#RoadTest: 2014 Indian Chieftain

The car pulled in to the park next to mine. I was sitting inside the local cafe in the window seat with an eagle eye locked on the Indian like a worried parent.

The old chap got out of the car - which had thankfully left plenty of room between itself and the Indian - and then the five minutes of thorough inspection began.

Sitting in the nearby cafe with my partner we watched as the old chap inspected every detail of the Indian Chieftain. He eyed the badging which, at most recent count, stands at 29 Indian logos adorning the Chieftain. The chrome work caught his eye as he circled the bike and he got right down to inspect the beautifully crafted engine.

The old chap is the rule, not the exception. To say that the Chieftain pulls attention is an understatement. It grabs it by the scruff of the neck in some of the strangest places. I can't say I've ever been complimented on what I'm riding in the middle the motorway during rush hour traffic, until now.

Styling is in touch with the rich heritage that Indian possesses as the world’s oldest motorcycle company. The front mud guard with the Chief running light is straight out of 1940.

Flowing lines from front to back are a signature of Indian Motorcycles and the Chieftain is possibly the best example to show it off, with the front guard, fairing, rear guard and panniers all getting the streamlined touch.

At 385kg the Indian Chieftain is by far the biggest bike I've ever had the pleasure to swing a leg over. It is such a noticeable change in riding style too and I will openly admit that the weight of the 'Big Chief',  as I've come to call it, caught me off guard on a few occasions early in my week-long test.

Thankfully the low 660mm seat height makes saving yourself from a fall as simple as putting your feet down and the reduced rake, down to 25 degrees from the 29 degrees of the Chief models, helps make low speed handling a little bit easier.

The 1811cc Thunder Stroke 111 has the power to match its fantastic looks. With 161 Nm of torque on hand, overtaking is as easy as rolling on the throttle and roaring past anything that gets in your way.

The exhaust ports are hidden behind some beautifully crafted blanking plates as to not ruin the chrome plated engine's aesthetic properties. As a piece itself, I would happily give it pride of place in my living room; if the boss at home would allow it.

Another feature of form and function seamlessly integrating is the Cast Aluminum Frame which has the Air-Box built into it so well that you otherwise wouldn’t know it is there.

If unleashing more of the V Twins rumble is your thing Indian offer a stage one kit which includes pipes, air filter and an ecu re-flash, while not officially unleashing more power it undoubtedly brings a whole lot more attention.   

I will admit to being very cautious when it came to cornering on the Chieftain, though that was due more to my confidence levels than the bike itself, as it never even came close to touching down and scraping the beautiful chrome. 

Helping to prevent a trip to the medicine man, ABS comes standard and pulling the 'Big Chief' up to a halt only required me to remember which brake - in this case the rear, as with most cruisers - was the optimal brake to slow the big bike to a halt. 

Ergonomically the Chieftain is much like your standard big American cruiser with feet forward to the controls and a commanding reach to the bars. 

If I found one thing a bit big for my average sized hands it was the switchgear on the handle bars, which required me to significantly move my grip to operate many of the buttons.

However, when it comes to the tech that those buttons control, you're quite spoiled compared to a more run of the mill cruiser. Radio, Bluetooth, USB connectivity, and an adjustable screen are all controlled from your left hand.

One thing that there is no way I can possibly fault are the mirrors, which have to be the best positioned and clearest mirrors I've experienced on a motorcycle to date. You can even clearly see behind with a pillion, which I've gotta say is a plus, as the Chieftain is ideal for bringing a companion along for the ride. 

The trip computer and incredibly beefy horn are also controlled from here and cycling through the trip computer also brings up the tyre pressure status - just in case you're feeling concerned but are too lazy to pull into a servo and manually check them.

Build quality is up there with the best of them with no visible imperfections in the signature Indian Motorcycle Red paint (one of three colour choices) or in the bike's metalwork. 

A feature I loved was the remotely lockable hard 35 litre panniers and I am a sucker for good quality leather parts. For those not a fan of tassels I can happily report that those found on the Chieftain are removable, though I'm not sure I'd remove them myself anymore as they really add to the look of the bike. 

Pricing for the Chieftain starts at $34,995 making it competitively priced against the competition from Milwaukee, undercutting the closest comparable bike by almost $3000. You can find it, plus the rest of the Indian range, at Auckland's Cyclespot on Barrys Point Road.

FAST FACTS

ENGINE:  Air-Cooled 1811cc Thunder Stroke 111

POWER: 161 Nm @ 3,000rpm

FUEL CAPACITY:  20.8 Litres

SEAT HEIGHT:  660.4 MM

PRICE: $34,995