Hello, this is my first time here and I wanted to know. I am about to return to motorcycling after an absence since 1998. I really like the Indian Chief but since I haven't ridden one yet I was wondering if there are any new/returning riders who have purchased on and their feedback and experiences. Would the Chief be suitable for a returning rider? I have ridden everything from dirt to 1500 cc cruisers but my last bike was a 750 Spectre. Any input would be a blessing. Thanks!!!
Indian Chief Suitable for a Returning Rider?
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Welcome to the forum. Not meaning any disrespect here but if it were me not being on a bike for 16 years first thing I would do is take a licensing course to reacquaint yourself with riding again. Not knowing if you already have the endorsement on your license. Once I did that I would find a dealer close to me and take a demo ride.These are well balanced bikes but 800 lbs can be a handful. Most dealers won't let you test ride one without endorsement and safety gear.
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I recently returned to the riding scene after about 20 years. In the past, I rode everything - dirt/street, big and small. In January (yes, JANUARY) I took a mc course. In February, I bought a Heritage Softail.
In June, I bought my Chieftain. it was no problem jumping on the Heritage after so long and the Chieftain was even easier to ride.
In June, I bought my Chieftain. it was no problem jumping on the Heritage after so long and the Chieftain was even easier to ride.
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Welcome to the forum. Depending on your current situation (health, core strength, ability to balance...sorry, at my age these are things to consider), an 800 pound bike might work for you. Getting your "sea legs" back on a smaller machine wouldn't hurt either. In any case, good luck and enjoy that new Indian whenever you decide to purchase it.
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Just remember to watch out for the sand under foot in the parking lots and to keep it vertical, heh, heh, I ended up dropping a very heavy 900+ lb BMW under those conditions and I was a former MSF Rider Coach. Ride whatever you think you want and don't let anyone push you beyond your comfort level.
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I haven't ridden much since 1983 or so and I bought a Chieftain. Took 2 minutes in a parking lot and it was like I never stopped riding. I left the dealer and had to take the E-way 40 minutes home. I personally think refresher courses (motorcycle, firearm, etc) are a complete waste of money for the average person with common sense who is already familiar with biking/firearms to be told things I already know... but hey, your mileage may vary. I wonder how my father/grandfather and the rest of the clan ever survived in the hills of WVa not having a class on riding a motorcycle, or classes on firearms and hunting. Anyway...about the bikes...
The Classic and Vintage have longer rakes so they are a tad longer than the Chieftain - and handle a tad differently. But all three bikes are exquisite machines. As a returning rider, I was going knowing I was going to take the Mrs on rides and since the Chieftain is more forgiving around turns, I spent the extra and bought the Chieftain with the Stage 1 exhaust and tall back rest with the plan of buying the "wanted" accessories later. The Chieftain really does not feel like a 850+# bike, in fact as I'm sure you've read, it handles like a bike several hundred pounds lighter (seriously). Good luck - don't forget to look at the Chieftain! If you don't plan on riders, that Scout looks pretty amazing!
The Classic and Vintage have longer rakes so they are a tad longer than the Chieftain - and handle a tad differently. But all three bikes are exquisite machines. As a returning rider, I was going knowing I was going to take the Mrs on rides and since the Chieftain is more forgiving around turns, I spent the extra and bought the Chieftain with the Stage 1 exhaust and tall back rest with the plan of buying the "wanted" accessories later. The Chieftain really does not feel like a 850+# bike, in fact as I'm sure you've read, it handles like a bike several hundred pounds lighter (seriously). Good luck - don't forget to look at the Chieftain! If you don't plan on riders, that Scout looks pretty amazing!
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I came back to riding after a 34 year absence. Took the HD MSF course and went in search of the best bike for my style and capability. Looked at the engineering behind and test rode many. Indian (I went with the Vintage) was far and away the most confidence inspiring and well-engineered. One recommendation was alluded to by Big Daddy - test ride them all. Good luck and please come back with more questions. This forum has been immensely informative (not to mention entertaining). 
Thanks for the info. My wife and I intend to take the course at a local HD dealership before the year is up before we do anything else. I have been riding with my nephew who owns a HD 1200 Sportster and a Fat Boy and have been doing fine but a Sportster is a far cry from a Chief.
I have seen the new Scout and am also drawn to it. It is also attractive to me because it is far more affordable for me than the Chief and I am sure I could handle it. Thanks for the reply. The main reason I was thinking about the Chief is because my wife and I want to start doing 1 or 2 day road trips for starters and we have a 15 year old daughter and a 22 year old downs daughter. My wife wants to get a trike because our downs daughter wont get on anything with two wheels but she would love a trike. Thinking about a Gold Wing trike. I sure wish Indian would come out with one. Thanks for the info.
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I applaud the recommendations for the safety refresher courses. I think it's a smart move. As for a bike? Go to a dealer. Tell them what you are looking for in an indian and they will tailor a bike (five choices now!) to your needs. It's a good time to return to riding. Good for you for coming back into the lifestyle.
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Judging from the sound of your experience...sounds like it would be no problem for you. Being an MSF instructor, I also would recommend taking a course whether it be a Basic Rider Course or the Returning Rider course that the MSF offers now. Good luck with the Indian and ride safe...
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I just bought a new Roadmaster and I love it. I've rode an 1800 Wing for 8 years before and a 1500 Wing before that and an 1100 Wing before that. This bike is the most fun to drive but it is heavy but with the lower seat height it's not bad. If I was a single rider I'd have a Chief Vintage instead. Love the looks.
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I got a Dark Horse. The Chief series are a heavy bike, but very nimble under their own power. Go for it!
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Once you let out the clutch they are pretty much the same. Good luck.
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Just test drove the Scout. Feels very light weight and balanced low center of gravity. Much more so than my sons Sportster. The Chief line is more heavy but also well balance and once you get momentum you don't feel the weight. Oh welcome to the site.
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I agree and I did a relatively intensive 1 day training on a speed track after so many xx years w/o riding :
I've tested an Harley LowRider 2015 (before I heard about Indian) and before this 1 day training : I almost scared myself as I could not turn the Lowrider properly !
A couple of mths after the 1 day training, I tested a 2016 RoadKing : I was amazed how easy it was to ride it in comparison with the Lowrider experience thus I've concluded that the training was definitively worth and absolutely essential.
More in this forum on the subject : Road Warrior Safety Tricks | Page 12 | Indian Motorcycle Forum
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I agree 100%. Back in 1987 I sold my Harley because of 3 young kids and not much time to ride. In 2000, after a divorce and the kids being teens now, I had more free time. I bought a used Kawasaki Nomad, Kawasaki's version of the Road King. The Harley I sold in 1987 was a 1977 Low Rider with no saddlebags or windshield. The Nomad had both and was the biggest bike I had ever owned or ridden. I bought the bike and rode it home. I got a mile from the Dealer stopping at a stop sign. It felt like I had never been off the bike and I felt totally comfortable. If you need MSF courses to feel comfortable then by all means take one or a dozen, but for some, riding a motorcycle just comes natural. This is a case where one size does not fit all.
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