All Tests – Scout Sixty test: an Indian in the city – MNC at the controls of the Scout Sixty

Posted on by admin

Scout Sixty test: an Indian in the city

All Tests - Scout Sixty test: an Indian in the city - MNC at the controls of the Scout Sixty

Revived with the Chief and Roadmaster motorcycles, the Indian brand is enjoying great success with its powerful Scout. The Springfield manufacturer intends to continue its development with a more “ light ” model but no less tasty: the Scout Sixty. Test !

MNC at the controls of Scout Sixty

The driving position of the Sixty is unchanged from that of the original Scout. The seat therefore remains very low (643 mm from the ground), the arms are always extended to catch the wide handlebars and the feet are directed straight ahead. Pure custom !

The brake and clutch levers fall well under the phalanges of the MNC assayer (glove size L), but girls with small handcuffs or brooms with large paws will have to be satisfied with this spacing because no adjustment is possible.

If necessary, young or old can, on the other hand, afford "extension / reduction"footrest and handlebars. With its 1.80m, Site did not feel cramped on the standard model. In the accessories catalog, MNC flashed on the" solo 1920 "saddle, but the passenger seat will undoubtedly make more people happy.

Before getting on the beast, we are easily impressed by the front tire, which is particularly imposing: barely less wide than the rear tire, it is higher and therefore seems as massive (130/90 against 150/80). However, the Sixty’s behavior at low speed is most intuitive..

The two large tubes are mounted on 16-inch rims and the caster angle is contained for a custom (29 °), so that the bike is very manoeuvrable. The front axle never falls and thus avoids any – bad – surprises for bikers who have never ridden an American motorcycle..

Sensitive when maneuvering the motorcycle with the engine off and estimated at 246 kg empty, the weight of the Sixty evaporates as soon as you engage first gear. Very low, the machine is also thin at the lower engine, which improves balance, foot access to the ground and driving comfort..

Easy to access, the Scout Sixty continues to charm thanks to its suspensions which pleasantly absorb speed bumps and effectively clear most of the traps in town. It is only on small degraded roads that the shock absorbers show their limits…

The rear of the bike jumps a little too much after a brutal compression, and it happens that the buttocks of the pilot take off! Fortunately they are received by the rear part of the saddle, suitably padded. We note in passing that the saddle may lack a little width to manage very long journeys.

The saddle’s biggest flaw is elsewhere: it does not lock onto the motorcycle … Owners can therefore fear theft or, without going so far, bad jokes and old puns of "biker" friends and joker: "as you have a "Light" Scout, we impose a diet without a saddle … hohoho !"

On the contrary, the tank siphoning is made impossible by its key lock: the contact one which is installed on the left side to start the engine and also activates the Neiman to block the steering. No risk of losing the fuel cap either, since it is hinged.

The Sixty provides a little less braking, especially the fault of a rear disc which is pinched by a single piston: it therefore lacks bite and its dosage is not the easiest. Up front, the same-sized disc (298mm) is bitten by a more capable twin-piston caliper, but not perfect either..

It is indeed necessary to pull on the lever to effectively slow down the motorcycle. We realize this by attacking – a little too much, let’s face it – on small roads, but also in town where we sometimes have to slow down sharply. Good point however for the Sixty: its ABS fitted as standard is as effective as it is pleasant.

Tested by Le Journal moto du Net under excellent conditions – around twenty degrees in the air, dry asphalt and bright sunshine – the Indian branded tires produced by the Taiwanese brand Kenda fulfilled their contract … and even more.

Their good behavior is nevertheless to be confirmed in the wet: the day before our test, a journalist was surprised by a wet section of road. "Beware of shaded areas", insisted heavily the manufacturer…

Related articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *