KTM, meanwhile, will have Dani Pedrosa present as they look to confirm their new engine, their aerodynamic package, plus much more over the three days of extensive testing. Pedrosa will also be able to use the track time to his advantage by preparing for his wildcard appearance at the Spanish Grand Prix in late April.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
There’s plenty of previously unseen footage to feast your eyes upon across the four episodes, including Quartararo visiting PSG and chatting to Kylian Mbappe, Joan Mir and Alex Rins reacting to Suzuki’s shock news, Marc Marquez noting Aleix Espargaro as an early title contender while sat in his motorhome, Marc Marquez reveals his targets upon his return to action in Aragon and much more.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
It seems like every new motorcycle announced for 2023 crept up in price, regardless of whether it got an upgrade or not. Apart from being a huge bummer, this trend also means that the range of streetbikes available under $5,000 is dwindling. But it’s not a barren landscape yet, and there are still some great machines for a variety of ride styles. We’re going to take a look at five of the most compelling below. Want more? Read our Top 5 Cheapest Motorcycles 2023, Best Budget-Friendly Beginner Motorcycles, and Best Budget-Friendly Beginner Motorcycles 2019 articles.
2023 Honda Monkey: $4,249
A sub-$5,000 list of bikes wouldn’t be complete with some type of mini motorcycle, and Honda has a whole mess of them. The Grom, the Super Cub, the Trail, the Navi, all of them would fit this list, but the Monkey makes it this round for its high level of fit and finish. It has an unmistakably vintage aspect combined with touches like LED lighting, highly comfortable suspension, a 125cc single that offers a modest amount of pep on surface streets, and phenomenal fuel mileage. It’s a great learner bike, a fun commuter, and a great weekend rider.
2023 Honda Rebel 300: $4,749
Honda’s Rebel 300 is one of our favorite budget-friendly bikes, offering relaxed cruiser style and effortless handling. The 286cc single is super smooth and infinitely manageable for a wide range of skill levels. It regularly features on our rundowns of the best bikes for beginning riders, but it’s also a compelling option for riders who just want to take it easy around town. Full LED lighting, a slip/assist clutch, blacked-out styling elements, and great fuel economy commend the machine further, making it a great value for the price.
2023 Kawasaki KLX230: $4,999
Dual sport motorcycles have long been a great bang for the buck because they can take you just about anywhere. And the 2023 Kawasaki KLX230 is no exception. The fuel-injected 233cc single-powered machine is lightweight, handles great, and comes with some updates including improved throttle response in cold weather and a new LED headlight. The platform is also available, for the same price, in S trim, which offers a shorter seat height to appeal to riders with a more modest inseam. A commuter, a camper, a travel companion, a weekend warrior, the KLX 230 is really designed to do it all.
2023 Royal Enfield Classic 350: $4,799
In recent years Royal Enfield has offered customers an enticing value proposition: retro styling, stripped-down design, and budget-friendly cost. The Classic 350 is a great example of this. At $4,799, the bike is highly approachable from a cost perspective. It is a straightforward machine with a 350cc air-cooled single that puts out 20 hp and 19 lb.-ft. of torque. Suspension and braking are similarly uncomplicated. Dual-channel ABS is arguably the most modern tech system on the bike. And the retro styling is unmistakable, looking as if it just came from some early 20th-century battlefield. All these together equal a machine that bucks the trend seen in many other bikes, which continue to grow more and more advanced. As a commuter, especially in highly congested areas, or a low-key weekend warrior, this Enfield will be a great companion.
2023 Yamaha MT-03: $4,999
The MT-03 is a great way to kick things off because it might not be on this list next year. It’s a perfect example of a compelling machine inching its way toward surpassing the $5,000 mark, with no significant updates on the docket for 2023 yet a $200 bump in price over the 2022 model. The 321cc twin engine is a great option for new and improving riders, the chassis is lithe and easy to handle, the looks are eye-catching, and the bike is a blast around town and on a winding road.
Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com
A new collaboration between customizing specialist Vagabund Moto GmbH and BMW Motorrad has taken on the mission of turning the BMW CE 04 e-scooter into an eye-catching sporty and youthful machine that’s both fashionable and functional. The project features the BMW CE 04’s claimed 42 hp motor and 80 miles of range, but has a unique design complete with a top case, smiley faces, and even a surfboard – certainly not something we’re used to seeing. Find out more by reading the press release below.
Munich/Graz/Salzburg – While the international customizing scene around BMW Motorrad primarily devotes its inspiring creativity, excellent craftsmanship, and continuous flow of new ideas to the BMW Motorrad Heritage models R 18 and R nineT, an exceptional project based on the BMW CE 04 has now taken shape in Austria. In collaboration with BMW Motorrad Austria in Salzburg, customizing specialist Vagabund Moto GmbH in Graz has created the BMW CE 04 Vagabund Moto Concept – a stylish and multifunctional e-scooter based on the BMW CE 04 for urban use.
Related: 2023 BMW R nineT and R 18 100 Years Heritage Editions
“Everyone defines the mobility of the future in their own individual way,” says Paul Brauchart, founder and managing director of Vagabund Moto GmbH. “With the BMW CE 04 Vagabund Moto Concept, we now present our own idea of a stylish and multifunctional urban e-scooter that shows just how mobility needs are as individual as each personality. We haven’t reinvented the wheel, but we have taken a new look at function. We call it drawing on the synergies between functionality and aesthetics in a way that is suitable for everyday use.”
Related: BMW Announces Updates to Select 2023 Models
Accordingly, this made-in-Austria custom e-scooter not only has a particularly attractive color scheme in white, dark green, beige, and black, it also features various functional elements created in a fresh, modern design style and focusing on a youthful target group. For example, a friendly smiley face not only provides a fascinating visual accentuation on the front wheel hub, it also appears on the glass of the indicator lights. What has remained, however, is the impressive technical concept of the BMW CE 04 with key data such as 31 kW (42 hp) maximum output, dynamic acceleration of 2.6 s from 0 to 50 km/h, a range of 130 km (according to WMTC) and a charging time of just 65 minutes from 0% to 80% – with an optional fast charger at maximum charging current.
“With this customizing project, it was very important to us to emphasize the enormous variability of the BMW CE 04. At the same time, it was to be a vehicle that appeals in particular to young, sporty people in an urban environment and still be suitable for every type of customer. The fresh, modern design of the CE 04 is particularly in keeping with its aspiration to a sporty lifestyle,” adds Oliver Balzer, head of BMW Motorrad Austria.
In keeping with the motto “Action meets Fashion,” the BMW CE 04 Vagabund Moto Concept was given a functional top case to supplement the standard storage space, along with a surfboard with a transport system integrated in the vehicle – whether for a trip to the sea or to the nearest lake. “The surfboard isn’t just a piece of sports equipment: It’s also a metaphor for a sustainable urban lifestyle. The BMW CE 04 Vagabund Moto Concept combines work, leisure and individual flair, demonstrating that there needs to be no contradiction between any of these areas,” concludes Oliver Balzer.
The post Custom BMW CE 04 Vagabund Moto Concept e-Scooter first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com
Just one year after the release of the Norden 901, Husqvarna has added a new member to the Norden family: the Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition. The Expedition takes all that’s great about the Norden 901 and makes it even more off-road-ready with up-spec suspension, a 36-liter-capacity set of side bags, a windscreen, and heated grips and seat.
The Norden 901 Expedition is powered by the same eight-valve, DOHC, 889cc parallel-Twin that’s in the Norden 901 and KTM’s 890 Adventure/R. On both the Norden 901 and the Expedition model, that engine produces a claimed 105 hp and 74 lb-ft of torque.
Related: 2022 Husqvarna Norden 901 | First Ride Review
The new suspension on the Expedition gives it an edge over the regular Norden 901, bringing in 9.4 inches of travel front and rear compared to the Norden 901’s 8.7 inches front and 8.5 inches rear. The WP EXPLOR 48mm inverted fork is adjustable for compression and rebound, and the WP XPLOR shock is fully adjustable. The suspension gives the Expedition a ground clearance bump of 10.6 inches compared to the standard Norden 901’s 9.9 inches.
Both Norden 901 models are equipped with 21-inch front and 18-inch rear tubeless spoked wheels and Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires for performance both on and off the road. Offroad ABS is standard, and the Easy Shift function allows riders to change gears up or down without the clutch with the help of the Power Assist Slipper Clutch to smooth out any clumsy shifting.
The 5-gallon fuel tank provides riders with a maximum claimed 248 miles of range. The rotation-molded tank places most of the volume low and in front of the engine to lower the center of gravity and give the rider more freedom to move between riding positions. The Expedition also receives a heavy-duty skid plate made of 4mm, laser-cut aluminum.
Related: Motorcycle Camping on a Honda CB500X and Husqvarna Norden 901
The Expedition is more off-road ready right off the showroom floor with the addition of several previously optional accessories. For example, the Expedition comes standard with a side bag carrier system made from tubular steel and a side bag set with two waterproof bags. Each bag has a storage capacity of 18 liters, a waterproof roll closure, and welded seams. Heated grips, a heated seat, and a new windshield will keep adventurers comfortable in adverse conditions.
The 5-inch TFT dashboard allows the rider to adjust the display to show the trip meter, fuel range and consumption, and water temperature, while all ride modes and ABS settings are always visible. The Expedition also features Husqvarna’s Connectivity Unit to connect to a smart phone for Turn-by-Turn navigation, answering phone calls, and playing music.
Although the Norden 901 Expedition is made to be ready to ride right away, Husqvarna also offers a wide range of accessories and extras, like an Akrapovič Slip-on silencer, Touratech cases to replace the standard luggage, Factory Racing footpegs, and a radiator protection grille.
The 2023 Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition is available for $15,799, a price increase of $1,300 over the 2023 Norden 901. Find more details on Husqvarna’s website.
The post 2023 Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition | First Look Review first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com
This Southeast Ohio motorcycle tour story, which highlights some of the best Ohio motorcycle roads and a stay in the historic town of Marietta on the Ohio River, first appeared in the March 2023 issue of Rider.
For riders who want to carve continual curves through forests, along rivers, and past farms, you won’t find better roads in so focused an area than in the southeast corner of Ohio. The landscape of constantly rising and falling hills results in roller coaster roads that will have you laughing with joy. The rush from blind rises, off-camber curves, and decreasing-radius corners is never-ending. Add abundant wildlife, farm vehicles, and the occasional Amish buggy to the equation and you quickly realize how crucial it is to stay laser-focused on the task at hand.
Scan the QR codes above or click here for Day 1 or here for Day 2
With the benefit of routes created and inspired by Ed Conde of New England Riders, many riders from the Northeast and Canada make the trek south to savor these roads. The small, historic city of Marietta on the bank of the Ohio River is an ideal base of operations for a tour of this region. We found multiple options for lodging, a lively downtown with a variety of great restaurants and pubs, and even a motorcycle shop that will come in handy if your tires lose tread faster than expected.
Get travel, lodging, dining, and other information about Marietta, Ohio, here.
See all of Rider‘s Ohio touring stories here.
Our group of experienced sport-touring riders, including my good friends Steve Efthyvoulou, Randy Palmer, and Bob Holahan, confirmed a plan over breakfast and then began our day heading north and east of Marietta on Ohio State Route 821. Beyond Whipple, a right on Dalzell Road had us winding through forested hills. The constant elevation changes could be a cartographer’s worst nightmare, but they’re a motorcyclist’s dream come true. Our group was connected via bike-to-bike intercom, which enabled the lead rider to offer helpful warnings:
Wow, this curve tightens fast!
Watch for gravel in that right hander.
The road drops left after that blind rise … weeee!
At State Route 565, we turned right, curved past Zwick Park, then headed south on State Route 260 through Quarry and to New Matamoras. The curves were incredible! At State Route 7, we turned left toward the township of Fly, then left on State Route 800 back up into the hills. Beyond Jackson Ridge Church, we turned right on State Route 255 to Laings, then stayed on 255 back to Sardis and Route 7.
Request a Windy 9 Ohio motorcycle route map here.
Route 7 is designated the Ohio River Scenic Byway. Scenic, yes, but it’s mostly flat and lacks challenging curves. However, it was useful for taking us to the next incredibly curvy road up into the hills: State Route 536 in Hannibal. A short diversion onto Long Ridge Road and Short Ridge Road brought us up to Kiedaisch Point Park. From there we enjoyed the vista overlooking the Hannibal Locks and the bridge crossing the Ohio River to New Martinsville, West Virginia.
With our stomachs signaling lunch, we decided to cross that bridge and found Quinet’s Restaurant. The buffet is extensive, and an impressive display of local history covers the walls of this New Martinsville institution. Appetites satisfied, we crossed back into Ohio and picked up State Route 536 all the way to State Route 78, where turning right put us on a parallel track with Sunfish Creek, which meanders and then widens before emptying into the Ohio River at Clarington. Route 7 sent us to State Route 556 where we turned to enjoy more curves all the way to Beallsville and State Route 145.
At Jerusalem, a left pointed us south on State Route 26, the National Forest Covered Bridge Scenic Byway. For most of its length, the byway parallels the Little Muskingum River, and we happened upon Rinard Covered Bridge. It’s the third covered bridge to be constructed on this location, the original dating to 1875. On these winding southeastern Ohio roads, shoulders vary from narrow to nonexistent, so this stop was noteworthy because it was a chance to pull safely off the road to shoot photographs. Continuing on Route 26 provided us miles of smiles back to Marietta.
The mental focus required to follow all these curves, coupled with the physical demands of countersteering and shifting body position on heavy sport-tourers, had us feeling tired at the end of the day. After returning to Marietta, we walked to Tampico Mexican Restaurant and rehashed a fantastic day over a relaxed meal and a pitcher of margaritas.
Your humble scribe is an early riser, so the next morning as the sky began to lighten, I set out to explore more of downtown Marietta. Reading the many historical signs, I learned that pioneers established the town in 1788 as the first permanent white settlement of the United States Territory Northwest of the River Ohio. Many original settlers were Revolutionary War officers who were offered land grants as compensation for military service. Artisans from my native New England also settled here, bringing with them skills that helped Marietta quickly become a center for shipbuilding. Between 1800 and 1812, nearly 30 ocean-going vessels were built here in eight shipyards.
Another piece of riverfront history is the place where we stayed, the Lafayette Hotel (c. 1918). Inside, the hotel’s lobby feels like a formal parlor. Realtors might describe the rooms as “quaint” and “cozy,” with the period furnishings and fixtures including styles long forgotten by interior designers. Our tidy room overlooked the Ohio River, the Highland Avenue Bridge, and lovely riverside homes on the opposite riverbank in Williamstown, West Virginia. Even the parking area for our bikes overlooked the river. Modern-day riverboats still dock at that very spot, as one did during our stay, so it’s fitting that this lodging retains the feel of the riverboat era.
After breakfast at the hotel, our group was ready for another day behind the handlebars. Since any road is different in the opposite direction, we began by reversing course on one of our favorites from the day before, Route 26. The weather was perfect, and we enjoyed glimpses of the scenery when we could divert our attention briefly from the curvaceous road. In Woodsfield, we found Ida’s Lunchbox, which other riders had recommended, and enjoyed a light lunch and conversation, while a farmer at the next table listened attentively to the agriculture report on TV.
We continued on 26 to Jerusalem, turned west on State Route 145, kept twisting southwesterly along Duck Creek to Lewisville, and then took State Route 724 west to Carlisle. A different stretch of Route 260 wound us south along East Fork Duck Creek to Harriettsville. Just past town, we turned right on State Route 564 and began to follow Middle Fork Duck Creek to Caldwell. State Route 78 took us out of town and curved to a highlight of the day: Big Muskie Bucket, the business end of one of the largest machines ever to move on land.
Big Muskie was a walking dragline designed to remove earth and uncover a coal seam that lay 180 feet below the surface. This colossal machine was electric, powered by a 13,000-volt “extension cord,” and so enormous it’s hard to wrap your brain around the scale. It was 1.5 times longer than a football field, more than 222 feet tall, and weighed 12,000 tons. The bucket, which weighs 210 tons when empty, could grab 325 tons of earth in a single “bite” and hold 220 cubic yards. In 1969, the entire Morgan High School Marching Band, nearly 50 members strong, played inside the bucket at Big Muskie’s inaugural ceremonies. By 1991, more efficient mining methods and increasingly stringent environmental regulations sidelined Big Muskie. Now the bucket is all that remains, rusting away in a park on Route 78 near Bristol.
We briefly reversed course on 78 to State Route 83 and headed south for gentler curves down to Beverly. There, a left on State Route 339 moved us into farm country and past Crooked Tree. A right on State Route 821 had us paralleling Duck Creek through Macksburg, Elba, and Warner. A right on State Route 530 delivered the day’s last dose of twisties down to Lowell, where leisurely State Route 60 returned us to Marietta.
One thing we had missed thus far was a ferry ride, so we made a quick run up Route 7 to the Sistersville Ferry, which has carried people across the Ohio River between Fly, Ohio, and Sistersville, West Virginia, for over two centuries. Several types of ferry have been used throughout the company’s history, and the one currently in use is a type none of us had seen before. Vehicles drive onto a ferry barge, which is propelled through the water by a tug. The barge is double-ended so it doesn’t have to change direction with each river crossing, but the tug needs to turn around after each landing. The tug’s bow is attached to the barge’s side via a pivoting mechanism that resembles an automotive trailer hitch. When the ferry reaches the other side, the captain simply pivots the tug 180 degrees to cross the other way. Pretty slick.
After the ferry, we made our way back to Marietta, where our dinner spot was a short stroll through Ohio Riverfront Park to Levee House Bistro for, of all things, lobster – prepared by a chef from Boston no less!
Find info about the Triple Nickel and Zanesville-Muskingum County, Ohio, here.
Commitments back home had us heading east the next morning, but we plan to return to this region for more great riding. To the north is State Route 555, the renowned “Triple Nickel” (see Ken Frick’s story “Riding Ohio’s Triple Nickel”). To the west are gentler curves leading to Hocking Hills State Park, where riders can enjoy some of Ohio’s best scenery and stretch their legs on short hikes. The hilly landscape is much the same on the West Virginia side of the Ohio River, with roads such as West Virginia State Route 20 from New Martinsville to Mannington and U.S. Route 250 from Mannington to Moundsville, keeping riders on their toes and making joyful noises.
If you prefer roller coaster rides that you control, a motorcyclist’s amusement park awaits you in southeastern Ohio.
The post Roller Coaster Hills: A Southeast Ohio Motorcycle Tour first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com
The new Buell Super Cruiser, a model designed by Roland Sands Design that was first revealed at a private event on February 10, has already gotten a heap of attention. Now, fans will be able to gawk at this new model in person at Daytona Bike Week. Featuring Buell’s 175-hp V-Twin in an FXR-inspired chassis, the Super Cruiser is set to go into production in 2025. Luckily, you don’t have to wait that long to see it in person at Daytona Bike Week.
Buell’s Hammerhead and 1190 SX models will also make an appearance in Daytona, as well as the updated 1190 SuperTouring modular superbike.
Read the press release below for more information.
Grand Rapids, MI, February 28, 2023 – Buell Motorcycles and Roland Sands Design have announced the first public preview of the 2025 Buell Super Cruiser. Making its East Coast debut at Daytona Bike Week, Friday, March 3 – Sunday, March 12, 2023, the Super Cruiser will star in Buell’s lineup along Destination Daytona’s main drag, showing off their high-performance, American-made superbikes and touting their latest updates.
The Super Cruiser, first revealed at a private event on February 10 at the Roland Sands Design facility in Long Beach, CA, has been well-received by both the media and fans. As eager riders continue to place unprecedented preorders on the Buell website, the Super Cruiser is exceeding expectations and generating significant buzz.
“It’s the design of this bike that’s got everyone going crazy,” said Buell’s CEO, Bill Melvin. “The response we’ve seen so far is overwhelming. It’s clear there’s a tremendous demand for a high- performance cruiser, and we’re thrilled to meet it. We always knew a Buell cruiser would be big, but it needed Buell features and had to be the highest-performing American production bike ever made. Lucky for us, we were the ones who innovated the kick-ass technology of the 1190 platform. So, we didn’t need to reinvent the wheel. We just needed to take what was already ideal and build a cruiser around it. Refining things like steering angle, rake, wheels, tires, brakes, and chassis – Roland Sands was the genius to pull all that together.”
Of course, Buell’s Daytona lineup would be incomplete without its flagship bikes, the Hammerhead and 1190 SX, featuring small but important improvements since last year. Notable changes include carbon bodywork, tires and throttle-body balancing refinement.
Also on display will be the latest refinements to Buell’s 1190 SuperTouring modular superbike, slated for 2025 production. “The ST provided a great opportunity for us to hear and engage with our fanbase,” said Jacob Stark, Buell’s Engineering Specialist. “It led to exploring new ideas, experimenting, and using the ST platform to stretch our comfort zone.”
Created in collaboration with award-winning designer J. Ruiter to thrill supersport fans and tourers alike, the SuperTouring is the world’s fastest adaptive motorcycle, easily converting to a track bike in under an hour. Its latest modifications include a new modular front faring with headlamp assembly, higher handlebars, foot-forward controls, and a new seat and bags.
“We can’t wait for Bike Week 2023. Buell is back and building a strong reputation as a small, responsive company building bikes to order and providing a unique customer experience,” said Melvin. “We’ve tuned our approach to match customer feedback and will continue making the changes that deliver the best riding experience possible.”
The post New Buell Super Cruiser to Debut at Daytona Bike Week first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com
Racing up to the blind rise on the 2023 Indian Sport Chief, I roll off the throttle slightly, and the pleasing roar of the engine lowers to more of a threatening growl. As I crest the hill, there’s a moment of weightlessness, and I see a line of about a dozen other riders, all on the same performance cruisers, gliding down the roller coaster-like drop and blasting back up the sweeping left on the other side. It looks almost as if they are defying gravity – or getting ready to launch into the air. It’s a quick flash of a scene, a rush of exhilaration that makes me feel younger than my years, and I roll on the throttle again. The big Thunderstroke 116 responds without hesitation, pulling me forward as if it can read my mind and knows that, in that moment, all I want to do is catch up and take off into the sky with them.
The first Indian Chief, offering 61 inches of displacement, was released a little over 100 years ago. At the February launch for the Sport Chief, Brandon Kraemer, Indian’s VP of product and motorcycle electrification, said that Charles Franklin, who also designed the Scout, had a goal in mind when he developed the Chief.
“His goal was to take what was great about the Scout and basically make it a little bigger and a little more capable, a little more powerful,” he said, “and ultimately they did that.”
Kraemer continued to say that 100 years later, Indian “rebirthed that, with what you see here as the basis of the new Chief platform.”
He said that the Chief bridges the gap between the Scout and the heavier, more expensive Chieftain or Challenger ranges. Kraemer called it “a great canvas.”
Related: 2022 Indian Challenger Elite and Chieftain Elite | First Look Review
In 2021, we tested the new 2022 Indian Super Chief Limited, an up-spec, touring-ready version of the new Chief platform that included the standard Chief, the Chief Bobber, and the Super Chief, all of which feature the air-cooled Thunderstroke 111 49-degree V-Twin. The Dark Horse versions of the Chief and Chief Bobber and the Limited version of the Super Chief boast the Thunderstroke 116, which makes a claimed 120 lb-ft of torque at the crank compared to the 108 lb-ft of the 111 engine.
The Dark Horse/Limited models also have a 4-inch round touchscreen TFT instrument panel as an upgrade from the traditional analog gauge on the regular models, as well as standard ABS, an $800 option on the base models.
“We wanted to focus on a really flexible design that we could take to many different places,” Kraemer said of the Chief base, adding that the Sport Chief was the “first derivative coming out of the all-new platform.”
Kraemer said that while the 2022 Chiefs were largely targeted after the bobber segment, “we always knew we were going to go after the performance segment second.” Enter the 2023 Indian Sport Chief.
“Going back to what we originally set the Chief architecture up for, we definitely have it in our wheelhouse,” Kraemer said and mentioned the obvious rival in this category, the Harley-Davidson Low Rider S. “That’s what we’re going after.”
In our review of the 2022 Indian Super Chief Limited, we said that the new “Chief lineup is more stripped-down and elemental, reflecting contemporary tastes. Like their ancestor, the new Chiefs draw inspiration from the modern-day Scout, with a shortened wheelbase and exposed twin laydown rear shocks rather than a single shock hidden behind bodywork. They’re also much lighter.”
We appreciated that the new rear dual shocks reduced the wheelbase and added agility but felt the 3 inches of resulting rear travel (down from 4.5) was a design compromise – “overall the ride is much firmer and less forgiving.”
Like the Dark Horses and Super Chief Limited, the 2023 Sport Chief is an up-spec model with the Thunderstroke 116 engine, the 4-inch touchscreen TFT display, and standard ABS. Its suspension and brakes get a major upgrade over previous Chief iterations, including the same front end as used on the Challenger bagger, with a 43mm KYB inverted fork offering 5.1 inches of travel and a pair of Brembo 4-piston calipers biting 320mm rotors.
When it comes to rear suspension, Kraemer said when they created the new Chief models, one thing they focused heavily on is what Indian calls the “Signature Line,” which runs from the steering stem all the way down through the axle.
“The rear shocks are a big part of that, having that continuation of that consistent line.” Much like the cross-pollination evident in the front end, Kraemer cited the Scout as inspiration for the rear suspension, but he also said the company recognized that on a heavyweight cruiser, customers are going to want to customize.
“And we are too,” he said. “Having outboard rear shocks makes it really easy to jack the bike up and change the suspension, or you can lower it as well if you want to go that route. Obviously we’re going higher with the Sport Chief.”
Along these lines, the Sport Chief has new piggyback Fox shocks with adjustable preload that bump travel up by an inch (to 4 inches) and lean angle up by 1 degree (to 29.5 degrees).
From a visual standpoint, a new quarter-fairing also sets the Sport Chief apart from the other models, combined with a new moto-style bar with a machined triple clamp and 6-inch machined riser. A solo gunfighter seat with 2 more inches of bolster than the standard Chief is complemented by mid-mount foot controls.
The bike features cast wheels (19 inches in the front, 16 in the rear) wrapped in Pirelli Night Dragon tires, a 4-gallon fuel tank, a bobbed rear fender, dual exhausts, LED lighting, keyless ignition, cruise control, and three selectable ride modes: Sport, Standard, and Tour.
We tested the 2023 Indian Sport Chief on a 120-mile mix of Austin city streets, interstate, and winding Texas Hill Country roads. The pace was brisk where traffic would allow, and except for some patchy spots of construction around town, the conditions were perfect for trying out this new performance cruiser, especially rolling through Hill Country and the short side jaunt we took on a narrow road with some nice twisties.
The first thing I noticed when firing up the Sport Chief was the pleasing rumbling of that blacked-out Thunderstroke 116. We started our ride with some laps around the city, but it wasn’t until we hit the interstate that I really got a taste of what this bike wanted to do. Not to anthropomorphize too much, but I daresay the Sport Chief was just as eager as I was to open it up a little more than permitted by the stop-and-go of city driving.
The second thing I noticed was that round touchscreen TFT. Although it’s not new – at least to the lower-spec versions of the Chief – it’s still pretty to look at, much cooler than a rectangular display. Kraemer said it is important at Indian to keep adding tech without taking away from style, which he called “critical” to the company’s customers. “And it’s not easy, by the way, to find a round touchscreen.”
Riders can use the display to cycle through multiple interfaces, including two different gauge configurations, bike and ride information, and turn-by-turn navigation with connected features like weather and traffic overlays. Riders can also pair their smartphones to the panel via Bluetooth or USB and access music and phone information through the Ride Command system.
Once we got rolling, some of the unavoidable potholes and bumps of city riding were a little more jarring than I would’ve expected given the new suspension, and even with rear-cylinder deactivation, there was still some serious heat coming off the exhaust. But once we got outside of town and off the interstate into Hill Country, the Sport Chief really shone. And in this case, some of the positive response I experienced from the bike was directly related to that new rear suspension.
Changes to suspension subsequently alter the bike’s geometry. The new taller shocks not only give more lean angle but also pivot the front end and result in a slightly tighter rake of 28 degrees (from 29) and shorter 4.4 inches of trail (from 5.2). Kyle Goede, product manager for the Super Chief, said the reason they did this was for “flickability.”
“[It’s] a little bit easier to maneuver,” he said, adding that it was important when developing the bike to think about its performance aspect.
And Indian nailed it with that one. For a bike with a wet weight of 685 lb, it handled in the corners like a much lighter motorcycle. It was almost effortless. I can admit that I’m probably in the category of “most riders” and didn’t take advantage of the full increased lean angle, but it didn’t take much more than a bit of countersteering or shifting of my upper body to carve out a nice apex.
Speaking of those apexes, although I might’ve been more conservative in my cornering, when I came out of them and wanted to catch up, a twist of the throttle brought an immediate but steady and strong response. And as the speedometer climbed, the engine purred with a surprising smoothness, likely the result of the V-Twin’s counterbalancers.
One area where the ride felt a little rougher was at the top end of some of these speeds, but that had more to do with the accessories on the bike I was riding than the engine. There are several accessories for the Sport Chief that are also compatible with other bikes in the Chief lineup, including the Fox piggyback rear shocks (and an up-spec 24-click adjustable version), 10-inch risers, the quarter-fairing with a low (4 inch) or tall (9 inch) forward windscreen, an extended reach or reduced reach seat, the Chief Syndicate Seat and Syndicate Low Profile Passenger Backrest for two-up riding, and the Chief Pathfinder 5 3/4-inch adaptive LED headlight.
The bike I was riding had the 10-inch riser and the matching taller windscreen. While this riser indeed contributes to a look that Dan Peterson, PGA lead, called “meaner and badder,” it also led to a little less control than the 6-inch riser offers and less wind protection at higher speeds, even with the taller windscreen. However, even Peterson said the windscreens are “as much about style as they are protection,” so this was to be expected.
And from a comfort standpoint, I was happier to have the 10-inch riser. With my 32-inch inseam and the mid-mount foot controls, I felt a little cramped at times along the ride, even with the more open ergonomics.
When it came time to slow it down, the dual Brembo components up front put the “sport” into the Sport Chief with very little convincing required. And the standard ABS was definitely appreciated, especially when I came around a corner on that narrow, twisty side road and encountered a short stretch where the road surface went from asphalt to a patch of concrete that had been smoothed over by obvious years of seasonal high water. Fortunately, there was a sign warning of the upcoming slick crossing and I had already applied some braking, but I have a feeling if it weren’t for the ABS, I might’ve locked it up and dumped the bike off the short drop-off into the rocky riverbed … and felt like an idiot.
But once again, the Sport Chief did what a performance cruiser is meant to do: It performed. And as we wound our way back to the hotel at the end of the day, even after we had to plunge back into the stop-and-go for the last stretch, it was a performance that I didn’t want to end. I may not be the 25-40 age bracket West Coast customizer this bike is primarily geared toward, but that day, I sure felt like it.
The 2023 Indian Sport Chief comes in Black Smoke, Ruby Smoke, Spirit Blue Smoke, and Stealth Gray starting at $18,999.
The post 2023 Indian Sport Chief | First Ride Review first appeared on Rider Magazine.
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