Over in America, the ‘King of the Bagger’ race series has really caught the imagination of the bike buying public. With Harley-Davidson and Indian hiring big name riders and going head-to-head on extremely modified versions of their ‘bagger’ cruisers, it’s a very important series for the two American manufacturers. Now, on the back of its racing success, Indian Motorcycle has produced the stunning Chieftain, using its big 112 PowerPlus motor. It's (kind of) a race replica and has a very impressive specification.
Actually, the last big American cruiser I rode was the Indian Challenger race bike, which I tested in the summer of 2023. It was a 180mph, hand-built replica of the bike that took the King of the Bagger championship in 2022 in the hands of Tyler O’Hara.
It has been a while since I’ve ridden an actual American bagger on the road, although I have recently sampled the European equivalent, BMW’s R18 Roctane. But one thing I know for sure is that certain bikes fit certain styles and environments and, here in Nevada, just outside Vegas and glistening in the early morning sunlight, the all-new Indian Chieftain looked stunning. It is a truly jaw-dropping motorcycle.
Indian now produce two liquid-cooled bikes with the new 112 motor: the Chieftain and the Challenger. For 2025 both share the same key components – engine, chassis, electronics and so on – with the main difference being the style and fairing. The Chieftain has the bagger-defining twin-mounted panniers – or bags – and a smaller fork-mounted and classic-looking fairing, while the Challenger's larger fairing is frame mounted and more modern in look.
In terms of garage appeal, I prefer the Chieftain, especially in this stunning red paint. The level of finish is exceptionally high, and a sense of quality only increases when you throw a leg over the low (672mm) seat. The switchgear is well thought out, with cruise and info screen control on the right handlebar and screen navigation on the left. The 7” full-colour touchscreen dominates the handlebar mounted fairing with a pleasing-to-the-eye analogue speed and rev counter on either side.
Sat in the parking lot (well we are Stateside) with the big V-twin purring away, I was a little overawed. Not by the enormous weight (366kg dry), which is positioned manageably low in the chassis, but more by the huge amount of information and data on hand, including full touchscreen navigation. Once we got rolling, though, and were cruising steadily into the traffic-free desert, it all became second nature.
Within 15 minutes of riding, I had saved two radio stations (Radio X and Best of Country), the electric screen was fully upright, I was in the middle riding mode of three (Sport, Standard, Wet), and had played around with the integrated satnav. That touchscreen is intuitive to use, while four large buttons and another single button are simple shortcuts to make life even easier.
Other manufacturers could take a lesson from Indian here; the Chieftain has one of the most informative and easy-to-use displays I’ve ever used. A lot is going on – you can change the stereo settings, turn on and deactivate the rear collision warning, even switch off the traction control on the move – but it's all doable without too much thought or risk of becoming distracted. Admittedly, we were riding in an empty desert and things might be different in the city rush hour, but 30 minutes into our ride I was already falling in love with the Chieftain.
Relaxed into the Chieftain's plush seat, an arrow-straight road stretching for miles into the distance, I couldn’t have been happier or more comfortable. With the relatively small, electrically adjustable screen fully upright I could ride with my visor wide open at 60mph, making me wish I'd packed an open face in my luggage.
Cruise control set, music clear at just half volume, every so often checking the route ahead on the satnav... I mainly concentrated on enjoying the stunning views of the Valley of Fire State Park. The guys at Indian told me that some riders regularly push out 300 to 500 miles in day on their Chieftains, and I can see why.
When it is cruising, everything feels optimised. Just enough cooling air flows underneath the ‘bars to the rider, which in 20-degree temperatures is perfect. The suspension is on the soft side but is not overly soft, the ‘bars have good low-speed leverage but are not too wide, and the footboards are exactly where you want them.
At a legal-ish cruising speed the motor is having a gentle jog, with the revs hovering at around 3000rpm or below depending on your speed. The 1834cc motor is turbine smooth and hardly working. Acceleration in top gear is more than adequate, but when you want that extra kick, cog back to fifth or fourth gear and let all the twin's horses find their way to the road.
There's serious grunt available from just 2000rpm, while peak torque is at just 3800rpm. Unlike most bikes of the cruiser persuasion, the Chieftain will happily rev past 6000rpm, blending the best of low rpm drive and lively acceleration through the upper revs.
From a standing start, you can simply short-shift and enjoy the tidal wave of torque, or dump the clutch and give the belt final drive and traction control (TC) a proper workout. With the TC removed, the 112 will send the rear Metzler Cruisetec spinning, even in the dry. Don’t be fooled by its size, this bike is quick off the mark, especially once you’ve flicked into Sport mode with its more aggressive throttle map.
In Nevada's desert, corners are few and far between, which I thought was probably a good thing as this might be where the new Indian would struggle. The suspension setup is relatively basic with non-adjustable upside-down forks up front and only hydraulic preload adjustable on the rear shock. Wheel diameters, meanwhile, are 19” front and 16” rear – but it all works.
The suspension holds the chassis and copes with the Chieftain's 366 kilos (dry) even over undulations and bumps. It’s stable and reassuring, while the rear refuses to squat down when that immense torque output lets rip – and communication from the Metzelers is decent for this type of bike.
All of which encourages you to have some fun when you finally find a corner to play on, the only hint of complaint being when the footboards deck out. That said, with the maximum lean angle quoted at 31-degrees, ground clearance is way better than some of the competition. Increase the preload on the rear and you’ll get even more clearance, depending on the weight of the rider, luggage and pillion.
Brakes are usually the Achilles Heel of cruisers but not so with the 2025 Chieftain PowerPlus 112. Twin Brembo radial stoppers up front pair with 320mm discs. The front and rear systems are linked and supported by lean-sensitive ABS, which isn’t noticeably intrusive. The front brake activates the rear and vice-versa and, if you want to be lazy, you can just rely on the rear pedal which automatically activates the front. It's an impressive system that's more than capable of handling this sizeable mass of motorcycle.
By the lunchtime of our test day the new Indian felt like a bike I’d owned for years, while its detailed approach to making life easy for its rider came to the fore. When stationary in traffic, the rear cylinder deactivates automatically to save fuel and reduce heat reaching the rider and pillion. The brakes are not linked at low speeds to make slow speed manoeuvring easier.
The automatic hill control makes life on a large bike much less stressful. The rear panniers open easily from the top via a simple push button and are more capacious than they appear – there is even central locking and a useful USB charger at the front. It seems like Indian has thought of everything, apart from a reverse gear.
In the warm afternoon we cranked out more miles. The rear collision warning and blind sport detection works well – there's a clear indication on the dash or in the mirrors if a vehicle is too close – although when riding in a group it got a little distracting. Thankfully, you can turn this and other safety aids on and off on the move from the touchscreen dash.
In the middle, seemingly, of nowhere, we also had the opportunity to stretch its legs. The 112 revs freely to its limiter at around 6250rpm. Make full use of the power and the Chieftain can rush past 100mph before hitting a soft speed limiter at an indicated 107mph to 108mph, which feels a little strange given that it’s still accelerating, utterly stable and most likely capable of more.
Usually after a long test ride you’re happy to see the hotel and sink a cool beer, but this wasn’t the case on the Chieftain. I was fresh and not all fatigued. I’d found a radio station that played classic rock from my beloved 1990s and I wanted to ride further into the wilds of Nevada. Batting out another 22.7 litres of fuel wouldn’t be a problem, the dash even looked cool at dusk. We averaged 43 mpg, but at times we were riding hard.
As I said at the start of this test, there is a bike for every occasion, and riding in Fire State Park the sublimely good-looking Indian was the perfect partner. I’m sure all its qualities will also work well on Brighton’s seafront or on Scotand's North Coast 500. Yes, starting at £26,895, it is expensive and can easily be spec’d up to £30,000, but that is only on a par with the competition. If you want a big bagger, you have to pay big dollar.
Verdict
I didn’t have particularly high expectations for Indian’s new Chieftain. While the on-paper figures were impressive and the manufacturer has secured multiple championships in the King of the Baggers series, big cruisers typically fall short in some areas—technology, brakes, and handling, especially. But not this time. The new Chieftain exceeded my expectations and then some.
The new PowerPlus 112 V-twin offers an easy-to-ride vibe, delivering an ocean of low-end torque from virtually no revs. It then picks up with a tree-uprooting mid-range before driving hard toward its redline, giving class-leading performance.
Handling is impressive for this type of bike. It offers unflappable stability and is easy to ride at a brisk pace. The ground clearance is among the best we've seen in this class, while the linked Brembo brakes are strong and manage the bike’s weight efficiently.
Sophisticated, state-of-the-art rider aids—such as lean-sensitive ABS, collision and tailgate warnings, and blind spot detection—have made their way into the cruiser sector. While these features might be a bit unwelcome or even intimidating for traditional air-cooled bike enthusiasts, Indian has made them easily accessible.
And finally, all that power and capability is wrapped in stunning styling, with a high level of finish that elevates rider comfort to new heights. Indian certainly hasn’t forgotten their core values: ‘Make it simple, keep it clean, and timeless, to create the world's most desirable motorcycle.’
Specification: Indian Chieftain PowerPlus Limited
Price: £26,895 (UK)
Engine: 1834cc, 60-degree V-twin
Power: 126bhp @ 5600rpm
Torque: 181Nm @ 3800rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual, belt final drive
Frame: Cast aluminium
Suspension: 43mm upside down front forks, 130mm travel. Single rear shock, preload adjustable, 114mm travel.
Brakes: Combined front and rear braking. Two-piston radially mounted front brake calipers and 320mm semi-floating discs. Single-piston, rear caliper and a 298mm disc.
Wheels: 19” front, 16” rear, cast alloy wheels
Tyres: Metzeler Cruisetec Front 130/60-19. Rear 180/60-16.
Wheelbase: 1,668mm
Ground clearance: 137mm
Seat height: 672mm
Kerb weight: 382kg
Fuel consumption: 43mpg (tested)
Fuel capacity: 22.7 litres
Contact: Indianmotorcycle.com
