[cycleworld.com] - 2023 Indian Sport Chief First Look

[Ninjette Newsbot]

Indian Motorcycle adds the new Sport Chief model to the 2023 lineup. The bike has an aggressive look, premium components, and improved handling and braking.

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Indian announces a new “performance cruiser” with the Sport Chief, an addition to its 2023 Chief lineup. (Indian Motorcycle/)Indian’s full-on reimagining of its flagship Chief series a couple of years ago represented what felt like a 180-degree turn for the nameplate in its second century of existence, but there were some who felt designers could have gone further to embrace shifting trends in the cruiser world. The increasing emphasis on better-handling bikes, for example, has changed the meaning of “performance cruiser” in 2023; triple-digit power ratings and truckloads of torque are no longer key elements in an equation that now favors better cornering clearance and quicker steering. Indian’s answer to that is the new 2023 Indian Sport Chief, a bike the firm is calling the “most aggressive iteration of the iconic Indian Chief…[which] raises the bar for American V-twin performance cruisers through premium performance-oriented componentry.” The new Sport Chief will join the Chief, Chief Bobber, and Super Chief in the brand’s cruiser lineup for 2023.


Classic but sporty, the new quarter fairing adds an aggressive look; taller bars on 6-inch risers can be seen behind. (Indian Motorcycle/)How the Sport Chief came together is fairly clear to see at just a glance. The stylish quarter fairing leading the way is what most eyes will focus on first, as it completely changes the Chief’s aesthetic, giving the model more aggressive lines and a purposeful stance, further augmented by the new moto-style bars on 6-inch risers just behind. There’s more than just new plastic here however; designers also endowed the Sport Chief with a mix of premium components to ensure it could walk the walk. Case in point is the 43mm KYB inverted fork set at a sharper 28 degree angle and a tighter 4.4 inches of trail, though the 5 inches of travel they bring doesn’t differ much from the Chief Dark Horse’s plain-vanilla, right-side-up units.

Related: 2023 Indian FTR Sport First Look


A beefier Brembo brake setup with dual discs and four-piston caliper is standard issue on the Sport Chief as well. (Indian Motorcycle/)Out back, we see the addition of a pair of piggyback Fox shocks which increase travel by an inch (to 4 inches) on the new model; although those rear shocks are preload adjustable, the KYB fork is not—possibly bit of a missed opportunity. Another welcome addition, though, is the Sport Chief’s beefed-up Brembo braking arrangement, which now consists of dual discs with four-piston, semi-floating calipers up front and a single 300mm disc out back, both set into sport cast wheels wrapped in Pirelli Night Dragon tires. Wheel sizes remain unchanged from the Dark Horse trim, at 19/16, front and rear.


Air-cooled and blacked out, the Thunderstroke 116 engine carries over from the Chief Dark Horse unchanged. (Indian Motorcycle/)On the Sport Chief foot controls are also mid-mounted, but the addition of those new taller bars, longer shocks and more shapely solo gunfighter saddle also means the ergos get shuffled a bit, placing riders into a more commanding position with better control, while the suspension tweaks also help to boost the bike’s lean angle to a deeper 29.5 degrees. Mechanically, however, the Indian Sport Chief doesn’t cover any new ground, packing the same blacked out 1,890cc Thunderstroke 116 motor (good for a claimed 120 lb.-ft. of torque) shoehorned into a simple steel-tube frame with aluminum rear subframe, as also seen on the Chief Dark Horse, though the new suspension components serve to lengthen the wheelbase ever so slightly, to 64.6 inches, and raise seat height to 27 inches (an inch higher than the Dark Horse). The 4-gallon tank is unchanged as well, with the chopped fenders and stacked dual exhausts also recalling familiar pieces seen on the other Chief models, with LED lighting, and keyless ignition rounding out the list of standard features.


Exposed Fox piggyback shocks offer longer travel and are adjustable for preload on the Sport Chief. (Indian Motorcycle/)Like the Dark Horse (and other 116 engine-equipped models) the Sport Chief also packages throttle-by-wire, cruise control, ABS, and rear-cylinder deactivation into the standard feature list, and Indian’s Ride Command system appears here as well, with a 4-inch touchscreen display showing bike and ride information and turn-by-turn navigation. As before, you get three selectable ride modes, which include Sport, Standard, and Tour.


Indian’s Ride Command system with 4-inch round touchscreen (standard) is operated via handlebar controls or the digital display. (Indian Motorcycle/)While the design brief for the Sport Chief doesn’t appear like it was overly broad—a more aggressive-looking and better-handling Chief was apparently the gist—the new model still manages to clearly separate itself from the rest of the series, at least in appearance and intent. Ola Stenegärd, director of industrial design for Indian, added, “With Sport Chief, we wanted to maintain the same care-free attitude and American muscle but elevate it even further with componentry that not only delivers a style and attitude that exudes performance but raises the bar entirely for performance cruisers.”* Judging just from a visual standpoint, we’d consider it mission accomplished.

Related: Indian Debuts Redesigned 2022 Chief


The new model claims 29.5 inches of lean angle at the soft setting, or about an inch more than the Chief Dark Horse. Ground clearance improves as well. (Indian Motorcycle/)Indian also says it has an array of accessories ready for riders looking to further enhance performance and style on the new model, with adjustable shocks, an adaptive LED headlight, taller bars, and higher-flow air intakes being just a few of the options. Some of the components on the Sport Chief—such as the fairing and bars—are also retrofittable onto current Chief, Chief Bobber, and Super Chief models.


The 2023 Sport Chief starts at $18,999 MSRP for the Black Smoke color and goes up to $19,999 for the Spirit Blue Smoke option. (Indian Motorcycle/)Pricing for the 2023 Sport Chief starts at $18,999 and the model will be available in Black Smoke, Ruby Smoke, Stealth Gray, and Spirit Blue Smoke. The Sport Chief will begin shipping to US and Canadian Indian dealers by March of 2023. You can get more info at indianmotorcycle.com.


The Sport Chief fairing will fit onto other current Indian Chief models as well. (Indian Motorcycle/)2023 Indian Sport Chief*Specs

MSRP:$18,999 (base)Engine:1,890cc, air-cooled 49-degree V-twinBore x Stroke:103.2 x113mmCompression Ratio:11.0:1Transmission/Final Drive:6-speed/beltFuel Delivery:Closed loop fuel injection w/ 54mm single throttle bodyClutch:Wet, multiplateEngine Management:Ride-by-wireFrame:Steel-tube with cast aluminum rear subframeFront Suspension:43mm KYB inverted telescopic fork; 5.1 in. travelRear Suspension:Dual Fox shocks w/ piggyback reservoirs, spring preload adjustable; 4.0 in. travelFront Brake:Dual 4-piston radial-mount calipers, semi-floating dual 320mm discs w/ ABSRear Brake:2-piston caliper, 300mm floating disc w/ ABSWheels, Front/Rear:Cast; 19 x 3.5 in. / 16 x 5 in.Tires, Front/Rear:Pirelli Night Dragon; 130/60B-19 / 180/65B-16Rake/Trail:28.0°/4.4 in.Wheelbase:64.6 in.Ground Clearance:5.9 in.Seat Height:27.0 in.Fuel Capacity:4.0 gal.Claimed Dry Weight:665 lb.Contact:indianmotorcycle.com