[cycleworld.com] - 2023 Indian Sport Chief

[Ninjette Newsbot]

Performance and style combine to make the Indian Sport Chief not only fun to look at, but fun to ride as well.

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The Sport Chief is the most aggressive iteration of the Indian Chief. (Indian Motorcycle/)Ups

• Excellent-handling chassis
• Serious brakes for great stopping power
• Big, torquey 116ci Thunderstroke engine

Downs

• Could use even more ground clearance
• Big engine generates big heat
• Limited suspension adjustment

Verdict

Who says cruisers have to be sluggish-handling beasts with zero ground clearance? Indian has taken its Chief platform and designed a variation that puts more emphasis on handling and braking performance. The result is the Sport Chief, which not only addresses those dynamics but gives the bike cool styling and rider comfort to go along with it.


Fox shocks with increased travel (4 inches total) increase cornering clearance. Indian quotes 29.5 degrees of lean versus 28.5 degrees for the rest of the Chief lineup. (Garth Milan/)Overview

Indian’s air-cooled Chief platform was updated for 2022 with a host of improvements to carry it for years to come. But there was a family member missing in that lineup, a sportier version to mirror those in its liquid-cooled line like the Scout Rogue or FTR. The Sport Chief fills that role and brings popular West Coast styling to its standard, non-bagger lineup.

Indian defines the bike as “the most aggressive iteration of the iconic Indian Chief. The priority here is better cornering clearance and quicker steering. Of course, you can’t use the word “sport” and not include the largest-displacement engine available, so Indian has put the Thunderstroke 116ci (1,890cc) version of that mill in it. Consider this Chief one part styling, two parts performance.

Updates for 2023

The Indian Chief platform was updated for 2022, however the addition of the Sport Chief had to wait another year until 2023. The new model receives all of those same updates and a host of others. Key is the addition of the larger of the Thunderstroke engines, the 116ci version, while the base Chief gets the 111ci.

New moto-style bars on 6-inch risers sit behind a quarter fairing which provides some wind protection, but is mostly there for added style. On the chassis side, Indian has used a 43mm KYB inverted fork set at a sharper 28-degree angle and a tighter 4.4 inches of trail. New, piggyback Fox shocks have 4 inches of travel, while Indian has also upgraded the braking package using Brembo components.


Sport Chief is available in four colors: Black Smoke ($18,999), Ruby Smoke ($19,499), Stealth Gray ($19,499), and Spirit Blue Smoke ($19,999). (Indian Motorcycle/)Pricing and Variants

There is a single version of the Sport Chief that starts at $18,999 for the Black Smoke color, $19,499 for Ruby Smoke or Stealth Gray, and $19,999 for the Spirit Blue Smoke version.

Competition

Indian makes no bones about the fact that its prime competitor is the Harley-Davidson Low Rider S ($18,199) and Low Rider ST ($22,199). But you should also look at some others like the Street Bob 114 ($16,599), Fat Bob 114 ($18,899), Nightster ($13,499), and Sportster S ($16,399). While looking within the Indian range check out the Scout Rogue ($12,749) and FTR ($13,499).

On the metric side there’s the Honda Rebel 1100T DCT ($11,299).


Fox shocks and a quarter fairing define the Sport Chief, but it’s hard to ignore the big Thunderstroke 116ci engine. (Indian Motorcycle/)Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance

As mentioned above, the Sport Chief gets the monstrous Thunderstroke 116ci (1,890cc) air-cooled four-valve 49-degree V-twin as standard. Indian claims the engine delivers 120 lb.-ft. of peak torque. Power is fed through a wet, multiplate clutch to a six-speed gearbox, and then via belt final drive to the rear wheel.

From a ride in Austin, Texas, Editor-at-Large Blake Conner had this to say about the engine: “Around town and leaving stops, the Thunderstroke 116 provides excellent bottom-end torque, encouraging you to short-shift for an ultra-relaxed ride. Feel from the clutch is smooth and predictable, while snicking through the six-speed gearbox takes just a bit of practice to keep from feeling chunky and industrial, but overall it’s a nice transmission. The engine does get into an area of vibration if you hang out around 3,000 rpm, but otherwise it delivers a lot of character with easy-to-access torque across a broad rpm range.

“You quickly learn to appreciate the rear-cylinder deactivation around town. Heat from the exhaust headers on the right side can be pretty spicy when you’re not moving, so the addition of another heat source under your butt would only compound the issue. So turning itself into a ‘single’ at stops, indicated by a symbol at the bottom of the TFT display, seemed to quell the heat quite a bit.”


Piggyback Fox shocks are only adjustable for spring preload. (Indian Motorcycle/)Chassis/Handling

A quick look at the Sport Chief and you’ll notice the bike’s stance, with an inch of additional rear-suspension travel that’s easy to spot below the bobbed rear fender. Look a bit closer and you can see that the culprits in this case are a pair of Fox piggyback shocks that now offer 4 inches of rear-wheel travel. But even closer examination reveals the inverted KYB fork intended to work in concert with the rear suspension to deliver superior handling and more lean-angle clearance than the other bikes in the Chief lineup.

“Once into some curvy sections, it was pretty easy to bury the footpeg feeler into the asphalt,” Conner said. “The combination of the reasonable-width rear tire and tighter geometry sucks you into slamming the bike into the corner only to be met with the sound of the ‘metal-on-road’ grind. And although the bike’s claimed 29.5 degrees of lean seems reasonable for a cruiser, it definitely leaves you wanting a bit more.”


Sport Chief’s beefed-up braking package includes Brembo calipers biting on dual 320mm semi-floating discs. (Indian Motorcycle/)Brakes

One of the really nice additions to the Sport Chief are the brakes. Up front are a very serious-looking pair of radial-mount four-piston Brembo brakes and large 320mm rotors filling in the 19-inch front wheel. Of course they are ABS equipped, as well.

The Brembo brakes deliver strong stopping power with predictable feel, and while they don’t have that light and super-crisp feel at the lever like sportbike Brembos might, they are really quite hard to fault considering they are tasked with slowing down a 685-pound motorcycle.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

Fuel mileage numbers are not currently available for the Sport Chief.


Mid-mount foot controls and a solid chassis combine to provide sporty handling. Shown here is an accessorized Sport Chief with short windscreen and intake kit. (Garth Milan/)Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility

The riding position is surprisingly comfortable thanks to a well-balanced relationship between the seat, handlebar, and footpegs. The mid-mount controls put the rider’s legs at a pretty dead-on 90-degree bend, while the handlebar pulls you into a slight forward lean. Feet-forward cruisers just don’t deliver the same comfort

The quarter fairing provides just the right amount of wind protection for average height riders. Air flows cleanly over your helmet without any noticeable buffeting, and takes any and all airflow off your upper torso, further eliminating fatigue that is common on unfaired cruisers.

Keep in mind that, thanks to the Fox shocks, the Sport Chief’s seat sits 1 inch higher than on non-equipped models. Total seat height is still a low 27 inches.


A 4-inch touchscreen display shows bike and ride information as well as turn-by-turn navigation when using Indian’s Ride Command system. Notice the 6-inch bar risers that come standard on the Sport Chief. (Indian Motorcycle/)Electronics

Power up the bike, which comes standard with keyless ignition, and the 4-inch TFT display, disguised in a round analog-shaped housing, flashes to life. The Sport Chief has three ride modes: Standard, Sport, and Tour. Ride Command comes standard and offers turn-by-turn navigation, traffic and weather overlays, and allows Bluetooth connectivity to control music and phone functions when paired with a connected helmet communicator.

The Sport Chief has all LED lighting including the headlight and taillights, the latter of which also serve duty as the rear indicators. ABS and cruise control are standard.

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

The Sport Chief comes with a 24-month unlimited-mileage warranty.

Quality

From our experience, fit, finish, and details appear to be top-notch.


Closer look at the quarter fairing that comes standard on the Sport Chief. (Indian Motorcycle/) 2023 Indian Sport Chief Specs

MSRP:$18,999–$19,999Engine:1,890cc, air-cooled, 49-degree V-twinBore x Stroke:103.2 x 113.0mmCompression Ratio:11.0:1Transmission/Final Drive:6-speed/beltFuel Delivery:Closed-loop fuel injection w/ 54mm single throttle bodiesClutch:Wet, multiplateEngine Management:Ride-by-wireFrame:Steel tube w/ 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 Brembo 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