Indian Chieftain in the test

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Indian Chieftain in the test

Indian lobster

Just like the martial off-road vehicle of the same name, the revised Indian Chieftain is a great tool for people who love the big show. But you can also simply ride a motorcycle with it.

Whereby that "easy", you have to put that into perspective. The sheer size as well as the enormous mass, which only remains three meters below the 400 kilo mark, set a certain routine in dealing with heavyweights, if dealing with this black and red skin should not degenerate into stress. Especially the search for a parking space requires a certain amount of attention if you want to leave it on your own. With the I.ndian Chieftain maneuvering backwards out of a gap alone? forget it!

Indian Chieftain in the test

Indian lobster

Navigation, communication and entertainment

But as soon as the fat 16-inchers start to spin, the pounds disappear, the Indian Chieftain suddenly weighs 100 kilos less. Because of the species-appropriate attitude we lead the American mile eater straight towards the highway, course horizon, half speed ahead. There with the cruise control, after all, you need both hands to master the many buttons on the handlebars and the completely redesigned cockpit for 2017. Just kidding.

On the one hand, the menu navigation of the infotainment center with an enormous wealth of information is largely logical and self-explanatory. The Indian Chieftain’s infotain system is called "Ride Command" and controls navigation, communication and entertainment. The really distracting work can only be entered while standing. Enter addresses in the navigation system, for example, there is no keyboard while driving. The mixing of the sound of the sound system is only possible when the vehicle is stationary. The music or the entire smartphone is coupled via Bluetooth, and there is also a quasi-analog USB interface. And a touchscreen with a screen diagonal of 18 centimeters.

Indian Chieftain without heated grips

The 1.8 liter twin of the Indian Chieftain is activated by transponder. Both he and the six-speed box take up their work without much fuss or loud announcement of readiness for use. The nonchalance of the large displacement is immediately transferred to the driver, who lets the twin run between 1,500 and 3,000 rpm. He takes 5.8 liters under these circumstances.

The chassis moves just as confidently. The sensitive ABS takes the fear out of damp leaves, but there is no traction control. Perhaps also due to the single-digit temperatures in the test period, the damping was much tighter than on comparable Harleys, the electrically adjustable windshield successfully kept sleet showers away from the driver’s nose, the expansive cladding made the lack of heated grips bearable. For 28,250 euros you can put the exclusive Indian Chieftain in front of your door as an alternative to Harley-Davidson’s Electra Glide.

Rivas

The control center of the Indian Chieftain.

The redesigned cockpit, oh well, the bridge of the Indian Chieftain looks even bigger in real life than in the photo. In addition to the electric windshield, the lower left armature (small picture) also operates the largest TFT display in two-wheeler construction to date. It also works as a touchscreen, is individually configurable (see picture gallery) and, in addition to a navigation system, also houses an impressive sound system – both sound and loud. So hot rhythms are provided, but not yet warm fingers.

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