Indian Sport Chief Brings the Fight Right to Rival Harley

Performance Focused

The resurgence of Indian in past years has given Harley a properly direct rival, and in many cases, that's a good thing. It has somewhat forced MoCo to up its proverbial game and churn out more and better products, after all. The latest machine it must do battle with is this - the Indian Sport Chief, a performance-focused version of the also fairly new Chief lineup.

Photos: Indian

Best of Both Worlds?

The performance aspect - along with its unique looks - is what sets the Sport Chief apart from the pack, and given Indian's recent flat track racing success, it also makes quite a bit of sense. There are plenty of us looking for a bike that we can ride long distances, yet also don't want to give up the fun of riding, and that's precisely what this new offering aims to give us.

Photos: Indian

Many Changes

In terms of its powertrain and frame, the Sport Chief is identical to its cruiser brethren, and it's still powered by the Thunderstroke 116 present in the Dark Horse variants of the Chief, which churns out 120 pound-feet of torque. However, Indian tweaked pretty much everything else, moving the foot controls to the middle, and adding moto-style bars and a solo seat to make it feel more sporty.

Photos: Indian

Suspension Tweaks

On the suspension side of the equation, the rear adjustable Fox shocks offer 100mm of travel and 29.5 degrees of lean angle, while the 43mm KYB front forks provide a rake angle of 28 degrees. The Sport Chief also features a machined triple clamp and a six-inch riser, all of which conspire to give the rider a fun day in the twisties.

Photos: Indian

Big Upgrade

While the regular Chief is equipped with a rather uninspiring single-disc front brake, the Sport Chief gets a big upgrade in the form of 320mm Brembo brakes with four-piston calipers for superior stopping capability. The whole thing rolls on a set of cast wheels measuring 19 inches up front and 16 in the rear, which are wrapped with Pirelli Night Dragon tires.

Photos: Indian

Wrapping It Up

Wrapping up this list of upgrades are a four-gallon fuel tank, dual exhaust, a bobbed rear fender, LED lighting, and three drive modes - Sport, Standard, and Tour. It also features a customizable 4-inch touchscreen that runs Indian's Ride Command software that can be used via the handlebar-mounted controls as well.

Photos: Indian

Compelling Offering

The new Indian Sport Chief is available in a grand total of four hues - Black Smoke, Ruby Smoke, Stealth Gray, and Spirit Blue Smoke. The new, sporty cruiser starts out at $18,999 minus options, and for now, looks like a pretty compelling offering in the two-wheeler market.

Photos: Indian

>>Join in the conversation about the Indian Sport Chief right here in Harley-Davidson Forums.

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