Indian vs Harley. Neither answer is wrong. Horsepower or Comfort. Buy the motorcycle that gets you out there to enjoy the road. I own a Victory and absolutely love it. When I’m ready for a new bike it will be Road Glide or Dark Horse. Adam thank you for the honest review and as a active serving Marine myself thank you for all you have done and continue to do for veterans.
I own a victory I rode the Indian one of the best riding bikes I've ridden I was impressed.that road glide is a good looking bike I must say.the Gold wing is a beast beutifull and powerful.keep on riding people.God bless.
From what I have heard in other reviews the Indian in sport mode is a beast. I wonder if those few extra HP of the 114 would even be noticed in comparison. Excellent comparison review!
I also have a Victory, XC , the MOST reliable bike I’ve had by far , cool to ride on the curves , comfy and good looking. I would buy a dyna for having a city riding bike , but I Love the new chieftain
Really like the Indians but I'll stick with Harley for one reason; I've got 4 Harley dealers to one Indian dealer in my area. I've also got many independent shops around here to choose from that can work on my Harley.
Adam, you are 100% correct. Mono shock is where it’s at as for handling. Harley already has been changing frames to this configuration. (Softails) you will see it move to the touring bikes, you know how they operate. Keep making great videos brother.
Have you considered the 116 big bore kit Indian now has? That would be comparable to your 114 on your Road Glide. Also Indian does have lower fairings with a push button that allows air to come through. All that being said, I am in love with the Road Glide. If Harley would put the electric windshield, push button locking bags and heated grips I would own one. Thanks for your review! Glad to see an unbiased review of both.
I have always admired your honest reviews, especially that you base your opinions on fact as opposed to reviews based on emotions based on a love for a particular brand. Continue to be the honest person you are. Great work
I ride Indian Springfield and a few things to add. It runs very hot even with the catalytic converter out. Few dealerships to get anything fixed plus there’s are very little selection for aftermarket and parts. no upgrades on brakes customizing etc.Good bike but HD is still out in front.
Very straight and honest. Sometimes is Harley owners get a little snobby and don’t even consider other males. As far as fairings I had a 2012 road glide but now I have a 2018 ultra limited and can crush as many miles with the batwing fairing as I could with a fixed wing fairing. I use to hate batwings but I found out it’s the Rider not the ride
Harleys sold in the U.S. are indeed assembled in one of four plants located in Wisconsin, Missouri and Pennsylvania. But the brakes and clutch are imported from Italy, the engine pistons are made in Austria, the bike suspension comes from Japan, and other electronic components originate in Mexico and China.
I think you're kinda missing the boat. If I want to tour, I want to know about GVWR. I want to know luggage capacity. I want to know which one will bake my nuts faster. I want to know fuel range. I want to know maintenance requirements. A 6 hp difference on a 900 lb motorcycle is about as an important a difference as having 7 or 8 M&Ms on your ice cream cone.
I can confirm that the indian will roast your nuts way faster than the harley. I had read about the 111 in the indian being a chestnut roaster. Before I upgraded from my dyna to a RGS, I had test rode an indian bagger similar to this one, along with a road glide and street glide. The reports are true. Sweaty ol' bag in no time lol.
@@Mowk86, that is my only complaint with the Indian 111 and from my own research have also seen its a common one. The bike performs beautifully, regardless. But this summer will be my first on it, so we will see how it feels in 110 degree temps with 50% or more humidity. Im not confident that heat deflectors will make a huge difference. Its nice in the winter though, didnt feel the need for buying a seat warmer with temps in the 30s.
The Indian does ride hotter with the 2 into one stock pipes. Once I switched to true duals, the heat was very comparable between Road glide and Roadmaster.
The Indians have the bigger bags and trunks if your comparing H-D full dresser with the Roadmaster. Indian has bigger bags. Honestly I don't feel it's enough to be a major selling point. What made me switch for HD to Indian, was the ride. The overall ride experience is way better on Indian. However, Both company's are great in my opinion, and you can't go wrong no matter what you ride, as long as you ride!
Roadmaster with adding Stage two, brings the power HP to 90 and TQ to 116 with the lower fairings that opens and closes plus a easy to remove trunk. You need to ride one of those Mr. Sandoval they are nice.
Great video Adam. One thing I considered (trust me I went between Indian and HD for a full year) was the availability of aftermarket parts and accessories. Indian, for as good a bike as they make didn't have nearly as many aftermarket mods available. I'm sure this will be different in 5-10 years. I also considered the availability of HD vs Indian dealerships throughout the country. Should I ever break down in the middle of nowhere, Im likely to find an HD dealership closer than I would Indian. These were 2 major factors in making my decision. Kudos to you good sir! Keep up the great work!
That's what I'm struggling with right now. Hopefully I'll be able to buy my new bike next spring or summer. After market parts and dealer availability are my only concerns with Indian.
Comprehensive. That's the perfect word for this video. You did the numbers, the physical differences, and the intangibles in your opinion. This is how all reviews should be - great video.
So glad you gave the honest review. I can't wait to get my Road Master. They do advertise 119 foot pounds of torque. The road master gives you the full vent option of the lowers. Can't wait to see the next review.
Greg Durkee I concur re: 119 foot pounds of torque. I have an 18 Roadmaster and love it! A bit hot on the right when temps are high but it appears Indian solves that issue in the 2019 models. (Plans for true duals (no cat) and high flow air filter should decrease heat by 30% on the 18 model.)
Thank you for your knowledge I like to hear from owners who have experienced enough of the bike. I would like to get the best out of the Road Master and the TS 111 . I'm looking to buy the 2018 left over still in the crate. I was told that I may want the power command tuner for it even with stock. What are your thoughts on this?
The one thing that keeps me on a Harley is the turn signal switches. Hate to say it but the individual switches on each side is so much easier than that small little metric switch. To be a matter of fact every time I have test rode a Indian, I hit the kill switch trying to turn on the right turn signal.
To all the critics out there. I find it very rude to criticize the author since he puts put unbiased opinions and put a lot of work on to this. Be encouraging or all those guys will quitt doing us this great service. Btw i am. Harley/Bmw guy but cant wait to sit on an Indian if they come up with a naked muscle cruiser like my Fatboy
Sorry,lost service. Reliability is something to consider. I too recently bought the damn motorcycle. Thank you Adam and all the other you tubers for what you do for us.
On my 2018 Roadmaster I got an exhaust leak. Pulled the trim off for the studs and they were very loose. Tightened up and all good.. Indian extras are very pricey too, if you do get one of these check out the aftermarket accessories. They're getting more popular and more is coming out. Save some money
i added the bars, and the highway pegs to my 2019 darkhorse before you even suggested it in the other video, i knew it was missing. but being around mc's i have had members gauking at my bike, throwingthier legs over it, feeling the balance. and all of them fell in love with it. the bike is awesome, im loving it. and my next mod isnt needed but i just want it, and that's the bigger cams. air cleaner, also the true duel exhaust replacement. its going to be amazing.
Best advice is to test ride and compare as preferance varies. I rode both and found the HD to be my choice, and I loved the Indian. Gr8 advice from Adam to try them for yourself.
Thanks Adam. That was a fair revue. I'm a Harley guy but have owned at least one of about every brand out there lol. I have to admit I've been looking hard at the Indian. Thanks for keeping it real.
Good review man, thanks for the comparison. A little competition is only going to improve both brands and gives the American consumer better options and ultimately promotes motorcycling. I’m an HD fan to the bone but I like to focus on the positives of both of these brands.
Thanks, Your opinions are greatly appreciated. I ride a 2001 heritage and when I get a different one maybe it'll be 2008 or 9. Oh and it will be a Harley. But that's just me and no matter what you ride as long as you keep supporting veterans I will keep supporting you. Rubber side down and let the miles roll on. comment 20 got a along way to go to 10,000.
You can't go wrong with either bike,thanks for all the specs on each bike and great job to Harley and Indian for making great bikes,enjoy em both Adam.
Looks like you were right about Indian and the frame mounted fairing (Indian Challenger). I'd say you'll be right about Harley and the touring chassis as well. They'll have plenty of data from their softail designs to go off.
Nice review. I chose between the Road glide and Indian. Both great bikes! I love the Road Glide. Rented for a weekend and no complaints. For me it simply came down to comfort and suspension. So I purchased and Indian. I am 52 and 6’4. Suspension really made the difference and torque before Harley upgraded engines in 2019. Also could have spent money to upgrade suspension on Harley but just couldn’t justify doing that. No hate both great just Indian was for me. Ride on everyone!
Noticed the same thing on multiple demos between the two and i concur, indian for comfort and handling and harleys m8 for performance. Theres no doubt hd will have a major overhaul in the touring bikes for 2020. Their last update to the frames was in 2009 and they have that whole new softail lineup way ahead in terms of handling.
The HP and torque are slightly higher on the HD, but is 10 pounds heavier and it cost $1090 more. My little brain started trying to think. Lloyds 585 cams $625.00 Voodoo A/c $500 Plugs knock of on factory pipes $0.00 PCVX $349.00 Total $1474 - 1090= $384 Bucks for 100hp/120 Tq and I have not Tune my bike yet. Im expecting a little higher Hp/Tq numbers after Tuning. I would pick the Indian hands down.
Another great video Mr. Sandoval, as all ways. Read many of the comments and everything has already been said ! Oh yea there is one more thing 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 "We are American" thanks 4 what U do for all us Vets 🇺🇸
Now that's what I call a straight-up honest review... your integrity is shining through Adam.... I just listened to the b2w podcast that you were a guest on.. it was great to hear you give a little more insight into what was going on with the marketing people at corporate Harley-Davidson... hard to believe the arrogance of the new head of marketing at the time.. so happy you chose not to be a sell-out & stuck to your principles.... would be great if you could provide a link to the podcast so everybody can have a listen..... cheers brother and keep the rubber on the road
after seeing your comment I went and listened to that podcast, and wow. Ive always been an underdog kind of guy, and now I'm even more of an Indian fan.
When it comes to cruisers I pick harley , the bad thing about harley is they stick the price to everyone and then have it set up to where if the BIKER wants up grades , harley allows it within the warranty. If there was no such thing as fashion riders would the prices be where they are . I think harley does for the fashion guys but Jack's the prices .
Really good review. One thing I would like to see is how much it cost to service a HD and a Indian the first year or a certain amount of miles. The lower the maintenance the better! I ride a 2011 Victory Cross country. The only complaint is that the air filter is under the front part of the tank. Otherwise oil, trans, and primary are all lubed. Easy and no issues. I want ride, time not shop time. Hope the campground is doing well! Be safe.Thanks again for a great review.
Rode my 2018 Road Glide Ultra, with a stage 2 power cam (107ci) in it from British Columbia Canada to Newfoundland and back last year. Bike ran 100% no problems in any weather... didn't hit any snow thankfully. Great ride best i've ever had. Buddy has a 2020 Indian Challenger and yeah he can pull away from me but at 63 years old I'm okay being 1 .5 secs behind him. For me the Road Glide Ultra any day
I had a 2017 Indian Chieftain. My only direct issue with the Indian was that the Indian does not have a intelligent power monitoring for the infotainment system. The bike is a tender baby if it sits for more then 7 - 10 days depending on outside temp. If they have separate battery or if the system does not drain the battery on boot, I would get another Chieftain in a heartbeat. The other main issue, the Indian only has a 5.5 gal tank.
Good work! I am Harley all the way, but I did test drive an Indian like yours and agree the suspension is very smooth for a mid 50-s year old rider with a tired back.
I ride a 2009 stripped down Ultra Classic. A few performance enhancements and suspension modifications has totally transformed this bike. I put a 100 miles on it and find myself looking for the next 100 miles. I love the bike! I look at the new models out there but I ask myself "Why?"
The why question will be answered if you ride one for a bit. Even my '14 is a huge improvement over the earlier model. And the '18 is enough I'm going to upgrade in spring.
Ride the Roadmaster with the lowers and you will be surprised just how much wind protection you get (think road glide here). Overall good subjective points made as they really are both good choices. You did not mention it but the technology in the Indian was far superior to HD. The reason I bought the Indian was the technology, comfort (electric windshield is phenomenal) and the ride quality is soooo much better. You can add hop up engine parts to either to negate any shortcomings.
I just visited my local Indian dealer and jumped on a Chieftain dark horse... BY FAR this was the best balanced motorcycle I have ever threw a leg over after owning 17 motorcycles. The handling JUST BLEW ME AWAY! The seating position was lower to the ground and felt more stable and balanced. The exhaust from the factory sounded perfect with a deep and mellow tone. Quality is evident throughout the bike. The dealership experience was MUCH MORE personal and friendly with the dealership taking time to explain in great detail the engineering features of the motor and chassis. I was told the power stroke motor only has a total of EIGHT GASKETS compared to Harley-Davidson’s thirty six approximately. But the real selling point for me is the mind blowing handing and balance of this machine. I don’t care how long you have been riding other brands, every serious rider owes it to themselves to visit their local Indian dealer and test ride the dealership and the Chieftain Dark horse. I will take mind blowing handling and a more comfortable ride over a few horsepower any day! And of course I understand the stage kit turns this bike into a real beast! I made up my mind real quick.
A good rider can take less power and outrun a rider that isn’t as good with a bigger motor .... I’ve seen it done a hundred times I’ve got some friends that are decent riders and have bikes that are built to the max and I can take my 103 with a stage 3 in it and smokem .... but I’ve been riding since I was 4 and raced professionally for 5 years
Robert Contreras Thanks Robert, one thing I did forget to mention is the comfortable ride. This bike has the fox mono shock with six inch travel at the rear that soaks up the bumps.. I have a really bad back so this feature is a really big deal for me and the bike itself feels very light because of the great balance. As soon as you sit on the Chieftain dark horse and take it off the side stand at the showroom you see what I’m talking about. I strongly encourage a nice long test ride as well. Best Regards.
A couple things that I'd like to know is, Are the service interval's the same for both bikes? Do the tires last about the same amount of miles?. And are common parts like plugs and brakes, batteries equally easy to replace if you should need to when on the road?.,,,
Thanks Adam for your honest review one thing I really like about you. Gained respect for you listening to the between two wheels podcast. Keep doing what you're doing brother!
Adam I am lucky too in that I have a 2017 CVO Limited 114 (stock), a 2018 Roadglide CVO 117 with Legends suspension front and back, and a 2018 Roadmaster with PVCX tuner, LLoydz 585 cams, heavy breather, and Rinehart exhaust( 109.2 hp and 129 ft lbs tq). I would like to second some of your observations. If I were riding the highway day in and day out for long miles I would ride the Roadglide period. In the wind and high speeds it is a very smooth and comfortable machine except for the seat which has to be replaced for all day riding. Legends suspension is fantastic in the mountains and curves and the RG is better than the other two in the mountains. If you take a stock bike to the mountains the Indian handles better period in the curves and all around daily rider as well. No comparison the Roadmaster is smoother and easier to manuever. For pure comfort say getting on a bike to ride to Key West from South Carolina and taking back roads neither of these bikes compare to the comfort of the CVO Limited for an all day ride. Both the CVO and Indian ferring in the wind can't compete with the RG. I tell people all the time I love all three bikes but if I had to pick one for daily riding it would be the Roadmaster hands down especially now as it is a beast after dyno and engine work. If you buy a new RG now you will have to add a real windshield as they don't come with a functional one anymore. The Memphis shade for the RG is fantastic.The lower center of gravity and lower seat height with greater ground clearance make the Indian absolutely a great handling machine even for a fairly new rider.
Due to the slight weight difference, and better handling I still believe (4th gear pulls on the freeway to get around a slower vehicle) the Indian would be quicker and more confident. Great review. Thanks for being a model member of our motorcycle community.
Awesome review! I am in love with the Indians and plan to buy one in the near future; either a Springfield or a Chieftain, however, I frequently rent Harleys through Eagle Rider and have more miles on them, and I really loved the road glide and Harley's Milwaukee Eight, it's just such a nice engine. Having ridden both bikes in your review, I completely agree with your analysis, thanks again!
Bought a Chieftain Dark Horse today. Your videos helped me a lot in deciding. Upgraded the exhaust to Reinhardt headers and pipes and Indian Stage 1 air intake. Hope it sounds good. Thanks for the videos....
So. At end of the day it's still a Honda...not American. Pretty sure that's what the comparison is all about, in this video anyway. American built vs American built; hence the DEBATE. U ride Honda, that's great, but was t even part of the video is all I'm saying. Support ur Honda on a Honda forum. This is how hate crimes start. Nobody is looking for animosity on this channel.
2017-2019 models- after a few hundred miles no fluid measures on the transmission dipstick. fluid is migrating into the primary. Harley knows it, not doing anything about it.
@@JLDock i disagree, some fellow riders of mine took their bikes to the dealer and issues were resolved, one in particular was the issue you said they are not doing anything about, is completely false.
Dragan M what’s the fix and when did they start fixing it? My buddy has a 2018 Street Glide with an open case since September with Harley and they advised him that they are collecting data.
toast 2 go go google Harley Davidson z score. Heading for bankruptcy within 2 years. I love Harley-Davidson and I’m keeping my twin cam, but never again.
I believe, giving your review, most riders should get the Indian. There is only a handful of riders that will do the riding a Harley Davidson you showed us is capable of.
Absolutely Indian all the way. Hayley’s over price . Indian Scout Bobber is so fast stock 100 HP and with modifications you can get up to 140 hp. Harley’s are to pricey
Bob Salt well i like the Harley Davidson 48 but when I saw the Indian scout Bobber 1200cc 100HP . same engine size but with way more horsepower and so much better looking I fall in love with the Indian scout Bobber. I’m not crazy about Harley’s I only like the Harley Davidson 48 not anymore compared to the Indian scout Bobber. Yeah they are no cheap but not as much as they Harley. Harley are complaining about Harley’s sales but they freakin crazy on prices. Just because is a Harley. Not my thing
Right on Adam great video! I love my Road Glide wouldn’t trade it for anything but if I had the means I would give the Indian brand a try and the same I would keep both!.... stay safe out there sir I appreciate what you do!
Great job I learned alot . I also love Indiann and Harley . I currently run a 2008 Heritage . I added a ferring and Harley should put them on all heritages
Excellent overview Adam! Am looking forward to your next overview on these great machines. Are you considering having Indian install the 116 into your bike?
Here in Nashville the Harley dealerships are much more active with the customers. I ride a Vulcan so I don't have a dog in this fight but from a support point of view I think Harley is much better at it and there is more of a Harley culture here.
One thing I have found is not every one can become a Indian dealership unlike Harley. I have 3 Indian dealers near me well that's if a hour or 3 is close by when I have 5 Harley dealers with in 30 minutes to a hour away from me. With all of the recent Harley Davidson recalls I can see why they have so many every where.
No, Harley has a much substantial dealership network than Indian. I like the Indian dealership experience more but that’s just my experience. I own 2 Indians and I’m within 2 hours of 3 dealerships. That didn’t bother me but it might put off some.
That's one draw back about owning a Indian. Not enough dealerships. I live in Alabama and the nearest one to me is 80 miles away. The do need to address this if they want to sell more bikes.
I owned a 2017 Indian Chieftain Dark Horse until I traded it for a 2020 Road Glide 2 weeks ago. The Road Glide is the smoothest ride I have ever had. It shakes at idle of course because its a harley but the Road Glide is so aerodynamic and I absolutely love it. Theres pros and cons to both but I am in love with this Harley and dont think I will ever go back. Love the Harley Davidson Rumble that I get with the S&S MK45 that I didnt get with my Rineharts on my Indian. Both great bikes! Safe Riding!
Indian and Harley-Davidson have been long standing American brands. I am a Harley-Davidson rider to the bone but Indian has me leaning as of late with all the bells and whistles standard like LED lighting, ride modes, locking saddle bags, better cooling with up front air oil cooler and a gear drive primary that’s less maintenance and smoother shifting. Harley-Davidson stepped up late, with the 1st being in 2014 & again in 2017 going to a cooler 4 valve per cylinder motor .
Glad to see a review that didn't go to the highest bidder. Keep up with the great work. Would really like to get a chance to ride with you someday. I'm an Army vet got a laundry list of things wrong with me but I love to ride. Did the saddlesore 1000 last summer all by myself on a 08 wide glide,I think it was 18.5 hrs. Have a great day
My opinion. Harley is more than a Harley. It’s a culture, riding with pacts of Harley’s is just so cool. there’s more knowledgeable mechanics that can work on them when issues arise. There’s more aftermarket options to customize your Harley than Indian. I own a 2016 road king. Done a number of mods to it. And just keep doing more. And finally I can’t get past the look of an Indian, I think the Harley just looks so much better. Simply an opinion and I don’t knock anybody going the Indian route. As far as maintenance. I have yet to have any issues to leave me stranded (knock on wood). But I keep on my normal maintenance like a hawk and bike seems to be flawless so far. Great video I got a like from me :-)
although I will always be a Harley guy at heart, and will always own one I also love the indiana. in fact, I've had both chieftains and challengers and they're both phenomenal performing bikes
Nice and fair review. Couldn't agree more. I do multiple long trips a year as well. So when it came time to add a stablemate to my BMW GSA long distance bike, I went and test road both the Street Glide and the Chieftain. The Street Glide felt more "put together". Everything about it was evidence of a company that has been doing this a long time...uninterrupted. But the Indian handled better and like you said had a plusher ride. But I really liked having more power. Easy fix...I had the dealer install the all Indian 116 Big Bore Kit before delivery. This kit includes the Indian Stage 1 Intake, Stage 2 Exhaust, and Stage 3 CAMs, Rods, Pistons, and various other supporting parts. This is the Indian equivalent of the HD 117 CVO. On the Indian, tuned properly with a Dynojet PCVX the bike puts down more than 123 HP and 144 TQ. Interestingly enough, the 2018 HD Road Glide 117 CVO that dynoed in front of me put down 93.75 HP and 112.51 TQ.
The difference is Indian has a smaller market share and is less likely to negotiate that price. When new Harleys hit the showroom the larger dealers will discount them. Just shopped around this past August and bought the Indian.
Good fair review, still wouldn't take it over my street glide. Nothing better then good completion to make both of the motor companies better and that's great for us riders.
Well put, we have seen big improvements in Harley since Victory and Indian have given them a little competition. I love my Victorys, but certainly wouldn't rule out a Harley in the future, I love the 114! Bottom line is that competition forces companies to do better.
I just road one of those 19 chieftains and it is not worth 27k. It is very flimsy on the bars, it doesnt stay straight. The motor sounds weak, the only plus is the look and the bells and whistles, the tour sport and standard doesnt do shit
great stuff old mate , I have owned both HD and Indian over the years, I now have a 2018 JACK DANIEL limited INDIAN CHIEFTAIN and I have been half way around Australia on this bike and everything you said about INDIAN is SPOT ON, and because Iam 63 years old horse power does not concern me, comfort and handleing DOES and thats what I have with my Indian, the only complaint I have is not from me but my WIFE, the pillion seat could be alot more comfortable. GOOD WORK son.
I have a 05 heritage with 103 kit. Use it for local riding. I would love to add an Indian as a stable mate. But, I'm thinking my next bike, if I am able to get one will be a Beemer. I'm thinking since I ride solo, an RT is the way to go. The only real competition BMW has for ultra long haul comfort and speed is the Goldwing. Yet they are different enough to have their own slice of the pie. I see it as Harley and indian are RT 66 bikes, riding and stopping every hour or two, where the Beemer and Goldwing are true interstate mile eating machines and also extremely good in the twisties and backroads. I have seen more than 1 sport bike put to shame by these beemers and even the new goldwings. I say this as a Harley rider exclusively since 77. But as I get older I am looking real hard at the beemers. Due to injury and age I need more comfort as well as performance. I will keep my old heritage until I have to hang up my leather for good but there is now room in both my mind and garage for a new bike. I've never owned new but have built a few. These are just my thoughts. There is no right or wrong. Be safe, have fun.
I've had both the BMW and a Wing. The wing is my bike of choice. Twisties or 4 lane it has the edge. There's a Honda dealer in almost every town,not that you ever need one.
As a current RG owner and previous batwing owner, I agree that the fixed fairing is superior, but even if Indian releases a fixed fairing model I would still not get one because of an important issue that Indian has to address....the radiant heat from their motor. I need to ride in comfort and the new M8 meets that requirement, but once Indian fixes their achilles heel, I’ll be definitely considering one as I’m partial to the aesthetics and nostalgia Indian offers.
I rode 3300km on my Chief Darkhorse over 2 weeks 1600 out and 1700 home and loved the handling and comfort I’m looking forward to trying out the new Chieftain when it arrives in Australia to see if the upgrade is for me. Thanks for your very honest breakdown
Good review. I have owned Harleys but I have a Chieftain now. Being a smaller guy I like the way it sits and I don’t have to tiptoe at the stoplights. The newer Indians have the 114s and they move and your not losing any of the other capabilities and comforts
Stock for stock, I like the Indian better. However limited dealer network (parts) and limited aftermarket (better parts) will probably keep it out of my stable.
There is quite a bit aftermarket stuff for the Indian bikes now. Not nearly as much as H-D's obviously. but enough to truly make an any Indian unique. All I ever rode before was H-D's. Never imagined owing an Indian. If you ride an Indian, you can instantly feel the difference in bikes.
I didnt realize indian was so ahead in the frame/suspension game. I thought Harley was going to update the touring frame to a rear mono shock after the remaking of the softail range, its just makes sense, there’s a huge difference between suspension travel
Great review Sir. This is excellent news for us American built buyers because both Harley and Indian are going to be competing for better styling better handling better horsepower better everything and they're going to have to outdo each other on the price as well so we're looking at getting better prices and better bikes. Looking forward to seeing what Harley does after being "called out" by Indian. Competition is healthy.
The clear winner is the customer...choice is good...buy what you like!
That is the best comment ever about which is better! Bravo man. I totally agree
Indian vs Harley. Neither answer is wrong. Horsepower or Comfort. Buy the motorcycle that gets you out there to enjoy the road. I own a Victory and absolutely love it. When I’m ready for a new bike it will be Road Glide or Dark Horse. Adam thank you for the honest review and as a active serving Marine myself thank you for all you have done and continue to do for veterans.
I own a victory I rode the Indian one of the best riding bikes I've ridden I was impressed.that road glide is a good looking bike I must say.the Gold wing is a beast beutifull and powerful.keep on riding people.God bless.
From what I have heard in other reviews the Indian in sport mode is a beast. I wonder if those few extra HP of the 114 would even be noticed in comparison. Excellent comparison review!
I also have a Victory, XC , the MOST reliable bike I’ve had by far , cool to ride on the curves , comfy and good looking. I would buy a dyna for having a city riding bike , but I Love the new chieftain
Which one is the comfort?
I agree, I own Victory. I love my bike but if you're riding it doesn't matter what it is.
Really like the Indians but I'll stick with Harley for one reason; I've got 4 Harley dealers to one Indian dealer in my area. I've also got many independent shops around here to choose from that can work on my Harley.
Adam, you are 100% correct. Mono shock is where it’s at as for handling. Harley already has been changing frames to this configuration. (Softails) you will see it move to the touring bikes, you know how they operate. Keep making great videos brother.
Have you considered the 116 big bore kit Indian now has? That would be comparable to your 114 on your Road Glide. Also Indian does have lower fairings with a push button that allows air to come through. All that being said, I am in love with the Road Glide. If Harley would put the electric windshield, push button locking bags and heated grips I would own one. Thanks for your review! Glad to see an unbiased review of both.
I have always admired your honest reviews, especially that you base your opinions on fact as opposed to reviews based on emotions based on a love for a particular brand. Continue to be the honest person you are. Great work
Colville Titus thank you and I will
I ride Indian Springfield and a few things to add. It runs very hot even with the catalytic converter out. Few dealerships to get anything fixed plus there’s are very little selection for aftermarket and parts. no upgrades on brakes customizing etc.Good bike but HD is still out in front.
Very straight and honest. Sometimes is Harley owners get a little snobby and don’t even consider other males. As far as fairings I had a 2012 road glide but now I have a 2018 ultra limited and can crush as many miles with the batwing fairing as I could with a fixed wing fairing. I use to hate batwings but I found out it’s the Rider not the ride
Great information Adam. Both companies are stepping up their games. Love your final statement: “Life is short. Buy the damn motorcycle”...
Harleys sold in the
U.S. are indeed assembled in one of four plants located in Wisconsin,
Missouri and Pennsylvania. But the brakes and clutch are imported from
Italy, the engine pistons are made in Austria, the bike suspension comes from Japan, and other electronic components originate in Mexico and China.
Do you happen to know about Indian Motorcycles?
I think you're kinda missing the boat. If I want to tour, I want to know about GVWR. I want to know luggage capacity. I want to know which one will bake my nuts faster. I want to know fuel range. I want to know maintenance requirements.
A 6 hp difference on a 900 lb motorcycle is about as an important a difference as having 7 or 8 M&Ms on your ice cream cone.
My man did say this was all based on his O-pinion of the stock numbers facts. I get what u sayin tho.
I can confirm that the indian will roast your nuts way faster than the harley. I had read about the 111 in the indian being a chestnut roaster. Before I upgraded from my dyna to a RGS, I had test rode an indian bagger similar to this one, along with a road glide and street glide. The reports are true. Sweaty ol' bag in no time lol.
@@Mowk86, that is my only complaint with the Indian 111 and from my own research have also seen its a common one. The bike performs beautifully, regardless. But this summer will be my first on it, so we will see how it feels in 110 degree temps with 50% or more humidity. Im not confident that heat deflectors will make a huge difference. Its nice in the winter though, didnt feel the need for buying a seat warmer with temps in the 30s.
The Indian does ride hotter with the 2 into one stock pipes. Once I switched to true duals, the heat was very comparable between Road glide and Roadmaster.
The Indians have the bigger bags and trunks if your comparing H-D full dresser with the Roadmaster. Indian has bigger bags. Honestly I don't feel it's enough to be a major selling point. What made me switch for HD to Indian, was the ride. The overall ride experience is way better on Indian. However, Both company's are great in my opinion, and you can't go wrong no matter what you ride, as long as you ride!
Roadmaster with adding Stage two, brings the power HP to 90 and TQ to 116 with the lower fairings that opens and closes plus a easy to remove trunk. You need to ride one of those Mr. Sandoval they are nice.
Great video Adam. One thing I considered (trust me I went between Indian and HD for a full year) was the availability of aftermarket parts and accessories. Indian, for as good a bike as they make didn't have nearly as many aftermarket mods available. I'm sure this will be different in 5-10 years. I also considered the availability of HD vs Indian dealerships throughout the country. Should I ever break down in the middle of nowhere, Im likely to find an HD dealership closer than I would Indian. These were 2 major factors in making my decision. Kudos to you good sir! Keep up the great work!
That's what I'm struggling with right now. Hopefully I'll be able to buy my new bike next spring or summer. After market parts and dealer availability are my only concerns with Indian.
Comprehensive. That's the perfect word for this video. You did the numbers, the physical differences, and the intangibles in your opinion. This is how all reviews should be - great video.
I try 🙌
So glad you gave the honest review. I can't wait to get my Road Master. They do advertise 119 foot pounds of torque. The road master gives you the full vent option of the lowers. Can't wait to see the next review.
Greg Durkee I concur re: 119 foot pounds of torque. I have an 18 Roadmaster and love it! A bit hot on the right when temps are high but it appears Indian solves that issue in the 2019 models. (Plans for true duals (no cat) and high flow air filter should decrease heat by 30% on the 18 model.)
Thank you for your knowledge I like to hear from owners who have experienced enough of the bike. I would like to get the best out of the Road Master and the TS 111 . I'm looking to buy the 2018 left over still in the crate. I was told that I may want the power command tuner for it even with stock. What are your thoughts on this?
The one thing that keeps me on a Harley is the turn signal switches. Hate to say it but the individual switches on each side is so much easier than that small little metric switch. To be a matter of fact every time I have test rode a Indian, I hit the kill switch trying to turn on the right turn signal.
Great review Adam. Thank you for all you do for veterans; kudos to you buddy. Rubber side down and keep the vlogs coming👍🏼
To all the critics out there. I find it very rude to criticize the author since he puts put unbiased opinions and put a lot of work on to this. Be encouraging or all those guys will quitt doing us this great service. Btw i am. Harley/Bmw guy but cant wait to sit on an Indian if they come up with a naked muscle cruiser like my Fatboy
What a difficult line to balance, but you did a great job. It's comparing two very capable machines. Way to keep it fair Sandoval.....
Thank you
Sorry,lost service. Reliability is something to consider. I too recently bought the damn motorcycle. Thank you Adam and all the other you tubers for what you do for us.
It’s like watching a comparison between cars... electronic windshield? No no, I’ll stick with no windscreen. Motorcycling in the purest of form
On my 2018 Roadmaster I got an exhaust leak. Pulled the trim off for the studs and they were very loose. Tightened up and all good.. Indian extras are very pricey too, if you do get one of these check out the aftermarket accessories. They're getting more popular and more is coming out. Save some money
i added the bars, and the highway pegs to my 2019 darkhorse before you even suggested it in the other video, i knew it was missing. but being around mc's i have had members gauking at my bike, throwingthier legs over it, feeling the balance. and all of them fell in love with it. the bike is awesome, im loving it. and my next mod isnt needed but i just want it, and that's the bigger cams. air cleaner, also the true duel exhaust replacement. its going to be amazing.
Best advice is to test ride and compare as preferance varies. I rode both and found the HD to be my choice, and I loved the Indian. Gr8 advice from Adam to try them for yourself.
I just got my first bike.I finally got me a road king.Man I'm having fun.thanks for all you do Adam.
Road King is the clear winner. Unmatched.
Agreed! Though I must admit, my King is only my second bike and my newest being a '97 model. Just hard to beat a good ole carb'd Harley.
Thanks Adam. That was a fair revue. I'm a Harley guy but have owned at least one of about every brand out there lol. I have to admit I've been looking hard at the Indian. Thanks for keeping it real.
Good review man, thanks for the comparison. A little competition is only going to improve both brands and gives the American consumer better options and ultimately promotes motorcycling. I’m an HD fan to the bone but I like to focus on the positives of both of these brands.
Neither offer shaft drive or full liquid cooling.
These are essential for some purchasers and for good reason.
Thanks, Your opinions are greatly appreciated. I ride a 2001 heritage and when I get a different one maybe it'll be 2008 or 9. Oh and it will be a Harley. But that's just me and no matter what you ride as long as you keep supporting veterans I will keep supporting you. Rubber side down and let the miles roll on. comment 20 got a along way to go to 10,000.
Tim Albright
I think he said 10k likes.
You can't go wrong with either bike,thanks for all the specs on each bike and great job to Harley and Indian for making great bikes,enjoy em both Adam.
Damn, I'm starting to dig the Indian. Great job.
Looks like you were right about Indian and the frame mounted fairing (Indian Challenger). I'd say you'll be right about Harley and the touring chassis as well. They'll have plenty of data from their softail designs to go off.
Nice review. I chose between the Road glide and Indian. Both great bikes! I love the Road Glide. Rented for a weekend and no complaints. For me it simply came down to comfort and suspension. So I purchased and Indian. I am 52 and 6’4. Suspension really made the difference and torque before Harley upgraded engines in 2019. Also could have spent money to upgrade suspension on Harley but just couldn’t justify doing that. No hate both great just Indian was for me. Ride on everyone!
I can understand why you would say that.
Noticed the same thing on multiple demos between the two and i concur, indian for comfort and handling and harleys m8 for performance. Theres no doubt hd will have a major overhaul in the touring bikes for 2020. Their last update to the frames was in 2009 and they have that whole new softail lineup way ahead in terms of handling.
That marker noise is giving me goosebumps
Same here,it was so irritating.I commented the same and was going through the comments to see if am i the only one who found it irritating.
The Indians price compares with a standard Street Glide. But it has more features than a HD Special. Tough choices. Both are great.... and American!
Great video! Adam your did a great job explaining the difference.
Thank you
The HP and torque are slightly higher on the HD, but is 10 pounds heavier and it cost $1090 more. My little brain started trying to think.
Lloyds 585 cams $625.00
Voodoo A/c $500
Plugs knock of on factory pipes $0.00
PCVX $349.00
Total $1474 - 1090= $384 Bucks for 100hp/120 Tq and I have not Tune my bike yet. Im expecting a little higher Hp/Tq numbers after Tuning. I would pick the Indian hands down.
Another great video Mr. Sandoval, as all ways. Read many of the comments and everything has already been said ! Oh yea there is one more thing
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 "We are American" thanks 4 what U do for all us Vets 🇺🇸
What is the compassion between the electronics and ease of use? Maps, Radio, overall review on both would be nice Adam. Great job.
Aharleyguy we can do a review on the info systems
Adam Sandoval Rides it would be cool to do a side by side comparison.
Now that's what I call a straight-up honest review... your integrity is shining through Adam.... I just listened to the b2w podcast that you were a guest on.. it was great to hear you give a little more insight into what was going on with the marketing people at corporate Harley-Davidson... hard to believe the arrogance of the new head of marketing at the time.. so happy you chose not to be a sell-out & stuck to your principles.... would be great if you could provide a link to the podcast so everybody can have a listen..... cheers brother and keep the rubber on the road
Thanks brother, I will always stay true to the road and my biker family first
@@adamsandoval something I realized from day one when u first posted on you tube....
@@adamsandoval I really dig what you're about Adam
after seeing your comment I went and listened to that podcast, and wow. Ive always been an underdog kind of guy, and now I'm even more of an Indian fan.
@@adamsandoval
Link, please.
When it comes to cruisers I pick harley , the bad thing about harley is they stick the price to everyone and then have it set up to where if the BIKER wants up grades , harley allows it within the warranty. If there was no such thing as fashion riders would the prices be where they are . I think harley does for the fashion guys but Jack's the prices .
Really good review. One thing I would like to see is how much it cost to service a HD and a Indian the first year or a certain amount of miles. The lower the maintenance the better! I ride a 2011 Victory Cross country. The only complaint is that the air filter is under the front part of the tank. Otherwise oil, trans, and primary are all lubed. Easy and no issues. I want ride, time not shop time. Hope the campground is doing well! Be safe.Thanks again for a great review.
That 116 Indian blows both those Harleys 107&114 out of the water!
Great video! Love my Springfield. Don’t forget the 111 has an upgrade to a 116 just like HD does for the 107-114.
111-116 for Thunder Stroke, 107-114 for Milwaukee 8 107, and 114-117 for the Milwaukee 8 114. Can't go wrong with any of them
Rode my 2018 Road Glide Ultra, with a stage 2 power cam (107ci) in it from British Columbia Canada to Newfoundland and back last year. Bike ran 100% no problems in any weather... didn't hit any snow thankfully. Great ride best i've ever had. Buddy has a 2020 Indian Challenger and yeah he can pull away from me but at 63 years old I'm okay being 1 .5 secs behind him. For me the Road Glide Ultra any day
Great review. One of the few I've seen that didn't seem one sided.
I had a 2017 Indian Chieftain. My only direct issue with the Indian was that the Indian does not have a intelligent power monitoring for the infotainment system. The bike is a tender baby if it sits for more then 7 - 10 days depending on outside temp. If they have separate battery or if the system does not drain the battery on boot, I would get another Chieftain in a heartbeat. The other main issue, the Indian only has a 5.5 gal tank.
Good work! I am Harley all the way, but I did test drive an Indian like yours and agree the suspension is very smooth for a mid 50-s year old rider with a tired back.
I ride a 2009 stripped down Ultra Classic. A few performance enhancements and suspension modifications has totally transformed this bike. I put a 100 miles on it and find myself looking for the next 100 miles. I love the bike! I look at the new models out there but I ask myself "Why?"
David DeJong A hundred miles. Lol
The why question will be answered if you ride one for a bit. Even my '14 is a huge improvement over the earlier model. And the '18 is enough I'm going to upgrade in spring.
Great video Adam! Great reviews for the bikes, I so love that new Indian! Ride safe and happy travels man!
Ride the Roadmaster with the lowers and you will be surprised just how much wind protection you get (think road glide here). Overall good subjective points made as they really are both good choices. You did not mention it but the technology in the Indian was far superior to HD. The reason I bought the Indian was the technology, comfort (electric windshield is phenomenal) and the ride quality is soooo much better. You can add hop up engine parts to either to negate any shortcomings.
The wind for me is the whole point if I want out of the wind I'll stay inside
I just visited my local Indian dealer and jumped on a Chieftain dark horse... BY FAR this was the best balanced motorcycle I have ever threw a leg over after owning 17 motorcycles. The handling JUST BLEW ME AWAY! The seating position was lower to the ground and felt more stable and balanced. The exhaust from the factory sounded perfect with a deep and mellow tone. Quality is evident throughout the bike. The dealership experience was MUCH MORE personal and friendly with the dealership taking time to explain in great detail the engineering features of the motor and chassis. I was told the power stroke motor only has a total of EIGHT GASKETS compared to Harley-Davidson’s thirty six approximately. But the real selling point for me is the mind blowing handing and balance of this machine. I don’t care how long you have been riding other brands, every serious rider owes it to themselves to visit their local Indian dealer and test ride the dealership and the Chieftain Dark horse. I will take mind blowing handling and a more comfortable ride over a few horsepower any day! And of course I understand the stage kit turns this bike into a real beast! I made up my mind real quick.
Thank you for your thoughts. Gonna be buying a new bike when I retire and its gonna be between these two bikes.
A good rider can take less power and outrun a rider that isn’t as good with a bigger motor .... I’ve seen it done a hundred times I’ve got some friends that are decent riders and have bikes that are built to the max and I can take my 103 with a stage 3 in it and smokem .... but I’ve been riding since I was 4 and raced professionally for 5 years
Robert Contreras Thanks Robert, one thing I did forget to mention is the comfortable ride. This bike has the fox mono shock with six inch travel at the rear that soaks up the bumps.. I have a really bad back so this feature is a really big deal for me and the bike itself feels very light because of the great balance. As soon as you sit on the Chieftain dark horse and take it off the side stand at the showroom you see what I’m talking about. I strongly encourage a nice long test ride as well. Best Regards.
@@jamesstewart2186 but a good rider with more power is a perfect match.
Already feels good cause they are coping from over 100 years of experience.
A couple things that I'd like to know is, Are the service interval's the same for both bikes? Do the tires last about the same amount of miles?. And are common parts like plugs and brakes, batteries equally easy to replace if you should need to when on the road?.,,,
The indian does have closeable vents, I have the ACTUAL TOURING MODEL, the Roadmaster. It has them.
Thank you, straight forward appreciate your opinion and expression of choice. Keep us informed.
needing repair while traveling HD dealership along the road in most big cities
yes plenty of parts in china
And pay way too much, while getting repairs.
Thanks Adam for your honest review one thing I really like about you. Gained respect for you listening to the between two wheels podcast. Keep doing what you're doing brother!
Adam I am lucky too in that I have a 2017 CVO Limited 114 (stock), a 2018 Roadglide CVO 117 with Legends suspension front and back, and a 2018 Roadmaster with PVCX tuner, LLoydz 585 cams, heavy breather, and Rinehart exhaust( 109.2 hp and 129 ft lbs tq). I would like to second some of your observations. If I were riding the highway day in and day out for long miles I would ride the Roadglide period. In the wind and high speeds it is a very smooth and comfortable machine except for the seat which has to be replaced for all day riding. Legends suspension is fantastic in the mountains and curves and the RG is better than the other two in the mountains. If you take a stock bike to the mountains the Indian handles better period in the curves and all around daily rider as well. No comparison the Roadmaster is smoother and easier to manuever. For pure comfort say getting on a bike to ride to Key West from South Carolina and taking back roads neither of these bikes compare to the comfort of the CVO Limited for an all day ride. Both the CVO and Indian ferring in the wind can't compete with the RG. I tell people all the time I love all three bikes but if I had to pick one for daily riding it would be the Roadmaster hands down especially now as it is a beast after dyno and engine work. If you buy a new RG now you will have to add a real windshield as they don't come with a functional one anymore. The Memphis shade for the RG is fantastic.The lower center of gravity and lower seat height with greater ground clearance make the Indian absolutely a great handling machine even for a fairly new rider.
Due to the slight weight difference, and better handling I still believe (4th gear pulls on the freeway to get around a slower vehicle) the Indian would be quicker and more confident.
Great review. Thanks for being a model member of our motorcycle community.
Unfortunately that is not the case.. The hd bulls at all speeds
Awesome review! I am in love with the Indians and plan to buy one in the near future; either a Springfield or a Chieftain, however, I frequently rent Harleys through Eagle Rider and have more miles on them, and I really loved the road glide and Harley's Milwaukee Eight, it's just such a nice engine. Having ridden both bikes in your review, I completely agree with your analysis, thanks again!
Bought a Chieftain Dark Horse today. Your videos helped me a lot in deciding. Upgraded the exhaust to Reinhardt headers and pipes and Indian Stage 1 air intake. Hope it sounds good. Thanks for the videos....
Harley has linked brakes now.......a feature Honda has provided since the 80s.
That's because Harley now uses Showia forks. Which is owned by Honda. Lol
So. At end of the day it's still a Honda...not American. Pretty sure that's what the comparison is all about, in this video anyway. American built vs American built; hence the DEBATE. U ride Honda, that's great, but was t even part of the video is all I'm saying. Support ur Honda on a Honda forum. This is how hate crimes start. Nobody is looking for animosity on this channel.
Adam! You hit the nail on the head! With Harley needing to change their suspension
With my back the Indian wins out for the comfort but I am a third generation Harley lover but that was the past and the future is INDIAN !
Awesome video. Thanks for taking the time to make it.
Pitty HD is having so many recalls on the 2017-18 models. Yet another recall for clutch failure. I should have bought the Indian.
2017-2019 models- after a few hundred miles no fluid measures on the transmission dipstick. fluid is migrating into the primary. Harley knows it, not doing anything about it.
@@JLDock i disagree, some fellow riders of mine took their bikes to the dealer and issues were resolved, one in particular was the issue you said they are not doing anything about, is completely false.
Dragan M what’s the fix and when did they start fixing it? My buddy has a 2018 Street Glide with an open case since September with Harley and they advised him that they are collecting data.
toast 2 go would rather have a tatoo of Polaris than a bowling pin (AMF)
toast 2 go go google Harley Davidson z score. Heading for bankruptcy within 2 years. I love Harley-Davidson and I’m keeping my twin cam, but never again.
I believe, giving your review, most riders should get the Indian. There is only a handful of riders that will do the riding a Harley Davidson you showed us is capable of.
Absolutely Indian all the way. Hayley’s over price . Indian Scout Bobber is so fast stock 100 HP and with modifications you can get up to 140 hp. Harley’s are to pricey
Bob Salt well i like the Harley Davidson 48 but when I saw the Indian scout Bobber 1200cc 100HP . same engine size but with way more horsepower and so much better looking I fall in love with the Indian scout Bobber. I’m not crazy about Harley’s I only like the Harley Davidson 48 not anymore compared to the Indian scout Bobber. Yeah they are no cheap but not as much as they Harley. Harley are complaining about Harley’s sales but they freakin crazy on prices. Just because is a Harley. Not my thing
it's settled I'm getting the Indian
You're going to have to do the same comparison with the Roadmaster minus the rear trunk.
The Roadmaster has lowers.
Right on Adam great video! I love my Road Glide wouldn’t trade it for anything but if I had the means I would give the Indian brand a try and the same I would keep both!.... stay safe out there sir I appreciate what you do!
Great job I learned alot . I also love Indiann and Harley . I currently run a 2008 Heritage . I added a ferring and Harley should put them on all heritages
Excellent overview Adam! Am looking forward to your next overview on these great machines. Are you considering having Indian install the 116 into your bike?
Great video! It is great to see someone offer an unbiased review of both bikes. Keep it up!
Love them both! My question has to do with support. Does Indian have just as many dealerships as Harley to support it´s riders "whereever" they ride?
Here in Nashville the Harley dealerships are much more active with the customers. I ride a Vulcan so I don't have a dog in this fight but from a support point of view I think Harley is much better at it and there is more of a Harley culture here.
@@jeffmorris739 Thank you so much for your comments!!
One thing I have found is not every one can become a Indian dealership unlike Harley. I have 3 Indian dealers near me well that's if a hour or 3 is close by when I have 5 Harley dealers with in 30 minutes to a hour away from me. With all of the recent Harley Davidson recalls I can see why they have so many every where.
No, Harley has a much substantial dealership network than Indian. I like the Indian dealership experience more but that’s just my experience. I own 2 Indians and I’m within 2 hours of 3 dealerships. That didn’t bother me but it might put off some.
That's one draw back about owning a Indian. Not enough dealerships. I live in Alabama and the nearest one to me is 80 miles away. The do need to address this if they want to sell more bikes.
I owned a 2017 Indian Chieftain Dark Horse until I traded it for a 2020 Road Glide 2 weeks ago. The Road Glide is the smoothest ride I have ever had. It shakes at idle of course because its a harley but the Road Glide is so aerodynamic and I absolutely love it. Theres pros and cons to both but I am in love with this Harley and dont think I will ever go back. Love the Harley Davidson Rumble that I get with the S&S MK45 that I didnt get with my Rineharts on my Indian. Both great bikes! Safe Riding!
I definitely enjoy both brands for different reasons, as well. Glad you're happy with your purchase 👊
Great job Adam - excellent review!
Indian and Harley-Davidson have been long standing American brands. I am a Harley-Davidson rider to the bone but Indian has me leaning as of late with all the bells and whistles standard like LED lighting, ride modes, locking saddle bags, better cooling with up front air oil cooler and a gear drive primary that’s less maintenance and smoother shifting.
Harley-Davidson stepped up late, with the 1st being in 2014 & again in 2017 going to a cooler 4 valve per cylinder motor .
Glad to see a review that didn't go to the highest bidder. Keep up with the great work. Would really like to get a chance to ride with you someday. I'm an Army vet got a laundry list of things wrong with me but I love to ride. Did the saddlesore 1000 last summer all by myself on a 08 wide glide,I think it was 18.5 hrs. Have a great day
Thank You for my Freedom sir.
You keep up the good work and getting the word out.
My opinion.
Harley is more than a Harley. It’s a culture, riding with pacts of Harley’s is just so cool. there’s more knowledgeable mechanics that can work on them when issues arise. There’s more aftermarket options to customize your Harley than Indian.
I own a 2016 road king. Done a number of mods to it. And just keep doing more. And finally I can’t get past the look of an Indian, I think the Harley just looks so much better. Simply an opinion and I don’t knock anybody going the Indian route.
As far as maintenance. I have yet to have any issues to leave me stranded (knock on wood). But I keep on my normal maintenance like a hawk and bike seems to be flawless so far.
Great video I got a like from me :-)
You bring up a god point, maintenance is important. Thanks for being a part of this channel
You cannot use street glide rear suspension it has 2” less than the rest of Harley touring bikes
The customer gets what's right, and I bet Adam will sell you either one. Everybody wins!
although I will always be a Harley guy at heart, and will always own one I also love the indiana. in fact, I've had both chieftains and challengers and they're both phenomenal performing bikes
Nice and fair review. Couldn't agree more. I do multiple long trips a year as well. So when it came time to add a stablemate to my BMW GSA long distance bike, I went and test road both the Street Glide and the Chieftain. The Street Glide felt more "put together". Everything about it was evidence of a company that has been doing this a long time...uninterrupted. But the Indian handled better and like you said had a plusher ride. But I really liked having more power.
Easy fix...I had the dealer install the all Indian 116 Big Bore Kit before delivery. This kit includes the Indian Stage 1 Intake, Stage 2 Exhaust, and Stage 3 CAMs, Rods, Pistons, and various other supporting parts. This is the Indian equivalent of the HD 117 CVO. On the Indian, tuned properly with a Dynojet PCVX the bike puts down more than 123 HP and 144 TQ. Interestingly enough, the 2018 HD Road Glide 117 CVO that dynoed in front of me put down 93.75 HP and 112.51 TQ.
I think Indian will be putting the 116 as standard equipment for 2020 on the Chiefs.
The difference is Indian has a smaller market share and is less likely to negotiate that price. When new Harleys hit the showroom the larger dealers will discount them.
Just shopped around this past August and bought the Indian.
Good fair review, still wouldn't take it over my street glide.
Nothing better then good completion to make both of the motor companies better and that's great for us riders.
Derick Dandy if Indian keeps this up, H-D will have to get better.
Dam right, Harley forever forever Harley
Street glide all day.
Well put, we have seen big improvements in Harley since Victory and Indian have given them a little competition. I love my Victorys, but certainly wouldn't rule out a Harley in the future, I love the 114! Bottom line is that competition forces companies to do better.
I just road one of those 19 chieftains and it is not worth 27k. It is very flimsy on the bars, it doesnt stay straight. The motor sounds weak, the only plus is the look and the bells and whistles, the tour sport and standard doesnt do shit
great stuff old mate , I have owned both HD and Indian over the years, I now have a 2018 JACK DANIEL limited INDIAN CHIEFTAIN and I have been half way around Australia on this bike and everything you said about INDIAN is SPOT ON, and because Iam 63 years old horse power does not concern me, comfort and handleing DOES and thats what I have with my Indian, the only complaint I have is not from me but my WIFE, the pillion seat could be alot more comfortable. GOOD WORK son.
peter kiem I am glad you have found it the same
Great video ! I support the conclusion, and I agree with that fixed fairing Indian, it's here maybe as early as next year (hopefully )
fingers crossed
There is just something special about the name Harley Davidson that touches the heart #Harley all the way
I will always be a Harley guy at heart 💯
I have a 05 heritage with 103 kit. Use it for local riding. I would love to add an Indian as a stable mate. But, I'm thinking my next bike, if I am able to get one will be a Beemer. I'm thinking since I ride solo, an RT is the way to go. The only real competition BMW has for ultra long haul comfort and speed is the Goldwing. Yet they are different enough to have their own slice of the pie. I see it as Harley and indian are RT 66 bikes, riding and stopping every hour or two, where the Beemer and Goldwing are true interstate mile eating machines and also extremely good in the twisties and backroads. I have seen more than 1 sport bike put to shame by these beemers and even the new goldwings. I say this as a Harley rider exclusively since 77. But as I get older I am looking real hard at the beemers. Due to injury and age I need more comfort as well as performance. I will keep my old heritage until I have to hang up my leather for good but there is now room in both my mind and garage for a new bike. I've never owned new but have built a few. These are just my thoughts. There is no right or wrong. Be safe, have fun.
I've had both the BMW and a Wing. The wing is my bike of choice. Twisties or 4 lane it has the edge. There's a Honda dealer in almost every town,not that you ever need one.
One very important point not mentioned is: which one is easier for the owner to do maintenance on. Also, cost of ownership.
Indian ,you know the answers nowadays
Your review was great, I think Im going to set up a test ride for the Indian. thanks
As a current RG owner and previous batwing owner, I agree that the fixed fairing is superior, but even if Indian releases a fixed fairing model I would still not get one because of an important issue that Indian has to address....the radiant heat from their motor. I need to ride in comfort and the new M8 meets that requirement, but once Indian fixes their achilles heel, I’ll be definitely considering one as I’m partial to the aesthetics and nostalgia Indian offers.
already has been fixed my friend
Thanks for sharing! I’m considering a Road Glide Special or Ultra Road Glide Special for my next bike.
I rode 3300km on my Chief Darkhorse over 2 weeks 1600 out and 1700 home and loved the handling and comfort I’m looking forward to trying out the new Chieftain when it arrives in Australia to see if the upgrade is for me. Thanks for your very honest breakdown
Well done boss, and so true: Life is short!
Good review. I have owned Harleys but I have a Chieftain now. Being a smaller guy I like the way it sits and I don’t have to tiptoe at the stoplights.
The newer Indians have the 114s and they move and your not losing any of the other capabilities and comforts
The Indians are definitely a formidable opponent
Stock for stock, I like the Indian better. However limited dealer network (parts) and limited aftermarket (better parts) will probably keep it out of my stable.
There is quite a bit aftermarket stuff for the Indian bikes now. Not nearly as much as H-D's obviously. but enough to truly make an any Indian unique. All I ever rode before was H-D's. Never imagined owing an Indian. If you ride an Indian, you can instantly feel the difference in bikes.
I didnt realize indian was so ahead in the frame/suspension game. I thought Harley was going to update the touring frame to a rear mono shock after the remaking of the softail range, its just makes sense, there’s a huge difference between suspension travel
For a serious long-distance touring router H&D best dealer Network around whether you like them or not
Very good point hadn't thought of that !
Great review Sir. This is excellent news for us American built buyers because both Harley and Indian are going to be competing for better styling better handling better horsepower better everything and they're going to have to outdo each other on the price as well so we're looking at getting better prices and better bikes. Looking forward to seeing what Harley does after being "called out" by Indian. Competition is healthy.