 25lbs of weight. Your test shows how damn quick the bike is. What do you think about the Dunlops, and how about a quick shifter.
I love that bike bro, the RR is legit. The rally is nice also. Looks like a fun ride, I backed out of the demo because of how tall it is. Made me nervous being a noob. Nice vid
I just test rode one at a demo event a week ago, and I loved it. Unfortunately, if I were to actually buy one I'd need to get it lowered as I am only 5'1" with a 22" inseam, and while I was able to make it work for a test ride, I would want to deal with the height of this thing on a regular basis, and I am always hesitant to mess around with lowering a bike as I don't want to adversely affect its handling.
Almost bought my bobber at imotorsports but the one thing I didn’t like was the fact is off of the sketchy part of OBT and couldn’t get any good confirmation that the place looked ok from pics alone. Ended up finding Skypowersports in Sanford with a much more welcoming appeal atleast to me lol. I drive by imotor everyday now on the way to work and back
Shocknfunk, the property and rent is cheaper on the "sketchy" part of OBT. I don't think you would have to worry about the dealership. It's just the neighborhood. I didn't know Sanford was much better.
Pan M8 the area in Sanford is fine. Building is brand new and is really nice to walk around. Was my first purchase and wanted to be sure I was walking into a welcomed area that’s just me
I bought my FTR from iMotorsports about a month ago now. I had the same reservations and was considering going up to Sanford but iMotorsports was having a killer sale (got my FTR for $5,000 off MSRP). It was weird they have a brand new Indian showroom but all the salesmen work out of the used bike room (completely separate building), which of course smells like a garage (not that there's anything wrong with that), and is quite dirty and jammed packed with used banged up bikes of all makes and models. Was just weird that the sales experience took place in there rather than their immaculate Indian showroom, but I can't complain considering the price I got. Everyone there was super friendly and nice.
Brendan Gillen cool to know. Think that if it was like that for me would’ve turned me off from getting one there especially that I’m not a huge fan of the traffic on that road. When I rolled out of the Sanford dealership I had plenty of open road to stretch out on and got comfortable real quick before I got on a moderately crowded street.
Rode one not to long ago at an Indian demo day or should I say it rode me. Clutch and throttle took some getting use to and I was terrified I was going to wheelie it. Came back the next day to ride another bike and someone had dumped one, the demo rep said it happens often.
Bought that same model about 2 months ago. Brakes are insane! But I agree it is super touchy on the throttle... I usually ride in standard when cruising, but when you put it in sport it is a wholenother beast, ie fishtailing, wheelies, etc
I love that bike... if I could afford more than one that would be my in town run around bike. I want to see you test the chief vintage. That would be more my speed for an all around bike.. one does all like my heritage
Ended up “off road” on my test ride of the FTR. It’s super stable on the gravel. That light was maybe related to the recall Indian had for shifter position sensor. Easy fix from the dealership.
Hola Blockhead, how good was the ride? Now comparing the indian models with the well known HD? What arer your point of view? Die hard HD or little tempted by the old competition brand? Saludos.
Indian just recently did a gear indicator recall. My 2014 vintage started showing 2nd gear when in neutral less than a year ago. Never kept me from riding. The dealer told me about the recall and fixed it on my last service.
This bike was on my list for a second bike. I think I'm going to take it off after seeing a check engine on before its first service. Aint nobody. got time for that!! 😂😂😂
I was really considering buying one of these until I watched your review. I still love these bikes but I am only 5/6. I don’t think I could even tip toe this bike as it sets and if you lowered it I think it would take too much away from the handling.
I’m also 5’7 with a 31 inseam and it’s perfectly fine and can almost flat foot with both feet but I just put the left foot down so it’s great. I also had the check engine light before the first service and it was for the gear indicator which he kind of addressed in the video; it has to do with the particulates in the stock oil or something as the dealer explained. And I have the S&S exhaust with a tune and it completely changes the sound and feel. So much better.
I'm the guy doesn't like ABS. Have you ever had to maintain/repair/replace a unit? Expensivo. Ridden for years haven't need it. I avoid 'emergencies', and can control my brakes in a panic stop. Overall, I believe it is marketing to make people 'feel' more safe. Very fine. But, I don't want it.
Dear Lord, if this is how BLOCKHEAD rides an FTR I'd be afraid to see how he rides his CBR600RR 👀. Guy hit friggin 90 on the street! Lol but love how he says "this bike would get me in trouble." 🤣
Hey all! I bought the base model demo bike, with a 1000 miles. Got a great deal. Only ever rode singles before owning it and dirt bikes at that. Rode a Harley Sportster once , was real impressed. The FTR is something else. I looked for years in the mags for a bike to get , " one of these days". Seeing the nimble Indian was a gotcha moment. Borrowed money and ride it more on gravel roads, than paved. Will get a set of 70/30 bias Pirrellis . I highly recommend it. An average rider, myself; it's a beast in tiger's clothing. The bike handles, an apex bump, no drama. No problem with second but it needs the clutch cycled a few times, in order to select first , without a stall clunck, when cold. Only complaint, that i can live with. The rest of the package, more than makes up for that fault.
Safe rides friends.
Regards Adam.
Nice review. It showed some of the pros and cons of the FTR. I've owned the FTR Race Replica like this one for about 10 months. The pros are the handling is excellent. It's so manouverable, it's almost bicycle-like, stable with a light steering feel. For me the ergonomics are perfect. I'm 5'10" with a 32" inseam and I can comfortably flat foot it. The riding position is upright, very slightly leaned forward. The pegs are fairly high, so it is difficult to stand on this bike without crouching. Also, this bike is stunningly beautiful. there's nothing else quite like it on the road. I get thumbs up and "nice bike" comments from strangers all the time. The cons however, were obvious from the start. I find the clutch is very soft pull, and not over-sensitive once you get used to it. Very easy to hill-hold, or feather the clutch for slow speed maneuvering, but the stall that you had when leaving the parking lot, it wasn't your fault! This bike stalls a lot. Whenever it wants. Especially during warm up, and even sometimes while coasting at idle or waiting at a red light. The reason being is that bike manufactuers ship their bikes with a lean air-fuel ratio in order to make the exhaust gas hot enough to fully activate the catalytic converter and thus minimize emissions. The tradeoff is that the engine runs rough and stalls, especially when cold, and the RPMs are a little bouncy, leading to a yo-yo ride, at least that's been my experience. All of those cons are solved by an aftermarket tune, which almost every FTR owner gets. Indian did release an ECU update in February, but in my opinion, it only made things worse. The dashboard light you saw was the Chassis Error lamp, which can light for a number of reasons, like the brake lamp is out or drawing the wrong amount of current etc. The check engine light is beside it, and for me it goes on when the gear position sensor fails to report the gear position, or after the ECU update, it often reports a Cylinder #1 misfire. It eventually clears itself. A few owners report extreme engine vibration, mine are minimal, while others are thankfully vibration free. Overall, this bike is great fun to ride! It has a cruiser-style engine that Indian is famous for, mounted in a sporty frame. Tons of low-end grunt! I can start in 3rd or 4th gear without stalling. This bike definitely has a fun factor that other bikes don't have, and right now might be the right time to pick one up because Indian has dropped the price and offered incentives on the 2019 models, as these bikes just aren't moving.
This is how you innovate and market to the younger crowd. Harley, take notes...
You mean the check engine light? I’d take my Low Rider S or the new Rocket 3 any day.
By stealing design ideas from Ducati???
Where u think that 60 degree overhead cam 1200 vtwin came from....it even has damn near the exact same bore and stroke of the HD Vrod circa 2002 and power.......they basically put a vrod engine in a Ducati streetfighter frame with flat track wheels. Cool bike but it's a rip off of a few bikes.
the bike is 20k euro here, i love this bike but its not worth that much to me.
@@toddcercone6715 its not the first time someone's gotten ideas from someone else.
Had my Harley. I want TWO Indians.
I want a Scout & a Chieftan Darkhorse.
"Indian is known for putting their logo on everything." That`s hilarious! Because HD does`nt do that, at all.
Ducati has entered the chat.
I got a Ducati and it's very true. Ducati logos eeeeeeverywhere on the bike
HD doesn't have to.
@@woodybear8298 I was being sarcastic. lol
I did a test ride on a 1200S two weeks ago and felt about the same as you. I never took it out of standard mode but I was impressed with how quick it was! The brakes were very responsive and overall I just wanted to get on it more than I could in the city I was riding in! Great video!
I test rode the FTR and liked it pretty well. Then I test rode the 2020 Triumph Rocket lll and bought it on the spot. Blows the FTR out of the water in every catagory.
So, I just rode an FTR this weekend. I did a 600 mile ride on my bobber and ended at the Indian dealer 'cause I wanted to test ride a few bikes .. just cause. I really like the FTR - it's NOICE!
I own one for a few months now. everything you say it's true in the addition that it starts to burn your thighs after 10 mins of riding because of open design. Still, I would recommend this bike over all others. it's really a head-turner.
I've NEVER seen you ride like that Blockhead....that bike brings out the inner demons!
Haha. So true. Look at him go!! Haha
Well that his last demo ride at Indian.
Instablaster.
I test drove one last year and it is a beast I got a speeding ticket while testing it but the cop sit and checked out the bike for quite a while I like it but I'd definitely be in trouble all the time with it
If you hate ABS on a bike i bet you had a story beginning with "I had to lay it down to avoid a wreck"
If you had to lay it down cause of ABS then you would have skidded faster without ABS and hit the object going faster or got slammed down going much faster because of skidding so say YES!! To ABS
I love “I had to lay it down...” stories.
ABS is for clowns
@@fvgc454ss ABS has saved my skin (literally) on more than one occasion. I'll always prefer a bike with it vs without it.
@@CreedComander weak
Hey Block: I've been a subscriber for a couple years now I'm so glad that you haven't been commercialized as some of the others I'm subscribed to, I can relate to some of the sponsors, but when a chanel becomes more of a commercial than a blog you need to rethink the channel, keep up the good work. I live in Kentucky and I am going to Biketoberfest this year. I would love to buy you a drink and meet you. Keep up the good work, dueces...
Unfortunately I was a subscriber for a while and unsubscribed due to the product push all the time. I do have to thank him for introducing me to Shadtree though.
@@Justin-qv4kd and yet here ye be. . . . lol
@@Justin-qv4kd guys, it is capitalism, they all need to feed their's mouths!!! 🤪🖖
I rented one. It’s a whole lot of fun for about 30 minutes. After that it’s very unpleasant. I ended up buying a 2020 scout and a 2019 Roadmaster. Epic bikes. The scout is a true gem.
I got to demo a base FTR and a Race Replica in September 2019. Loved the Race Replica. Thankfully I didn't have a check engine light go on like you did. Gear changes were good. The power was awesome.
For comparison, I normally ride a 2017 Aprilia Tuono Factory, a 2019 MV Agusta Brutale RC, and a 2018 KTM 390 Duke.
The FTR was lively. I just couldn't justify the $17k MSRP at the time. Now that they're going for $13k to $15k, that's getting into my price range.
Bought race replica couple weeks ago. I never saw myself with a street bike. Dont care for long, low, heavy cruisers. All I've ridden was motox bikes. When I saw this, I had to have one. I love the height. Feels like my old dirt bike. Its light, nimble, strong and torquey.
I was watching with captions on and when he first started riding and all you could hear was the motorcycle, the captions said “[Music]” and I felt that on a spiritual level 😂
The acceleration was quick and effortless. I’d love to see you ride when you get used too it.
That bike is really good looking. It pulls like an absolute beast too. Definitely not a newbies bike though.
the FTR is an amazing machine, how about testing the new ducati scrambler 1100 sport
Yes, agreed. That’s a lovely bike! It is next on my list. I just rode the new Rocket 3 a couple weeks ago for an extended ride...WOW
Man I’m loving the Indian content block keep it up!
My friend literally just picked up delivery of his yesterday and he was nice enough to let me take if for a 5ish mile rip. I only rode it in standard, though I'd like to see how different it responds in sport mode.
My take as compared to my 17 FZ09:
Brakes are WAY nicer.
Suspension is WORLDS better - like it's made me realize how truly poor the FZ's suspension really is.
Ergos feel similar as compared with 09 with the OEM comfort seat - but the 'tank' bumps my knees out which took away a little confidence ripping it around turns.
It's the first Vtwin I've ridden and gave me an instant understanding of an engine that sort of feels alive with its firing pulses. I actually dig it. Lots of personality.
My biggest gripe though and one that maybe I'd forget about just by switching into sport was that I found in standard that the power kicked in really strange. It was like if you wanted to just cruise around the first 1/2 of the throttle felt really tame and so then you give it a bit more suddenly it would absolutely take off. My 09 might be an twitchy touchy thing but its consistently twitchy and touchy. I've learned to have a really smooth throttle hand because of it.
Love mine super fun, fun bike to ride. I love the responsiveness of the throttle the brakes are best I've used
I test rode one about a year ago. It was a fun bike but I don’t know that I’d own one. It pulls decently, but it doesn’t rev high enough, so you’ll be shifting a lot. For something on the sportier side, I’d just like to be able to wind it out a little more and enjoy that exhaust note and power band . It looks cool, but it’s just missing something. Not quite a cruiser but not a sport bike either.
They killed this bike with all the electronics
That's a pretty sweet bike. It seems I'm seeing and hearing more and more about Indian these days.
Oh, absolutely man! Indian is going to take over Harley in the American market
That’s because Harley is done! Indian is doing a good job
I just want to know why the damn engine light was on lol. Great video Block!
Apparently its common with new motors according to the message boards.
I have an FTR. That's a fault indicator light. There is another light for "check engine." The fault light comes on for gear shift issues (which he appeared to be having) which can stem from changing modes or playing with ABS/Traction Control, etc. when in gear or even putting the bike in gear with the side stand down. The bike stores codes, which can be accessed via the screen, so it may have been a leftover light that was there from someone playing with the bike before Block. The FTR's also had a recall for faulty circuit breakers throwing off faults. This one may not have gotten the recall performed yet. As others have said too, and I have experienced slightly with my bike, it is a first year model and it still is a little buggy.
@@bgill35 Thanks Brendan. Great info and explanation.
BamBam08x: It’s an Indian. The check engine light is the only thing that works on these bikes. I know firsthand. I have a Chief Dark Horse. I’m going back to the dealership AGAIN next week. My wife is gonna follow me in case I don’t make it. Brand new and having serious issues. The dealership insists that I ride it in. They don’t give a rats ass. I have buyers remorse to the 10th power. I’m going to wear a Harley shirt when I go. Just steer clear. Go with Harley or something Japanese!
I test rode one a few months back and this is what I think. The bike looks real good. The fit and finish is excellent. I have a Ducati Monster 1100evo that I have dialed in suspension wise and fueling wise so that will influence these next comments. The torque did not impress me compared to my Monster and the same goes for the handling. The mapping is terrible, the bike is not smooth at all. I don't understand why the after market can create excellent maps but the manufactures can't. The brakes are great, Brembos what do you expect. I consider this bike a naked sport bike with the looks of a dirt track bike. The suspension is not designed for off road and there is no protection for the bottom of the engine. I wouldn't take it off road. Bottom line, nice bike that needs to be tuned for the individual and about 2000 bucks overpriced.
If there was a Cannonball run where you could ride three stretches across America (3 different bikes), I would definitely ride the Indian 1200 S on the last stretch to the finish line.
Great video Block
I sat on an FTR but haven't ridden one yet. I couldn't flat foot it either, it's so tall! Not my kind of bike but I'm sure it's excellent for the sportier riders.
we have an imotorsports here in chicagoland. I need to stop in there
they have a pretty large area for Indian bikes. And Polaris I think. And then a whole warehouse in the back for used bikes. They're pretty awesome
Hey blockhead! I got mine last summer, absolutely love it! I changed out the stock exhaust and removed the catalytic, put on a Toce and had Indian of Charlotte tune it! So made it even lighter weight and more power! Absolute blast
Did it sound much better with different exaust ? Because it sounds like shit standard .
I had the same issue when I test rode a scout bobber, that shift-lever feels really mushy. But god those 1200 indian engines are something else, the evolution feels like an ancient turd in comparison. The bobber came out 6 months after I purchased my HD 48. I have to admit that I have some buyer's remorse even if I still love my sportster !
After I purchased my HD 48 I saw a review on this bike and also had buyers remorse but the 48 is also a blast
I own the base model and love it. I'm looking to add a touring bike but I can't find one that I like because the fTR has spoiled me.lol.
That thing gets up and moves, looks like a blast to ride.
true tester,most testers would have return to dealer and fix that light then go out again and not report that.gained a subscriber.
That is one sweet looking machine 😍. Oh yeah, they just keep getting better.
Ive heard that Fuelmoto has a tune for this bike using the Power Vision 3 that solves a lot of the ecm issues this bike has and completely changes the ride even bone stock.
They do have a great tune. I’m running a bassani exhaust and k&n on mine and it is a beast. I Can hang with 1000cc bikes till I hit the speed limiter.
Just bought the race rep. It is brilliant on tight back roads. It needs a few mods, I've put on a tail tidy, taken off the cat, altogether removed about 25lbs of weight. Your test shows how damn quick the bike is. What do you think about the Dunlops, and how about a quick shifter.
I love that bike bro, the RR is legit. The rally is nice also. Looks like a fun ride, I backed out of the demo because of how tall it is. Made me nervous being a noob. Nice vid
I just test rode one at a demo event a week ago, and I loved it. Unfortunately, if I were to actually buy one I'd need to get it lowered as I am only 5'1" with a 22" inseam, and while I was able to make it work for a test ride, I would want to deal with the height of this thing on a regular basis, and I am always hesitant to mess around with lowering a bike as I don't want to adversely affect its handling.
It has wheelie control so no worries about pulling a wheelie...until you put it in race mode....
Damn! My heart was in my mouth just watching! That bike is fast!
I love this motorcycle. 😎😎😎
When I was younger this is the bike I wanted. Today - it's cruisers.
I wouldn't say "I hate" abs but I've ridden for 13 years without it so it always feels weird when I'm in a bike that has it
Would love to see you compare this bike to the Ducati Monster 1200. Or at least do a review on the Ducati Monster.
So your complaint is that a high performance 1200cc naked sports bike is fine tuned? Good to see actual innovation from a mainstream USA bike brand.
Man that thing looks like a blast! Been wanting try and get on one of those for a while. Glad you got on one!
Almost bought my bobber at imotorsports but the one thing I didn’t like was the fact is off of the sketchy part of OBT and couldn’t get any good confirmation that the place looked ok from pics alone. Ended up finding Skypowersports in Sanford with a much more welcoming appeal atleast to me lol. I drive by imotor everyday now on the way to work and back
Shocknfunk, the property and rent is cheaper on the "sketchy" part of OBT. I don't think you would have to worry about the dealership. It's just the neighborhood. I didn't know Sanford was much better.
Pan M8 the area in Sanford is fine. Building is brand new and is really nice to walk around. Was my first purchase and wanted to be sure I was walking into a welcomed area that’s just me
I bought my FTR from iMotorsports about a month ago now. I had the same reservations and was considering going up to Sanford but iMotorsports was having a killer sale (got my FTR for $5,000 off MSRP). It was weird they have a brand new Indian showroom but all the salesmen work out of the used bike room (completely separate building), which of course smells like a garage (not that there's anything wrong with that), and is quite dirty and jammed packed with used banged up bikes of all makes and models. Was just weird that the sales experience took place in there rather than their immaculate Indian showroom, but I can't complain considering the price I got. Everyone there was super friendly and nice.
Brendan Gillen cool to know. Think that if it was like that for me would’ve turned me off from getting one there especially that I’m not a huge fan of the traffic on that road. When I rolled out of the Sanford dealership I had plenty of open road to stretch out on and got comfortable real quick before I got on a moderately crowded street.
Absolutely beautiful bike! Totally have to get 1
Great review, have you considered the Ducati diavel 1260s for a review? 😎🔥
I know it ain’t an Indian but could you do test ride on the 2020 Rocket 3? R or GT.
Very sick! I'm excited to see how the new Bronx & 1250 Custom from HD will stack up against it. Definitely bikes I would consider adding to my garage.
Excellent review, bro! I've always thought of myself as more of a sport bike kinda guy but now I actually want one of these! 😂
Santa is cute. The bike is even cuter!!
People see you since higher in the air. With shorter wheel base bikes handle great.
Blockhead, I LIKE the way You ride.
Rode one not to long ago at an Indian demo day or should I say it rode me. Clutch and throttle took some getting use to and I was terrified I was going to wheelie it. Came back the next day to ride another bike and someone had dumped one, the demo rep said it happens often.
Did I hear right, only 123hp? Where did all the other horses go? Is this a 1200cc ? It would be an odd decision not to buy a Ducati monster 1200 s
Such a beautiful bike...
123 horses sounds good to me. More pep than my roadster. Not a fan of the seat height though. Everything else looks slick
I really like it but I'm not a big fan of the foot peg placement. I like mine farther forward.
Overall though, a very cool bike.
Love ya Block! To much power for this Newb.
That is one of my dream bikes
Bought that same model about 2 months ago. Brakes are insane! But I agree it is super touchy on the throttle... I usually ride in standard when cruising, but when you put it in sport it is a wholenother beast, ie fishtailing, wheelies, etc
Damn I want one so bad. Is that gonna be one of the give away bikes ? Love it !
"Check Engine Light" during a test ride? Next brand!
That right there is my dream bike. If I could ever buy one new I'd be a happy bunny! Great video :)
Definitely looks like more clearance on turns then the FXDR 😂
I love that bike... if I could afford more than one that would be my in town run around bike. I want to see you test the chief vintage. That would be more my speed for an all around bike.. one does all like my heritage
There used to be a MONTHLY M/C publication called "Friction Zone."
How is this vs the MT10?
Nice trip to Mexico you took there! ;)
I am looking to buy this model. You mentioned that your right leg was getting hot from the exhaust. Did it get hotter throughout the test ride?
How did you not get a ticket on that test ride :).
Next season's giveaway bike: a custom slammed FTR-1200 Bobber Dark Horse
I want one. There is no dealer in Alaska though.
Ended up “off road” on my test ride of the FTR. It’s super stable on the gravel. That light was maybe related to the recall Indian had for shifter position sensor. Easy fix from the dealership.
Hola Blockhead, how good was the ride? Now comparing the indian models with the well known HD? What arer your point of view? Die hard HD or little tempted by the old competition brand? Saludos.
It was either this bike or the Iron 1200. I choose the Iron 1200.
The same gear indicator problem exists on the scouts as well.
I own a Scout and there is no indicator problem
Indian just recently did a gear indicator recall. My 2014 vintage started showing 2nd gear when in neutral less than a year ago. Never kept me from riding. The dealer told me about the recall and fixed it on my last service.
That Indian is gorgeous
Love these reviews
gotta put the s&s big long boi pipes on it
This bike was on my list for a second bike. I think I'm going to take it off after seeing a check engine on before its first service. Aint nobody. got time for that!! 😂😂😂
I like em. If money wasnt a consideration I would get it. But for a daily I like the cruisers.
Test ride one today
Once a dealers are open in UK I want to test ride one ☝️, thx blockhead 👊
What are some bikes that sit at a similar height to this?
i see you with that shadetree surgeon shirt.
I was really considering buying one of these until I watched your review. I still love these bikes but I am only 5/6. I don’t think I could even tip toe this bike as it sets and if you lowered it I think it would take too much away from the handling.
Lower it(I'm 5'7"=short), fix the check engine light, make it louder, sold.
I’m also 5’7 with a 31 inseam and it’s perfectly fine and can almost flat foot with both feet but I just put the left foot down so it’s great. I also had the check engine light before the first service and it was for the gear indicator which he kind of addressed in the video; it has to do with the particulates in the stock oil or something as the dealer explained. And I have the S&S exhaust with a tune and it completely changes the sound and feel. So much better.
i want a cool digital speedo screen like that on my iron 883 i hate the norwhal tusk on my bike
More powerful grom like funs bike it seems plus OMG u stalled
I'm the guy doesn't like ABS. Have you ever had to maintain/repair/replace a unit? Expensivo.
Ridden for years haven't need it. I avoid 'emergencies', and can control my brakes in a panic stop. Overall, I believe it is marketing to make people 'feel' more safe. Very fine.
But, I don't want it.
Dear Lord, if this is how BLOCKHEAD rides an FTR I'd be afraid to see how he rides his CBR600RR 👀. Guy hit friggin 90 on the street! Lol but love how he says "this bike would get me in trouble." 🤣
The seat height is a big issue for me. Really sucks that it is so high
Nice review love to get one of those for a 2nd bike 👍😎🏍🎥🍻👊
Its a nice bike but im getting this Ducati Diavel kind of vide from it.