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As Indian has begun coming out with more models, there has been the inevitable talk about many of the shared looks between the newer models and some HD models.
I suppose it is as much about form following function as it is anything else, but ultimately, the type of bike you want to ride is only going to look and feel a certain way.
For me, it was the Road King and the Heritage Special. Those are the type of bikes I am drawn to. I was getting ready to purchase a Road King when I stumbled upon an Indian Dealership four years ago in Northern Washington. The Chief Vintage blew me out of the water. I knew what I wanted. It had the style I had longed for since I first saw my first Indian way back when.
The Chief Vintage became my Chief King. Other than that small connection, Indian was Indian and HD was well, HD.
All was great until the FTR came out. I went up to see Travis make the three jumps in Las Vegas. Over and over again, it was drummed up about how the FTR was the only bike worthy of those jumps because it was reminiscent of the type of bike Evel jumped. You guessed it, the XR-750. And while there were many, many differences, form followed function and yeh, it kinda reminded you that there was a bit of a connection.
Then, it was the new Chieftain, dubbed the Chief Glide by so many Indian enthusiast.
Now, we see Indian has gone one step further and come up with a fixed fairing cycle and folks are already calling it the Road Chief.
The only bike to not seem like it has any connection to HD is of course the Scout. It truly is in a league of its own. A Sportster it ain't.
As for the Chief and its brothers, the Vintage, Chieftain Classic, and the Roadmaster, well, they really are their own bikes in most ways that matter.
But, with a little imagination, it is easy to see that Indian is well on its way to building a motorcycle for HD lovers everywhere.
What do you think? Should we be upset that there seems to be a connection in form between the two companies?
I suppose it is as much about form following function as it is anything else, but ultimately, the type of bike you want to ride is only going to look and feel a certain way.
For me, it was the Road King and the Heritage Special. Those are the type of bikes I am drawn to. I was getting ready to purchase a Road King when I stumbled upon an Indian Dealership four years ago in Northern Washington. The Chief Vintage blew me out of the water. I knew what I wanted. It had the style I had longed for since I first saw my first Indian way back when.
The Chief Vintage became my Chief King. Other than that small connection, Indian was Indian and HD was well, HD.
All was great until the FTR came out. I went up to see Travis make the three jumps in Las Vegas. Over and over again, it was drummed up about how the FTR was the only bike worthy of those jumps because it was reminiscent of the type of bike Evel jumped. You guessed it, the XR-750. And while there were many, many differences, form followed function and yeh, it kinda reminded you that there was a bit of a connection.
Then, it was the new Chieftain, dubbed the Chief Glide by so many Indian enthusiast.
Now, we see Indian has gone one step further and come up with a fixed fairing cycle and folks are already calling it the Road Chief.
The only bike to not seem like it has any connection to HD is of course the Scout. It truly is in a league of its own. A Sportster it ain't.
As for the Chief and its brothers, the Vintage, Chieftain Classic, and the Roadmaster, well, they really are their own bikes in most ways that matter.
But, with a little imagination, it is easy to see that Indian is well on its way to building a motorcycle for HD lovers everywhere.
What do you think? Should we be upset that there seems to be a connection in form between the two companies?
