2009 Indian Chief Vintage Motorcycle - Rode Test
Maverick - Sep 28, 2009

When you get an opportunity, step up to an Indian motorcycle and enjoy the design elements and quality of the paint and chrome.  The black and red Indian Chief Vintage with black leather bags and trim invites you to gaze long and hard.  Before long, your imagination has you rolling down the roadway in fantasy, if not reality.  That is what happened to me when I scheduled a recent test ride.

 

Once on the road, handling is most impressive.  During part of our test ride on the Indian Chief Vintage pictured above, I had the opportunity to follow and observe another Indian, about 10 yards in front of me, ridden by a colleague.  We put these bikes through their paces.  Starts, stops, turns, and acceleration on the Indian were as agile as on a sport bike; but this bike weighs in at 770 lbs.

 

The Indian Chief Vintage is a motorcycle that you want to add to your trophy case. 

 

Indian motorcycles are a thing of beauty, and one cannot resist being drawn to them; just like those other guys and gals who stop in their tracks when you drive up!

 

The Indian Chief Vintage I rode is a beauty.  Color, finish, accessories, seat and bags are a joy to look at and exude quality.  These bikes have design characteristics of the vintage Indian bikes, but the quality enhancements from modern technology.

 

 

Glance at the bike and it is easy to see by the shape of the fenders, appointments, and set up that design is grounded in the traditional Indian brand.  Metal tank badge, chrome fender tips, solo seat with passenger pillion in black leather with fringe, saddle bags with fringe, black wall tires with spoke wheels, chromed Indian script tank badge and Vintage fender cloisonné are just a few examples.

 

The motorcycle has a long and sleek appearance.  With a wheelbase of 68.4” and overall width of 40”, the Indian Chief Vintage strikes a low profile and invites rider to throw a leg over and ease into the saddle. 

 

The Indian Chief Vintage motor is a “state-of-the-art,” Indian engineered and developed. The engine is an electronically fuel-injected 105 ci PowerPlus v-twin black and polished engine, with chrome covers that fully upholds Indian's legendary reputation for power and durability. Powertrain components are constructed by skilled craftsmen at the Kings Mountain Indian manufacturing facility.

 

The engine rests in a frame of high tensile steel that is suspended with a traditional front fork and rear single shock.  Brembo brakes (front dual caliper with floating rotors 11.5” in diameter and rear single caliper floating rotor 11.5” in diameter), provide the Indian Chief Vintage operator with ample stopping power. 

 

The exhaust system is two into one stainless steel with a chrome shields.

 

Front (130/90-16) and rear (150/90-16) black wall tires with chromed spoke wheels and color matched rim round out the set up of this motorcycle. 

 

As stated earlier, the bike weighs in at approximately 770 lbs. and it has power to spare.  It was easy to accelerate up to and over the respective speed limits where we tested the motorcycle.  Power was never an issue in any circumstance, including starting, moving into traffic, and enjoying the smooth ride, at allowable speed limits.  In fact, when in 6^th gear and rolling on the throttle, the motorcycle’s acceleration was impressive. Most difficult was keeping the bike within allowable speed limits.  Perhaps this is a personal problem!?

 

The point here is that the Indian Chief Vintage has a lot of power. Likewise, the motorcycle is very responsive to the operator management of controls for slowing. Turning, and stopping.   

 

Comfort begins with easing into the seat (26.69 inches high, laden), putting your feet squarely onto the ground and grabbing the controls.  The clutch and brake levers are adjustable to optimally fit operator’s grasp.  By simply adjusting the dial, located where clutch and brake levers attach to handlebar assembly, and clutch and brake levers move perpendicular to grips to enhance operator control. 

 

As the rider settles onto the Indian Chief Vintage and pulls the bike off the kickstand, it is noticeably light which translates to a lower center of gravity. It provides a feeling of being able to control and manage the bike with ease.

 

This feeling remains true throughout the ride. Suspension (Front Diameter 41 mm/travel 108 mm, Rear Single shock/travel 73 mm), is smooth, and the Indian Chief Vintage handles road imperfections routinely, partially due to the elongated wheelbase, which at 68.4 inches is nearly 2 inches longer that other brand cruisers and touring bikes. The bike is agile for a big bike, and it rolls with the requirements of the roadway.  The Indian Chief Vintage navigates curves, corners, stops, and starts with ease. 

 

The Indian Chief Vintage is long and low. It provides a smooth ride at a high performance standard. Design elements and performance systems are a combination of Indian motorcycle tradition and contemporary styling and technology. 

 

The Indian Chief is a customized, production built motorcycle designed and manufactured from the ground up.  One example is the fuel-injected 105 ci PowerPlus v-twin motor. Indian Motorcycle’s attention to quality of design, performance of components, build, and finish is evident in the Indian Chief Vintage.

 

Suggested retail price for the Indian Chief Vintage is $35,499.00.

 

The Indian Chief Vintage was made available by Mark Hambleton, President/CEO, Indian Motorcycle of Wichita, Kansas.

 

Click here to learn more about Indian Motorcycles and/or to contact Mark.