Indian Chieftain front three quarters action shots

Indian Chieftain Review: Arcane Art

Performance, Ride & Handling

Indian Chieftain right side view action shots  (33)

Indian Chieftain thunderstroke engine (62)

If some God of darkness ever decides to tie some souls behind the Indian Chieftain, stuff a few more inside the panniers and drag them along, a fuel injected V-twin 1811 cc Thunderstroke motor ensures it complies to that whip. Rated for 139 Nm of peak twist between 2600 – 3000 rpm, like a souped-up pushback tractor, the Chieftain pulls towards triple digit speeds in a jiffy. From the moment, you slot that toe operated lever into a clanky first, the Chieftain forgets about all its bulk and shrinks itself into a thoroughbred. As you ride a wave of torque that never breaks, shifting through and getting into higher gears brings the best out of this creamy motor. You may rev it till the 5000 rpm mark and a little further, but it isn’t what you’d ever have to do in order to get the best out of this motor. Also, if you revel in that pointless exercise, a few vibes creep in and are felt near the footboard and the bars. Shift action is pretty positive across all its six gears. It’s not like a click that you experience on a sports bike, but not a heavy metal clank that you’d experience elsewhere either. It finds a fair middle ground.

Indian Chieftain right side view action shots  (29)

In a surprising manner, while that Thunderstroke motor is busy dragging near half a tonne mass including the rider, the large windscreen deflects all the wind away. It isolates you from the gusty drama that is normally associated with motorcycles, fooling you into believing that you are going slower, when you really aren’t. A glance on the speedometer is what it takes to realize that those PYTs ogling at you from the large SUV are left well far behind.

Indian Chieftain front brakes and alloy wheel (88)

However, two 300 mm discs with a four piston caliper and a single rear matching disc ensure you allow them to catch up when you so wish. Coupled with ABS, a firm dab on the lever is all that is required to haul the Chieftain down from express speeds. The bike sheds serious momentum without unnecessary fork dive or losing even an iota of composure. For those who prefer using rear brakes in conjunction with the front units, the Chieftain drops its anchors at an even faster rate.

Indian Chieftain  front three quarters action shots  (7)

For a motorcycle that wants your feet to be placed on a footboard while you are perched on a couch, it isn’t a machine to go corner hunting on. However, the Indian Chieftain goes through fast sweeping bends like it was on rails, provided you are aware of the point where the floorboard might just start kissing the ground. Having said that, directional changes are easy, as long as you aren’t switching lanes in an overly eager fashion. Subtlety and smooth inputs are key here, and the Chieftain will reward you with a pleasingly mature riding experience.

Indian Chieftain  right side footboard(63)Indian Chieftain gear lever (83) Indian Chieftain touring footpegs (49)

For anyone upgrading from a motorcycle with forward set pegs to the Chieftain, no matter what the speed, your feet remain firmly planted on the wide footboard. If you do miss that feeling of your feet flying back at speeds though, there is another set of pegs on the crash guard for you to experience that feeling. A potentially hazardous place for your feet to be though if there ever is a situation that requires one foot slamming on the brake pedal, while the other frantically downshifts.

Indian Chieftain left side view action shots (26)

Now, coming to the aspect where the Indian Chieftain really shines; ride quality. With all that bulk, it glides through undulations without any judder felt through the handlebars or the chassis. That doesn’t mean it is a Spongebob though, as when we encountering sudden crests or potholes on the road, the Chieftain never did bottom out. Not even with a pillion aboard. The suspension setup on the Indian Chieftain finds the right balance to carry all its bulk in mighty comfort, without compromising on dynamics. For this big a motorcycle, that is some feat.

Indian Chieftain Head-on action shots (10)

Maneuverability in town and traffic could be a pain though, as no matter who you are and how well built you might be, the turning radius, expectedly so, is quite large. Adding to that are those wide handlebars, which require really long arms if one has to turn them lock-to-lock, that enormous weight of the bike not helping matters. Out on the open road though, all of this can be forgotten as that is where this thing of art belongs.

Indian Chieftain dual exhaust  (57)

For those who expected the sound coming from that exhaust to match the size, prepare to be surprised. The Indian Chieftain doesn’t bank on being loud to announce its presence; it has enough magnetism in its persona for that. However, it isn’t a muted ant either. With a delicious deep tone that emanates from the twin exhaust, you can turn it up further by adding a stage-1 slip-on exhaust. For those worried about the heat generated from a large twin, we were riding this machine on a sweltering hot day in Mumbai, with the sun coming across as the most scorching thing around. For those who care, the Indian Chieftain managed to haul all its weight for 13.6 kms on a liter of petrol.

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