2020 Indian Challenger vs 2020 Harley-Davidson Road Glide
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- Опубликовано: 22 дек 2019
- When we think of baggers, we think V-Twin engines. Yes, there are some exceptions, the BMW K1600B and the Moto Guzzi MGX-21 (with its unusual transverse V-Twin) come to mind, but aside from those outliers, baggers from all manufacturers are solidly in V-Twin land. However, with the chassis, a couple of choices exist. Do you want a fork-mounted or frame-mounted fairing? In the frame-mounted category, there is one, big-daddy model that dominates the class, the Harley-Davidson Road Glide. For 2020, the grizzled veteran has been called out by a young gun that wants to prove its mettle. The Indian Challenger clearly has its sights on the Road Glide. In a classic battle reminiscent of the Old West, these two gunslingers have stepped onto the street, and the outcome will be determined on Route 66.
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I’m 60 yrs old and ride a Sport Touring Ducati. Last month I wanted to buy a HD and because I wore a tie for my job, 3 salesmen ignored me totally, sat at their desks and weren’t interested in answering questions. Then I went to an Indian dealer and in 15 mins I was test-riding a Chieftain. I loved the bike, power, handling, value for money plus the dealers didn’t make me feel like I shouldn’t be there!!
I traded in my FX DWG for my 1200 Ducati multistrada. So much more bang for the buck! And that's a Ducati which is considered a premium brand. Being an HD rider before a Ducati, the HD scene just isn't for me
Funny you say that, I had a very similar experience. I was in the market for a nice cruiser and stopped by a HD dealer, but I'm fairly young (25) and I was riding my sport bike that day, so the HD salesmen completely wrote me off and barely answered my questions. The next day, I rode out to an Indian dealer, had a wonderful time chatting with the staff and rode away with a new bike.
From a Harley salesman’s standpoint, making the sale is how we make our money! Not sure why they would be ok with ignoring you lol. I’m very surprised with all the bad experiences I’ve come across online and even in person. At our dealership, we make sure to talk to every single person that walks through the door, whether you’re a 16 year old kid or a 90 year old lady.
@@79TAGio I agree. I retailed cars for 20 yrs, and it's a numbers game. Besides, people you think aren't interested can turn around and say "I'll take it"!! Others just need to find the "right one" or else they walk. I vowed to never return to a HD dealer that makes me feel like they're doing me a favour!
Bad dealership
Former HD here, I traded in last year into Indian Chieftain Dark Horse with 116 big bore kit (111 is bad ass too) I was blown away with the ride, power and options. I wish HD get their crap together but it looks like Indian has my attention for a long while.
The Challenger along with all the other Indian models are better than the offerings from HD. Since Indians revival in 2014 I’ve had the good fortune to put up Indian models up against the HD variants to understand the differences between the two brands. Since I’m no longer in the business I can say hands down indian is producing a far superior product. They’ve looked at the market, seen the offerings from other manufacturers, and outdone the other manufacturers in each segment.
I own both Indian and Harley. I buy/upgrade to new bikes pretty much every year. Last year was a Road Glide, the year before that... an Indian Roadmaster. This year, I'm thinking of downsizing, as I'm finding I have more bikes than time. Although I love my Road Glide, I made the mistake of riding a Challenger last year. That thing was CRAZY powerful compared to my RG. For me, the Indians are simply more comfortable. I'm seriously thinking about trading in both my Indian and Harley for a Challenger. I honestly feel that would combine the best of both of the two bikes I would be trading in... the handling of the Harley, and the comfort of the Indian... with a lot more power.
I’ve had ultra glides, road glides, Victory vision and gold wings and my 16 Indian Roadmaster is the best by far for my money
One thing you didn't discuss is the Challenger having Ride Modes whereas the RoadGlide doesn't .
The 2020 does though
Wes Jacobs 2020 models do
Harley has ride modes.
I'm thinking it's more of a gimmick that everybody will add now to keep up where it's not something you really need.
I have a bike with ride modes. Normal, Sport, Rain and Offroad. Harley touring bikes don't need Offroad mode. I don't see anybody riding around in anything but Sport or Rain mode.
I have rode in a lot of rain on my Harleys and it's just not necessary to have a rain mode.
My other bike has more power than my 107 when it's in Rain mode, limited to 100 hp.
All you need is traction control on or off. I would never turn it off on the highway. Only good for off road or burnouts.
David Phillips I think the only ride mode Harley has is rain, and no traction control One thing HD doesn’t do is put gimmicky nonsense on their bikes. The Indian has a “sport” mode and it has like 75-80 horsepower 🤣 and all it changes is throttle sensitivity.
Wasn't aware HD had ride modes. I want to Ride the Challenger when I get the opportunity to experience it, but for the price of both bikes I'm keeping & enjoying my Victory.
I rode the Challenger and was flat out floored by the performance. The bike I own is the Victory Vision. For me on the on the Challenger I was surprised that it didn’t have heated grips and seat. Once the tour package version comes out that price will be ridiculous. My wife is very comfortable on the bike I have. The Challenger would be a great 2nd bike for me because the rear seat leaves a lot to be desired for her. I owned a Harley early in my 30’s and did not like the way the warranty worked. I left them and never looked back swearing never to own another. Bad deal bad dealership. If you own one like a lot of people, you better know how to turn a wrench.
You can tell they are trying to be kind to the Harley. But the Indian won in every category. It's not even a competition here.
Except the category where it's not an ugly as shit styling rip off.
Frank McLemore is Butt Hurt
So butt hurt that Indian sales are by Nealy 50% this year. My ass will be hurting so bad when Polaris cancels production of the Challenger or Indian itself. Lol!
@@frankmc5112 You obviously are ass hurt since the number you're saying is hilariously inflated. Indian has lost less sales in percentage than Harley has...and this is the first year they have reported ANY drop in sales while Harley has been dropping double digits for the last 5 years.
I wish all the best to INDIAN considering factory is 3hrs away. My roadglide with cam and some aftermarket will stomp it and looks so much better ;) haha best of everything
Wait a second. Both these guys couldn't pull out of a freaken parking space without duck walking the bikes until they were faced straight ahead (1:46) but they are going to give their ''expert'' opinion on these two bikes?
Good eye and point well made. However I think that doesn't disqualify them and many have made the same contrasts.
@@wanderer4917 Maybe they should be relegated to testing beginner bikes for the MSF classes. Or, send them to me here in FL. and in a couple of hours I'll change their riding lives forever. I'll even video the transformation and put it on youtube.
i noticed that too and here you are!
Jerry, I noticed that immediately as well!! Reminds me of, " ...and if it walks like a duck, it's probably the 2 guys from motorcycle.com". Hilarious. And YES, your course/vids are outstanding.
@@gfunk63901 I have a ''duck walkers'' alert on my laptop.
For a split second, I first read the title of the video as "Dodge Challenger vs. Harley Davidson" and thought "lol, this should be interesting; a fast car vs a slow car" 🤣
Car?
This helped answer some questions about both bikes. Thanks for the professional, non bias review I can trust.
Indian wins in all categories but one.. can’t overcome Harley loyalty, it’s real and it’s emotional. After all, how fast do you need to go?, both will get you there in comfort and style,
Lol you're not upgrading the Harley's suspension for $400 😂
Lol.. I was going to say the same thing.
Probably can't even buy Harley branded fork gaiters for the street Bob for $400
I also went with road glide limited
I thought the same thing. lol
Basic air ride will start around there
Rode them both. Really enjoy each bike
But If had to buy one; id chose the Indian !
Good job on the review, I think you guys were unbiased in your opinion about the bikes. You guys are not alone when you give Indian Challenger the number one spot.
What are y'all doing with that Chieftain Elite, hmmm??? 😊
By the way, having ridden both, I say Challenger all the way. The Road Glide feels like a bagger. The Challenger feels like the offspring of a bagger and a sport-touring bike, and I like it!
This describes it well.
My wife and I stopped by the local Harley dealer and none of the 6 workers twiddling their thumbs said a word to us. We got a couple awkward looks but no one ever greeted or approached us. I've been in 2 Indian dealers and the workers had me convinced I'd own an Indian motorcycle someday just by their demeanor and their interest in me owning the right bike.
$400 suspension upgrade lol !! Try about 3 times that or more
Shocks are like $800 from progressive
Try the Progressive shocks and get back to us. HOGsters prefer Legend and refuse to pay for Ohlins. I own a 2019 Scorched Orange/Denim FLHRXS/Road King (insufficient-ground-clearance) Special that cries out for pegs instead of Foot Boards because the Boards s c r a p e Most of the Time. Legend brand shocks appear to be pushed by Harley-Davidson dealers.
Yeah. $400.will get you a recovered seat.
You still can’t beat the look and sound of a Harley. Period...
Just bought a new HarleyDavidson 2020 RoadGlide limited on December 19th, don't care which one is faster I prefer which one looks the best and that goes to HarleyDavidson, which is still pretty quick. Merry Christmas.
The Indian is a modern motorcycle. The Harley is the culmination of decades of trying to stay relevant while not scaring off their ever aging customer base....
Do RC bingo!
EXACTLY.......well put.
Absolutely Correct! but their got to be a time when they will realize the aging customer base are long gone! and start producing some decent product.
your opinion, for my opinion Indian is just copies of Harley but more expensive and less seductive. They just copy all the Harley models and they change the metal with plastic.
@@petitflocon647 that may have been somewhat true in the past but the Challenger is ahead of the Harley in every way but one (and I'm guessing it's the only one that's important to some). It's not a Harley....
Having owned a Victory Vision and getting addicted to that electronic windshield, I will be test riding the Challenger come spring. The other feature I like are all LED lights on the Challenger. The real value is the base model at $22.Thanks for your review.
Try a K1600B
Having riden and owning a victory vision, Ill be riding a .........victory vision😂
I'm not sure why the electric windshield made him tired. Weary.
Unless of course he meant wary, which means cautious.
The Indian is a beast. It’s a platform and company philosophy is robust, exciting and obviously has it’s eyes focused firmly on the future designing what it’s customer’s want. Harley Davidson in a sluggish market instead decided to bring to market an Adventure bike, and although it’s Road Glide still a looker got caught sleeping in the back of the class and had to be hit with an eraser by the teacher, Indian to wake up. Class over. Harley will hopefully answer and hopefully motorcycles get improved. But for now, Performance rules and it’s Indian. GPS issues of Indian are merely a firmware update as the Customer/Dealership Field issues, if any or enough, get communicated. Naysayers there will always be and nothing is perfect. Life short, just buy the bike.
That's funny @Raod Glide .. I remember a few times a teacher winging an eraser at the back of the class. I graduated in 1979. Some how I don't think a Teacher could get away with that now days..
The Big 4 Japanese Brands already make great liquid cooled V-Twins for less money handle better are more reliable .. Funny thing is that when Victory / Polaris bought the Indian Name they cashed in on the HD American made Heritage and tradition Heritage..
Funny I like Jap bikes but don't want a bike made in China with slave Labor .. I have recently made a conscious decision to try and buy more American Made Products..
Considering the price is about the same .. I guess you have a choice between one that looks better in the parking lot and one that performs better on the road..
No upgrades worth a shit
I wanted a frame mounted fairing chieftain with the classic front fender. The challenger is not what this customer is looking for. Glad I didn’t wait, and bought my ‘18 Road Glide Special.
Well that’s maybe more opinion... the only thing you can try to say the Polaris might be quicker... other wise has nothing on the Harley... and I have rode 2 up loaded heavy and the 114 never once lacked power or speed... 90+ across country no issues
@@stevexaxa3619 My thoughts as well.. I don't have a dog in the fight but... As you say the Indian may be quicker, but that would be just a gearing issue. Every bike rides different.
I love Harley, but Indian is crushing them hands down, which in the long run, I believe and hope Harley will see it and step up.. Great job guys!
"I love Harley, but Indian is crushing them hands down"
No they arent. Infact Indian's sales are already in decline. They cancled some of the Chief models this year too.
Indian is selling just 20K bikes a year. Harley sells 18K street glides a year.
Indian isnt crushing harley at anything. This is just 1 bike, and 1 engine.
@@FranBunnyFFXII For a smaller company they are crushing Harley, They are giving more for your buck and thats what I meant, and its just a matter of time, where they financially compete with them. All the motors are much better than Harley hands down, much like Japanese bikes you can run them ragged and they come back for more. Harley falls apart, suspension terrible, wobble terrible and are always on the verge of being in the shop. ok so not financially crushing them, but in quality and technology. Harley has been slow to assimilate and has been resting on it laurels for way too long, and it might be too little too late... Buy an Indian if you want quality and more for your dollar. These guys tend to agree as well as most of these post.. sorry.
Perception is everything, great post...
Probably not. Indian relies on Harley sales since Harley drives the cruiser and touring markets. Everything popular was done with a Harley first. That's why Indian came out with the Challenger. The aftermarket for performance touring on a Roadglide is fucking huge. Nobody offers shit for an Indian and never will. It's a replica bike. No one cares about it. In addition, Polaris doesn't publish it's Indian sales so no one knows how they are doing, but they are no where near close to Harley this year which put most of it's focus on the new Low Rider S which is the most popular new bike in America. Not this Polaris piece of shit reinvention.
FranBunnyFFXII Indian is not crushing Harley trust me
Idk they sound like they have to be more careful with what they say as professionals but from a realistic working mans pov whose owned an 18 road king and a 14 chieftain theres a reason why im trading the harley back in for another indian. Its not just “not as nice” or “a little rougher” etc.. that chassis and suspension feels like an antique in comparison and thats not even compared to the challenger which is even better. It literally pissed me off how outdated the hd is in ride quality that a corporation can be that brash to constantly rerelease a coach wagon dressed in new electronics. Until they do what they did to the softails to the tourers its absolute trash with a classy paint job and a fit in with the rest mystique/respect. Just my honest opinion and thats not hatred to harley thats severe disappointment and an honest review from someone who only moderately pushes his bagger.
Jon Collins ... you are sooooo right!!!
Hey, I’m curious as to why you thought we were being careful with our criticisms. I’m always interested in doing a better job.
Evans Brasfield ... sorry Evan I was not criticizing your critique I was pointing out what I thought of Jon’s assessments of both bikes. You guys were spot on. I apologize for the misunderstanding.
Leroy Jones Hey, no problem. I always want to do better. Have a great holiday!
Evans Brasfield i think you guys rock and thanks for the content. I meant that as professionals you guys probably couldn’t come out and say things as raw, if in case that was how you felt about the product like I or other consumers do. Nothing against the channel or work put into it. Take care, happy holidays
Polaris has built a nice bike using the Road Glide as a baseline. Harley-Davidson has a legend that has evolved over the years.
I live out here near Oatman. Beautiful riding weather 300 days a year. Great vid. Thanks.
This is very possibly the best, and most comprehensive review you guys have done. Thank you!
This was far best video review of both bikes that you can find on youtube. Good job. I own Chieftain 18 but I like to hear opinions about both manufactures Harley and Indian.
Thanks Guys... I was wonder when id see this matchup....
Amazing through this whole review, you didn't mention the Ride command system on the Indian and the 3 different settings that work extremely well. Overall , a good review and comparison I think. Fit and finish is better on the Harley's but beyond that, the new Challenger is the real deal...
They have to be careful what they say, they are pretty tight with Harley and 1 will always say they like Harley just to keep Harley happy but in reality, the 2020 Chieftain with the 116 Thunderstroke is FAR better than the 2020 Street Glide with the 114 M8. The 2020 Challenger kills the 2020 Road glide in every way but they will not mention that and they will always add hype to the Harley. They are extremely bias towards the H-D crap.
Snake Bite Actually, I’m biased against people who accuse me of not giving my honest opinion.
@@snakebite6511 When they get A LOT of advertising revenue from Harley, you can't poke the bear...
@@mattshaggs2931 so in other words, they should lie? just to keep the revenue flowing? says a lot about their brand and reviews, this is why i will not subscribe to them
@@snakebite6511 That's what I'm saying...that's why you should always take review with a grain of salt and go check it out for yourself. In this case, Indian is the underdog. They don't get tons of revenue from them so, in this case, I feel like the Indian won this fair and square but the excuses made for the Harley are to make the landing soft for them.
rode my 2018 Road Glide Ultra from British Columbia to Newfoundland this past July / August. 16960 kms total. Great ride. I'm 6'3'' and was quite comfortable on the trip. For me the Harley is just fine, I dont need that little bit of extra performance. The Indian is nice but the Harley has my vote. I averaged 700-800kms per day, longest day was 1120.3 kms, avg speed 120km/h used 57.4 litres with an avg. of 5.1 liters /100km
spot on Boys.. good job...You nailed the pros and cons on the Roadglide I know look forward to riding a challenger
Performance, Indian wins, Looks HD wins, probably, its subjective! Both are amazing bikes I'm sure. It just boils down what do you want for a bike..
Great Video, I appreciate the detail you both went into on both motorcycles.
I would love a Challenger, Road Glide, BMW K Bagger and Goldwing shoot out. 4 baggers,fixed fairing comparison
Based on this review and several others, I ordered my Indian Challenger Limited, which arrived 3 days ago. My first ride yesterday was a 700km (420 mile), round trip with a bunch of people I know on an Harley Owners Group (H.O.G) ride. The Indian was superb. I'm looking forward to many years touring on my motorcycle.
Good, if you don't mind can you please come back later on and describe some of your bikes problems should you have any
@@kennethwise7108 Hi there...I have since done a few more thousand km and am heading away next week on a 8 day tour of the South Island of New Zealand.
I have had zero problems with the motorcycle, however I initially had a few issues with control positions.
The indicators (turn signals) which are located on the handlebar are located above the audio control. I found myself changing music tracks instead of indicating my desired intent of direction.
The other is the location on the right side of is the cruise control, which I find awkward.
Apart from that, it's an awesome motorcycle. I have added, rear crash bars, high flow air filter and upgraded slip-on mufflers. Hope this helps.
@@moraybevan618 thanks! I really appreciate your response. Cheers
@@kennethwise7108 I have just completed a week ride around the South Island of New Zealand and the motorcycle was amazing, handled the twisties with ease and soaked up the kilometers. I did notice, however that at one stay, we had rain overnight and no cover for the bikes. The next morning the two gauge housings retained water. This was easy to clear away, however there are no drain holes, so the water can't get away by itself.
As previously stated, the Cruise control on the right handle bar, can be awkward to operate at times.
I was riding with a number of Harley riders, two of who had the latest CVOs. My fuel range, handling and power was superior and and after one of them took my Challenger for a ride, has since apparently rung the Indian supplier in his city and ordered one.
@@moraybevan618 HAAA NO WAY? THATS AWESOME!! I'm so happy for you and glad to hear that your bike is running so well. You gambled with buying the 1st year of the model and it would appear as though your gamble paid off. Congrats again. Send me more updates in the future good and bad (hopefully no bad). Sorry to hear about the bar controls. I have difficulties switching from my Harley Davidson Road Glide Ultra to my BMW K1300GT also with similar problems BUTTONS!!
Really good quality review guys! Love the way you do storytelling
You are being kind. The stock Harley suspension is awful. I had to get Ohlins shocks for comfort and to tighten up the handling.
The Cherry Bomb and upgrading suspension is going to be a lot more than $400
Yup, the stock RG handles like a freaking barge
Mod Zozer you are an idiot. HD has a cult of idiots willingly (proudly) spending absurds amount of money to make the motorcycle livable.
@@mrvwbug4423 A Couch on two wheels but the Indian seat is more comfortable and has more back support .. so Again you have to spend $400 to $600 on an aftermarket seat to upgrade the HD RG
The stock Road Glide Special rides like it is on rails. And you better be on rails because any bump is going straight to your back. I put on Ohlins within the first 60 miles. I do not like the looks of the Challenger so it has nothing on the Road Glide to me. If I want a liquid cooled bike for touring I would buy the new gold wing before I bought the Challenger.
Great job reviewing these two bikes. Good to see other companies forcing HDMC to step up the game.
I’ve been to Oatman very cool place in the desert. Thanks
Definitely a review I have been waiting for. Great job gentlemen thank you👍👏🏽👏🏽
I love the Harley apologists in here.
"If you take this $28k Harley and put $3k (maybe) in upgrades to it, you get the same power as the stock Indian!" Uhh, ok...or I can have that performance out of the box and once cams come out for the Indian, I can surpass the Harley performance for less overall.
"If you take that Road Glide and put a $1,300 Ohlins on it, it'll ride better!" Ok...or I can have the Indian that rides like that. Stock.
"If you put a $200 windshield on the $28k Harley, it gives you a better air pocket." Yeah...or just move the power model the Indian has on it up that came with the bike already. Can't exactly change out the windshield on the Harley for more wind out on the road, either.
What about the other things you can't install on the Harley? Remote electronic locking bags, Monobloc brakes, inverted forks, ride modes. So, if I make a $28k Harley a $33k Harley, it will kinda but not really match the $28k Challenger. Sounds...well, stupid.
To sum it up it's like many reviews I see on motorcycle mags between a Harley and other bikes. What I always read is "If looking cool is important, buy the Harley. If riding the motorcycle is important, buy the xxx."
then sell the indian for hopefully half when you get tired of taking shit
HD resale value ain't what it used to be, the market is flooded with used Harleys. And lets be honest, 125hp out of a M8 is more like 10 grand in upgrades, and by that point you've turned it into a hand grenade race motor.
@@freebird7284 lol That's a pretty cheap retort. I love both Harley and Indian but Indian has Harley beat here by a mile. Resell value doesn't mean shit. A good bike is gonna last for years. Who the hell is going to buy a bike and immediately wonder how much it'll be worth when they get tired of it if they even ever do?
@@freebird7284 If you're buying a bike for resale value, you're buying it for the wrong reasons. Sorry/not sorry to offend your delicate sensibilities with the truth.
@@ToastedLobster harley owners can only ever defend their bikes with resale value. that's why their garbage is so expensive in the first place. there is absolutely no fucking reason for a bagger that costs almost $25k to have stiff ass suspension. Also, Harley, it's not 1920 anymore, try some fucking liquid cooling.
I have test ridden both the Road Glide & Challenger, the Road Glide feels more Premium & upmarket so finally bought the Road Glide.
Thanks for a well done, unbiased report. Something that always sticks out with any review of a Road Glide (and my own experience), is the buffeting. I've even discussed this with Harley engineers only to be told that you're supposed to have wind in your face. Uhm...wind, yes. Buffeting, no thanks. I doubt the issue will ever get fixed when their engineers don't even get it.
Harley is a "love/hate" for me. Wish they came with belt primary and gear driven cams. Would be nice to eliminate one of the fluid holes.
I prefer an underdog and I loved the Indian's I've been on, but I'll never be able to justify spending 20+ thousand dollars on a motorcycle so my opinion on either of these two bikes really isn't relevant. I don't even know I watched this, but thanks for making it guys! And merry Christmas!
Grab a scout sixty for $9k and laugh as you pass all the hogs on the road!
Pat W you understand you can buy presented for like 12-14 right?
The Challenger is leagues beyond the HD and it will be more obvious as more people buy that bike. Note that the Road Glide here is an S which means lower stiffer suspension, and not necessary better than the standard Road Glide in that respect (which does ride better). But I’ve ridden the Challenger and both the brakes and suspension are in another category entirely compared to any HD product. I’ve never owned a cruiser or bagger and I was ready to trade both my bikes on the spot. Btw those axial “designed by Brembo” Harley calipers are nothing compared to the radial real Brembo calipers on the Indian. They are sport bike grade binders with twice the power and feel.
Alex LaJeunesse better bike but worse styling imo
Alex LaJeunesse unless one gets the roadglide ultra, the rear suspension is 2” of travel. The ultra has 3”. Neither is adequate.
Tnanks for a thoroughly competent and objective comparison. Your work is not laced with the inane drivel so common elsewhere and remains focused on the topic. Keep up the good work!
I just made the choice to go with the Harley last week. Took a month to decide. The support for Harley was the deciding factor. Love the Challenger but the Road Glide has parts, support and accessories galore.
Did you ride both?
@@wanderer4917 yes, twice. I got the Challenger Dark horse down to $28,200 OTD price and the Road Glide Special down to $28,150. I test drive the Challenger twice and the Harley three times. I'm coming from BMW and not a Harley fan but taking into consideration the warranty extensions, service plans, 698 Harley dealerships compared to 188 Indian dealerships, the Challenger being very new tech albeit better in every way except the lean technology being good but not as good as Harley's new RDRS which is awesome. Believe me, it was difficult and took a long time but I decided on the Harley.
exactly. i just learned that a motorcycle is only as good as the availability of mechanics to service them. I bought a Royal Enfield and there is only one dealer and getting it there is going to be a pain. I really like the Indian engineering better having rented a chieftain this past September but what good is a bike, if you can't get it serviced.
gfunk6 the good thing with the RE is, they’re very basic and easy to service yourself. I have a Classic 500 and the oil, filters and spark plug takes me 10 minutes to do. Another 5 mins for the chain adjustment, check tyre pressures, steering head bearings, etc all while the oil is draining. Finish off by adjusting the clutch cable free play, lube the cables. Done. Honestly, it’s a genuine half hour job max. Very easy to work on.
Don't forget Harley has actual heritage evidenced by the fact Indian even tries to rip that off with their fake "Since 1901" marketing. I'm surprised they didn't call their company David Harleyson.
Great review. Thanks for your non-biased opinions! Ride safe my friends.
So you left a lot of stuff out like night driving what lights are better. Protection against weather no passenger floorboards on the Indian are they available? Does the Indian coming in chrome? Can you get a heel shifter And so on and on
Michael Costeline I own the challenger, you can get floorboards , I’ve had them installed , and the led lights are amazing, and very bright. And yes,they have a heal to toe shifter available. It’s a great riding bike, with plenty of power, without having to upgrade your motor.
Chrome sucks
Chrome holds up . Powder coat doesn’t. At least if you ride like I do. But that’s the beauty of America you can choose. God bless America
Thanks for the honest review on these bikes!
Due to my previous encounters with Indian Dealerships while working on a Cheiftain Elite purchase. I have sworn them off and will never purchase one. With that said, I'm happy Indian is bringing a badass bagger to market. Harley has rested on its laurels for too long and needs to be forced to step up its game.
Test rode the Chieftain and traded in my Street Glide. Never looked back - love the Indian. Rode the Challenger last week. Impressed with the bike but can't get past the fixed fairing look - HD or Indian...
I would love to see an updated version of the big damn bagger shootout!!!! Include these two bikes as well as their fork mounted fairing counterparts, and it would be great if this time it could include the Yamaha eluder and the new gold wing!! PLEASE GIVE US THIS!!!
I liked your review very much. I have one of these bikes and am very happy with it. Winter isn’t too bad where I live but keeps off of it a little too much!
I traded off my 2017 Street Glide for a Chieftain limited, its superior in most every aspect, love my new Indian.
PA Biker only thing is that Indian won’t hold its value like the HD..
I got an indian springfield....its better then any harley ive ever ridden. Turn signal switch could be a little closer to thumb but not a deal breaker
@@alancontreras1362 lol none of them hold their value anymore. Harley mass produced the hell out of them will the demand was gone, then they shut down Kansas City and axed American jobs.
Unknown User they most definitely do compared to other brands /metrics. To say “none of them” is a lack of knowledge. I want to see someone trade in an Indian for Harley with out putting cash on top. Lol
@@alancontreras1362 i can pick up low mileage, 3 year old harleys for half price in ohio. Im not sure anything holds value except to those who desire them anymore and honestly motorcyclists are declining in America both on the road and track. The younger generations would rather have a motorcycle simulator with zero risk or thrill then actually ride. Even classic cars have lost their value....simply because the new generation doesnt value anything cool anymore. Mopeds and vape cigs are the new james dean.
I love my roadking but my next bagger is an indian hands down
Haha we'll C
Same here, love my Road King but $400 will not buy me some Ohlins and even if it did I’d still be short for two inches of suspension travel.
Harley has had a long time to do something other than just polish a turd but that’s all they’ve done every year along with a price increase of course.
I bought my RK in 2011 and rode an Indian in 2013 and it was obvious then that Harley needed to step up, seven years later and nothing done is just a joke.
Ditto. My 17 RoadGlide Special is going to turn into an Indian soon.
@BBQ Nut it will be a lil while but that cafe racer looks nice! But wrote shall see what bike number 4 will be - ty for the advice
I love my RK too, so much so there won't be a next bagger. 🤙
Great Review guys and awesome footage of the bikes and the mountains ⛰ wow !!
Thanks for sharing
The Vermonter
You guys have the best job in the World! Amazing bikes, Route 66, Roys, Bagdad Cafe, Arizona, USA....... Jesus how I envy you ()-: PS. Great test as always!! Happy Holidays from Poland..
The Challenger is the best thing to happen to this segment of motorcycling. Hopefully the competition will bring prices down and wake up HD. People now dont want to spend 28k on a bike and then have to put 2k or more into making it run good. And then put another 2k into options that the bike should have brand new. Maybe the boomers and prior generations were into that but people now dont have the disposable income those generations did.
im surprised they did not mention that the indian is liquid cooled vs. the harley which is not. thats a big key point imo.
y2ksilverado Yes they did at the start
D M, it wasn’t emphasized and it truly makes these different bikes. H-D could have dropped a VRod motor into a FLT or FLH chassis and they’d have something similar with some tuning. The problem is that it didn’t have the personality that VTwin riders crave. I love my FLHTK but was open to looking into n Indian for my next bike. The problem is that these Polaris fanboys disgust me. Guess I’m stuck with my bar and my shield.
@@FishmacFLTRU I've found that both Harley and Indian/Polaris fanboys pretty much act alike.
@@solomyngrundy1968 there's definitely a lot of truth in that statement ...
How I think you can do better - this video was it. Love the shootouts. Thanks MO.
What a great unbiased review. Finally!
2020 Indian challenger
Everything about the Harley looks so much nicer including the engine. And I prefer a big V twin to be lower revving, I'll happily stick to the Road Glide.
They are , the Indian supplies heaps of low down torque but will make substantially more power than the Harley in the upper rev range. I could hardly believe how biased this review was, you’ve got a bike with a much better engine performance, way way better suspension, better screen Esther protection & is more comfortable for distance riding but doesn’t say Harley on the tank, my god be honest & subjective if you won’t admit the Indian is a far superior product you’re totally blinded by had bullshit
By this reckoning we should all be on a BMW R1250RT. Ride whatever it is you enjoy.
Just bought a used 2014 Indian Chieftain. Previous motorcycle was a 2014 Road King. Night and day difference. I will most likely never go back to HD. The handling is much much better, the raw power is better at all speeds. The push button windshield is awesome. I would love to own a Challenger. I chose to save some money this time but within a few years I can see myself committing to a new Indian.
Good stuff legends! I’m definitely keen to ride the challenger when they get to Australia. Cheers 👍🏽
As you can see by my profile photo I got the Challenger and I love it. It rides so sweet and when you put it in sport mode you better hang on... LOL I plan on riding it from Maine to California this coming summer. 😁
Say hi to my son in Maine lol. Hey, swing by my state and let me ride it ha ha. I’d love to get a challenger but money isn’t in the budget currently.
First, I think you guys did a quality review - but leaving me with one question that I might have missed, but am a little surprised it didn't get more air time. I'm biased I know, I've put over 70k miles on two different RGU's over the past 7 years, and LOVED them both. I just tested a Challenger a week ago and thought the engine power was great, and thought the electronics were probably better than HD. It was a blast to ride. It's probably my familiarity w/ HD but I really didn't like much else about the bike to make me want to fully give the nod to Indian. I DO hope the improvements like suspension (although I didn't notice an amazing suspension, just know that the HD suspension is so harsh), adjustable windshield, and electronics bleed over to HD, even though I'd hate to get tempted into upgrading again for the sake of my wallet. My biggest curiosity that I haven't heard discussed is the difference in engine cooling. Mine has the water-cooled heads which helps, but it's still hot. Curious to hear how effective the water cooling on the Indian is!!
While the real test of the cooling would be stop-and-go traffic on a hot summer day, our experience on this ride was that the Indian was cooler because of its liquid cooling. It also kills the rear cylinder at a stop to help keep the head down.
Great review guys. Thanks 👍
This Indian Challenger was in the works for approximately 7 yrs. Started as a victory, was going to replace the Vision. The back bone of this Indian is the same cast aluminum frame as the Vics cross bikes hence the great handling. Also the Inverted forks and rear suspension are Vic design. Look at that fuel tank, than look a a cross bike tank. Yup the same. Just my 2 cents but it's a Victory with Indian badges. Would I buy one? Hell yes. Love my Victorys and will ride them till either they or I can't go any longer but would not turn away from the Indian. Performance, handling, looks all better then the other guys.
Very good video, ok I'm a Road Glide owner 2010 FLTRX and redone the whole suspension thing and I agree Harley makes the worse damn Suspension for their touring bikes. Harley you wonder why you don't sell bikes. Crap suspension and stuck in the past with the damn air cooled engine. Drop the V-Rod engine in the Road Glide Already
Rick Vann yeah man I owned a 2015 glide and sold it, the fairing cracked right around the time I sold it. That suspension is trash, the rear never had enough travel for the weight of that bike. Having it in south Louisiana that engine will melt your legs off in summer time. They are a dinosaur, the Rushmore project bikes were much needed but they really need to get with the program.
Harley sells more Street Glides than Indian sells bikes.
Have you priced harley suspension lately? And the aluminum frame on the indian also contributes to how well it handles
What a FANTASTIC, informative and really enjoyable Video !!!
Very informative video, thanks guys 👍
Love the new Indian. Really stepped it up
I did a burnout next to that R66 sign infront of Roy's and he pulled his pistol on me threatening to shoot. Great holiday
You sound like a riot to ride with 😂
@@MrFunnyman1130 that's how Aussies roll :)
Great review guys. Just bought a Pursuit and I'm sucking up all the info I can get on these bikes. Take care Evan..... Lamonster
Great video. I'd like to know more about the sound of the exhausts. Are they similar or is there a difference? I did the Pacific Coast Hwy last September on a 2017 Road Glide and that
exhaust note was amazing.
Are you freaking serious
Thank you for making these entertaining and informative comparison videos, guys! We appreciate you!
It's pretty obvoius the Indian is way more advanced than the Harley...
more expensive, less metal, more plastic, no creation, they just copycat all the Harley catalog.
@@petitflocon647 I am not sure "copycat" is the right word, more liked improved where Harley was weak. For me, being a 55yo rider who is 5'7" tall and and 170lbs who likes the look of the Road Glide, i find it uncomfortable, the fairing is pushed out too far forward and difficult to reach and difficult to see over, just feels weird, the suspension also sucks.
For me and this is only my opinion, i am leaning towards the Challenger, out of the box its far better, the position of the fair is closer, i feel more comfortable seeing over the fairing which i can also reach whiteout stretching, i prefer the dash layout, better suspension and the power wish screen and locking saddlebags is awesome, i can adjust my windscreen anytime for any condition and with the very minor price difference, i am going wit the "modern interpretation" The Challenger.
Harley definitely has some catching up to do here and is falling behind on the street Glide also. Harley can't continue to rely on same old technology and design with a new higher price annually without making a change.
If you look at the 2006 Street Glide and then look at the 2020 Street Glide, they are very similar which is why the Harley design is looking stale and dated and i far prefer the modern look of the Chieftain and the Challenger but when it comes to the Roadmaster vs Ultra Limited, Harley still wins.
I dont think you can call ot a copy when it surpasses the "original" in just about everyway
Imagine they copy HD and didn’t come out better 😂
Laurent Maillard price about the same suspension not even close hp not even close 76 hp vs 103. Liquid cooled way better more metal yes but plastic is cheaper to replace computers and tech in the bike chief kills it
Thanks for another informative comparison video
I feel Indian was on point with the Challenger it is far from being a road glide copy. Fully liquid cooled and the faring is a cross from the car and a bike all in one. It has a more aggressive lean angle than Harley. With that said Harley is a good bike also. Exception of Harley lacks in the LED lights as stock. Also Harley charges more in parts. I always felt if you need to upgrade your bike to get more from it from the start then the company should listen and make those changes at the factory.
A couple of things: My buddies love their Chief, and Roadmaster.... Props to Indian on the adjustable windscreens, but reputational concerns after Indian's debacle with their 116 engines the last couple years. I've seen the Roadmaster get hauled off to repair/warranty more than I'd like for my friend - while I just keep riding my old, reliable 96ci 07 SuperGlide. I've tested the Victory CC, Victory Vision, and Indian Chieftain & Chief now. I have to say I'll still re-test Indian when I buy a big bike for wifey and i to tour on, but otherwise I'm leaning towards Harley still, regadless.
That is the point - there is no Indian Motorcycle - there is Polaris Motorcycle who bough the Indian name and slapped on the Victory motorcycle - maybe it will hold and grow, maybe will be another Victory like strategy....who knows? Yes, nice bikes for sure - but I am still a HD all the way.
@@violeiro9591 Anyone remember AMF?🤣
They both stole the fairing from Craig Vetter.But you younger experts would"nt know that!
But the Windjammer wasn't as streamlined as the Avon. The Avon on my '72 BMW actually helped the top speed.
@@stevek8829 Good point Steve!
Grampa George I’m an old timer and had a Vetter fairing on my Honda 750-4 that I turned into a cafe racer before they even had crotch rockets
Good point! I’m young!
they rly should give it back, it looks horrendous
I don't know what Harley dealerships you guys went in but Empire Harley in New Rochelle NY treated me great and I'm a first time HD owner so I brought a 2019 RG and I love it! And as far as performance its ok it can be upgraded with no problem! Now if I want to go real fast I park my HD RG and jump on my Kawasaki ZX14R!
Resale value has been omitted in this review and that has been a strong point for HD forever. If all else is comparable, this is the most important point as it can save you thousands. Unless of course you’re planning on keeping the bike for the rest of your life.
so you can do a top gear 55mph roll on and the Indian pulls away effortlessly. but you think the indian is working harder??? that makes no since.
All engines feel different , it seems you guys are trying very hard to give Harley any brownie points you can so they don’t send you a nasty email about advertisement dollars.
you’re not doing HD owners any favors by acting like the RG is on the same level as the challenger. HD needs to step UP and redesign that terrible frame and suspension and offer tech equivalent to their competitor.
kyle stewart I also felt that’s what they were doing
I understood them to be saying the Harley made noise and rumble but it was business as usual, meaning doggie. Indian let them know it was there working for them, meaning you could feel the power.
Damn...you are spot on. I felt the same way.
Adjustable windscreen, 3 different ride modes, better suspension, smoother ride, more comfortable in the saddle. Can’t wait to trade in my street glide for the challenger. O and it’s liquid cooled. Wake up Harley!
No thank you. I have had liquid cooled bikes and sport touring bikes that will spank both of these bikes. I'll keep my '18 Road Glide and my air cooled Moto Guzzi, air cooled Royal Enfield, and air cooled Suzuki. Have fun with your liquid cooled bike. :-)
Haha you know you're not!!!!!
@@Dave-sw2dm liquid cooled= longevity, power plus more power.
Frankie Dontas , been there, done that. Matured enough to realize I don’t need it to enjoy riding. People are traveling the world with 25 HP. Most bikes die a slow death of neglect. Very few are worn out. If what you post is what you are after, then by all means buy one.
@@Dave-sw2dm stating facts, it's as simple as that.
great video....thanks been wondering about the 2 bikes :D
Fantastic comparison!
You didn’t pick one winner... that’s what I’d like to hear
They did. The Indian was better in almost every way "unless you want a Harley".
I have lost my job and now mostly walk to where I'm going. So, for me, either of these bikes would be a major step up.
Bummer! Good luck. 💸💸💸
Grew up on Harleys. Brothers and dad own Harleys. They are encouraging me to buy a street glide. I think I'll move towards an Indian.
Great quality video guys!
I enjoyed watching this video. I think you did a good job of being objective. ( so tired of the bashing videos on both sides.) I am not a person who bashes on anyone for what they ride.
my wife and I are both buying new Indians in 2020. But I have a friend of mine who rode the Indians and Harleys and bought a Harley Ultra Glide. I should mention, I am a Polaris employee and through Polaris I get a very nice rebate of 15% back on the purchase price. Also our company has a program where you can rent anything Polaris makes for a small fee. So I will be buying a 2020 Chieftain Dark Horse, but can borrow the Indian Challenger through work. So it's the best of both worlds.
Great review. I am a former die hard HD rider, but since HD left customers in the cold with defective cam chain tensioners on TC88 engines, I decided I will not purchase another HD. I was considering a goldwing, but really wanted to stay with a USA brand, so I will take an Indian for a test ride. Looks like a great machine. I want to learn more about the engine design.
Thanks for the Test 👍
A very honest review. Both are beautiful bikes with their own characters.
Bingo.
Excellent review. I'd like to ride the Challenger someday as I'm fairly certain I'd like it better. I hated the suspension on my 2017 Street Glide. No bike costing $26k should have a ride quality that shitty.