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Sunday, August 14, 2016

A Woman’s Perspective of The Indian Chieftain Motorcycle

From the beginning I have been in love with the Indian Motorcycle. This motorcycle is the one that will always make me turn and look. So when I heard that Polaris was bringing it back I was on-line learning everything I could about this sleek, sexy machine. I watched for the Demo truck to come to California and was one of the first in line to ride this beauty in December 2013 at the Long Beach Motorcycle Show.

Let me give you some background on who I am so you can decide if my opinion matters to you. I am a 59 year old woman that obtained my license 6 and a 1/2 years ago. I learned on and currently ride a 94 Harley Davidson Dyna Wideglide. Since beginning to ride I have put 30,000 miles on this motorcycle, the majority of which on vacation trips to as far away as Amarillo, Texas from So California. My future goal is to retire and take off to explore this country on the motorcycle with my companion Trampy Joe. Just ride and tick off the sights on my bucket list until I want to stop. So my next motorcycle will be a bagger with locking luggage, a fairing, music, and cruise control.

I have test ridden the Indian Roadmaster, Indian Chieftain, Indian Vintage Classic. Harley Davidson’s Roadglide Ultra, Ultra Classic, and the Streetglide. I thought I wanted the Streetglide Special until Indian made its return on the scene.

We will begin with just mounting the Indian Chieftain or Roadmaster. The first time I got on this bike and pulled it up from the kickstand, I nearly threw it over. The Chieftain is so well balanced that at 848 lbs., I can stand it up with just my legs. None of the turning the handlebars all the way to one side and muscling it up to a standing position. I can place my fingertips on the handlebars to keep them straight ahead and push it up with my legs.
This exceptional balance is great for the start of the experience and then translates into the ride. I never feel that I am fighting this bike or that I have to man handle it. I can put it anywhere I want while going slow. It is very easy to maneuver in the slow stuff and then when you get out on the road it is a dream.

Out on the open road this balance translates into fun. The Indian handles with ease. I can put this motorcycle wherever I want and focus on improving my line in the turns. Cruising straight roads, no problem. Riding fast through the twisties, no problem. 

I can focus on reacting to traffic or road conditions because I am unaware of any bulk to this bike. Because of that great balance you don’t have any wonky moments where you think you are going to lose it coming to a stop. You just stop, allowing you to focus on what is in front of you. I can focus on the task at hand and I feel much safer on the Indian as I feel I am in total control.

With the Thunderstroke 111 engine the power is always there. It doesn't matter what gear you are in, you just roll on the throttle and she takes off with a totally smooth transition. Inversely when you need to stop fast, just hit the brakes and the Indian comes to a smooth, straight stop. The ABS braking system prevents the possibility of a tire locking up and going sideways.

I was talking to a Salesman at San Diego Indian Motorcycle recently. He is not only in Sales but is also a Harley Davidson and Indian Motorcycle Technician. He said that Polaris has consistently built dependable machines for extreme weather and road conditions and that the same Engineers developed this motorcycle. That is why Polaris can stand behind this motorcycle and why I can have confidence that this will be a dependable machine. He shared with me some maintenance features that are easier than the competitions' bikes. As a woman one of my fears is being stuck by the side of the road. So in addition to everything else I know that buying an Indian Motorcycle is the right choice for me for dependability and ease of maintenance.

I love the adjustable windshield on both the Baggers. With a touch of a button I can adjust it down so that I have more wind in my face; or up to have more wind protection. This is a great feature that you have to experience to appreciate.

The music system is beautiful and clear and the volume self-adjusts down as you come to a stop. The controls are easy to access while riding. You can utilize your IPOD/ MP3 device, cell phone or flash drive to play music or utilize the radio. Whatever device you use is safely tucked away out of sight and harm’s way in the Fairing. The bike is also Bluetooth enabled. There are two plug- in ports on the Chieftain and three on the Roadmaster, so you never have to worry if your devices are charged.

The Roadmaster is the full dresser version of the Chieftain. I found the handling and maneuverability overall to be about the same. Because of the trunk and the hard lower covers you feel more closed in and protected on the Roadmaster. Even with the vents open I found the lower covers confining. It just depends on what level of luxury you are going for. The Roadmaster has a very comfortable dual heated seat.
The heated grips have easy access controls to adjust the level of heat to keep your hands toasty warm. I really like the beautiful, luxurious brown or black leather. The Roadmaster is just the Chieftain with full luxury and all the bells and whistles.

The locking luggage is awesome. You can lock all the bags from a button on the tank or from the key fob as you are walking away. No fumbling with keys and fighting with goofy hinges. The mechanisms are easy to access. The trunk is deep enough to handle two full face helmets. It is illuminated for ease of finding your stuff in the dark.

I personally like the Chieftain and the full headdress logo on the tank. I like the feel of the wind and I had more fun in the turns without the added weight. The Chieftain doesn’t come stock with the lower covers and allows that free flow of air.  It feels less confining than the full dresser Roadmaster. (I may change my mind when I get out in varying weather conditions.) The Roadmaster would be more comfortable for a passenger but that is not what I am looking for. All the accessories on the Roadmaster can be added to the Chieftain, so that might be what I will do when I hit the road on a permanent basis. Maybe add the trunk at that point or the heated seat and grips. Or go for it, and trade in the Chieftain and buy the Roadmaster.
You can go to IndianMotorcyle.com and build your bike. I have done this several times and with different colors. The color I keep coming back to is the Black Indian Chieftain with the full headdress logo on the tank. I want it with a driver backrest, two inch pull back bars, highway pegs, and all the chrome. I really like the chrome caliper covers and fender guards on the black bike. I was raised with horses and this version of this bike reminds me of the Black Stallion on two wheels.

Powerful, Beautiful and Magnificent are the three words I would use to describe the Indian Motorcycle and it is definitely my choice for my next bike.

News Update: On October 28, 2016 I purchased a 2014 Indian Chieftain. It is beautiful and everything I had hoped it would be. I took my first long trip in July 2016. That story to come.