LAUNCH INDIAN SCOUT

HOW?

PRETTY DAMN WELL, THANK YOU…

WORDS THE BEAR PHOTOS GOLD & GOOSE

How’s this for a vote of confidence: to this day, most if not all of the Wall of Death riders around the world use Indian Scouts. They’re late –‘20s to early –‘30s models, and they are prized for their simplicity, reliability and bare bones looks. And of course Burt Munro’s Indian started life as a Scout too. How do you capitalise on a history like that without seeming to be just an imitator?

It’s always interesting to see how different people tackle the same problem.

John Bloor, faced with re-entering the market with his Triumph marque,chose to produce a substantial range of completely new bikes. He even changed the logo. It was only when those bikes, or rather their successors, had become established that Triumph released models reminiscent of the old range.

Bloor was keen to set a new standard for Triumph, and he succeeded.

Polaris, or rather Indian Motorcycles,attacked the same problem the other way around. They released a trio of bikes that didn’t just hark back to the old days of Indian, but practically replicated it. Of course they offered modern engineering, but their styling was very old school indeed. And now, with the first additional range, they are bypassing the new bike idea and are referencing other old machines. The slab-sided guards recall bikes from early last century, and so does the tank which almost looks like one of the old in-frame tanks popular before saddle tanks were developed.

“I SUSPECT THAT THE SCOUT WILL DEVELOP A FOLLOWING ALL OF ITS OWN, AND THAT ANY CAPTURE SALES WILL BE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE MID-SIZED JAPANESE”

So if the initial Chief range of bikes was very much a take on Indian history, the Scout spreads its wings a little wider.

But it’s still very much a classically styled and classic-looking bike – even though there is also a modern touch. This design, not the Chief’s, shows to my eyes how the Indian marque might have developed if its production had not been interrupted. Everything old is indeed new again, and looking pretty well integrated.

Indian clearly sees the Scout as a competitor for the Sportster range from Harley-Davidson, but I’m not sure that that works. Sportys have developed a family look under the influence of the California custom culture, and the Scout design looks far – well, older than that.

More classic? Does that mean it is likely to have trouble establishing itself? No, I don’t think so. It just won’t be as an alternative to the Sportsters.

I suspect that the Scout will develop a following all of its own, and that any capture sales will be at the expense of the mid-sized Japanese cruisers, which it resembles in some ways. It deserves to do well, too, as my rides during the model’s recent launch in New Zealand demonstrated.

When I saw the first pictures of the Scout, I was not at all sure about the design. Nothing specific, except that rather fat seat (Mustang Seats, where are you when we need you?); but overall the design didn’t seem to quite jell. As so often, a look at the real thing in the metal cured that problem. Now that I’m familiar with it I like the styling, and I suspect you will too.

Okay, let’s climb aboard. I’m about 5’11”, and I was instantly comfortable.

The rider’s triangle had my backside,hands and feet placed comfortably.

Indian offers adjustment, by the way,to suit you whatever size you are. The riding position stayed comfortable, too, and the leather (more colour-fast than last year’s) cosseted my bottom very nicely. I could be fussy and ask for adjustable hand levers, but I’m not sure they are needed.

That seat is so low, and it is amazing how light the Scout feels; I mean, in the cruiser world it actually is light, but it doesn’t really look it so this is a bit of a surprise. The engine fires up easily, and the next surprise came when I turned out of the parking lot.

The bike turns in quite effortlessly, and has substantial ground clearance. The clutch feels fine, and the gears snick smoothly into place. Acceleration is linear; the torque curve feels more like a torque plateau; there’s plenty of go no matter what the revs. I tend to change short and found myself changing up at 4000rpm or so, but to get the most out of the engine you can easily double that figure.

My first disappointment came with the first bit of rough road. Full marks to Indian for sending us out on just plain ordinary NZ North island roads; they tested the suspension and found both front and rear lacking damping. The long wheelbase kept things under control, though, and I didn’t ever feel as if the bike was getting out of hand.

Although it would make a competent first big cruiser, the Scout can also be hammered through the twisties with the only real limitation being that lack of damping. It is a remarkably “sporty” bike, so despite its rather solid looks it may actually be a competitor for the Sportster after all. I need to admit here that I own a Sportster – a 2014 72 – and I’d back the Scout in a twisty road race. Of course that’s not why I own the Sportster.

The Scout is an honest Injun; scout one out in one of the growing number of Indian dealerships and take it for a run yourself.

SPECS INDIAN SCOUT

PRICE: $17,995 (ride away)

WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance with premium roadside assist

SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 8000km or 12 months

ENGINE: Liquid-cooled 60 degree V-twin cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

BORE x STROKE: 99 x 73.6mm

DISPLACEMENT: 1133cc

COMPRESSION: 10.7:1

POWER: 74.7kW @ 7730rpm

TORQUE: 97.7Nm @ 5900rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, belt final drive

SUSPENSION: Front, 41mm telescopic fork, non-adjustable, travel 120mm. Rear, twin shocks, adjustable preload*, travel 76mm.

DIMENSIONS: Seat height 635mm, weight 244kg (no fuel), fuel capacity 12.5 litres, wheelbase 1562mm

TYRES: Front, 130/90/16. Rear, 150/80/16

FRAME: Aluminium castings

BRAKES: Front, 298mm disc with two-piston caliper. Rear, 298mm disc, single piston caliper.

FUEL CONSUMPTION: 5.4 litres per 100km, premium unleaded

THEORETICAL RANGE: 231km

COLOURS: Red, Thunder Black, Smoke Thunder Black, Smoke Silver

VERDICT: HITS THE TARGET

*Preload spanner is supplied, but you’ll need to carry it in your pocket.

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