I have been riding for years and own a Harley and BMW. A friend of mine who is a motor officer and also owns a HD told me after riding the Indian it was the most enjoyable bike he had ever ridden.. I had to try one. I went to my local dealer and saw a chief and fell in love with the looks of it. I took it for a test ride and 3 hours later I figured I better take it back before it was reported stolen. After riding for so many years I had lost the excitement of wanting to be on the bike all the time. After riding the Indian it has come back, I can't get off it. Spirit Indian gave me a great deal and I felt they were as excited as I was. I always enjoyed riding but now the excitement is back. Love my Indian.
It doesn't matter what you ride, it's about being on two wheels feeling the wind and sunshine on your face getting away from everyday life. Getting out and being with brothers and sisters, I'm a full Harley Davidson man because that's what I grew up around, just like people choose Chevy over Ford or Dodge over Chevy. We buy what we buy because we like it and should be proud and thankful for what we have some people aren't lucky enough to experience two wheels
dogboy Endicott Totally agree with you, in fact, outside of the United States, only a few are fortunate enough to Posser a Harley Davidson, and ranging in price too expensive only few can possess, I agree with you.
Aknoctum Harley-Davidson riders are not posers pal. We ride. I'm 65 and I have been riding since 1965 before I was 16. I have ridden around 55,000 miles on motorcycles. Would have been more but I took time off from riding my Harley's to raise a family.
Harley speaking to the Indian coming out of that tunnel Harley: "Hey buddy, glad to see you again." Indian: "Glad to be back, been to long." Harley: "Your looking good out here." Indian: "After all these years you don't look bad yourself." I had remarked years ago with yet another Indian startup before Polaris got them that they needed to ditch the Harley clone Engines, tear an old Indian engine apart and revamp with new internals. Otherwise it was only yet another Harley clone. Polaris did that revamping to a perfect blend of old and new to make the Indian really an Indian. If I could afford one I'd get one in a heart beat and ride cross country to see my brother in Washington State.
I see some bickering about brands from loyalist. Look at the brighter side. It is nice to have more machines manufactured in the States. And the even brighter side of that. If Victory and Indian prove actual competition for Harley Davidson, than inevitably Harley will be striving to make improvements in their over all reliability and performance. Competition fuels advancements and in the end we all win! I really love motorcycles.
+1400IntruderVS I doubt harley will ever catch up to others. It's a fact they sell their bikes for other reasons besides actually riding. IF they were forced to make bikes for actually riding, I don't think they could. It's too late, they threw away their R&D when they threw away Erik Buell. Everyone thinks racing is non-sense, but what racing does, is help the company develop functional machines, that are easy to work on maintain etc... All things that harley is NOT.
themaxrider I have two Harley-Davidsons, a 1994 Sportster Deluxe 883 and my new 2015 Road King FLHP Police with the shock absorber and spring under the seat. themaxrider I gotta tell you that you are talking through your fucking hat.
PeterDad60 Oh really, then why do you suppose so many police departments all over THIS country have/are switching to BMWs? A shock and spring under the seat?? The ride sucks that bad that they have to resort to that? Wake up for God's sake!
+PeterDad60 Two of the very worst bikes from their respective years. Instead of just buying harley for the name why not try a few bikes out next time and get something worthwhile?
I love how they both look, but personally I don't like having radio on my motorcycle, I like to hear the engine and the exhaust roar. That's music to my ears.
Excellent review and beautiful video! Well done gentlemen. I've put a lot of miles on Street Glides and the are excellent bikes. I own a 13 Victory XC because I prefer the way it feels and sits. I think the Polaris backing will be great for Indian. Just wish we had a dealer!! That said I'm keeping my Victory but will probably add a Street Glide to the stable in a year or so. Both outstanding bikes.
Never been a cruiser or American V twin guy despite having owned a HD at one time. The new Indian is changing that. It is a great design, looks great and just pushes all the right buttons. HD and Victory never did it for me but Indian does. The new Scout really blows me away.
I really like the Indians. My next bike very well may be a chief vintage. As far as harley, I've owned 2 and still riding the 2002 wide glide. The first I rode for 8 years. Neither one has ever broken down or failed to start. Oil changes and tires, that's it. I also don't abuse them and mod the engines. People often forget the owner has a lot to do with reliability....any brands reliability
I have ridden the new SG but not the Indian. It is always amusing for me to listen to the Harley crowd criticize other bikes. Many Harley guys do not like the V-rod causes its not a real Harley. They don't like the Sportster cause its a girls bike. They don't like other brands cause its not a Harley. Than they chose to ride the same thing that every other dog on the block has, no individuality, no imagination. It reminds me of back on the farm when I was a kid. My dad had a herd of sheep, what one did, every other sheep followed. If one of the sheep wanted to go through a 3 foot opening, all 50 herd would try to do the same thing at the same time.
I've had 2 great Harley's. I'm considering the Indian. Feels like it's time for a change, and worth a try. I'm more interested in nostalgia however; so I'm looking at the Chief Vintage. Looks amazing, and I've heard a lot of good things about it.
Excellent heads up review, lots of great information about the two bikes... Do I or anyone else believe that Indian with 4 models is actually going to take on the whole of Harley Davidson with 30 models? No but maybe the touring class, sure. Great review guys!
Great review - you guys have really stepped up your game - fun to watch! I was able to test ride the Indian Chieftain in Tulsa at a demo event a few weeks ago. A wonderful motorcycle, not perfect, but iconic and beautiful...
When I was 16, in 1955, I mounted a Plymouth radio on the back fender of my 48 Chief, drive-in speaker on the steering damper knob. Putting down the street blaring AM radio music on my info-tainment system,
I've looked and can't find a review of a 2016 Harley Davidson Street Glide Special. Have you made one? I own a 08 SG and was wondering about the newer one vs the Road glide.
I currently own a 2008, 96 cube Harley Soft-tail Deluxe, and in the past have owned an 88 cube electraglide, which was very similar in style to the Street Glide. They are right about the rear suspension travel. or lack of it, but that is one of the joys of Harley ownership. I have also owned in the past a 1520cc Goldwing, and a BMW K100LT, both great bikes, and likely better tourers than either Harley I have owned? But, the fact is, nothing beats the character of a Harley, and as different as Pretty" as the Indian looks, I would still buy the Harley.
So let me get this straight. You admit that your other bikes were better, but for some stupid reason, you will buy an inferior machine to impress OTHERS? When I see a harley, I think the owner must be completely mechanically ignorant! When better in every way machines exist, what would make one buy something as retarded and backwards as a harley? Please explain...
themaxrider Rod already gave a clear explanation: "nothing beats the character of a Harley." If you do not accept or respect that explanation, that's fine. I doubt that many really care what you think about their ride or why. You ride what you want. I'll ride what I want. We'll both be happy.
Ray Peale This "character" you speak of is what makes them such a pile of shit. But yeah go ahead and ride/push whatever you want, but don't mislead anyone that harley makes a good bike whatsoever.
lucky13sj Not true, just making sure folks find out before having the learn the hard way. I've met way too many nice people, that thought they were buying a decent bike, and having found out what harley was all about, either switched brands or quit riding. It's not right. Now we have an American based motorcycle, that gives people something decent if we choose to support this country!
have tested both myself, here is my take. plus for the Indian is the riding position and the look, I also think the torque for the Indian is great. will pull very easy in a higher gear. negatives are many. paint is only three colors, the bike I drove had fairing wind hum and it was not the only bike. three others in the group had the same problem. starting the bike. LOL. you check it out and tell me if that is a improvement! now the Harley! GPS, stereo rocks. Indian doesn't have the features like Harley. Bags store more, paint is better. more color options. dealerships all over, Indians not so much. Harley negatives. little tall for the short rider, vinyl seat, less chrome than the Indian. top end I like the Harley lower end the Indian. turns I like them both. end still goes to Harley for a better over all bike! I have owned two Indians before so I am not a Harley rider to the core if you think I am.
Yeah paint keeps you rolling while the oil is leaking out of all those seals that a 1910 designed engine has. If you look at that wonderful new Indian engine, you are sold. I was a Harley guy, NO MORE!
Rented a 2014 Street Glide Special for a 600+ mile weekend and came away extremely impressed. The only thing needing attention was the fork. Too soft. That said, getting lost somewhere in the Ozarks after 8 hours on the bike and not knowing where the next town was, I pushed it through some very tight two lane and it was fantastic. The engine is great too. Totally stock I was passing semis between Little Rock and Memphis at well over an indicated 90mph with a gear to go. Can't vouch for the speedo accuracy but I topped 100 a couple of times. One other thing needing improvement, the GPS system absolutely sucks. My Android phone has a much better GPS system. So, riding for over 40 years on Japanese, Italian, German bikes, Harley is next.
I ride an Ultra and I wish they offered a quick detach trunk kit for the Chieftain. I've requested a test ride. I'm looking to upgrade in September. It may be another Ultra because of the trunk feature. We'll see after the test ride. One thing that has kept me Harley is the dealer network. It's nice to know there is one around the corner if you need help.
Uh they do offer a trunk cause I have one! Harley dealers are going out of business right and left! 8 have died in the last month in Chicago! They over saturate the markets. Indian's goal is to have a dealer in every major city, and multiple dealers in big cities. If you really want the best bike, buy a Roadmaster and leave the paint shaker behind! This is really a no brainer! :)
Really appreciate this review. I LOVE the Indian and I'm glad to see it's putting up such a good fight against Harley. Somewhat unrelated: What set-up do y'all use that your mics were so clear?
According to the 5(?) part video Victory's engine does not leak oil, but the Harley's does, or at least it did at the time of the making of that video. Does it still leak oil ?
I tried both yesterday and decided to go with the Street Glide. Both great machine but I had to make a choice: INDIAN CHIEFTAIN HARLEY STREET GLIDE + Tons of chrome and details + New 107 Engine is incredible + Performance + Torque and Performance + Dare to be different + Reliability + Better GPS and Radio + The new clutch is awesome + Suspension is incredible + Better resale value I think - Cable clutch - My fifth Harley... they are everywhere - Few dealership - Radio quality - Afraid or reliability - Big money needs to be spent to make bike look good It was a tough decision. At the end my girlfriend and I were able to work a better deal on the Street Glide with the Harley Dealership. The Indian rode incredible but the engine light came on during our tour and the clutch was not adjusted properly so I could barely put it on neutral at red lights. It didn't really changed my mind, I think what did was the feeling of the Street Glide 15 second after riding it. Fast, very fast and the clutch is like butter. I will keep a close eye on the future of the Indian and maybe in a few years I will buy one.
This is one of the best comparison, you can tell they are both giving their opinion truthfully, not getting paid from either . I will choose a street glide because of the handling and breaking, the acceleration a plus the radio and gps awesome . Street glide it is , will buy tomorrow, thanks
Hi, the point is, how will the Indian run after 20 years, that's a new construction , will it work well .Harley never stoped to build bikes, the quality the last 20 years was great. But the old Indians of the 20this and 30this where legendary. greetings from germany Edward
Nice review. Haven't ridden the Indian yet but not as in to the look as I thought I'd be. The engine is cool looking though. I have test ridden the 2014 Limited and Street Glide though and both are fun to ride. I dig the new infotainment system though even if I would have to retrain myself on the controls. Always listening to tunes so it's a must have for me. Like the new list of standard options like LED lighting, better cam and larger fork tubes. The Indian will have to provide with me a heck of a ride to sway my mind. Still not sure if I'll sell my 2011 CVO Ultra though.
not so much a bagger fan, i ride more cruiser types, or even sports. but ive always been a Harley fan, but the looks of the Indian, especially those fenders... its amazing
ha-ha lots of back and forth. how I see this comparison is Indian is higher quality all around. look at the chrome work, saddle bags etc etc etc and its easy to tell. but Harley performance is still ahead of the Indian. Indian is a competitor like Harley became for Indian so many years ago. nothing wrong with it. Both are very nice bikes.
+james hendrix Have to disagree with you about the performance comment. I've never ridden an Ultra that has the power of my bud's new RoadMaster. That 111 cubic inch motor is a real performer. But you're right, both are nice bikes.
Test road the Roadmaster. I wasn't impressed enough to buy so I bought an ultra limited. Very pleased with it. If your happy with your Indian, good for you, but don't insult my Harley because you ride something different. I don't insult the competition and will ride with anyone.
Agree 100% I ride with all types of bikes.......& nobody bashes anyone's ride. These are probably a bunch of little kids just wishing they had pubic hair. Jealously runs rampant on the internet.
suspension and the road is felt on ANY motorcycle reguardless of suspension system and its the beauty of riding a motorcycle you see, smell, and feel everything.
Trolling, what's the definition, when does a remark amount to internet trollery? Well, for me it's a remark safely made behind a keyboard that the spewer wouldn't dream of saying sitting on a bar stool.
That is correct! First of all I never sit on a bar stool, as I don't drink or waste my money on booze or Harleys. I am definitely trolling!! You Harley guys are very easy! LOL!! Get a load of how silly you all are!!
I rode a Harley FXDI , but I really like the retro look of the Indian Chieftain! I would like to ride one to see how it feels/fits! I rode an Ultra not long ago and hated it! I haven't ridden a Street Glide or a Heritage Softail. From appearances I'm thinking the next bike will be Street Glide or the Chieftain. Who knows, maybe the Victory Cross Country. I have about 40,000 on my Harley and it's been a good bike so far! You gotta see what fits you!
Yep, my friend is a die hard Harley rider. He was badmouthing the Indian until he took a test drive. Now he's much more quiet. HD has been selling subpar bikes for years and now that complacent laziness has got them in trouble.
Haggis bagpipe Ive ridden both bikes. The Indian is far and away the better bike. The comfort, engineering, and power of the Indian far surpasses Harley. Face it Harley became big and bloated because it didnt have any competition. It's 2015 how can Harley get away with making a motorcycle that still overheats??!! Incredible.
+JefferyT The water cooled exhaust port on some 15 models will help with the cooling issue. Harley has a distinct place in the Motorcycle market helped by the fact that it has been around for so long. I have an Ultra Classic and a Kawasaki Nomad and I I love them both. But.....After test riding the Indian, I must confess I wouldn't bat an eye at adding it to my stable.
Not a cruiser rider myself but I reckon the Indian's a much nicer looking bike. The front faring on the Harley is horrible - especially in that colour.
I'm an HD guy and I've ridden both of these bikes. Proud to say I own an Indian Chieftain. These guys did a good comparison but they were extremely kind to the SG. Sorry but it's not even close. The Indian is a slam dunk.
Hmmm...check out BobbyGs interview with Victory Owners Group. Many know BobbyG who puts a 100k miles on bikes each year riding cross country on all types of cruisers. He says the HD Street Glide is a better bike than the Chief. His 20 min interview is onTH-cam so check it out.
I own a 2014 chief classic and a 2014 ultra limited and in my opinion they are in many aspects very different characteristically. The Harley is a better engineered bike and the instrumentals are better quality. The Indian, aesthetically is gorgeous and is super balanced. I can ride it all day long with little fatigue. To me what's important is that in a world of wannabe imposters American Bikes are still the kings of swagger and style.
Who care about a motorcycle with a radio...you'll end up running off the road fooling around with that radio bull while riding...Instead listen and enjoy the Riding Experian's of the bike...
Great bikes. The only downside to the Indian is the lack of dealership support. In Europe, it is non-existent; heck, even HD's dealership support isn't as widely available as in the USA. It's one of the reasons for the Japanese cruisers selling so well: any mechanic can fix a Honda Shadow 750. An Indian? I would not trust anyone except a long-experienced certified mechanic with Indians.
If I thought the Indian would last, I might agree more that the Chieftain may be a better bike. The looks are fantastic and the red color is a great throw back to the early 30's or 40's models. I think they are both a bit over priced. 23k-ish each? It's a joke. However, the GPS addition is very very awesome. I think for now I would stick with the HD. Maybe I'm a few years if Indian is still around I would take more interest.
Indian is running close to the same tech as the harley with a few more bells and whistles. same style engine too, just with a small twist on that three cam design. hell the indian motor was designed by S&S which builds high performance HARLEY style engines. so saying one is higher tech is a bit of a long shot. The indian is classier looking, i'll give it that.
interesting how performance was interpreted here, seat of the pants had the Harley accelerating better but the reviews that I have seen, the Indian easily pulls away from the Harley, using stopwatches.
I dont know if its just me but that is a bit overboard with chrome on the Indian!, my dad owns a 03 100th anniversary Electra Glide Standard with a new S&S engine built by Branco's cycles in Rural New South Wales, Australia.
After all the years that Harley fans have cried copy cat at all other bike makers.......and especially at Victory for some thing as vague and loosely based, as having a V-twin that has nothing in common with their V-twin. I wonder if any of those "copy cat" cry'n Harley fans happened to notice Harley's "applauded NEW bag design" the 1/4 turn fasteners that are clearly a shameless direct copy from the evil Cross Country/Roads bags?
I have been thinkin that everything is pretty much a copy of something else ,because when their would be another model it still has to use design and tech thats already in use .you know two wheels a motor a frame .everything is already in use .even that stupid ass damn spider that come out its a trike ,maybe im to simple minded .have a nice day
Haggis bagpipe You don't think Harley copied the 1/4 turn fasteners on their "new" bags? Just look at the bags on a 2010 Cross Country. That's right Victory had them 4 years ago my friend. What does that mean........when Harley is actually starting to copy their competitors.
Russell Williams and so you think the 1/4 turn fastener was pretty much a "new" something when Victory started using it .Im still at my default position here that all this new models are just reusing stuff thats been out there for a while . maybe American Tourister should get the credit for your discovery there instead of Polaris .
Tested both, both are nice but the Harley is a better bike,this is not a hate on Indian its just that the Indian is on the come up hopefully and Harley has been there and is still there!
A little funny how you compared a factory lowered bike vs. one with standard suspension. Too bad Harley Davidson doesn't offer a tour pakless Electra Glide. But both are great bikes. I'm a Harley Davidson master technician who works for a very large Polaris/Indian dealer.
I would choose the harley. But darnit im always riding up the crest i live in la crescenta why dont i ever see anything cool like this show being filmed.
I’m just glad I was able to pick up a 2012 V Star 1300 Tourer for 34 hundred bucks. My poor ass is just tickled and the ole’ lady has no complaints. Shit is all relative.
I like the artsy look of the Indian engine, and 111ci. What I don't like is that fairing and enormous !/2 mile of plastic below the seat to rear wheel. The Indian Classic's lightbar and clear fairing have a vintage, but modern vibe. But looking at that Chieftain fairing is painful. The Harley fairing looks vintage-y, but has better tech and cool factor. The Indian looks like a piece of furniture from a 1940's hotel. That engine is the focal point of the Indian, but it's surrounded by "what the hell were you thinking" components. Polaris should hire engineers with testicles, it's an unmanly style. I wish bike designers would do what German automakers do..... steal each others design and "one up" each other every year.
NEVER will I see the day when my motorcycle must be equipped with TV, stereo, navigation, Blue Tooth hook-up, internet, blah blah blah. RUBS........sheeesshh!!!
I think I will stick with Harley. I own a 1993 FLHTC 41,000 miles trouble free. You can do the lube changes your self. Major problems probably should take it to Harley mechanic but should not anticipate any. Do your routine maintenance just like your car.
Morton Wolfson i have a 93 flhtc as well 65000 miles no problems! still looks and runs great.i bought the 2014 street glide special and love it. but also love the flhtc.both great harleys.
I know Harleys are outdated mechanically and not as reliable as most other brands. Is that why so many of their owners are angry and feel the need to put down all other brands?
yodaisgod2 Crankshaft design, starter design, charging stator location, timing tensioners, low oil pressure to the head with way to heavy valves and springs, chain driven transmission with antique internal components, old school suspension, tubes in the tires on spoke rims..What isn't out dated?
They should have put a Victory Cross Country in with this comparison. Oh wait, other than the looks which some love and others hate it would have won on all other merits.
get the harley they are superior to the polaris indian clones.that injin has a dopey looking fairing and ultra cheap looking chrome on the pot metal heads.the harley 103 high output motor is sweet. change the head pipe and intake and tune and gain a nice amount of power easily. fit and finish and 6.5 gt is amazing...
Karley Walker "pot metal heads" Oh please, as if Harley doesn't cast than machine their engine heads just like Indian. Show me one bike with a 100% machined non-cast head. "injin has a dopey looking fairing." I'm sorry it doesn't look like a Harley, but some of us get bored of seeing the same bike everywhere and want something different.
Karley Walker gotta disagree...took out 4 2015 harleys for demos...street glide , road glide. road king and fat boy....then the other day took out 3 indian bikes...roadmaster , chieftain and the vintage.....gotta say loved the indian better than all 4 harleys....especially the vintage...compared to the harleys the indian was alot smoother ride , way more power , nicer stock sound i used to preach Harleys but not as much now...indian has come out with a very nice bike...i was surprised how much i loved them
I’m only going to buy one brand new bike in my life. When I do it’s going to be a Indian. I’ve had several Harley’s and quite honestly I’ve gotten bored with them. There is nothing against the grain about owning a Harley...90% of other people do too. But when you see a Indian you have really seen something different from the herd
+Michael Holmes Better be quiet, most of the people that ride harleys are going to kill themselves riding something that actually has power! The Indian while much better then a harley, is still way behind other brands.
And Harley is good at marketing but piss poor at building motorcycles but hey, if your marketing is so good you can sell ice cubes to Eskimo's or HOG shit to pig farmers to use as fertilizer then you don't have to offer a good product.
Then DON'T buy harley if you want dependable, because that is not what harley has EVER been about! Don't believe me, look at the upgrade parts you can buy to fix everything that comes fucked up from the factory! I hope this new Indian is nothing like harley, because all they have to be is reliable and they will sell a ton of them!! Good luck Indian I hope you succeed because it's about time an American company makes a decent reliable fun to ride motorcycle rather then a vibrating heap of shit called harley!
***** Maybe you want to explain how a harley or the new Indian will give back as much as you put into it, but an import won't? That is just plain silly. I've owned many motorcycles and own a shop where we repair bikes, and I assure you harley has been the butt of jokes for quite some time. When all most folks want us a good dependable bike, harley is far from it. From being the most gutless worst handling bike, to recalls and reliability issus. I'm looking forward to see Indian be reliable and handle decent along with actually make more power then noise! Imports have ruled the roads too long, it's time an American company makes something we can all be proud of rather then make fun of!
Then I suggest you do a little research and take a lot of test rides before you decide. And most of all don't listen to the know-it-alls who have a hard on for any specific brand. As far as availability of cheap replacement parts, you get what you pay for.
EpiDemic117 What doe's a drinking binge in the 50's, 60's, & 70's have to do with anything? And Harley Davidson is hardly a fad. There are Harley's and Indians made in the early part of the last century that are still running. How old is the oldest Japanese bike still on the road? Not all riders are 15 years old and want to lay down on the tank and scrape their knees in the corners. Not everyone aspires to be like Eddie Lawson or Kenny Roberts. When/if you grow a little older, you might discover a different type of ride.
Michael Holmes They sure are proud of them, but they are charging comparable with HD. I really want a Springfield, but the price has me considering a Scout with windshield and bags instead.
Thank god HD fixed those broken ass hard-cases. Those things were terrible. Something that shouldn't have been on 20k bikes. Both look awesome, though, wouldn't mind either of them in my garage :-P.
...if you logically compare and RIDE both bikes,the INDIAN is the winner hands down !....smoother,more power,virtually NO VIBRATION and you don't see one around every corner !.....and this is from a H-D rider of over 50 years...sold my new Ultra Classic and have a 2015 Indian,NO comparison between the two,INDIAN is by FAR the better in my opinion.
Both bikes are nice I personally don't like the looks of the Indian - why not compare a CVO streetglide with a 110 ? The shocks on a Harley is a big one and the only thing victory has over a Harley but once changed they are just as comfortable. Dealer support on any Victory is terrible at least around here I did own a XR and could not find a dealer that was worth the drive. Harley is still a better bike...
They both look like bikes that yiur grandpa could have bought in the 40's. I for one like the clean lines and new modern looks of Victories line-up. Seriously once more Harley owners realize you have a better built bike with camshafts and roller rockers insteadc of dated pushrods and high maintenace costs they will convert. Harley is already using there quick release saddlebag system what's next. You mention to a Harley dealer about Harleys dated engine and when they gonna get with the times only response is than it would not be a Harley. Plus look at the number of parts in Harley engine compared to a Victory not only is the Victory moreover user friendly to take care of you have like an 1/8 the parts to worry about breaking down. Yes I know Indian is also Polaris I guess the old school vibe will work for the old farts who can afford does nothing for me for eithef of these bikes. Come on Harley give us something modern without a Porsche engine and a new look instead of the dated look of the 70's and earlier and no more pushrod engines and make it reasonably priced for the masses not thirty grand for an engine and a seat.
Owen Einarson Porsche did not design the engine for the V-Rod! It already existed in the VR1000 AMA superbike racer. Porsche helped HD with the cooling system and making it reliable for the street! I ride an 07 VRSCR Streetrod. HD only made them two years, the sports roadster version of the V-Rod. One of the best handling bikes they ever made, Showa suspension, steeper fork rake, Brembo brakes, mid controls, a lean forward riding position, and more ground clearance. Harley is really stupid sometimes, showing this bike with saddlebags and a stupid windshied in the brochure, no wonder they couldn't sell it. A Harley that could rip through corners and really haul ass. The magazines loved it. They still tried to appeal to the traditional HD grey beard, bandana wearing farts, and so, cancelled production. Those of us who have one love it! Harley Davidson makes nothing new that I would buy! Sorry Harley!
Good to know Cliff I was merely stating that Harley has been using the same dated engine they basically started the company many decades ago just more reliable and better functioning options available Harley should update so owners can be out enjoying their expensive ride than it sitting in a shop for repairs. The VRod Muscle is bad ass love the look of this bike. I also agree a sports bike with saddlebags and a big windshield OMG what moron did up this sales gimmick.
Yeah, I don't know where Harley is headed. Victory is taking on the Pikes Peak hill climb with a brand new design and engine, and it is not derived from one of there cruisers. Rumor has it this will come to the public, and it will be a sporting motorcycle. If it is good, I may be the first in line.
I have been riding for years and own a Harley and BMW. A friend of mine who is a motor officer and also owns a HD told me after riding the Indian it was the most enjoyable bike he had ever ridden.. I had to try one. I went to my local dealer and saw a chief and fell in love with the looks of it. I took it for a test ride and 3 hours later I figured I better take it back before it was reported stolen.
After riding for so many years I had lost the excitement of wanting to be on the bike all the time. After riding the Indian it has come back, I can't get off it. Spirit Indian gave me a great deal and I felt they were as excited as I was. I always enjoyed riding but now the excitement is back. Love my Indian.
It doesn't matter what you ride, it's about being on two wheels feeling the wind and sunshine on your face getting away from everyday life. Getting out and being with brothers and sisters, I'm a full Harley Davidson man because that's what I grew up around, just like people choose Chevy over Ford or Dodge over Chevy. We buy what we buy because we like it and should be proud and thankful for what we have some people aren't lucky enough to experience two wheels
dogboy Endicott gayest shit ever, Im sure you've read 1,000 other gayboys post this as well.
dogboy Endicott well said man
dogboy Endicott Totally agree with you.
dogboy Endicott Totally agree with you, in fact, outside of the United States, only a few are fortunate enough to Posser a Harley Davidson, and ranging in price too expensive only few can possess, I agree with you.
Aknoctum Harley-Davidson riders are not posers pal. We ride. I'm 65 and I have been riding since 1965 before I was 16. I have ridden around 55,000 miles on motorcycles. Would have been more but I took time off from riding my Harley's to raise a family.
Harley speaking to the Indian coming out of that tunnel Harley: "Hey buddy, glad to see you again."
Indian: "Glad to be back, been to long."
Harley: "Your looking good out here."
Indian: "After all these years you don't look bad yourself."
I had remarked years ago with yet another Indian startup before Polaris got them that they needed to ditch the Harley clone Engines, tear an old Indian engine apart and revamp with new internals. Otherwise it was only yet another Harley clone. Polaris did that revamping to a perfect blend of old and new to make the Indian really an Indian. If I could afford one I'd get one in a heart beat and ride cross country to see my brother in Washington State.
This is the kind of attitude that gives me hope for the future of American motorcycle companies 👍🏻🇺🇸
Wooley689 love your opening paragraph. So true...it’s kinda like Army Navy rival.
I see some bickering about brands from loyalist.
Look at the brighter side. It is nice to have more machines manufactured in the States.
And the even brighter side of that.
If Victory and Indian prove actual competition for Harley Davidson, than inevitably Harley will be striving to make improvements in their over all reliability and performance.
Competition fuels advancements and in the end we all win!
I really love motorcycles.
+1400IntruderVS I doubt harley will ever catch up to others. It's a fact they sell their bikes for other reasons besides actually riding. IF they were forced to make bikes for actually riding, I don't think they could. It's too late, they threw away their R&D when they threw away Erik Buell.
Everyone thinks racing is non-sense, but what racing does, is help the company develop functional machines, that are easy to work on maintain etc... All things that harley is NOT.
themaxrider I have two Harley-Davidsons, a 1994 Sportster Deluxe 883 and my new 2015 Road King FLHP Police with the shock absorber and spring under the seat. themaxrider I gotta tell you that you are talking through your fucking hat.
PeterDad60
Oh really, then why do you suppose so many police departments all over THIS country have/are switching to BMWs?
A shock and spring under the seat?? The ride sucks that bad that they have to resort to that? Wake up for God's sake!
+PeterDad60 Two of the very worst bikes from their respective years. Instead of just buying harley for the name why not try a few bikes out next time and get something worthwhile?
+hung huge because once you ride a Harley nothing else will do
Who the hell needs an entertainment system on a motorcycle? That V-twin should be all the music you need.
Need to do a 2016 Indian Springfield vs 2016 Harley Roadking
I love how they both look, but personally I don't like having radio on my motorcycle, I like to hear the engine and the exhaust roar. That's music to my ears.
Excellent review and beautiful video! Well done gentlemen. I've put a lot of miles on Street Glides and the are excellent bikes. I own a 13 Victory XC because I prefer the way it feels and sits. I think the Polaris backing will be great for Indian. Just wish we had a dealer!! That said I'm keeping my Victory but will probably add a Street Glide to the stable in a year or so. Both outstanding bikes.
Never been a cruiser or American V twin guy despite having owned a HD at one time. The new Indian is changing that. It is a great design, looks great and just pushes all the right buttons. HD and Victory never did it for me but Indian does. The new Scout really blows me away.
I really like the Indians. My next bike very well may be a chief vintage. As far as harley, I've owned 2 and still riding the 2002 wide glide. The first I rode for 8 years. Neither one has ever broken down or failed to start. Oil changes and tires, that's it. I also don't abuse them and mod the engines. People often forget the owner has a lot to do with reliability....any brands reliability
+JohnnyRebKy Couldn't agree more!!
I have ridden the new SG but not the Indian. It is always amusing for me to listen to the Harley crowd criticize other bikes. Many Harley guys do not like the V-rod causes its not a real Harley. They don't like the Sportster cause its a girls bike. They don't like other brands cause its not a Harley. Than they chose to ride the same thing that every other dog on the block has, no individuality, no imagination. It reminds me of back on the farm when I was a kid. My dad had a herd of sheep, what one did, every other sheep followed. If one of the sheep wanted to go through a 3 foot opening, all 50 herd would try to do the same thing at the same time.
I've had 2 great Harley's. I'm considering the Indian. Feels like it's time for a change, and worth a try. I'm more interested in nostalgia however; so I'm looking at the Chief Vintage. Looks amazing, and I've heard a lot of good things about it.
Excellent heads up review, lots of great information about the two bikes... Do I or anyone else believe that Indian with 4 models is actually going to take on the whole of Harley Davidson with 30 models? No but maybe the touring class, sure. Great review guys!
Not a cruiser guy but that Indian is beautiful
Great review - you guys have really stepped up your game - fun to watch! I was able to test ride the Indian Chieftain in Tulsa at a demo event a few weeks ago. A wonderful motorcycle, not perfect, but iconic and beautiful...
When I was 16, in 1955, I mounted a Plymouth radio on the back fender of my 48 Chief, drive-in speaker on the steering damper knob. Putting down the street blaring AM radio music on my info-tainment system,
I've looked and can't find a review of a 2016 Harley Davidson Street Glide Special. Have you made one? I own a 08 SG and was wondering about the newer one vs the Road glide.
+colby smith Theres no difference in a 2014,2015 or 2016 SGS...
Really like this review
I currently own a 2008, 96 cube Harley Soft-tail Deluxe, and in the past have owned an 88 cube electraglide, which was very similar in style to the Street Glide. They are right about the rear suspension travel. or lack of it, but that is one of the joys of Harley ownership. I have also owned in the past a 1520cc Goldwing, and a BMW K100LT, both great bikes, and likely better tourers than either Harley I have owned? But, the fact is, nothing beats the character of a Harley, and as different as Pretty" as the Indian looks, I would still buy the Harley.
So let me get this straight. You admit that your other bikes were better, but for some stupid reason, you will buy an inferior machine to impress OTHERS?
When I see a harley, I think the owner must be completely mechanically ignorant! When better in every way machines exist, what would make one buy something as retarded and backwards as a harley? Please explain...
themaxrider Rod already gave a clear explanation: "nothing beats the character of a Harley." If you do not accept or respect that explanation, that's fine. I doubt that many really care what you think about their ride or why. You ride what you want. I'll ride what I want. We'll both be happy.
Ray Peale
This "character" you speak of is what makes them such a pile of shit. But yeah go ahead and ride/push whatever you want, but don't mislead anyone that harley makes a good bike whatsoever.
themaxrider branching out to spread more hate and misinformation.
lucky13sj
Not true, just making sure folks find out before having the learn the hard way. I've met way too many nice people, that thought they were buying a decent bike, and having found out what harley was all about, either switched brands or quit riding. It's not right. Now we have an American based motorcycle, that gives people something decent if we choose to support this country!
have tested both myself, here is my take. plus for the Indian is the riding position and the look, I also think the torque for the Indian is great. will pull very easy in a higher gear. negatives are many. paint is only three colors, the bike I drove had fairing wind hum and it was not the only bike. three others in the group had the same problem. starting the bike. LOL. you check it out and tell me if that is a improvement! now the Harley! GPS, stereo rocks. Indian doesn't have the features like Harley. Bags store more, paint is better. more color options. dealerships all over, Indians not so much. Harley negatives. little tall for the short rider, vinyl seat, less chrome than the Indian. top end I like the Harley lower end the Indian. turns I like them both. end still goes to Harley for a better over all bike! I have owned two Indians before so I am not a Harley rider to the core if you think I am.
Yeah paint keeps you rolling while the oil is leaking out of all those seals that a 1910 designed engine has. If you look at that wonderful new Indian engine, you are sold. I was a Harley guy, NO MORE!
Yup! True Brad!
Rented a 2014 Street Glide Special for a 600+ mile weekend and came away extremely impressed. The only thing needing attention was the fork. Too soft. That said, getting lost somewhere in the Ozarks after 8 hours on the bike and not knowing where the next town was, I pushed it through some very tight two lane and it was fantastic. The engine is great too. Totally stock I was passing semis between Little Rock and Memphis at well over an indicated 90mph with a gear to go. Can't vouch for the speedo accuracy but I topped 100 a couple of times. One other thing needing improvement, the GPS system absolutely sucks. My Android phone has a much better GPS system. So, riding for over 40 years on Japanese, Italian, German bikes, Harley is next.
I ride an Ultra and I wish they offered a quick detach trunk kit for the Chieftain. I've requested a test ride. I'm looking to upgrade in September. It may be another Ultra because of the trunk feature. We'll see after the test ride. One thing that has kept me Harley is the dealer network. It's nice to know there is one around the corner if you need help.
Uh they do offer a trunk cause I have one! Harley dealers are going out of business right and left! 8 have died in the last month in Chicago! They over saturate the markets. Indian's goal is to have a dealer in every major city, and multiple dealers in big cities. If you really want the best bike, buy a Roadmaster and leave the paint shaker behind! This is really a no brainer! :)
And believe me buying/owning a harley, you WILL need help!!! I know from experience!!!
Really appreciate this review. I LOVE the Indian and I'm glad to see it's putting up such a good fight against Harley. Somewhat unrelated: What set-up do y'all use that your mics were so clear?
on board camera is good, KEEP IT
You guys bikes on the are so lucky ! You get to test the most beautiful and desired bikes on the planet. Good job.
According to the 5(?) part video Victory's engine does not leak oil, but the Harley's does, or at least it did at the time of the making of that video. Does it still leak oil ?
I tried both yesterday and decided to go with the Street Glide. Both great machine but I had to make a choice:
INDIAN CHIEFTAIN HARLEY STREET GLIDE
+ Tons of chrome and details + New 107 Engine is incredible
+ Performance + Torque and Performance
+ Dare to be different + Reliability
+ Better GPS and Radio + The new clutch is awesome
+ Suspension is incredible + Better resale value I think
- Cable clutch - My fifth Harley... they are everywhere
- Few dealership - Radio quality
- Afraid or reliability - Big money needs to be spent to make bike look good
It was a tough decision. At the end my girlfriend and I were able to work a better deal on the Street Glide with the Harley Dealership. The Indian rode incredible but the engine light came on during our tour and the clutch was not adjusted properly so I could barely put it on neutral at red lights. It didn't really changed my mind, I think what did was the feeling of the Street Glide 15 second after riding it. Fast, very fast and the clutch is like butter. I will keep a close eye on the future of the Indian and maybe in a few years I will buy one.
This is one of the best comparison, you can tell they are both giving their opinion truthfully, not getting paid from either .
I will choose a street glide because of the handling and breaking, the acceleration a plus the radio and gps awesome . Street glide it is , will buy tomorrow, thanks
Great video...@ 7:02 was that the floor board scraping?
yes
Hi, the point is, how will the Indian run after 20 years, that's a new construction , will it work well .Harley never stoped to build bikes, the quality the last 20 years was great. But the old Indians of the 20this and 30this where legendary. greetings from germany Edward
Brilliant review. My dad rode an Indian, my mom!
Nice review. Haven't ridden the Indian yet but not as in to the look as I thought I'd be. The engine is cool looking though. I have test ridden the 2014 Limited and Street Glide though and both are fun to ride. I dig the new infotainment system though even if I would have to retrain myself on the controls. Always listening to tunes so it's a must have for me. Like the new list of standard options like LED lighting, better cam and larger fork tubes. The Indian will have to provide with me a heck of a ride to sway my mind. Still not sure if I'll sell my 2011 CVO Ultra though.
not so much a bagger fan, i ride more cruiser types, or even sports. but ive always been a Harley fan, but the looks of the Indian, especially those fenders... its amazing
Very good job thank you
ha-ha lots of back and forth. how I see this comparison is Indian is higher quality all around. look at the chrome work, saddle bags etc etc etc and its easy to tell. but Harley performance is still ahead of the Indian. Indian is a competitor like Harley became for Indian so many years ago. nothing wrong with it. Both are very nice bikes.
+james hendrix Have to disagree with you about the performance comment. I've never ridden an Ultra that has the power of my bud's new RoadMaster. That 111 cubic inch motor is a real performer. But you're right, both are nice bikes.
Test road the Roadmaster. I wasn't impressed enough to buy so I bought an ultra limited. Very pleased with it. If your happy with your Indian, good for you, but don't insult my Harley because you ride something different. I don't insult the competition and will ride with anyone.
Agree 100% I ride with all types of bikes.......& nobody bashes anyone's ride. These are probably a bunch of little kids just wishing they had pubic hair.
Jealously runs rampant on the internet.
suspension and the road is felt on ANY motorcycle reguardless of suspension system and its the beauty of riding a motorcycle you see, smell, and feel everything.
Trolling, what's the definition, when does a remark amount to internet trollery? Well, for me it's a remark safely made behind a keyboard that the spewer wouldn't dream of saying sitting on a bar stool.
That is correct! First of all I never sit on a bar stool, as I don't drink or waste my money on booze or Harleys. I am definitely trolling!! You Harley guys are very easy! LOL!! Get a load of how silly you all are!!
Hmm...over 20 years ago. So how would you know about Harley quality?
I rode a Harley FXDI , but I really like the retro look of the Indian Chieftain! I would like to ride one to see how it feels/fits! I rode an Ultra not long ago and hated it! I haven't ridden a Street Glide or a Heritage Softail. From appearances I'm thinking the next bike will be Street Glide or the Chieftain. Who knows, maybe the Victory Cross Country. I have about 40,000 on my Harley and it's been a good bike so far! You gotta see what fits you!
It's time for a 2017 street glide special to go against a 2017 chieftain.
Indian comes out the "garage" and in one year produces a bike that beats Harley and all its 110 year history. Sorry Harley.
Lol... True
Yep, my friend is a die hard Harley rider. He was badmouthing the Indian until he took a test drive. Now he's much more quiet.
HD has been selling subpar bikes for years and now that complacent laziness has got them in trouble.
ya dont know what ya talkn about jeffers.
Haggis bagpipe Ive ridden both bikes. The Indian is far and away the better bike. The comfort, engineering, and power of the Indian far surpasses Harley. Face it Harley became big and bloated because it didnt have any competition. It's 2015 how can Harley get away with making a motorcycle that still overheats??!! Incredible.
+JefferyT The water cooled exhaust port on some 15 models will help with the cooling issue. Harley has a distinct place in the Motorcycle market helped by the fact that it has been around for so long. I have an Ultra Classic and a Kawasaki Nomad and I I love them both. But.....After test riding the Indian, I must confess I wouldn't bat an eye at adding it to my stable.
Not a cruiser rider myself but I reckon the Indian's a much nicer looking bike. The front faring on the Harley is horrible - especially in that colour.
I'm an HD guy and I've ridden both of these bikes. Proud to say I own an Indian Chieftain. These guys did a good comparison but they were extremely kind to the SG. Sorry but it's not even close. The Indian is a slam dunk.
The bars on the Indian aren't too wide?
Hmmm...check out BobbyGs interview with Victory Owners Group. Many know BobbyG who puts a 100k miles on bikes each year riding cross country on all types of cruisers. He says the HD Street Glide is a better bike than the Chief. His 20 min interview is onTH-cam so check it out.
I own a 2014 chief classic and a 2014 ultra limited and in my opinion they are in many aspects very different characteristically. The Harley is a better engineered bike and the instrumentals are better quality. The Indian, aesthetically is gorgeous and is super balanced. I can ride it all day long with little fatigue. To me what's important is that in a world of wannabe imposters American Bikes are still the kings of swagger and style.
better engineered? lol
Who care about a motorcycle with a radio...you'll end up running off the road fooling around with that radio bull while riding...Instead listen and enjoy the Riding Experian's of the bike...
Excellent Point!!!
Great bikes. The only downside to the Indian is the lack of dealership support. In Europe, it is non-existent; heck, even HD's dealership support isn't as widely available as in the USA. It's one of the reasons for the Japanese cruisers selling so well: any mechanic can fix a Honda Shadow 750. An Indian? I would not trust anyone except a long-experienced certified mechanic with Indians.
is that metal or plastic on a indian chromed panels? that entertaiment navigation pad looks cheap
anyway i love this video, much clear than before :)
Indian is a far superior bike along with Victory, The engines and transmissions are bulletproof.
If I thought the Indian would last, I might agree more that the Chieftain may be a better bike. The looks are fantastic and the red color is a great throw back to the early 30's or 40's models. I think they are both a bit over priced. 23k-ish each? It's a joke. However, the GPS addition is very very awesome. I think for now I would stick with the HD. Maybe I'm a few years if Indian is still around I would take more interest.
Indian has more class!
You might as well ride in a convertible if you want all those features, like radio, windshield, and more buttons than a space shuttle.
7:04 what's scraping?
floor boards.
hemicud4 I didn't hear the Harley scrape.
J Zerballs
Yeh, Thats because the Indians are better and more high tec than a harley LOL
Indian is running close to the same tech as the harley with a few more bells and whistles. same style engine too, just with a small twist on that three cam design. hell the indian motor was designed by S&S which builds high performance HARLEY style engines. so saying one is higher tech is a bit of a long shot. The indian is classier looking, i'll give it that.
never scraped the pegs on my sportster, scraped the exhaust a few times.
interesting how performance was interpreted here, seat of the pants had the Harley accelerating better but the reviews that I have seen, the Indian easily pulls away from the Harley, using stopwatches.
good review, but you guys should be putting it out in 1080p
I dont know if its just me but that is a bit overboard with chrome on the Indian!, my dad owns a 03 100th anniversary Electra Glide Standard with a new S&S engine built by Branco's cycles in Rural New South Wales, Australia.
I ride an HD, but I like them both.
After all the years that Harley fans have cried copy cat at all other bike makers.......and especially at Victory for some thing as vague and loosely based, as having a V-twin that has nothing in common with their V-twin. I wonder if any of those "copy cat" cry'n Harley fans happened to notice Harley's "applauded NEW bag design" the 1/4 turn fasteners that are clearly a shameless direct copy from the evil Cross Country/Roads bags?
I have been thinkin that everything is pretty much a copy of something else ,because when their would be another model it still has to use design and tech thats already in use .you know two wheels a motor a frame .everything is already in use .even that stupid ass damn spider that come out its a trike ,maybe im to simple minded .have a nice day
ya dont know what ya talkn about russo.
Haggis bagpipe You don't think Harley copied the 1/4 turn fasteners on their "new" bags? Just look at the bags on a 2010 Cross Country. That's right Victory had them 4 years ago my friend. What does that mean........when Harley is actually starting to copy their competitors.
Russell Williams and so you think the 1/4 turn fastener was pretty much a "new" something when Victory started using it .Im still at my default position here that all this new models are just reusing stuff thats been out there for a while . maybe American Tourister should get the credit for your discovery there instead of Polaris .
william harvey I agree. Everything has been done before. Nowadays it is just a matter of detail as to who's signature is on it.
Tested both, both are nice but the Harley is a better bike,this is not a hate on Indian its just that the Indian is on the come up hopefully and Harley has been there and is still there!
what about the Indian windshield rattle
A little funny how you compared a factory lowered bike vs. one with standard suspension. Too bad Harley Davidson doesn't offer a tour pakless Electra Glide. But both are great bikes. I'm a Harley Davidson master technician who works for a very large Polaris/Indian dealer.
I would choose the harley. But darnit im always riding up the crest i live in la crescenta why dont i ever see anything cool like this show being filmed.
so I can service my snowmobile and indian at the same time
Yeh...you can service your camping equipment there too.
I’m just glad I was able to pick up a 2012 V Star 1300 Tourer for 34 hundred bucks. My poor ass is just tickled and the ole’ lady has no complaints. Shit is all relative.
I still think the Harley looks better. i don't like too much chrome
I like the artsy look of the Indian engine, and 111ci. What I don't like is that fairing and enormous !/2 mile of plastic below the seat to rear wheel. The Indian Classic's lightbar and clear fairing have a vintage, but modern vibe. But looking at that Chieftain fairing is painful. The Harley fairing looks vintage-y, but has better tech and cool factor. The Indian looks like a piece of furniture from a 1940's hotel. That engine is the focal point of the Indian, but it's surrounded by "what the hell were you thinking" components. Polaris should hire engineers with testicles, it's an unmanly style.
I wish bike designers would do what German automakers do..... steal each others design and "one up" each other every year.
The Indian needs the Harley's nav system and the Harley needs the Indian's movable windshield.
Indian just introduced "Ride Command." Which, judged by many, appears to be better than Harleys' system
WAY better than Harley's
NEVER will I see the day when my motorcycle must be equipped with TV, stereo, navigation, Blue Tooth hook-up, internet, blah blah blah. RUBS........sheeesshh!!!
Here's 7:03 the smooth road reward limitation on sporty corners.
That should read, I rode a FXDI!
I think I will stick with Harley. I own a 1993 FLHTC 41,000 miles trouble free. You can do the lube changes your self. Major problems probably should take it to Harley mechanic but should not anticipate any. Do your routine maintenance just like your car.
Are you ready for the plastic chain tensioner issues . its coming .
Morton Wolfson i have a 93 flhtc as well 65000 miles no problems! still looks and runs great.i bought the 2014 street glide special and love it. but also love the flhtc.both great harleys.
Frank Branstrom 1993 EVO's didn't have cam chain tensioners.......... Just sayin.
Every review you guys do, when it comes to a harley vs others, the harley some how comes out on top. Harley pay you guys much?
Maxrider is just hell bent on bashing Harley. Whatever floats your boat dude. I love mine & it's a great bike. Guess you got stuck with a bad one.
The Titanic vs the Lusitania. T Rex v Allisaurus.
So HD's big feature is a radio..bfd
I know Harleys are outdated mechanically and not as reliable as most other brands. Is that why so many of their owners are angry and feel the need to put down all other brands?
How are they outdated mechanically?
yodaisgod2
Crankshaft design, starter design, charging stator location, timing tensioners, low oil pressure to the head with way to heavy valves and springs, chain driven transmission with antique internal components, old school suspension, tubes in the tires on spoke rims..What isn't out dated?
Apparently the internal combustion engine as well.
yodaisgod2 KeithMac has not a clue what he is talking about.
matrox He's just a hater and probably rides a scooter to his swing shift job at Burger King.
My mechanic says buy the Indian, because I will be paying for his kids college tuition if I buy the Harley with its HIGH maint.
You're mechanic is a dumb-ass that is obviously influencing your decisions. Can't make one on your own?
Jason S
Nope you are!
Great response. Rest my case.
They should have put a Victory Cross Country in with this comparison. Oh wait, other than the looks which some love and others hate it would have won on all other merits.
indian is where its at. more modern
get the harley they are superior to the polaris indian clones.that injin has a dopey looking fairing and ultra cheap looking chrome on the pot metal heads.the harley 103 high output motor is sweet. change the head pipe and intake and tune and gain a nice amount of power easily. fit and finish and 6.5 gt is amazing...
Karley Walker "pot metal heads" Oh please, as if Harley doesn't cast than machine their engine heads just like Indian. Show me one bike with a 100% machined non-cast head. "injin has a dopey looking fairing." I'm sorry it doesn't look like a Harley, but some of us get bored of seeing the same bike everywhere and want something different.
Karley Walker gotta disagree...took out 4 2015 harleys for demos...street glide , road glide. road king and fat boy....then the other day took out 3 indian bikes...roadmaster , chieftain and the vintage.....gotta say loved the indian better than all 4 harleys....especially the vintage...compared to the harleys the indian was alot smoother ride , way more power , nicer stock sound i used to preach Harleys but not as much now...indian has come out with a very nice bike...i was surprised how much i loved them
Like I said Ill keep my 1993 EVO FLHTC
I’m only going to buy one brand new bike in my life. When I do it’s going to be a Indian. I’ve had several Harley’s and quite honestly I’ve gotten bored with them. There is nothing against the grain about owning a Harley...90% of other people do too. But when you see a Indian you have really seen something different from the herd
check out the Triumph Rocket 3 Touring guys twice the bike half the price and 10 times better
+Michael Holmes Better be quiet, most of the people that ride harleys are going to kill themselves riding something that actually has power! The Indian while much better then a harley, is still way behind other brands.
+Michael Holmes Also the Diavel, Vmax, M1800, etc etc.
Cheiftain over street glide. HD Ultra over the Roadmaster for me.
It's. A victory polaris with whiskers, that's all it is!!!
Dork you is stoopit!
And Harley is good at marketing but piss poor at building motorcycles but hey, if your marketing is so good you can sell ice cubes to Eskimo's or HOG shit to pig farmers to use as fertilizer then you don't have to offer a good product.
elson, I am not gay but you are! Grow a set and buy a real man's bike!
That spell check sucks, that's ride!
I just want a dependable bike.
Then DON'T buy harley if you want dependable, because that is not what harley has EVER been about! Don't believe me, look at the upgrade parts you can buy to fix everything that comes fucked up from the factory! I hope this new Indian is nothing like harley, because all they have to be is reliable and they will sell a ton of them!! Good luck Indian I hope you succeed because it's about time an American company makes a decent reliable fun to ride motorcycle rather then a vibrating heap of shit called harley!
***** Maybe you want to explain how a harley or the new Indian will give back as much as you put into it, but an import won't?
That is just plain silly. I've owned many motorcycles and own a shop where we repair bikes, and I assure you harley has been the butt of jokes for quite some time.
When all most folks want us a good dependable bike, harley is far from it. From being the most gutless worst handling bike, to recalls and reliability issus.
I'm looking forward to see Indian be reliable and handle decent along with actually make more power then noise!
Imports have ruled the roads too long, it's time an American company makes something we can all be proud of rather then make fun of!
Get a Suzuki SV650(or most any Japanese bike). Bulletproof reliable, reasonably priced, easily and cheaply maintained, cheap parts all over ebay.
Then I suggest you do a little research and take a lot of test rides before you decide. And most of all don't listen to the know-it-alls who have a hard on for any specific brand. As far as availability of cheap replacement parts, you get what you pay for.
EpiDemic117 What doe's a drinking binge in the 50's, 60's, & 70's have to do with anything? And Harley Davidson is hardly a fad. There are Harley's and Indians made in the early part of the last century that are still running. How old is the oldest Japanese bike still on the road? Not all riders are 15 years old and want to lay down on the tank and scrape their knees in the corners. Not everyone aspires to be like Eddie Lawson or Kenny Roberts. When/if you grow a little older, you might discover a different type of ride.
Indian is a real good bike but, Harley has so much more after market support .
love the new Indian Springfield but hey need to sort out the cost of these bikes , theyre far too expensive!!
Michael Holmes They sure are proud of them, but they are charging comparable with HD. I really want a Springfield, but the price has me considering a Scout with windshield and bags instead.
pepsi or coke?
hmm I bet the newly designed indian engine is far more reliable In the long run.
+zac the review points out the Indian gives more than the harley when pushed to the redline so that's wasn't what he liked....just seemed bias
cruiser riders like myself like low end torque and speed so we can cruise. having to redline to go faster is an annoyance for us.
Awesome
Who gives a shit whether or not a bike has a stereo system. I do not. Just ride man and listen to the sound of your bike and see the local scenery.
good review, when the gonna tracktest em?
hahahah
I ride a Street Glide and last summer took an Indian for test ride. It was OK but nothing close to my Harley.
Thank god HD fixed those broken ass hard-cases. Those things were terrible. Something that shouldn't have been on 20k bikes. Both look awesome, though, wouldn't mind either of them in my garage :-P.
Indian should drop the cheesy chrome-finned valve covers, or at least drop the chrome on them. Otherwise, it's a fantastic bike.
Blacking out between the fins may look a little better?
...if you logically compare and RIDE both bikes,the INDIAN is the winner hands down !....smoother,more power,virtually NO VIBRATION and you don't see one around every corner !.....and this is from a H-D rider of over 50 years...sold my new Ultra Classic and have a 2015 Indian,NO comparison between the two,INDIAN is by FAR the better in my opinion.
Both bikes are nice I personally don't like the looks of the Indian - why not compare a CVO streetglide with a 110 ? The shocks on a Harley is a big one and the only thing victory has over a Harley but once changed they are just as comfortable. Dealer support on any Victory is terrible at least around here I did own a XR and could not find a dealer that was worth the drive. Harley is still a better bike...
They both look like bikes that yiur grandpa could have bought in the 40's. I for one like the clean lines and new modern looks of Victories line-up. Seriously once more Harley owners realize you have a better built bike with camshafts and roller rockers insteadc of dated pushrods and high maintenace costs they will convert. Harley is already using there quick release saddlebag system what's next. You mention to a Harley dealer about Harleys dated engine and when they gonna get with the times only response is than it would not be a Harley. Plus look at the number of parts in Harley engine compared to a Victory not only is the Victory moreover user friendly to take care of you have like an 1/8 the parts to worry about breaking down. Yes I know Indian is also Polaris I guess the old school vibe will work for the old farts who can afford does nothing for me for eithef of these bikes. Come on Harley give us something modern without a Porsche engine and a new look instead of the dated look of the 70's and earlier and no more pushrod engines and make it reasonably priced for the masses not thirty grand for an engine and a seat.
Owen Einarson Porsche did not design the engine for the V-Rod! It already existed in the VR1000 AMA superbike racer. Porsche helped HD with the cooling system and making it reliable for the street! I ride an 07 VRSCR Streetrod. HD only made them two years, the sports roadster version of the V-Rod. One of the best handling bikes they ever made, Showa suspension, steeper fork rake, Brembo brakes, mid controls, a lean forward riding position, and more ground clearance. Harley is really stupid sometimes, showing this bike with saddlebags and a stupid windshied in the brochure, no wonder they couldn't sell it. A Harley that could rip through corners and really haul ass. The magazines loved it. They still tried to appeal to the traditional HD grey beard, bandana wearing farts, and so, cancelled production. Those of us who have one love it! Harley Davidson makes nothing new that I would buy! Sorry Harley!
Good to know Cliff I was merely stating that Harley has been using the same dated engine they basically started the company many decades ago just more reliable and better functioning options available Harley should update so owners can be out enjoying their expensive ride than it sitting in a shop for repairs. The VRod Muscle is bad ass love the look of this bike. I also agree a sports bike with saddlebags and a big windshield OMG what moron did up this sales gimmick.
Yeah, I don't know where Harley is headed. Victory is taking on the Pikes Peak hill climb with a brand new design and engine, and it is not derived from one of there cruisers. Rumor has it this will come to the public, and it will be a sporting motorcycle. If it is good, I may be the first in line.