Indian Motorcycles resurrected

Running lights, electric screen, crash bars -- no wonder Chieftain tips the scales at 385kg. Pictures / Gareth Cooke/Subzero Images

Older than Harley. Loved by Kiwis. Jacqui Madelin checks out a legend

Indian motorcycles may have had more resurrections than Wile E. Coyote, but this one might stick for its new owner, Polaris, has a wealth of experience -- and money -- behind the reborn brand.

Image 1 of 14: Full-valance guards a key visual cue - and help keep road grime from all that chrome. Photo / Gareth Cooke/Subzero Images

Formed in 1954, it now has six factories, three outside the US, with 11 marques including ATVs, snowmobiles, motorcycles and protective clothing, and annual sales last year totalling over $4.47 billion.

It can certainly cover the bill for Indian's all-star launch at Auckland's Viaduct, not to mention the backing of John Munro, son of the famous Burt, of World's Fastest Indian fame.

But why would Polaris buy the Indian name? It realised that while its Victory brand of muscle cruisers has certainly won appeal by selling a custom look as standard, the nameplate's youth (it launched in 1998) deters buyers who like to feel there's history and tradition backing their choice. The Indian name was available, and it doesn't get much more historic, its first motorcycle pre-dating Harley-Davidson's by two years.

Between its 2011 purchase and the launch late last year, Polaris designed its three relaunch models to deliver a distinct character that sets them apart from both Victory and Harley. The Indian offers modern engines and build quality, a distinctly classic feel, and the aim to deliver better handling than is usual among the cruiser breed -- often compromised by hefty weight, limited cornering clearance, and suspension that prioritises looks and comfort to road-holding, a problem for countries like ours, where tarmac is rarely ironing-board smooth.

The Thunder Stroke 111 engine is a 49-degree V-twin with six-speed transmission and belt drive. Named for its cubic-inch capacity, which equates to 1811cc, it borrows a number of cues from the original, like the multi-directional cooling "fins" atop the heads, and the parallel pushrods. A semi-dry rear sump meant the engine could sit quite low, for favourable centre of gravity -- a key control issue in any bike weighing 370kg or more.

The top-range bike with capacious fairing, hard panniers and 100W sound system.Picture / Gareth Cooke/Subzero Images

Like Harley, Indian doesn't quote power, only torque, which peaks at 139Nm at 2600rpm. Gearing is the same for all three variants, though there are minor changes in dimensions -- primarily to height, given the presence or absence of bodywork and screen -- and the Chieftain, the giant of the range with its mighty front fairing and hard panniers, alters the front suspension and accordingly the rake and trail to suit.

All three variants use the all-enveloping valance guards which we're assured use a quirky attachment that means you don't have to remove them to change a whitewall tyre.

The $28,995 Classic otherwise employs simple lines, though it includes high-tech features for a bike like keyless ignition, ABS and cruise control. The $31,995 Vintage adds a simple screen and quick-release leather saddlebags with leather fringes that carry over to the seat, while the $34,995 Chieftain gets a massive fairing with integrated driving lights and an electrically-adjustable screen, lockable hard-skin panniers, tyre pressure monitoring and 100W audio with Bluetooth smartphone connectivity.

Multi-directional cooling fins atop the head and parallel pushrods are an Indian marker -- with prominent badge to inform those not in the know. Picture / Jacqui Madelin

They're all fronted by that Indian head atop the front guard, and by plentiful badging plus -- judging by the staff on hand -- a rapidly increasing catalogue of accessories and clothing developed alongside the bikes.

But do those bikes deliver?

Still recovering from my trail-bike mishap, I'm not yet in riding nick, so perched aboard the pillion pew to get at least a feel for the rich, rolling soundtrack these bikes deliver -- a smoothly-purring happy honey-fed grizzly against the raucous Victories in the pack, with a more relaxed power delivery than the unsubtle torque hit of the younger muscle-bikes.

All three pillion pews were comfy enough -- though the capacious Chieftain would obviously be the passenger pick, that comfort enhanced by more efficient rear suspension for all three bikes than expected from the average American cruiser.

Fringed leather marks the Vintage.

As for handling, other testers confirmed my impression from the rear seat that even the full-dress Chieftain is more agile than anticipated from a cruiser, all three exhibiting nice, stable handling that's lighter through the bars than expected, without the wallow which can blight some cruisers, and with better cornering clearance than many.

Given the nature of our roads, that's likely to be appreciated by Kiwi riders, as is the heritage -- not these bikes' venerable 1901 ancestor, but rather the fame imparted by Southlander Burt Munro, ironically a fame earned aboard an Indian so stripped of weight that it could be a different species to the handsome trio now on sale here.