The "insider speculation" I had read said Sturgis for the bagger and EICMA in November for the FTR based streetfighter. We all know now that their Sturgis guess was a bust, so we'll just have to see what pans out at EICMA LOL
Just like last year, Polaris will no longer announce new bikes at Sturgis, as to help protect dealers for Augusts sales. (notice all of the August incentives) Look for the announcements of the 2020 line up first couple of weeks of September, just like last year. The Challenger and new FTR may be announced a little later (October) was the date hinted at at the dealer meetings.
I have ridden a bunch of the Softails. I like the weight on paper and certain styling they have. I also like the under 20K pricing. They just don’t ride that great and they feel heavier then they are. They were disappointing. I just rode two of them last week hoping my last impressions were incorrect.
I get the Scout can be too small for some. It would be great for Indian to make a mid size but it needs to be done right. The Scout motor is more than enough to make a great bike this size.
The problem for both these guys is Triumph is coming out with the Rocket 3 which meets most people’s objectives in weight, technology, power and ability to tour. You got a cruiser with sport bike horsepower and 1.5 times the typical cruiser torque. It weighs right around 659 lbs US. I think that bikes a winner. Pricing might be an issue. I hope Indian is watching
I’d sure like to see Indian come out with a bridge-the-gap cruiser like Harley did with the redesigned Street Bob. Obviously, H-D did it by stripping down a big twin model to its essence and going for a price point. I’d love to see Indian do it using a punched out FTR motor in a more modern muscle-cruiser platform. Might not be my cup of tea but who knows?
Maybe some year they'll come out with an Indian Four. It could fit into that size and weight scheme with a 90 cubic inch (1500cc) motor. They should run it lengthwise like the Rocket III which is also the way the original Indian Fours were. Liquid cooled of course.
That would really upset the apple cart, perhaps in a good way. I believe the Four was originally an Exelsior-Henderson design, though I could be wrong. Which reminds me of this old ditty...
“Want some grief, buy an Indian Chief.”
“Want some more, buy an Indian Four.”
Indian/PI is purposely SLOW to roll out the new models.........for one simple reason..........the dealers have a LOT of 2019's still on the showroom floor. It's that simple. I rode my Chieftain cross country just returning last week and I made the effort to stop in some Indian dealers which were not too far off the beaten path (HD clearly has the dealer exposure on MAJOR routes and highways) and my observations were pretty clear from east to west coast and back. Lots of dealers have LOT's of new, unregistered 19's (and some 18's) still on the showroom floor. While a sale is sale, whether it be a new model or outgoing model, let's face it, why burden dealers with more new inventory which is only going to be harder to sell an existing bike on the floor (at a reasonable margin) when you load them up with new 2020 models? It's a double edge sword, fellow riders. PI/Indian is selling bikes....but they're not flying off the shelf like sliders after a major doobie pah-tee! I want both companies to excel and produce great bikes....as we, the customer, will be the winners. Let's not forget, buying a motorcycle is discretionary spending...it's not something ANY of us REALLY needs. Want, yes; need, NO! Just saying. The demographics are changing....big time....and the prices are going into the stratosphere for a lot of the top end bikes.
there is nothing in there about a 116 stand alone.... it's all BBK (Big Bore KIT) or as we call it Stage III... and if that is legit then Indian is bringing back the Chief and Chief Classic
Indian/PI is purposely SLOW to roll out the new models.........for one simple reason..........the dealers have a LOT of 2019's still on the showroom floor. It's that simple. I rode my Chieftain cross country just returning last week and I made the effort to stop in some Indian dealers which were not too far off the beaten path (HD clearly has the dealer exposure on MAJOR routes and highways) and my observations were pretty clear from east to west coast and back. Lots of dealers have LOT's of new, unregistered 19's (and some 18's) still on the showroom floor. While a sale is sale, whether it be a new model or outgoing model, let's face it, why burden dealers with more new inventory which is only going to be harder to sell an existing bike on the floor (at a reasonable margin) when you load them up with new 2020 models? It's a double edge sword, fellow riders. PI/Indian is selling bikes....but they're not flying off the shelf like sliders after a major doobie pah-tee! I want both companies to excel and produce great bikes....as we, the customer, will be the winners. Let's not forget, buying a motorcycle is discretionary spending...it's not something ANY of us REALLY neMeds. Want, yes; need, NO! Just saying. The demographics are changing....big time....and the prices are going into the stratosphere for a lot of the top end bikes.
the difference being though Harley doesn't hold back their new model year motorcycles which lets them still generate good floor traffic. there is always the idea that someone coming in for a new year model will drop back a year if the price is right
I have ridden a bunch of the Softails. I like the weight on paper and certain styling they have. I also like the under 20K pricing. They just don’t ride that great and they feel heavier then they are. They were disappointing. I just rode two of them last week hoping my last impressions were incorrect.
I get the Scout can be too small for some. It would be great for Indian to make a mid size but it needs to be done right. The Scout motor is more than enough to make a great bike this size.
The problem for both these guys is Triumph is coming out with the Rocket 3 which meets most people’s objectives in weight, technology, power and ability to tour. You got a cruiser with sport bike horsepower and 1.5 times the typical cruiser torque. It weighs right around 659 lbs US. I think that bikes a winner. Pricing might be an issue. I hope Indian is watching
Last Friday I rode in a Vietnam Wall replica escort. Out of about 360 bikes there were six Indians including my Chieftain. None were Scouts. About 20 Gold Wings and about 20 other non-Harleys. Also about 30 trikes with about 20 being Harley and ten being Gold Wing conversions.
It is a fact that Indian doesn't sell as many bikes as Harley... it's also a fact that most if not all people can't recognize a 1998 tourer or Road King from a 2018... then add into the fact that Indian riders mentality (at least for me) are a little different.. I think most Indian riders are like me too... just look at the IRMG threads.. I don't need to be on a bike that's like everyone else's just to get the affirmation that I'm a motorcycle enthusiast... I will pick something that I like and it happens to be Indian.. but again it must be a regional thing... there are a lot of Indians around here.. and way more big twins than scouts..
The new HDs ‘YAWN........... Why is there a Sportster still in the line up? New touring frame? Don’t need rubber mount for a counter balanced motor! Colour changes Yawn........
Indian 108 where are you......... Water cooled, 120 HP. That’s change.
You know I'm not going to pretend to be a marketing specialist or a corporate strategic planner... but if they had the 600-700 "mid-size" bike... I still would have bought my Chieftain Limited.. the one that has my attention is the Challenger and it's not in the 600-700 range I don't think..
Not sure why they can't update the Victory steel frame to accomodate the TS111. Add ABS (which the steel frames bike had in Europe), and the latest electronic goodies, update the fenders and tank to Indian standards and run with it. I would think it could be done fairly cheaply unless they've destroyed all the tooling. They definitely need a mid size line to compete with Harley's softail line IMO.
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