Photo stolen from decay because I didn’t take any.
Anywho... Indian demo day. There were a ton of guys there wearing Harley gear. Indian is really trying to pull customers away from Harley. Decay and I each rode an FTR1200 and a Scout Bobber and came to the same conclusion. Indian is making the best American motorcycles right now by a long shot.
FTR is a little buzzy, but fun. It’s no Monster or street triple, but no current American bike comes close to how good it is to ride. The suspension is perfect and handling is quick and crisp, not far off from a Monster actually. Transmission is a little clunky but works fine. That being said, we both felt it’s overpriced. If the base bike was 12k and the top trim were 13.5k they would sell a ton of them. If you're in the market for an RnineT or Thruxton R, this is definitely worth a look.
The Bobber was much smoother. Not fast, but not hurting for power. The torque feels good. This thing kicks the shit out of Harley. Better power delivery. Better gearing. Better suspension. Better handling. The chassis doesn’t feel like a wet noodle. Transmission similarly clunky to the FTR. Priced much better.
I really liked them both and would consider picking them up used a few years from now. Indian is definitely worth a look if you’re in the market for a new bike. They keep this up and they might put Harley out of business.