2015 Indian Scout

[coucours grad]

only 53 lbs heavier than my VFR, about the same HP, WAY more torque, and far cheaper than any sport-tourer

they are gonna sell like hotcakes.

Nice to see someone cares about performance and weight in a cruiser.

I'm not the target audience, but I appreciate it.

 

[Sport-Touring]

[Rattlehead]

.....It was only compared to Harley that Indian was advanced.

Then their picking up right where they left off then, huh?  

I have a feeling, 100% speculation mind you, that Indian will be sort of like Victory is now; "advanced" for the cruiser market but still 'old school tech' and Victory will start moving into markets outside cruiser-dom and will be free to flex a little more engineering muscle; something the cruiser market just doesn't allow.

[stromgal]

I read Aaron Frank's 'first ride' story today, and Indian seems to have gotten a lot right. IF I were looking for a cruiser (subject to a test-ride to see for myself, of course), this would likely be my choice. With some shekels spent on suspension.

[james_g]

I am not a cruiser guy at all but that is one sharp looking bike. Very nice indeed.

james

[Nodaclu]

Every review I've read so far has been various shades of glowing about it.

It'll be interesting to see if they can move this bike in some volume despite a dealer network that doesn't yet match HD and the Big 4. I'm absolutely going to take a long look at one when they hit the showrooms. I keep thinking this bike, especially the first year of production, could be a "forever bike" for me - the kind that stays in your garage forever, no matter what else may come and go.

[Tpoppa]

If it sells well, maybe it will light a fire under HD's ass to redesign the Sportster instead of repolishing the same turd year after year.

[Tpoppa]

I just notced that Indians have a 5 year warranty.  Very nice.

[X1Glider]

I have to wonder if Victory's line of cruisers will have run it's course 5 years from now and Indian will take over their cruiser market.  After all, even though Victory bikes are pretty good, they're not getting the market share that Polaris is looking for.  Maybe some modern styled cruisers, like Victory's, to keep current customers interested, will be using these Chief and Scout engines.

Perhaps the Victory brand will be transformed into sport and standard motorcycles in the future.  It's a pretty cool name for a sport bike.  Polaris breaking into this market isn't far fetched, IMO.

[X1Glider]

While I do like the look of this Scout, there's some things I can't get over.  The forks are aesthetically too spindly next to the huge balloon tires.  17" wheels would allow for a much better selection of tires, not just their Indian branded tires.  3" of suspension is ridiculous.  I'll probably be putting my FXDX up for sale as my spine isn't agreeing with it anymore and it's suspension is pretty good for cruiser comparisons.  25" seat is fine if you're 4'10".  Give me another 1-1.5" of suspension (and more ground clearance for cornering) and a 27" seat height.  27" is low enough.  4 gallon tank should have been minimum.  I know there's an airbox under it taking up room.

Overall, I think this is a winner in this market.  I like how it is more contemporary instead of the tired looking retros they've failed with several times.

If Indian had never shut their doors, they'd have certainly evolved and modernized.  Let HD continue to play their heritage game.

[1KPerDay]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zny8Wdpk9Gk&feature=player_embedded


I really wanted this to be a performance standard, not a 600# cruiser with forward controls and tiny gas tank.  Seems like such a waste of an opportunity, but I guess they have to play to the market.  I'd rather have an XR1200.

So would I.  

Video gets an F- for referring to Scout as Scout. Dumbassery.

[Cobalt]

I have to wonder if Victory's line of cruisers will have run it's course 5 years from now and Indian will take over their cruiser market.  After all, even though Victory bikes are pretty good, they're not getting the market share that Polaris is looking for.  Maybe some modern styled cruisers, like Victory's, to keep current customers interested, will be using these Chief and Scout engines.

Perhaps the Victory brand will be transformed into sport and standard motorcycles in the future.  It's a pretty cool name for a sport bike.  Polaris breaking into this market isn't far fetched, IMO.

The new victory magnum. Ugh. Yeah. They have to be over now, right???

[Cobalt]

Then their picking up right where they left off then, huh? 

I have a feeling, 100% speculation mind you, that Indian will be sort of like Victory is now; "advanced" for the cruiser market but still 'old school tech' and Victory will start moving into markets outside cruiser-dom and will be free to flex a little more engineering muscle; something the cruiser market just doesn't allow.

Once again I ask, what's really missing from any modern generation cruiser, consider the bike's intent and the genre's overall sales? Seriously.

I'm not talking about a scheme Honda shadow here. Take anything that's been either newly introduced or has kept pace.

Show your work.

[Tpoppa]

Once again I ask, what's really missing from any modern generation cruiser, consider the bike's intent and the genre's overall sales? Seriously.

I'm not talking about a scheme Honda shadow here. Take anything that's been either newly introduced or has kept pace.

Show your work.

I think the generation (boomers) that grew up thinking that HDs were big powerful motorcycles will keep that opinion until they die.  HD has them hooked without worrying about such nonsense as innovation or performance.  Indian Cheifs may grab some of those sales, but proabably not enough to be an issue for HD.  

However, younger generations don't seem to have the same predilection for HDs and bikes like this new Scout could make it difficult to spend the same money on a Sportster.  Harleys have always been more a state of mind and tend to suffer when examined objectively against other bikes.
   

[Nodaclu]

 Harleys have always been more a state of mind and tend to suffer when examined objectively against other bikes.

I'll agree with that in every aspect except fit and finish. My 2006 Sportster had a level of finish and quality that was ridiculous....in a good way. Blew away every other bike I've owned.

What's really sad is, by all accounts, HD is starting to abandon that position - particularly with the new Street 500 and 750 models.  

[motrhead]

I think the generation (boomers) that grew up thinking that HDs were big powerful motorcycles will keep that opinion until they die.  HD has them hooked without worrying about such nonsense as innovation or performance.  Indian Chiefs may grab some of those sales, but probably not enough to be an issue for HD.  

However, younger generations don't seem to have the same predilection for HDs and bikes like this new Scout could make it difficult to spend the same money on a Sportster.  Harleys have always been more a state of mind and tend to suffer when examined objectively against other bikes.
  

 I rode some of those other bikes over the last couple years (looking for a Harley alternative!), and surprisingly the Sportster does very well in comparison.  I'm a Yamaha guy, and really wanted to like the Bolt (and was considering buying...) but the Bolt is a gutless, soulless slug compared to a Sporty (or pretty much anything else over 500cc...lol).  Say what you want about it, but the Sportster works well. They have come a long way from my old Ironhead.
  I've spent some time on a 2013 Soft Tail 103 this year, and I have to say it's a helluva bike. It's smooth on the highway...like Gold Wing smooth! It handles very well until it runs out of clearance (just like a Wing), and it really gets up and goes. I could see me on one some day. With the clear plastic windscreen on it, it is super comfortable and just eats up the miles. I'm still a sportbike guy at heart , but I am much less prejudiced...lol. There is something very cool about the relaxed easy power of a Harley, and it is much easier to slow down and smell the roses. I still cruise around 70-75mph on the Harleys, so it's not like I am going slow. I am in a different frame of mind...not looking to blast through every set of twisties. LOL
 Hopefully the competition from Indian will force Harley to keep improving their bikes...but I also hope the Sportster remains a simple aircooled bike.  It has it's own unique niche, just like my Moto Guzzi.

[Rattlehead]

Once again I ask, what's really missing from any modern generation cruiser, consider the bike's intent and the genre's overall sales? Seriously.

I'm not talking about a scheme Honda shadow here. Take anything that's been either newly introduced or has kept pace.

Show your work.

Not entirely sure what you're asking for here but I can certainly tell you what the Sportster is missing in comparison to the Scout:

-A decent chassis: the 'bundle of tubes' that is a Sportster frame is pretty lacking in comparison to something like the Scout. I owned a Sportster at one point, and liked it quite a bit, but that frame is just a bit too 'flexy' for any kind of serious riding. Even some of the seriously beat up roads around here had it feeling 'unsettled' even before the suspension bottoming started (which I did address with longer shocks and some tweaks).

-About 30-35 hp in the 1200 varient and a heaping crap-ton in the 883. I absolutely love the character of the Sportster engine but it's pretty much a gutless turd; though in all fairness, it is stronger than just about everything else in the small cruiser class (till now). Erik Buell did some wonderful things to that powerplant but nothing carried over to the Sporty in terms of power. Pity.    My Buell is one of the most enjoyable bikes I've ever ridden. That XB12 engine (103hp worth of it) in a Sporty would be an absolute hoot and would have it trading blows nicely against the Scout.

-about 5 degrees of lean. The new Sportsters are pitifully short on cornering clearance because of Harley's decision to only offer Low, Lower and Lowest as options. Sure, it sells well for them but it sure does make for a horrible bike to ride. The Scout is still lacking, IMHO, but it bests the Sportster by a not-insignificant amount.

-nearly an inch of suspension travel on both ends. In an attempt to get the seat height down to 'midget territory' Harley cut the shocks to barely 2" of travel (which is actually an improvement over the 1.8"   the previous Low bikes had). Take a look at the Sportster and it's obvious that it was never designed to sit that low. The area of the frame under the seat is actually quite tall, like a standard.

All that being said; I really like the Sportster (I think it's easily the best bike Harley currently offers), I just wish they would put a little money into a more modern chassis, better suspenders and some power. The Scout seems to have addressed all of my issues with the Sporty (though not fully in terms of suspension quality and cornering clearance) and it did it with a VERY good starting MSRP. Given the choice right now, with my own cash, I'd walk right by a Sportster and by the Indian.

[motrhead]

 I still can't believe they dropped the XL1200 Sportster.  That was progress, and with a few parts from the Buell parts bin could still be a better package than the Scout. Locking into the dirt track styling probably killed sales, when the entire line (besides the Low models) could really have used the decent suspension. If it ever came back I would probably buy one.  I was looking seriously at used Buells before I got my Guzzi, and I even came close to buying a 101hp Buell engine to drop in a Sporty...

[Tpoppa]

That last HD I rode was a 2011 Fatboy.  I had it as a loaner for 10 days (700-800 miles).  I tried to like it, really.  It was like a pretty girl that was bad in bed.  It was nice to look at but the ride was not satisfying.

The last Sportster than I rode was a 2002 or 2003.  More fun than the Fatboy, but still not for me.  For a while I was intrigued in a 2006 Street Rod, but that passed.  I've ridden enough Harleys to know I'll probably never swing a leg over one again.    

[MisterSmooth]

Do I understand this correctly, that this bike is not available until December?  

It's lemme see... August right now.

At least that gives us plenty of time to speculate about it.  This thread will be 12 pages long by the time any of us actually get to ride one.  



Me personally, I think the Scout is cool.  Big twin with good power, a touch exotic, plenty nice to look at.  It's an American Moto Guzzi!   And not in a bad way.

[Tpoppa]

I was looking seriously at used Buells before I got my Guzzi, and I even came close to buying a 101hp Buell engine to drop in a Sporty...

If you drop a Buell motor in a Sportster it will actually lose power.  Seriously.  A good bit of the HP gains in air cooled Buells (especially the XBs) were due to the design of the airbox and exhaust, which can't be fitted onto a Sportster in a chrome & tassel friendly way.