2022 Indian Chief Dark Horse First Ride
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 มี.ค. 2021
- Exclusive first ride review of Indian Motorcycle’s new 2022 Chief Dark Horse. How does it ride? Is it an ideal platform for high-performance customization? Is it worth the money? All these answered and more! If you have more questions, please check out our full review with specs at cycleworld.com, and if they’re not answered there, feel free to comment down below.
Minimalism is often the sign of a craft perfected; as master modern architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe said: “Less is more.” To reduce, subtract, and refine until you are left with only what’s needed. To take away the clutter but not the spirit. In this case, to shave about 120 pounds and 4 inches off of the previous Chief model, refine chassis design, and produce a new motorcycle that can do more with less. The 2022 Chief Dark Horse is part of Indian Motorcycle’s first major update to the heavyweight cruiser lineup in a decade, but redesigning a Big Twin is treading on hallowed ground.
The two men leading design on this project are not only experienced and proven designers, but riders, customizers, and passionate motorcycle people. Ola Stenegärd is Indian’s director of Product Design following a 15-year career at BMW (an interview with Stenegärd will be coming soon here at Cycle World). His hand-built 1972 Shovelhead chopper, Forsaken, is one of my all-time favorite builds. Rich Christoph is the lead industrial designer for this rejuvenation of Indian’s flagship as he was on the Scout, FTR750, FTR1200, and Harley-Davidson’s Nightster. When I called Christoph he was in between restoring some 1920s farm equipment, his 1974 Kawasaki G3SS, and preparing to go ice racing the coming weekend. Both of them speak with the fervency that only comes from living one’s passions. They’re the type of people I want designing my motorcycle.
“When you do a classic American cruiser, one this simple and this clean, honoring the Indian name, I always fall back to Ola’s and my knowledge about the customer, what they’re going to want to do with it, and what makes a motorcycle stand the test of time,” Christoph says. “You have to be a rider. You have to be involved.”
There’s a raw beauty in the air-cooled American V-twin. The rumble of the engine and its space to move in the frame, which you can also see. It’s honest. It has to be. A rider has to look at the bike and see the potential for customization. This simplicity and space had to be maintained. “Everything starts with the frame,” Stenegärd says. “No pressed steel hiding where you can’t see it, nothing ugly appears when you lift the tank. The frame itself needs to be a piece of art.”
Every piece of the frame has some sort of curvature or flow to it. The welds are clean and nicely finished. Small details like recessed engine mounts show the time and attention paid to subtle but impactful features. The gooseneck and window created behind the steering head at the front of the frame is more a reference to V-twin customs with pulled-back gas tanks than it is to anything in Indian’s lineage, but it works. It works very well. The line from gas tank, through the seat, down through the shocks to the rear axle is, as Christoph said, simple and clean. And, as intended, being able to see so much of the tubular steel frame has my mind spinning as I consider custom potential.
Powering the Dark Horse is Indian’s Thunderstroke 116, an engine that I have put about 15,000 delightful miles on since 2019. For 2022, the 1,890cc, two-valve-per-cylinder, pushrod twin has been slightly modified for the entire air-cooled Indian line, adding frame mounts to the front cylinder to increase the chassis’ torsional rigidity, and slimming down the primary cover to make a little more room near the rider’s left foot. New throttle maps, Rain, Sport, and Standard, were also designed for the Chief application, specifically to meet Euro 5 emissions standards and work with the new intake and exhaust setups.
Cruising along at 70 mph, the engine spins an effortless 2,500 rpm. Shifting is smooth and definite. The open-road origins of the Thunderstroke are clear as the Big Twin purrs along down the highway.
The air-cooled 49-degree V-twin pulses in the frame, giving the rider the connected feeling that is so important in the cruiser riding experience. But the ride-by-wire and throttle sensor placement result in a vague throttle feel that leaves something to be desired. The clutch feel is also barely existent, so it took some getting used to before I could achieve hard launches in Standard or Sport modes without spinning the tire.
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About time Indian put out the mid size frame with the big engine, I can’t believe they left this market vacant for so long.
I'm not a cruiser guy, but this was a well done review!
This is one of the best reviews for any motorcycle that I’ve ever seen
Very true
What is so hard youtubers.......THIS is how you do a motorcycle review.
Great review Morgan. Probably the only guy on youtube that'll give a fair review to a cruiser
This was very well put together. Making me want an Indian Chief now.
I'm 6'5, seeing you stand next to this bike hits me right in the feels. Got a Super Chief Limited which has the forward floorboards and coupled that with a factory "extended reach" saddle. If that's not comfy may have to go Corbin. It still feels like a big bike, just feels low for us talls. Great video and review!! 👍
I admit when I first started watching, I thought the camera angle or something must’ve been off because the bike looked so tiny! I later learn midway through that you’re 6’4 and all made sense to me. No, the bike isn’t actually tiny lol. On a serious note, being 6’2 myself, I do appreciate when taller riders review bikes as it’s nice to know how someone above 6’ would fit in the frame and tank.
This guy made this bike look like grom sized to us.
Man this thing looks cool as hell. And I never thought I'd say that about a cruiser. Honestly it looks amazing. Can't wait for the next demo day at the indian dealership
The most comprehensive review for this bike so far . Very informative. Thx
This is the best review I have seen on the chief so far!
This bike looks like a Honda Monkey when Morgan stands next to it LOL
Instablaster.
Excellent review, at last a full comprehensive review from someone that knows his bike.
Excellent review! The best review I’ve seen on the new Indian. Waiting on a Chief Dark Horse demo ride at our local dealer. Thanks and ride safe!
He was really pushing this bike's limits, good review.
Great comprehensive review, with relaxed tone and delivery!
Awesome breakdown! Very well done. Excited to test this bike. Might end up in the garage. We need to see more of this guy. Awesome energy!
He didn’t review anything. He basically just candy coated it to ensure Indian keeps giving them bikes to test. Like Ryan Fortnine says motorcycle companies “buy” good reviews! We know nothing about how an unbiased person feels riding this bike!
@@veiledallegory yeah but fortnine gets backed by msnbc
@@veiledallegory it was a great review. Specs, tires, lean angle, everything. Gotta watch the video.
@@veiledallegory You test rode one yet?
looks like I've just added another bike to the list for my next bike. Great review, well done.
Rode one a few times at bike week. Dark horse pulls like a freight train. Impressed. Wish it was same price as a chief.
Excellent review of this new "Polaris Dyna". When I leave my Outback, every road off the mountain looks similar to the ones in your video. This could very well be my next bike. Thanks for a very honest look at this beast.
Hi I just test it today you are right on all the points but here in france on the 116 the rear side panel are metallic. thanks for this test one of the best on youtube. Hello from France.
This is a great and honest review. Of course there is some Victory DNA in the Indian line. Victory was a concept bike that into production. A successful company learns past experiences, keeps the good and changes the bad. I own a Victory Vision Tour. It was a great motorcycle then and is a good one now and will keep it as long as I can. What I like about Indian is that they are producing serious competition to Harley for the American cycle, which forces Harley to build and design better bikes or eventually loose business. Again a nice review for a motorcycle that meets a certain niche.
This makes me question getting a Bobber now. Well done review! Guess I'll just need to test ride the Chief and see which one wins for me lol
Great review, thanks a lot !
Somebody thinks its funny to make the tall guy test all the smaller bikes, ha.
The seat literally comes up to his knee. I complained that they didn't give enough shots of the bike when he was reviewing the CMX1100. Truth is, they couldn't fit his head and the bike in the same shot.
If I hadn't seen this bike in person and sat on it I'd think it was tiny based on this video 😳😅
I was thinking, “either this bike is smaller than my Iron 883, or this guy is tall AF”.
Awesome looking bike.
We wanna see comparison between Chiefs and HD softails
Superb riding skills and a Great review of this beauty😊👍
I'd have to say u earned your paycheck on this review.
What a solid reviewer!
Amazing review. Instant sub.
Awesome Review Awesome Ride!. 👏
Thanks for a great review. The bike looks great. If I had any use for a cruiser this (or the R18) would probably be the one I’d have. But I don’t.
At 6'2" 210lbs, i wear 36 x 34 jeans and found it cramped too, but I disagee on the seat. It dug into my backside and was not comfortable. Agree on standard mode and still the throttle input is vague. Overall a great middle weight cruiser and Im certain they will sell a lot of them!
I love the looks!
I am about the same size as you and considering a Chief.....did you ride the standard Chief or the Bobber version? I think I should be shooting for the Bobber as it has forward controls and the mini-apes which will give me more room.
Fantastic review!
Best review for this bike !
The worst thing about the cruiser market is yesterdays technology at tomorrows prices. This bike should be 12k max! I cannot wrap my head around the fact that this bike costs more than a 2021 s1000r that is packed with the latest and greatest technological advancements. well i guess each to their own!
Well said. I am guessing I would enjoy a Vulcan S as much or more than this bike. Don't get me wrong, I love Polaris but if I want a "Sporty" cruiser I think the Vulcan S beats this out and is $10,000 less. I loved riding my wife's Triumph America which was a light cruiser that could also lean in better then this Dark Horse. I don't see it sporty so much as a little cruiser.
I really enjoyed your video, it was really educational and enlightening. I love the chief, Indian knocked out of the park with bike. Would you recommend it for a new rider??
Great Review! 👍
Really nice review well done 👍
Love the presentation JOHN WICK style 🤙🏻
Looks awesome!
Great review!!! How do you think the rear suspension will handle with a passenger ?
I'm not a v twin guy but that's a cool bike and you actually get what you pay for with Indian. I'm used to jerky throttle on a sportbike.
Great review, and I'm getting a serious cool guy version of Marty McFly and I'm finding it kinda awesome.
More like his dad after knocking out Biff
Fuck yes!!! No tech sheet Reading and Boring Stuff!
Just great pictures, with perfect cuts and no fucking wind noises on the on board Videos! This is the Best motorcycle Review i‘ve Seen so far!!! Seems like the too tall guy knows what he is doing on That bike. And he Talks about the important things!!!
How are the rear shocks are they something you would keep? Is this sweet ride made for long cruising?
Beautiful bike. I know it's not a true bobber, but those fenders look great.
Love the look of this new redesign. But I prefered the previous design. Still, It's a beautiful bike
Well done. Subbed
Excellent presentation
2022 Chief Dark Horse! Thumbs up guys! The devil is in the details when it comes to Indian Motorcycle ... And the detail work holds a high class. Check how the engine is mounted to the frame for example ... Even if compromises are made on all production motorcycles, I actually think that Indian always manages to raise the level one notch or two. No! The new Chief does not look like Victory Gunner. Not at all - I liked the Victory Gunner, but sorry - The Indian Chief is a fundamentally new design, and: YES! it is similar to other Cruiser bikes because it's a Cruiser - I think Indian Motorcycles' entry into this segment will be noticeable to competitors.
Best review yet, great to see the chief hit some bends, very informative review, thanks man
Sounds like Indian's drive-by-wire system nailed the old-school "carb-with-an-off-idle-flat-spot" feel.
I absolutely have to see these bikes in person, i can't tell if they look awesome or just way too small from the videos? I really want to like them🤔🤠😎
I see Polaris kept the Victory Vegas plans and were able to dust them off and Indianize them.
I think you are right. They resurrect Ed the steel frame Victory although my Judge has a little better rake. The styling with the smaller tank looks better
Actually it's totally different. Different engine. Frame. And exposed dual shocks not mono shock. I've ridden both. This has a totally different feel.
@@yoshit9819 hi Julio, you're taking the comments too literal. Simply pointing out some Victory styling cues have resurfaced in the Indian line up and did so in a sarcastic manner. I don't actually believe they dusted off plans from a Victory bike.
@@temproenterprises2424 my bad. I read and wrote pre coffee. My apologies sir.
@@yoshit9819 hahaha no worries, ride safe.
An honest review!
Wholly guacamole! That guy makes the Chief look smaller than a Grom! 😲
Was wondering if the short rear fender would allow road debris and rain shoot up to the rider's back?
Indian's looking more like Harley-Davidson every year. I'm talking about the new tubular frame here, as well as the overhaul to the Chieftan's fairings and bags a couple years ago. They make great motorcycles, but outside of the FTR and Challenger, their styling borders on derivative. And it pales (imo) next to the Street Bob or the Low Rider S especially. Makes me miss Victory.
Indians are really nice, hoping to get one soon. That rear fender is an eyesore though
Now INDIAN need to put the POWER PLUS engine in a monoshock frame with inverted forks and duel disk brakes and rule the performance cruiser segment !!!
Good job! :)
Mind blowing 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Love the ZF stuff on my BETAs
Admittedly I'm a British sport and sport-touring rider but if I was to pick up a cruiser this would probably be it. We only get dark horse versions here. That said I don't know how well nearly two litres engine and 350kg of mass will work on twisty British backroads.
I'm a first time MC buyer and I'm pretty torn between getting a Scout or a Chief. I want the Scout more for the simplicity, manouverability in city driving but the Chief for comfort and longer distance travel. My day-to-day driving will be shorter trips to and from work, visiting friends etc. All within 20-30 km (15mi) radius. But some friends of mine have also been talking about taking some longer trips 400-500km.
Any advice on which to get?
I've owned a Scout Bobber for 3 years and it's a great bike, fun as heck, but it has limitations.
The Chief is way more comfortable and has a lot more tech and features. If you can afford the extra cost, I'd recommend the Chief.
Picking up where Harley left off with the dyna-bros
Nice Dyna! Good Job Indian!
I agree with the others this was a very good renew.
How does this fare with the Low Rider S? I am guessing the Low Rider S dual disc break and Traction control are advantages, but this engine has more juice?
The engines are about equal, the M8 114 has a few more ponies, the TS 116 has about 5 lb/ft more torque. The chief has a better engineered frame and more electronic goodies, whereas the LRS is a more stripped down raw muscle cruiser. I think it would come down to riding both the LRS and the chief DH bobber and seeing which one feels better, they are so equal.
Is it me or does this look a lot like a Victory with the black engine?
I did not realize that Crispin Glover was a tester for Cycle World.
116 cc engine??
I want this. But why didnt they give it the challenger's liquid cooled engine
Hey guy l'm New to the Indian Motorcycle ,, l just bought a Indian scout ,, what can you say about the scout !!?🏍️
I want to see someone compare this to a Victory Gunner or Highball.
Which color scheme is this bike? Jade Alumina or Stealth Grey? I cannot distinguish in the light...
Alumina Jade is what they are calling this one.
What helmet was he wearing?
How tall are you?
Good review, man this guy is tall lol
Well first thing I noticed was "No parking" Sign
slap some paint on those panels under the seat and it would look much more polished
Great work. Truly enjoyed the video. In my market these bikes are cheaper than a low mileage three year old Fat Boy. I honestly want both.
"INDIAN MOTORCYCLES KNOCKING THE BALL OUT OF THE PARK AGAIN".
Harley owners were mad HD isn't listening and dropped the Dyna.
Indian made a better one, at a better price, with more power and features.
Genius. Thanks for actually listening to your fan base Indian. You have a bright future.
My 2020 low rider S smokes this indian😂
@@mrnizzi lowrider s makes 100hp, 119tq
These make 100hp, 130tq.
Please tell me how your slower bike smokes something that isnt even on the road. BTW how much does a new lowrider S cost and did it come with GPS and Bluetooth included?
Sounding like the typical arrogant HD rider.... wanna "smoke" my Vmax? I'll give you a 5 bike lead.
@@jordanjoestar8839 yeah, "original"
+ my bike has less rake, and dual.disc fronts.. so I would love to challange this bike on the track or a mountain road
@@mrnizzi the Scout is fine at what it does. Until you ride one your opinion is worth nothing.
There are 1,000 bikes that would destroy yours both on a drag strip and on the canyons for half the price so idk what your point is, the FTR1200 being one of them, at a lower cost with much more versatility. People love the new Indians, and unfortunately for you, nothing changes that.
@@jordanjoestar8839 yupp, that is totally true except thay the ftr1200 is but ugly amd the fxlrs is one of the best looking cruisers to date. Change my mind
How tall are you? Greets vom Germany! 🤘🏻
He looked like a animated Dracula 🦇 coming around the corners with his knees sticking out and up past the fuel tank. Good video tho. Insightful. To bad you couldn’t play Rod zombie to this.🧟♂️
Good feel, good sorta combustion feel? Tf
Cool
Interesting - does 80 mph @ 3K rpm. My Indian Scout does 80 mph @ 4K rpm. Scout has a smaller motor, of course.
Are bikes like this good for a beginner?
No. Too heavy and expensive. This bike is for a rider with at least 1-2 bikes under their belt.
This guy can ride a bike.
Either that bike is small? Or that fellow really tall?
The side panels are not plastic
Good review but sounds like advertisement unfortunatelly. Buy the may, the bike looks so small... knees above a tank.. if it is important for somebody..
AA, He said that he was 6'4" and the bike is really for 6' or shorter riders. I'm 6', and starting to look at various cruiser models. I sat on a Rebel 500, and wasn't crazy about the low seat height. The Kawasaki Vulcan S felt better, and has the Ninja 650 engine. I can pu a used Vulcan S with low mileage for around $5k. Also looking at used Vulcan 900 models on cycletrader.com. Lotsa good deals out there...👍😺
I sat on this same Chief Darkhorse model at my dealer and honesty felt the same size as my Scout Bobber. I need to try out the Chief Bobber for a better fit as it has forward-controls and those 5" mini-apes.
Indian got smart and built a FXR
I really want to trade my 2019 FLHT for one of these new Chief’s however I just can’t bring myself to trust POLARIS after what they did to their Loyal Dedicated VICTORY Customers.
Yes! You are right to feel that way. I have a 2016 Victory, I won't be buying an Indian EVER!
It makes sense as a business decision from Polaris. The Victory line could never compete with HD from a heritage stand point the way the Indian name could. Polaris didn't want to waste money by duplicating effort with 2 cruiser brands, so the decision was made to double down on Indian. And the decision has paid off so far. What Polaris should've done was kept the Victory line under the Indian badge as their middle weight cruiser instead of bringing out this new smaller chief.
Just look at Indian as a continuation of Victory. It's all good man it's another American motorcycle option!
197 / 5000
Thank you presentation
I wait a little, because too disappointed by victory (to close after 6 months to buy) and I am on Scrambler BMW
but I find it becomes a great product so when my purse is full € ....
👍
Should have given it a new name. A chief will always be the classic vintage styled chief in my eyes. This one should have been called something new