The rollout of the Indian motorcycle brand continues apace with the introduction of an all-new model for 2015: The Scout.
In case you haven’t been following the resurrection of Indian, here’s a quick sketch: The original Indian Motocycle (the “r” came later) Company started in 1901, and lasted only until 1953. The brand never lost its cachet, despite numerous abortive attempts over the next six decades to build successful motorcycles that wore the Indian name. Then, in 2011, powersports giant Polaris bought the right to manufacture Indian motorcycles and dove headlong into engineering, design and marketing operations. For the 2014 model year, Indian released its first bikes, the Chief, in three variations: Classic, Vintage and Chieftain. The variations shared the same engine, the Thunderstroke 111. A fourth bike, the Roadmaster, followed for 2015, based on the same powertrain/chassis combination as the Chieftain. The achievement was impressive. But now comes the Scout, a unique model that does not share a chassis, engine or appearance with the Chief bikes. This one took the motorcycling press a bit by surprise when it was unveiled at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally this summer. Though the Scout is a logical next step for Indian, the surprise is that it comes so quickly on the heels of the Chief. It surely indicates that Polaris is taking Indian very seriously. They’re not just dipping a toe into the marketplace; they’re doing a cannonball off of the high dive.
Scout is a logical next step for Indian for a few reasons. One is based on the brand’s heritage. There was an Indian Scout as early as 1920, with production of the best model from 1928 to 1931 (the “101 Scout”) and lasting until 1949. The concept of Scout was a lighter, speedier, sportier Indian than the Chief. The Scout was Indian’s racing bike, and many examples found their way onto tracks, into hillclimb events, and supporting trick riders. Competition between Indian and
Another reason that Scout is a logical next step is that it expands the brand in the right direction. The big Chiefs are bikes for experienced, mature riders with cash to burn, carrying price tags from $18,999 to $26,999 and up. The Scout is a much more attainable proposition, starting at $10,999. It will appeal to a much different audience – most likely younger, with lower average income and a much longer potential riding future. Those are good assets for a motorcycle company.
Beyond price, as a midsize bike, the Scout is an altogether more accessible motorcycle than the Chief. It weighs in at 558 lbs wet – over 250 fewer pounds than the lightest Chief. Its seat height is a very low 25.3”, also a slight advantage over Chief.
One of the things that appeals to me about the Chief lineup is the Retrofuturist design, and the Scout has a similar appeal. Indian’s designers have studied the classic Scout, distilled its essence, and then reinterpreted it through the lens of today. In press conferences and press releases, Indian frequently says that they like to imagine that their new lineup is an extension of what might have been if the company had not ceased operations in 1953. That allows them to tie in to Indian’s heritage, without slavishly reproducing old designs or old technology.
The new Scout is a simple bike in a lot of ways, but it is packed with modern technology. The most obvious advancement is that the new Scout engine is liquid cooled, a first for any Indian. The radiator is tucked up in front of the engine, and integrates nicely with the cast aluminum frame. The engine itself is a V-Twin that displaces 1,133 cc/69 cubic inches, with claimed output of 72.2 lb-ft of torque and a magical 100 hp – impressive power for a midsize bike. Fuel injection with a electronic throttle control (throttle-by-wire) meters the gas, and there are six gears in the transmission. The outsides of the cylinder jugs are etched with a design that mimics pushrod tubes, which the 1930s Scout would have sported; but the new Scout has overhead cams and four valves per cylinder, obviating the need for external pushrods.
Suspension bits include a telescopic front fork with 4.7” of travel, and dual rear shocks with 3.0” of travel. The coil-over rear shocks lay down at a shallow angle, sort of visually replicating part of a rigid triangle.
The Scout comes with a leather solo seat, a 3.3-gallon fuel tank, and 16” cast alloy wheels front and back – 3.5” wide in the front, and 5” wide in the rear. The bike will be available in four colors when it hits dealerships in December: Indian Motorcycle Red, Silver Smoke and Thunder Black Smoke ($11,299) or Thunder Black ($10,999).
There’s just enough chrome and flash on the Scout to get some attention. Unlike the new Chief, the Scout looks like a bike from 2015, and a very good looking bike at that.
Riding the new Scout, my first impression was how low the bike is. You don’t sit in the Scout; you definitely sit on it. The low handlebars and single round multifunction gauge were obscured from view as I looked down the road in a full face helmet. My seating position was comfortably upright with a mild bend forward, and as I whooshed down the road, I sometimes felt like I was on a magic carpet ride, the bike disappearing beneath me. It was an intoxicating feeling.
That low-slung feeling also contributes to easy cornering and turning, and a 31-degree lean angle allows for some nice carving. Scout’s single front and rear disc brakes are up to the job of slowing down the new bike without drama (and without ABS). Good brakes are essential with 100 hp on tap – the Scout can really move, with impressive acceleration available at the twist of a wrist. I had no problem controlling the bike at low speeds or in traffic, and I had some fun cracking open the throttle when conditions allowed. This Scout is a lot of fun to ride.
As it was in the past, Indian’s target is Harley-Davidson, the 800-lb gorilla of the cruiser marketplace. Scout matches up with the Motor Company’s venerable Sportster in many respects, but the two bikes are worlds apart in other ways. Sportster is air-cooled and uses the same Evolution V-Twin engine that it has had since 1986, either in 883 cc or 1,200 cc bore, depending on model. I’m a longtime Sportster owner – I have a 1993 Sportster Deluxe named Manny that I have owned since 1994, and I love my old bike. Where Indian draws imaginary lines between its heritage in the 1950s, my Sportster is a direct descendant of Harley’s K-Series and the original Sportster from 1957. Still, I had to spend a lot of time and money on my Sportster to make it fit my body and my riding style – the stock bike was just a starting point for a personalized ride. I suspect that many Scout buyers will see the new bike in the same way, tweaking and massaging the ergonomics and style to make an Indian of their own.
The Scout also bears comparison to two other Harleys – the new entry-level Street 750 (starting at $7,499) and the oft-overlooked V-Rod (starting at $16,149), Harley’s liquid-cooled bikes. The Street 750 is a lighter, smaller bike than the Scout, but aimed at a similar motorcyclist. The Scout outguns the Street, and delivers a slicker package with better fit and finish and fewer compromises. The V-Rod was a radical departure for Harley when it came out in 2001, and there’s a lot about how it rides that reminds me of the Scout.
Out of the box, Scout is a little small for my 6’2” frame, and a 50-mile ride was about as far as I could go without discomfort. Indian will be releasing a raft of accessories to help with fit and function, and I would definitely be relocating foot controls and trying out alternate seats to improve my comfort. I’d also want to add some stylish storage, maybe leather saddlebags, because there’s absolutely no storage on the stock bike. I don’t think I’d mess with the exhaust or intake right away, because I really like the way power is delivered on the Scout and I like how quiet and serene it can be on the road.
If I were shopping for a midsize bike, the Scout would be right at the top of my list. I love the design, I’m crazy about the engine and transmission, and I like the idea that I’d be buying in to a brand that has long captured my imagination – long before Polaris was involved; before Gilroy; before Floyd Clymer; before any of the attempts to revive the Indian brand, there was always the mystique of Indian. And Scout captures some of that magic, filters it through modern technology in the form of a bike that is fun to ride, cool to look at and worthy of attention.
