New chief’s new Chief
Indian nabbed designer Ole Stenagard from BMW in 2018 and now he’s produced his first, Chiefly, work…
‘A bike that evokes emotion with raw American muscle’
To celebrate 100 years of Chiefs, Indian have revealed three new ones, all designed by the man they pinched from BMW three years ago. The variants are all powered by Indian’s humongous air-cooled 1901cc V-twin and come with an array of electronics.
‘We wanted to capture a timeless look that never goes out of style, and looks beautiful whether naked or fully dressed,’ says Ola Stenegard, Indian’s design director, whose previous work includes BMW’S S1000RR and R ninet. ‘We also wanted to keep it simple enough to allow riders’ imaginations to take flight with personalisation options and possibilities. Ultimately, this is a bike that evokes emotion with simple mechanical styling and raw American muscle.’
Despite the back-to-basic looks and stripped back style, the bikes are festooned with tech. A circular, touch-sensitive screen is used to scroll through various options for gauge configurations, sat nav and trips and it tells you which of the three riding modes you’re in too. There’s also cruise control, keyless ignition and LED lighting. Of the three Chiefy versions the Dark Horse Bobber will probably be the biggest seller, what with its on-trend balloon front tyre, usable ape hanger bars, feet-forward riding position and fork and shock covers. The Dark Horse is the base model, and gets drag handlebars, 19in cast wheels, mid-mount pegs and a solo seat. It could easily tempt Harley buyers away from the Fat Bob or Softail Slim. Finally there’s the touring option, the Super Chief Limited with a screen, saddlebags, chrome pipes and floorboards. Prices are yet to be confirmed because of postbrexit tariff uncertainties, but are expected to start at around £16,000 for the Dark Horse and rise to £20,000 for the Super Chief Limited.