Topic: Well, The 2009 Indian Chiefs Have Been Unveiled

[bill440cars]

       Found out today that the Indian Chief models have been unveiled.


       The Indian Chief Standard:


       



        The Indian Chief Deluxe:






        The Indian Chief Roadmaster:






        The Indian Chief Vintage:






    http://www.indianmotorcycle.com/

[Raul CB750K1]

I thought they would let the name rest in peace.

Hopefully they get it right this time. I would never buy one. Well, I would never buy any cruiser, at least not in this moment of my life.

[DarkRider]

Ironicly i seen a newer Indian Scout yesterday when i was doing some running around in the car...initially i had mistaken it for a Softail from a distance then i got closer and seen what it was.

[bill440cars]

        If I could afford to buy one, I'd probably want this one, but with the front end from the "Vintage " one. Of course, I'd have to be able to have my Hondas and I can't afford it, so I'll just have to be content to look. Like to have either a 47', 48' or 53' Chief along with a new one, just day dreaming.


            

[DarkRider]

The bike i seen yesterday looked something like this one...

[bill440cars]

The bike i seen yesterday looked something like this one...

        Yeah, those were called Scouts and had the S & S engines. When Indian went under the last time, those were scheduled to get the S & S engines replaced with an Indian engine. Haven't seen or heard anything concerning those. I DO know that there are more models planned though.

[Bodi]

Indian Motorcycle Corp. claims to have in-house engine design and production. It remains to be seen if, like last time, "design" means looking at the S&S catalog or if "production" means opening S&S crates.
Narrow V-twins have been done over and over and over: there's no reason to re-engineer the actual mechanical workings... so an Indian engine designer will really just be doing styling of the cases trying to het them not looking exactly identical to the other V2s up close. They have those goofy fenders, so they look a bit different from a distance.

[heffay]

i'll take the standard please!   

[markjenn]

I think they have the look right - basic harley-style cruisers with a few classic Indian styling cues.  I'm not very interested in cruisers, but if they're truly producing a new motorcycle and not a marketing exercise to beat the dead-horse Indian name by rebadging existing bikes, then I wish them luck.

- Mark

[bill440cars]

Indian Motorcycle Corp. claims to have in-house engine design and production. It remains to be seen if, like last time, "design" means looking at the S&S catalog or if "production" means opening S&S crates.
Narrow V-twins have been done over and over and over: there's no reason to re-engineer the actual mechanical workings... so an Indian engine designer will really just be doing styling of the cases trying to het them not looking exactly identical to the other V2s up close. They have those goofy fenders, so they look a bit different from a distance.

When was the last time you looked at the Indian Chief's engine, cause the engine they have now, is the one that was being used towards the end of the last attempt to revive them. While there may be some similarity to the S & S engine, it's not an actual S & S engine like they used at first. Look at the heads, the valve covers, the fact the the carb is on the left side (like the old Indians). Indian is now owned by the same folks who turned ChrisCraft boats around and put them back in the running. They also have a reputation for being able to do that. And the fenders may not be attractive to you, but they are "the basic style" that the Chiefs had from around the early to mid 40's - 53' (I don't remember the exact year that they started using that design. If you don't like them &/or don't want to see the Indians make any kind of a comeback, that's your business and I respect that. I KNOW that this won't be the same motorcycle that the old Indians were and I won't be able to afford one, but I hope they make it and I will eventually have the possibility of being able to afford one for just cruising around. If I'm not seeming to be  very diplomatic at what I'm trying to say, then I apologize for that. I just think they deserve an even break. BTW, for the record, I was totally put out the those Chiefs and (what's called) the Scouts, were produced with the S & S engines. To me, that would be like building a Chevy Camaro and putting a Ford engine in it.

                                Take care, Bill      

[Raul CB750K1]

I'm with Bodi on it. The engine is probably the most distinctive thing on a bike; the rest is just styling. The engine has some part styling and some part performance.

The pushrod V-twin is obsolete by now. It is pointless to spend money developing it, you can take so much horsepower from it. It really doesn't make any difference if they spend time and money developing their own engine or buying S&S or RevTech patent rights and modifying the cases or fins to look different. You can't start from a blank sheet on a V-twin engine design.

New triumphs, even when developing their own engine, were more than "inspired" in Kawasaki fours. The key to Triumph success was the modularity in the engine -different layouts sharing a big number of engine parts- and wide portfolio. Indian can't offer many different models: they will be just variations on the cruiser theme. And there is no niche to fill: for V-twin you have either affordable, reliable japanese cruisers or genuine american Harleys. Indian will appeal only to those that want to buy american but out of the mainstream. Henderson went bankrupt too, and I'm afraid the new Indian will have a hard time coping with Harley. Only if they could offer their bikes cheaper than Harleys would they have a chance to survive: an american alternative, genuine, at a fraction of the price. Paying for an Indian more than the equivalent Harley is like buying a Lexus when you can have a genuine Mercedes.

[Jeff]

New triumphs, even when developing their own engine, were more than "inspired" in Kawasaki fours. The key to Triumph success was the modularity in the engine -different layouts sharing a big number of engine parts- and wide portfolio. Indian can't offer many different models: they will be just variations on the cruiser theme. And there is no niche to fill: for V-twin you have either affordable, reliable japanese cruisers or genuine american Harleys. Indian will appeal only to those that want to buy american but out of the mainstream. Henderson went bankrupt too, and I'm afraid the new Indian will have a hard time coping with Harley. Only if they could offer their bikes cheaper than Harleys would they have a chance to survive: an american alternative, genuine, at a fraction of the price. Paying for an Indian more than the equivalent Harley is like buying a Lexus when you can have a genuine Mercedes.

There's already an American cruiser alternative to Harley. Victory.

Yeah, everyone is caught up in nostalgia, but it's fading. Wasn't Indian leading the way technologically in their heyday? Why couldn't the current rights holders come up with a bike that was a technological breakthrough, instead of a Harley with big fenders? Because honestly, when I see these bikes, that's exactly what I see.

Jeff

[bill440cars]

                 I'll tell you what. I started this because I am interested in it, thought others would be too (and a number were). I don't know what was I thinking. I should have known that some would do it like they have. Since some have things already figured out, I'll just back out of here and let them take over the thread.

                                   

[Raul CB750K1]

                 I'll tell you what. I started this because I am interested in it, thought others would be too (and a number were). I don't know what was I thinking. I should have known that some would do it like they have. Since some have things already figured out, I'll just back out of here and let them take over the thread.

                                   

Why do you take it so personal Bill? You just opened a thread saying the new models had been unveiled and posted a few pictures. You didn't even mention whether you liked them or not. I thought you were asking for opinions and opinions you had. What's wrong with that?

[KB02]

There's already an American cruiser alternative to Harley. Victory.

Yeah, everyone is caught up in nostalgia, but it's fading. Wasn't Indian leading the way technologically in their heyday? Why couldn't the current rights holders come up with a bike that was a technological breakthrough, instead of a Harley with big fenders? Because honestly, when I see these bikes, that's exactly what I see.

Jeff

+1,000,000

Sorry, Bill, if this offends, but honestly these bikes look no different to me than any generic cruiser I see on the street... granted, you don't see that full fender thing much any more outside of Kawasaki's line, but that's just a fender. As a company they do have to build what sells, and let's face it, generic cruisers sell.

I'm sorry, but that line up makes me yawn.

The old "Scout's" weren't nearly as much of a cruiser as I recall. Why can't they bring something like that back?

[lordmoonpie]

QUICK! Someone put the veil back on...plllleeease!

[RatBikeRandy]

That engine looks great in my opinion and it's not just an S&S stuck in there.  I hope that Indian can pull it off this time.  I probably wouldn't buy one until they are a viable company.  Of course, if everyone thought that way new products would die before they were born.  I like the vintage model and there is something to be said for comfort on a motorcycle.  One of my daily riders is a Harley Dyna SuperGlide that is plenty comfy for long rides.

[bill440cars]

        How many f you have heard f Kiwi-Indian? They are doing up parts and such for the New Indian to make it even MORE vintage looking. Check out the OLD leafspring type fork on this one. I'd like to see something done to the rear fender area. Without any frame showing back there, the rear fender kinda reminds me of an old Triumph that had a similar look with a "Tub" Looking rear fender. Kiwi must think that they have a chance, cause they're making stuff for them. Guess we'll have to wait and see. Here's a picture of that one.

       


      Of course, if you have the buck$, Kiwi has the parts available to build your own Indian Chief Stock look or Bobber. Lot of buck$ though. I'd show those bikes, but I'm having some issues presently and I'll be back.