it's great that Indian offers riding modes. it makes a difference especially in rain mode when you want slow, less torque response when riding in the rain. Last thing you want is to lose traction and slide the rear out from under you during a rain storm when passing, or exiting a turn. the smoother you can make the bike respond in those situations the better. all bikes should have that feature. great video. thanks for sharing..
Good demonstration of practical throttle use with the different ride modes on the Challenger!!... I never take mine out of sport.. personal preference.. BUT... i believe what everybody with a challenger or who has test ridden a challenger is complaining about is being inappropriately tagged as "throttle lag". It's not that the bike HAS throttle lag. It doesn't... it has a GIGANTIC dead zone in the electronic TBW sending unit. Once you get the throttle position out of that dead zone.. there is no so called "lag". The issue is that, that dead zone makes it nearly impossible to do quick throttle blips when rev matching down shifts and as you pointed out in sharp corners such as intersections where you may only want a quick little blip of throttle to make the corner. I find that if I deliberately make large slow throttle movements then that dead zone is a non-factor but thats not always possible...emergency braking being an example... I hope Indian releases an update that turns the gain up on the TBW or reduces the dead zone... otherwise I'm going to drop the change on a Llyods tune. I like the vid though!
Lloyds has a tune specifically for the challenger that is supposed to really make it come alive without doing the stage two cam job so I’m considering it. It’s supposed to take some of the throttle lag out as well. Ridingfish (UA-camr) has already done it on his and seems to really like it.
@@CountryBoyMoto I've heard about that mod and that it smooth out the shifting and no more jerkiness when making turns. I may consider it since I'm only like 3 hours from Charlotte
That’s soooo not fair. I’m so far away. Supposedly the local Indian dealership near me is a remote tune facility for Lloyds but when I called them they told me the take out my ECU and send it to Lloyds. Not sure how I want to proceed but Ridingfish just messaged me and said I really NEED that tune. I will find a way
@@CountryBoyMoto I've seen a couple of his videos but not the Lloyds one. Big decision huh...lol. I mean the bike has enough power as is but if it will help the throttle response, i might just have to ride up and get it done 🤷
Triumph Rocket 3 2010 owner here,so I come from a point of experience that you simply have be careful according to the conditions. These modes are for inexperienced riders to molly coddle them. If I buy one of these Challengers, I'll leave it in sport mode
Test ride one if you can and leave a comment on what you think. I really love the bike and being that you have a performance style bike already, I believe you appreciate the Challenger.
@@CountryBoyMoto unfortunately my local dealer in Tassie doesn't have point to look at, let alone ride, so I would have to fly across to mainland Australia to test ride. When the vaccine is given to me, I will consider it
My problem is attempting to blip the throttle to rev match while downshifting. My challenger hates to let me rev match. What you said about the slow turns is true with mine as well but mine has actually stalled
I thought it was just me, I went to an Indian Demo Day about two days ago and found it impossible to test ride any of their bikes. Still very nice bikes tho, I love my Road Glide but if I had the cash I would also own an FTR
Blips better in sport mode. Also it has a slip assist clutch so if you’re blipping to avoid too much engine braking because that’s what you’re used to, try not blipping the throttle and checking out how that slipper clutch works.
The bars are the 14 inch KST bars and I love them!!! I get good airflow thru the fairing but keep in mind I am in northern Indiana so our “hot” days aren’t the same as in Florida so that may have some affect on opinions
NO the stock wire harness were plenty long enough. There was a wire tie that had to be removed from the front brake line tho, it’s explained in this video link ua-cam.com/video/VM2Kk3wArAA/v-deo.html
Went down to the Indian dealership in Jackson Mississippi . They have some really good deals. Thanking about buying a Challenger Do you have any pointers
I have no regrets with the bike. If you are looking for a performance bagger then this one is definitely it. I’m a terrible negotiator so I have no pointers there but I would ask them to throw in some merchandise because of the huge price tag of the bike. Life is short my friend, buy the bike
I know this is late, but make sure you know what’s important to you to decide if the base will do what you want. You can save a ton of money if you don’t need all the bells & whistles. I went with the limited, but you could have a bike that rides just the same for $5k less if you don’t care for the extras.
Do you not feel less in control with your arms so high with those bars? Are they good on long hauls? I usually have my bars as low as I can go on my Rocket, 🤔
I haven’t taken it on more than a couple hour ride yet due to scheduling issues, so I can’t say that it’s one way or the other with comfort on a long haul. I can say that because I have serious neck and back issues from a truck accident years ago that the height of the bars is a definite help. It keeps my posture perfect, also my cruise control aids in any arm fatigue I might get as well. As far as control goes, I haven’t noticed any difference at all. I am 6-2 and they are shoulder height or slightly lower. Obviously it’s a personal choice thing but ride something with them first if you can because they are to expensive to end up hating later. Thanks for watching
@@CountryBoyMoto we're the same height and I have bursitis in both shoulders which makes keeping your arm above your shoulders painful. Maybe you're onto something there with the bar height 🤔. Very windy, tight corners around me as well as the rest of Tassie, plus plenty of boring highway
Cool video. My 1988 Lowrider with a big bore carb, hot cam and sports pipes, has modes too, it is called how far or fast I twist my throttle and is controlled my my mind with no electronic lag, but that is maybe because it is cable and not electronic. It has a human ABS system too, done by feathering the brake when feeling it locked up. 100+ HP and no ABS or TCS, far more fun, and I've had it for 32 years, with no accidents from throttle or brake issues.
you mentioned you used to have the GoldWing - amazingly i only found one comparison on Google between Goldwing and Challenger and none on UA-cam. these bikes have the same price, size, weight, power and torque yet nobody compares them because they always compare Goldwing to BMW K1600 and Challenger to the Harley. but if we can get over the fact that Honda isn't an American V-Twin and doesn't have floor boards - how would you say the two bikes compare ?
The similar comparison would be the ride comfort. Both bikes feel incredibly comfortable. My gold wing was a refurbished older bike so I can’t speak to the latest model but knowing Honda, I bet they ride like a dream. The gold wing engine is silky smooth compared the the v twin. That’s not a knock on them because most of us that buy them want that “rumble”. I love all bikes and having had a few Honda’s, I would still rate them as one of the most reliable per dollar bikes on the road. 👍
More feedback from the Challenger front end. The new wing felt too disconnected in the front end if that makes sense. I never quite knew what was going on up there. The infotainment on the wing was horrible in my opinion and if you use the radio on the bike the Indian system is damn good stock.
I have no issues at all with the clutch I actually like how it feels. I don’t blame you for being on the fence as this is the first year model but I can say that I am really happy with it.
@@CountryBoyMoto I did like the light pull it has. Got a chance to test ride one at a demo event. Didn't really feel that fast to me, guess I just expected more. Test rode the roadmaster limited and fell in love with that bike. That fairing on the challenger takes some getting used too. Both felt very light and nimble compared to my HD ultra.
The road master may be the one. Did you have the challenger in sport mode? I came from a 88 gold wing so the power and speed of the challenger was a shock for me. Especially for its weight.
@@CountryBoyMoto yes I did sport mode but I had a stage 2 ultra limited 100hp so it didn't feel any faster than what I was used to. The roadmaster felt tiny compared to the ultra, which was ok
the small words above the mode select read- THROTTLE MUST BE OFF TO CHANGE MODE. And I have no idea why you've got your windscreen at the lowest height at highway speeds.
You can change modes while riding but I turn the throttle to the “zero” engagement position when I do. Also I only ride with my screen up on the highway and when I’m not recording because it tends to block the view some.
it's great that Indian offers riding modes. it makes a difference especially in rain mode when you want slow, less torque response when riding in the rain. Last thing you want is to lose traction and slide the rear out from under you during a rain storm when passing, or exiting a turn. the smoother you can make the bike respond in those situations the better. all bikes should have that feature. great video. thanks for sharing..
So many nice bikes 🏍 out I’m just broke !!! I’ll stick to my sportster for now. All that matters is you enjoy the time while on two wheels.
If I had the money I would get a softtail too 🤙🏻
Good demonstration of practical throttle use with the different ride modes on the Challenger!!... I never take mine out of sport.. personal preference.. BUT... i believe what everybody with a challenger or who has test ridden a challenger is complaining about is being inappropriately tagged as "throttle lag". It's not that the bike HAS throttle lag. It doesn't... it has a GIGANTIC dead zone in the electronic TBW sending unit. Once you get the throttle position out of that dead zone.. there is no so called "lag". The issue is that, that dead zone makes it nearly impossible to do quick throttle blips when rev matching down shifts and as you pointed out in sharp corners such as intersections where you may only want a quick little blip of throttle to make the corner. I find that if I deliberately make large slow throttle movements then that dead zone is a non-factor but thats not always possible...emergency braking being an example... I hope Indian releases an update that turns the gain up on the TBW or reduces the dead zone... otherwise I'm going to drop the change on a Llyods tune. I like the vid though!
Nice ride and tests .. those modes sure add different personalities to the Indians
Great video bud, and it was great meeting you at the Knoxville ride. I agree that standard mode is the best of both worlds.
Lloyds has a tune specifically for the challenger that is supposed to really make it come alive without doing the stage two cam job so I’m considering it. It’s supposed to take some of the throttle lag out as well. Ridingfish (UA-camr) has already done it on his and seems to really like it.
@@CountryBoyMoto I've heard about that mod and that it smooth out the shifting and no more jerkiness when making turns. I may consider it since I'm only like 3 hours from Charlotte
That’s soooo not fair. I’m so far away. Supposedly the local Indian dealership near me is a remote tune facility for Lloyds but when I called them they told me the take out my ECU and send it to Lloyds. Not sure how I want to proceed but Ridingfish just messaged me and said I really NEED that tune. I will find a way
@@CountryBoyMoto I've seen a couple of his videos but not the Lloyds one. Big decision huh...lol. I mean the bike has enough power as is but if it will help the throttle response, i might just have to ride up and get it done 🤷
If you do please drop me a note on your thoughts of it
Triumph Rocket 3 2010 owner here,so I come from a point of experience that you simply have be careful according to the conditions. These modes are for inexperienced riders to molly coddle them. If I buy one of these Challengers, I'll leave it in sport mode
Test ride one if you can and leave a comment on what you think. I really love the bike and being that you have a performance style bike already, I believe you appreciate the Challenger.
@@CountryBoyMoto unfortunately my local dealer in Tassie doesn't have point to look at, let alone ride, so I would have to fly across to mainland Australia to test ride. When the vaccine is given to me, I will consider it
The throttle off idle at a stop I think is what most people complain about. That and how much play the grip has compared to other bikes.
That's exactly what I said when I put it on sport mode while test driving it a couple of mos.ago..very impressive for a stock mill..
Go Indian!!!..😀
My problem is attempting to blip the throttle to rev match while downshifting. My challenger hates to let me rev match. What you said about the slow turns is true with mine as well but mine has actually stalled
I thought it was just me, I went to an Indian Demo Day about two days ago and found it impossible to test ride any of their bikes. Still very nice bikes tho, I love my Road Glide but if I had the cash I would also own an FTR
Blips better in sport mode. Also it has a slip assist clutch so if you’re blipping to avoid too much engine braking because that’s what you’re used to, try not blipping the throttle and checking out how that slipper clutch works.
Hows the airflow through the fairing? I heard some also complain that there is no air flow?? Also what kind of bars are on it? They look sweet!!!
The bars are the 14 inch KST bars and I love them!!! I get good airflow thru the fairing but keep in mind I am in northern Indiana so our “hot” days aren’t the same as in Florida so that may have some affect on opinions
7:50 reminds me of Florida. We have a lot of areas that looks like that. I’m sure it’s a peaceful ride.
Nice video!
Like the looks of your bars, did you have to buy extensions for cables or wires?
NO the stock wire harness were plenty long enough. There was a wire tie that had to be removed from the front brake line tho, it’s explained in this video link ua-cam.com/video/VM2Kk3wArAA/v-deo.html
J'ai reçu exactement le même modèle hier matin
Salutations de France :)
Went down to the Indian dealership in Jackson
Mississippi . They have some really good deals. Thanking about buying a Challenger
Do you have any pointers
I have no regrets with the bike. If you are looking for a performance bagger then this one is definitely it. I’m a terrible negotiator so I have no pointers there but I would ask them to throw in some merchandise because of the huge price tag of the bike. Life is short my friend, buy the bike
But it worry you'll love it
I know this is late, but make sure you know what’s important to you to decide if the base will do what you want. You can save a ton of money if you don’t need all the bells & whistles. I went with the limited, but you could have a bike that rides just the same for $5k less if you don’t care for the extras.
What handle bars are those? How much rise?
KST bars and they are 14 inch. I’m really happy with them
Love those Indian motorcycles!
They just keep getting better and better!!👍
Good vid
My only problem when I test rode was trying to get the cruise control to in gage other than that I love it
That’s interesting. I haven’t had an issue with the cruise control yet but I will put it through some tests to see what I can get it to do.
Country Boy30 think it’s because it’s new and not sure how it is turned on wasn’t explained to me before the ride.
Do you not feel less in control with your arms so high with those bars? Are they good on long hauls? I usually have my bars as low as I can go on my Rocket, 🤔
I haven’t taken it on more than a couple hour ride yet due to scheduling issues, so I can’t say that it’s one way or the other with comfort on a long haul. I can say that because I have serious neck and back issues from a truck accident years ago that the height of the bars is a definite help. It keeps my posture perfect, also my cruise control aids in any arm fatigue I might get as well. As far as control goes, I haven’t noticed any difference at all. I am 6-2 and they are shoulder height or slightly lower. Obviously it’s a personal choice thing but ride something with them first if you can because they are to expensive to end up hating later. Thanks for watching
@@CountryBoyMoto we're the same height and I have bursitis in both shoulders which makes keeping your arm above your shoulders painful. Maybe you're onto something there with the bar height 🤔. Very windy, tight corners around me as well as the rest of Tassie, plus plenty of boring highway
Cool video. My 1988 Lowrider with a big bore carb, hot cam and sports pipes, has modes too, it is called how far or fast I twist my throttle and is controlled my my mind with no electronic lag, but that is maybe because it is cable and not electronic. It has a human ABS system too, done by feathering the brake when feeling it locked up. 100+ HP and no ABS or TCS, far more fun, and I've had it for 32 years, with no accidents from throttle or brake issues.
What kind of handlebar you have?
I have the KST Comanche bars, thanks for watching.
you mentioned you used to have the GoldWing - amazingly i only found one comparison on Google between Goldwing and Challenger and none on UA-cam. these bikes have the same price, size, weight, power and torque yet nobody compares them because they always compare Goldwing to BMW K1600 and Challenger to the Harley. but if we can get over the fact that Honda isn't an American V-Twin and doesn't have floor boards - how would you say the two bikes compare ?
The similar comparison would be the ride comfort. Both bikes feel incredibly comfortable. My gold wing was a refurbished older bike so I can’t speak to the latest model but knowing Honda, I bet they ride like a dream. The gold wing engine is silky smooth compared the the v twin. That’s not a knock on them because most of us that buy them want that “rumble”. I love all bikes and having had a few Honda’s, I would still rate them as one of the most reliable per dollar bikes on the road. 👍
@@CountryBoyMoto thanks ! that's kinda what i figured :)
More feedback from the Challenger front end. The new wing felt too disconnected in the front end if that makes sense. I never quite knew what was going on up there. The infotainment on the wing was horrible in my opinion and if you use the radio on the bike the Indian system is damn good stock.
I'm on the fence about the challenger I'll wait to see how well they hold up. And no hydraulic clutch??
I have no issues at all with the clutch I actually like how it feels. I don’t blame you for being on the fence as this is the first year model but I can say that I am really happy with it.
@@CountryBoyMoto I did like the light pull it has. Got a chance to test ride one at a demo event. Didn't really feel that fast to me, guess I just expected more. Test rode the roadmaster limited and fell in love with that bike. That fairing on the challenger takes some getting used too. Both felt very light and nimble compared to my HD ultra.
The road master may be the one. Did you have the challenger in sport mode? I came from a 88 gold wing so the power and speed of the challenger was a shock for me. Especially for its weight.
@@CountryBoyMoto yes I did sport mode but I had a stage 2 ultra limited 100hp so it didn't feel any faster than what I was used to. The roadmaster felt tiny compared to the ultra, which was ok
the small words above the mode select read- THROTTLE MUST BE OFF TO CHANGE MODE. And I have no idea why you've got your windscreen at the lowest height at highway speeds.
You can change modes while riding but I turn the throttle to the “zero” engagement position when I do. Also I only ride with my screen up on the highway and when I’m not recording because it tends to block the view some.