I've watched nearly every review out there for this bike and I think thus is the most honest one I've seen so far. Very good criticisms and highlights.
The thing about the price is that those bikes are very good at keeping their value in the US market. It's true you gonna pay over 20 thousand to get it out of the dealer but in 5 years you would loose just 3 thousand of those and that makes the whole ownership experience very cheap . An exotic super naked or a big adventure bike or a top of the line super sport would see their value drop by almost a half after 5 years .
Ohhh... how I wish Buell would re-launch it's dealerships world wide. Love the concept, feel, look and character of "sports-cruisers" (Harley's Low Rider ST's and this Indian) BUT, that recent launch of the Buell Super-Cruiser, knocks them all out. If you ever can Neevsey please try one and report back and tantalise us 👍😉
If you want a sporty cruiser. Rebel 1100 . Goes stops good brakes. A lot more lean angle. Africa twin engine so plenty of grunt. Although not a pretty engine to look at . For half the price . I've done 9,000 miles on mine and still love it. I like the look of the Indian. But just costs to much.
Just got a 24 Sport Chief and coming from a sport bike I absolutely love it. Has more than enough pep to have fun and very comfortable for those longer rides. My only complaint is they literally couldn't have put the port for the battery tender in a worse spot
Im looking at the Sport Chief and 101 Scout. Nerves really likes the 101, but has many criticisms of the Sport Chief. I know that British bikers are not familiar with the US cruiser market. Do you think his criticisms are valid in your opinion?
@@keithnewby5259 I agree with everything he said except for raising it up and the riding position. It's easy to scrape the pegs but I don't thing its a big enough deal to spend hundreds of dollars or more lifting it up and potentially upsetting the geometry of the bike. I feel like it's easier to just correct that with body positioning. However, there aren't many curvy roads where I live though. As for the riding position, I'm 6'1" 200 ibs so I added some fwd controls to give my legs more room and it think it's great. The longest ride I've done is 3 hrs with no issues. Have to take breaks to give my butt a break but other than that I've no issues with the seating position. Coming from a sport bike I suppose I'm just grateful I'm not super leaned forward with most of my weight on my wrists. That got old real quick. It is a lot of money but like he said, if you've got cash burning a hole in your pocket, go for it. Every time I start my bike or twist that throttle there's a smile on my face. I'm extremely happy with my sport chief
Great review as always! I know exactly what you mean about having that feeling of a lack of control due to the seating position. I had a 2018 Indian Scout Bobber. I loved the looks of the bike and it was fantastic mechanically, but I never felt comfortable on it or in control of it due to the forward controls and also having to slightly lean forward to the handle bar. I ended up trading the bike in on a Speed Triple 1200 RS and couldn't be happier. I have a lot more confidence on the Speed Triple. I do love what Indian is doing and I wish them lots of success.
Why does it matter what kind of sports/adventure bike you can get for the same price if you're into cruisers, the sport chief is nicer, faster, better kit, and priced comparably to the harley low rider s
Low rider s it's very well stablish, interesting to see how this one will do in sales. I always find surprising how general motorcyclist reviewers don't understand the idea of some people wanting a full metal, more durable, more basic, classic looking bike, instead of pointy plastic bikes with hi-rev engine bikes, screens and all, yes they're not cheap, sad that Japanese quit the competition on big cruisers.
Love this bike! it should have 2 peg sets. 1 for daily where they are now, and one for sport mode higher up or back to lift feet up. You can pull the sport ones down when needed
I used to be a test rider for Harley, and I can say geometry and wheel weight can make any bike sporty. The Softail standard that has lighter wheels but a smaller engine then the street bob feels much stronger and quicker than it's big brother
How does it compare to the HD Lowrider S? Especially in regards to handling and ground clearance? And what part(s) scrape theground while winging it? Thank you.
I’ve ridden a Chief Darkhorse and a Lowrider S. Keep in mind, the Sport Chief has better brakes and suspension compared to the Darkhorse I’ve ridden. The Chief is significantly smoother than a Lowrider, in that it won’t feel like a paint shaker between your legs. Power delivery is smooth and it truly carries its weight well. Great chassis. However. The peg feelers are a mile and a half long and you will scrape both them and the exhaust almost immediately. The engine runs HOT, even with the rear cylinder deactivation, it will start to cook you if you sit at a light too long. Also, while I am firmly not a Harley guy, it’s impossible to ignore that the aftermarket for a Lowrider S is MASSIVE compared to a Chief, and Indian charges top dollar for their accessories. And you can find a Lowrider S on the used market for significantly cheaper than a new Sport Chief.
@@johnpflug1567 yeah of course. Don’t get me wrong, I like the Chief line a lot and I would 100% have one in my garage because then I wouldn’t be just another dude on a black Lowrider S in SoCal. But then again, the Chief is also like $19,000 before taxes and fees. So realistically about $24,000 out the door…
Man this thing looks so cool. Sure they're charging more than [other motorcycle company] but damn I am dying to ride this bike, hopefully the dealer near me has some demo days this year
It seems like American bikes have a fundamental flaw in the riding position that seems to be a required part of the design. It must have something to do with the lack of education about motorcycles by American consumers. The people I see who are buying Harleys, they have no mechanical knowledge of any kind, and they aren't motorcycle enthusiasts. My coworker wants an Indian to cruise on, and he has never owned a streetbike. So there is a lack of experience, and cruiser people won't buy or even desire to ride any other style of motorcycle. Harley buyers really only buy Harley or Indian. I guess the people who only buy American cruisers, only know how to ride a cruiser, and they don't even know what a good handling motorcycle is, or what it's about. Perhaps this is why the ground clearance issue is really a non-issue, because you're dealing with riders who have never experienced a single ride on a sportbike.
I own the 2019 Chieftain Dark Horse White Smoke. It does handle like a sport bike and, I can drag a foot board past sports bikes. Mine listed for 27k USD and I gave 22k.
@@paulh6101 through a long sweeper and with me on it, it is. Perhaps there are many out there in TH-cam land who only think they can " Pilot" a bike.. lol
Nowadays you'd have to mortgage your house to buy a motorcycle. The prices are ridiculous. Might as well buy a private plane and get your pilot's license!! And Indians are one of the most enormously expensive brands. My dad rode Indians in the late 1940s but I'll never have one unless I hit the lottery.
I don't understand the appeal. It's the ugliest Chief, and in the catalogs, they boast about the "increased lean angle" right next to a photo of a rider scraping the pegs and sending sparks at a shallow lean.
29.5 degrees of lean angle is not good for something that says “Sport” in the name. A Burgman has 40 degrees! Even a Harley Davidson Ultra Limited has 32 ffs! That’s a huge oversight for Indian; it’s too bad.
Personally, I think the price point is where this bike fails. For the price, you have so many fantastic bikes from other manufacturers that this bike starts to fall down the list of purchase options.
Agreed. I’ve ridden a regular Chief and the Scout. Both great bikes. But the Scout is several grand cheaper than the Chief, and there’s really nothing about the Chief than can make me justify the extra cost.
Never understood why sport bike journalists state the obvious for cruisers, poor lean angle. People looking to buy this dont care about lean angle. The market knows if you want a bike decent at everything, get an adventure bike. The only thing we are concerned about regarding lean angle, is if its better than the low rider S 😂
Good point. I’d never usually mention ground clearance on a cruiser because they are what they are. But this has racier suspension and brakes to make it sportier…and let down by lack of ground clearance. 👍
Nice bike but no point trying to ride a cruiser like a sports bike. I can't see this 120 year history, there's no link to the original Indian motorcycle unlike HD.
A modern harley is as close to one from the 20’s as this chief is to the original. Harley has lost the way so completely that it might as well be a different company at this point
you buy this bike for the style. nothing else really matters. and this isn't some singular, unique Indian creation. This is a well established custom build type going back two decades now. Harley even had what they called a "Dyna Super Glide Sport" from the early 2000's that had adjustable Showa suspension and higher ground clearance. It's ethos wasn't far removed from what we have here. It was also very common to put those high risers and "drag" bars in period as well. My point is; this is not a new concept in any way, shape, or form. This video is seemingly unaware of that.
Now all they need is a supermoto called the Mis Chief.
Where do I sign up for
Mike, I hope you never stop reviewing bikes on here. This channel is great, and your reviews are awesome!
I've watched nearly every review out there for this bike and I think thus is the most honest one I've seen so far. Very good criticisms and highlights.
The thing about the price is that those bikes are very good at keeping their value in the US market. It's true you gonna pay over 20 thousand to get it out of the dealer but in 5 years you would loose just 3 thousand of those and that makes the whole ownership experience very cheap . An exotic super naked or a big adventure bike or a top of the line super sport would see their value drop by almost a half after 5 years .
This is what I wanted to say.
I think it is the most beautiful bike among Indian models.
Best presenter in the business 🙏
Great review as always and the details are important 😊 cheers from Oz 🇦🇺
Excellent reviews...really appreciate you pointing out the pros/cons. Cheers!
Ohhh... how I wish Buell would re-launch it's dealerships world wide. Love the concept, feel, look and character of "sports-cruisers" (Harley's Low Rider ST's and this Indian) BUT, that recent launch of the Buell Super-Cruiser, knocks them all out. If you ever can Neevsey please try one and report back and tantalise us 👍😉
Yes really! What's really amazing is cornering cruisers with lean angles almost 30° have been around for 60 years.
I am not a cruiser fan but Indian is changing my mind
If you want a sporty cruiser. Rebel 1100 . Goes stops good brakes. A lot more lean angle. Africa twin engine so plenty of grunt. Although not a pretty engine to look at . For half the price . I've done 9,000 miles on mine and still love it. I like the look of the Indian. But just costs to much.
Too
Best reviews on youtube
Just got a 24 Sport Chief and coming from a sport bike I absolutely love it. Has more than enough pep to have fun and very comfortable for those longer rides. My only complaint is they literally couldn't have put the port for the battery tender in a worse spot
Im looking at the Sport Chief and 101 Scout. Nerves really likes the 101, but has many criticisms of the Sport Chief. I know that British bikers are not familiar with the US cruiser market. Do you think his criticisms are valid in your opinion?
@@keithnewby5259 I agree with everything he said except for raising it up and the riding position. It's easy to scrape the pegs but I don't thing its a big enough deal to spend hundreds of dollars or more lifting it up and potentially upsetting the geometry of the bike. I feel like it's easier to just correct that with body positioning. However, there aren't many curvy roads where I live though. As for the riding position, I'm 6'1" 200 ibs so I added some fwd controls to give my legs more room and it think it's great. The longest ride I've done is 3 hrs with no issues. Have to take breaks to give my butt a break but other than that I've no issues with the seating position. Coming from a sport bike I suppose I'm just grateful I'm not super leaned forward with most of my weight on my wrists. That got old real quick. It is a lot of money but like he said, if you've got cash burning a hole in your pocket, go for it. Every time I start my bike or twist that throttle there's a smile on my face. I'm extremely happy with my sport chief
Great review as always! I know exactly what you mean about having that feeling of a lack of control due to the seating position. I had a 2018 Indian Scout Bobber. I loved the looks of the bike and it was fantastic mechanically, but I never felt comfortable on it or in control of it due to the forward controls and also having to slightly lean forward to the handle bar. I ended up trading the bike in on a Speed Triple 1200 RS and couldn't be happier. I have a lot more confidence on the Speed Triple. I do love what Indian is doing and I wish them lots of success.
I can't lie. I'm a Harley fanboy. This new sport chief tho, ooohwee she fine.
I rode one. The bike is ok. I loved the power, I hated the seating position. I give it a 6 of 10.
Why does it matter what kind of sports/adventure bike you can get for the same price if you're into cruisers, the sport chief is nicer, faster, better kit, and priced comparably to the harley low rider s
Love the review, as usual.
Low rider s it's very well stablish, interesting to see how this one will do in sales. I always find surprising how general motorcyclist reviewers don't understand the idea of some people wanting a full metal, more durable, more basic, classic looking bike, instead of pointy plastic bikes with hi-rev engine bikes, screens and all, yes they're not cheap, sad that Japanese quit the competition on big cruisers.
Love this bike! it should have 2 peg sets. 1 for daily where they are now, and one for sport mode higher up or back to lift feet up. You can pull the sport ones down when needed
Great review! Great bike! Great Brand!
Love the review, as always. Right on.
Excellent overview, as always!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Quality review . So well delivered and balanced 👏🏻
Well done, honest review! 👍👍👍
I used to be a test rider for Harley, and I can say geometry and wheel weight can make any bike sporty.
The Softail standard that has lighter wheels but a smaller engine then the street bob feels much stronger and quicker than it's big brother
Finally someone who find the ergonomics of the Chief Sport (same on the CDH standard) completely unbearable.
I thought i was going mad.
How does it compare to the HD Lowrider S? Especially in regards to handling and ground clearance? And what part(s) scrape theground while winging it? Thank you.
I’ve ridden a Chief Darkhorse and a Lowrider S. Keep in mind, the Sport Chief has better brakes and suspension compared to the Darkhorse I’ve ridden.
The Chief is significantly smoother than a Lowrider, in that it won’t feel like a paint shaker between your legs. Power delivery is smooth and it truly carries its weight well. Great chassis.
However.
The peg feelers are a mile and a half long and you will scrape both them and the exhaust almost immediately. The engine runs HOT, even with the rear cylinder deactivation, it will start to cook you if you sit at a light too long.
Also, while I am firmly not a Harley guy, it’s impossible to ignore that the aftermarket for a Lowrider S is MASSIVE compared to a Chief, and Indian charges top dollar for their accessories. And you can find a Lowrider S on the used market for significantly cheaper than a new Sport Chief.
@@cjdavid411
Thanks so much. Good info.
@@johnpflug1567 yeah of course. Don’t get me wrong, I like the Chief line a lot and I would 100% have one in my garage because then I wouldn’t be just another dude on a black Lowrider S in SoCal.
But then again, the Chief is also like $19,000 before taxes and fees. So realistically about $24,000 out the door…
@@cjdavid411 , very fair comments.
Top review! If only addressing the short comings were as easy as digesting this review ... :-/
Man this thing looks so cool. Sure they're charging more than [other motorcycle company] but damn I am dying to ride this bike, hopefully the dealer near me has some demo days this year
At 19k it's really not badly priced for an American made product.
Considering what you get vs [other motorcycle company] I'd say it's well worth it
It's in fact cheaper than the low rider s
That's adorable. My Vrod says they're bout 10 years behind bud lol
It seems like American bikes have a fundamental flaw in the riding position that seems to be a required part of the design. It must have something to do with the lack of education about motorcycles by American consumers. The people I see who are buying Harleys, they have no mechanical knowledge of any kind, and they aren't motorcycle enthusiasts. My coworker wants an Indian to cruise on, and he has never owned a streetbike. So there is a lack of experience, and cruiser people won't buy or even desire to ride any other style of motorcycle. Harley buyers really only buy Harley or Indian. I guess the people who only buy American cruisers, only know how to ride a cruiser, and they don't even know what a good handling motorcycle is, or what it's about. Perhaps this is why the ground clearance issue is really a non-issue, because you're dealing with riders who have never experienced a single ride on a sportbike.
Spoken like a true pompous European!
If I wanted a sport bike I’d buy one. I want a cruiser. Comparing the two isn’t clever.
Is there a reason to have radial mounted calipers with fixed rotors?
Is it better than the street bob or a lowrider st?
volume seems a lil low on this vid
Huh!
Loob foots! I'm totally going to steal that! 🤣 Bike seems really good, but for 20k I can get so much more and better.
Thank you.
Love the look of the bike, but could not live with the riding position or price.
I own the 2019 Chieftain Dark Horse White Smoke. It does handle like a sport bike and, I can drag a foot board past sports bikes. Mine listed for 27k USD and I gave 22k.
No it doesn't lol
Past sports bike's when they're parked up yeah
Lol. The chieftain isn't as flickable as the chief sport. And no indian motorcycle handles like a supersport. Comical perspective though.
@@paulh6101 through a long sweeper and with me on it, it is. Perhaps there are many out there in TH-cam land who only think they can " Pilot" a bike.. lol
@@n.elliott9122 what does a long sweeper have to do with anything? How fast were u going on that long sweeper btw?
Says all this with a straight face 😅
There are just too many people with more dollars than sense....
Great bike
Nowadays you'd have to mortgage your house to buy a motorcycle. The prices are ridiculous. Might as well buy a private plane and get your pilot's license!! And Indians are one of the most enormously expensive brands. My dad rode Indians in the late 1940s but I'll never have one unless I hit the lottery.
I don't understand the appeal. It's the ugliest Chief, and in the catalogs, they boast about the "increased lean angle" right next to a photo of a rider scraping the pegs and sending sparks at a shallow lean.
Maybe they should have someone ride it who can hold a line.
29.5 degrees of lean angle is not good for something that says “Sport” in the name. A Burgman has 40 degrees! Even a Harley Davidson Ultra Limited has 32 ffs! That’s a huge oversight for Indian; it’s too bad.
Some higher/narrower pegs would help these rip properly!
The title of the cornering cruiser only goes to ducati’s diavel
Indian FTR actually.
Not my thing, great review though.
I personally hate the high bars
Stock exhaust is hideous
£20K?? Keep it..............
Personally, I think the price point is where this bike fails. For the price, you have so many fantastic bikes from other manufacturers that this bike starts to fall down the list of purchase options.
Agreed. I’ve ridden a regular Chief and the Scout. Both great bikes. But the Scout is several grand cheaper than the Chief, and there’s really nothing about the Chief than can make me justify the extra cost.
loob foots🤣🤣of torque.....I do hope he knows its pounds/feet or i have missed the joke!
If you're used to normal bikes lol
Never understood why sport bike journalists state the obvious for cruisers, poor lean angle. People looking to buy this dont care about lean angle. The market knows if you want a bike decent at everything, get an adventure bike. The only thing we are concerned about regarding lean angle, is if its better than the low rider S 😂
Good point. I’d never usually mention ground clearance on a cruiser because they are what they are. But this has racier suspension and brakes to make it sportier…and let down by lack of ground clearance. 👍
@willm8182 you're subjectively correct. But I suspect you haven't ridden a MultiV4S.
I wish Honda would bring back the V4, each one was a gem. What do you mean by Ducati selling out? 🤔
@willm8182 I hear ya. Do you miss the dry clutch too?
Another sport bike reviewer evaluating a cruiser 😂
Who thought that was a good place to mount the number plate?
Nice glasspacks LOL!
Nice bike but no point trying to ride a cruiser like a sports bike. I can't see this 120 year history, there's no link to the original Indian motorcycle unlike HD.
A modern harley is as close to one from the 20’s as this chief is to the original. Harley has lost the way so completely that it might as well be a different company at this point
My CVO was built in Thailand then I buy a Apex Road Guide and that was made in Thailand, explain that link to HD 120 history Mr Fanboy
That’s one strange exhaust. It’s definitely not worth 20 grand maybe 10grand.
Built for chimps ergonomically. Shame! Great review
All indian bikes look like copies of every Harley model. This one is obvious copy of Low rider s
A LIL bit auwkward lol
Hey mumbles speak up
Finally caught up to my Yamaha XV1700 Warrior, now reduce the weight and it will be passing it. maybe.
you buy this bike for the style. nothing else really matters.
and this isn't some singular, unique Indian creation. This is a well established custom build type going back two decades now. Harley even had what they called a "Dyna Super Glide Sport" from the early 2000's that had adjustable Showa suspension and higher ground clearance. It's ethos wasn't far removed from what we have here. It was also very common to put those high risers and "drag" bars in period as well.
My point is; this is not a new concept in any way, shape, or form. This video is seemingly unaware of that.