The Indian Chief Vintage Test & Review
When I first heard about Indian dropping a retro bike, I was skeptical. I have seen these types of motorcycles before. A bunch of vintage-inspired parts bolted to a late-model frame and power plant. And it usually doesn't work out very well. But when they pulled the cover off the bike at the Indian Chief Vintage launch, I had a different view altogether.
This really has to do with a guy by the name of Ola Stenegärd. He’s the director of product design at Indian Motorcycle and is a true V-Twin Visionary. Yes, he’s a designer and has worked at BMW and Saab, which for sure gives him all the corpo-credit for the suits at Indian. But I’ve know him for his side hustle known as Forsaken Industries @forsaken_Industies
I personally have an affinity for Swedish-style choppers, and combing the internet for real-deal examples I stumbled across his name more than a few times. With much respect I was really fired up in 2018 when he was first started working at Indian. He keeps is simple, clean and uses both history and technology in a perfect mix of form and function. I am sure the upper management at Indian freaked-out when he seemingly went “backwards” by choosing a steel frame for the new model Chief over the aluminum structure of the first Polaris generation. He knows what real riders want, because he is one. And when I first saw the frame of the new Indian Chief with all the styled lugs and beautifully arched tubing, that this bike was something special indeed.
And yes, the Chiefs and Sport Chiefs are really nice bikes, but I have always wondered what that chassis would look like as a stripped-down classically-built chopper or bobber. And as the sheet was ripped off the bike I started to see what Ola was getting at the whole time. Yes, Indian needed a bike to battle with H-D’s Softail segment and the they have down that well. But to take it to another level of classically cool with the Indian Chief Vintage is a whole other level for sure.
Yes, we all know that looks can only take a motorcycle so far. And I for sure had this in mind when I pulled my helmet on and took an all-black Chief Vintage out for a day of riding along California’s Pacific Coast Highway. First off I felt that the ergonomics for my 5-foot 10-inch stature was spot-on. The retro-inspired handlebars had a really good bend that both felt just as comfortable after the first mile as is did on hour six. The floorboards are roomy and I had plenty of places to put my feet in any position I wanted. Then there was the seat. Yes its rigidly mounted to the frame. But it also had ever-so-much give that it flexes just s tiny bit and adds to the overall suspension of the bike. And the shape is supportive and not uncomfortable. Even at the end of a day’s riding I was surprised at how comfortable it was. When talking to the designers they told me that they tries a ton of designs and then used a re-pro seat from a 40’s Chief and a 50’s Ford tractor and came up with this design. Pretty damn genius.
The 116ci engine and six-speed transmission have good power and shift like butter. I am used to this combination due to them being on the Chief and Sport Chief, but this version gets the wayback work over with the absence of chrome and a ton of post WW2-inspired flat finishes.
Also joining the the bygone-era looks of the bike are the beautifully sculpted full fenders. For a company that bobs ever single bike in their fleet besides Baggers seeing these sweeping beauties is a welcome sight. And they really are what gives this bike its throwback look. Along with the Indian head on the front fender of course. Available in two colors: Black and Indian Red gives this bike a true traditional look. Questions abounded about what year and how old the bike was. They were dumbfounded when I told them that that the bike was brand new and they they could have one in their own garage by summertime.
I know this bike isn’t for everyone, and its not going to outsell the bran’s baggers, but for Indian to have this in their line-up full time is a testament to a brand that knows its roots. Seeing the corporate changes in the brand coming this year, I think that it is safe to say that Indian is doing great things as a brand. The Chief Vintage is proof. Because If you don’t know your past, how are you going to plot for your future?
