Not a week after Buell revealed its forthcoming Super Cruiser, Indian counterpunches with a muscular and aggressive Sport Chief, featuring a host of performance components for improved ride and handling.
The latest generation of the Indian Chief was launched two years ago, and soon the Sport Chief arrives, offering performance and styling options for owners to personalise their ride.
Special Sport Chief items include KYB inverted forks and piggyback rear Fox shocks with four inches of travel. Improved lean angles each side (out to 29.5 degrees) means added cornering creds. Up front are four-piston radial-mounted Brembo brakes for added stopping power. The result is an Indian Chief that can be ridden more aggressively “and provides the confidence and capability to take the riding experience to another level.”
Ola Stenegärd, Director, Industrial Design for Indian Motorcycle commented “With Sport Chief, we wanted to maintain the same care-free attitude and American muscle but elevate it even further with componentry that not only delivers a style and attitude that exudes performance but raises the bar entirely for performance cruisers.”
Underpinning the bike is a steel tube frame, and powering Sport Chief is a blackened Thunderstroke 116 motor delivering 162Nm of torque. Up front is a quarter fairing to minimise windage, while Moto-style bars sit on six-inch risers. Mid-mount foot controls and a solo seat are said to impart a comfortable but sporty riding position. Cast wheels feature Pirelli Night Dragon tyres, (19-inch front, 16-inch rear) while other key items include a 15L fuel tank, bobbed rear fender, dual exhaust, LED lighting, keyless ignition, and three selectable ride modes, comprising Sport, Standard and Tour.
A four-inch touchscreen includes two different gauge configurations, motorcycle and ride information, and turn-by-turn navigation. Calls and music can also be made with a Bluetooth enabled helmet.
Performance accessories include fully adjustable piggyback FOX Shocks while other Indian owners can upgrade their rear suspension to the stock Sport Chief Fox units, offering added comfort, stability and handling. They might also like to check out the Sport Chief’s quarter fairing and handlebar risers which fit existing Chief models. Other accessories include a variety of bags, and windscreens, along with 10-inch Moto handlebar risers.
Various seat options are also available.
Expect the Super Chief here midway through Q2 of 2023 in black smoke, ruby smoke or stealth grey. Pricing is set at $33,495, the same as for the Super Chief Limited.
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