Troy Herfoss snatched the King of the Baggers crown for Indian on US racetracks. But can the Challenger also rule the roost on Aussie roads?
For those of us who grew up admiring thunderous Yank cruisers, seeing the Indian’s Challenger Limited in the flesh for the first time feels a bit like meeting a rock idol. It’s a gleaming edifice of American grunt on two wheels – purpose-built for conquering the sort of sun-blasted vistas that Australia has in abundance.
Unlike the lumbering heavyweight cruisers of yore though, this bagger comes fitted with enough electronics to rival a JB Hi-Fi store, along with a level of comfort that’ll make you wonder whether your favourite old recliner might be destined for the nature strip. As always in the cruiser segment, there’s a big HD-badged elephant in the room. But, If Indian is the Joe Frasier to Harley-Davidson’s Ali, the Challenger might just have landed a mighty left hook.
At a shade under 45 grand, it ain’t cheap, but nothing about this bike feels cut-price – it’s a premium tourer dripping in presence and features. In fact, if you’re a bit shy or like to remain inconspicuous, you might want to look elsewhere. In Sunset Red metallic paint the Challenger is not a bike that flies under the radar, especially sporting the custom ‘King of the Baggers’ decal kit on this example.
If you’d have asked me previously whether race stickers would look right on a 381kg (fully fuelled) bagger, I might have asked whether you’d skipped your meds. But somehow they complement the Challenger’s swooping lines and dip-your-finger-in-deep paint bloody nicely.
The other factor that gives it such a big presence is that it’s, well, BIG. Like properly large. It pays to think ahead when parking, unless you fancy a roadside strength training session, as manoeuvring this 2.5m-long behemoth on an incline or in tight parking spots is no small task. Wherever you pull up though, it draws a crowd like a Bunnings sausage sizzle.
Carrying a big stick
Since 2019 the Challenger has been powered by the new generation 1,768cc ‘PowerPlus’ liquid-cooled V-Twin, packing overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder. Future iterations will have the larger 112 cubic inch version as an option, but even at the smaller capacity the PowerPlus engine comfortably outdoes the Milwaukee-Eight Harley-Davidson’s unit, with 178Nm at 3800rpm and 90kW.
Being liquid cooled means there’s less heat and vibration than some cruisers saddle you with, which can become tedious. On the flipside, while the PowerPlus engine has a rich, smooth burble, it does at times feel almost too civilised, like it’s saying “excuse me” instead of bellowing “outtamyway!”. On longer journeys that could prove less wearing, and a louder set-up might drown out the audio from the speakers situated either side of the dash, but I’d be shopping for a set of fruitier-sounding mufflers if it were mine. Nothing too obnoxious – but something with the soundtrack to match the bagger’s rock’n’roll aesthetic. It’s fun to walk softly and carry a big stick sometimes, but in this case I’d prefer to stomp a bit more assertively.
That doesn’t detract at all from the performance though. In Sport mode, with the merest suggestion of throttle, the Challenger launches forward like a Red Angus bull at a gate. It doesn’t exactly feel sluggish in Standard mode either, although the traction control steps in earlier to keep things tidy. As you might expect, the TC becomes very vigilant in Rain mode with the power and throttle response curtailed, but I doubt most would find it necessary unless a hailstorm hits or something, at which point it might be time to duck into a servo anyway.
On highways, the big V-twin throbs along effortlessly, with barely 2500rpm registering on the tacho at 100km/h, and a thick, meaty band of low-down torque means you don’t need to shuffle up and down the box to accomplish an overtake. Fuel consumption is respectable, averaging around 6L/100km over a variety of country and city blacktop, which adds up to a cruising range of around 350km from the 22.7 litre tank. The fuel readout’s attempts to calculate the usable fuel range seemed a little optimistic at times though. On one blast home from Phillip Island, the suggested distance-to-empty dropped from 70km to 30km in what felt like the blink of an eye, so it’s probably worth refuelling with a bit of margin for error; this is NOT a bike you’ll want to push far if you get caught short.
Saddle up
Cruisers live and die on their ability to keep you comfortable over the long haul, and the Challenger absolutely nails the touring brief. If there were awards handed out for posterior-pampering seats, this saddle would have to be on the shortlist. It’s wide and nicely cushioned, and the bolster at the back combined with the tall, swept-back ’bars and forward-positioned floorboards meant my back didn’t end up bowed like a hissing cat’s spine by day’s end.
There’s also an electronically adjustable windshield that deploys with the simple click of a button – or a double tap in either direction if you want it to wind completely in or out. In its fully raised setting it deflects windblast away from your head and shoulders very effectively, which also makes it easier to hear the in-built speakers at speed. Drop it back down and the result is a lower, meaner look that also lets a bit more breeze through when you want some air. Shmick.
Wind protection is generally excellent whatever position the screen is in, even in crosswinds that would have lesser bikes feeling skittish, with the Challenger just bullying its way through the elements as the rider sits in a cocoon of calm. One side effect of this is that you can easily creep above the speed limit while you’re sailing serenely through the countryside, especially with the way the engine nonchalantly dishes up those 178Nm. Thankfully, the constabulary were understanding of that fact when they pinged me in that very circumstance as I was returning the Challenger back to Indian HQ!
Weirdly fun in corners
The Challenger feels just as confident and stable when you point it up a bendy bit of bitumen, helped no doubt by its stiff, cast-aluminium frame and inverted front fork. In Sport mode, it feels on its toes and ready to rumble at a moment’s notice, and there’s something gloriously righteous about slinging the big bagger through a set of sweepers. The IMU-linked TC allows the rear to step out a little when you give it a big handful out of slow turns as well, although the tanker-like wheelbase ensures it feels playful rather than snappy.
Don’t get me wrong, not even Troy Herfoss would attempt to throw this thing around with the same abandon as his KOTB-spec racebike. The way the pros get those monsters to laugh at the laws of physics is akin to watching an A380 pilot doing barrel rolls, but there’s a huge amount of work that goes into those rockets to make that possible (see Bagger Tricks).
Still, the competent chassis feel makes it easy to touch the floorboards down on the tarmac when you want to. There’s 31 degrees of lean available, which feels like plenty on a beast this size, but it also pays to remember that once you hear scraping, you haven’t got a lot of options if the corner suddenly tightens. Flinging sparks into the Aussie undergrowth probably isn’t the best idea anyway, but it is stupidly fun.
The Brembo stoppers strike a good balance of lever feel and modulation on a machine of this ilk as well. I did hit the anchors pretty hard when I almost missed a turnoff at one point, and the four-pot front, two-pot rear calipers were up to the job. But with the best part of 500kg to haul up by the time you throw the rider and some luggage on, you’re never going to stop on a sixpence. This is not the machine you buy to trail-brake sideways into corners.
Deceptively high tech
American baggers must walk the tightrope of retaining their charming, old-school charisma while having all the latest tech cleverly integrated in such a way that it doesn’t dilute the ride experience. A big engine and a brash attitude is no longer enough, and the Challenger comes filled to the brim with a mind-boggling degree of sophistication.
Standard equipment includes Indian’s 7-inch touchscreen dash, a trio of riding modes, a USB cable inside a handy phone compartment, cylinder deactivation, keyless ignition, cruise control and lean-sensitive rider-assist systems, such as cornering ABS and traction control.
The Ride Command touchscreen also gives you ready access to Apple Carplay, music controls, navigation, ride mode settings and trip statistics. It’s intuitive and glove-friendly, so even the fattest of fingers should find it straightforward to navigate. I did find the indicator button a little close to the radio control on the left switchblock, which resulted in some random radio blasts every now and then, although that’s something I’m sure owners will get used to.
Speaking of the radio, with the volume fully cranked the speakers are fairly clear up to around 80km/h even with a full-face helmet, although I feel a bit strange broadcasting my song selections to the world at large. Not that I’m embarrassed about my taste in music, which is sounding more like a golden oldies playlist as time goes by, but I’m not someone who tends to blast tunes out of my car stereo with the windows down either. Beyond 100km/h the audibility drops markedly even with the screen up, and I much prefer the sound quality through my bluetooth helmet system.
Final word
If you’re looking for a giant slab of American cruising muscle that boasts premium tech, storage and mile-munching comfort, the Challenger is hard to beat. A reversing function might be nice to make parking a bit less of a chore, the exhaust could have a bit more of a war cry, it lacks heated grips and I’m lazy enough that I’d always take a quickshifter in this price range, but that’s about all there is to quibble about.
As for whether the Challenger has overtaken the Road Glide as the heavyweight US of A bagger champion on Aussie roads, it’s obviously hard to say without a back-to-back test. But I will say that while the Road Glide sounds a bit rortier, I prefer the Challenger’s seat, performance, styling and infotainment, plus it’s also a smidge cheaper… So a points victory perhaps?
Anyone with a premium bagger on their shopping list is doing themselves a disservice if they don’t have a go on the Challenger, that’s for sure.
By the way, if you’d like to add a KOTB-inspired decal kit to your Challenger, there’s sadly no option available. But Indian do say they’ll gladly help out customers who’d like to give their bike the full ‘Herf’ treatment.
Bagger tricks
Want to race your Challenger? Better up your credit card limit and get out the angle grinder. Roland Sands racing starts with the following items:
ENGINE & PERFORMANCE
• 112ci (1834cc) engine upgrade (from 108ci stock)
• Maxx ECU for race tuning
• Custom intake (S&S Cycle)
• One-off two-into-one exhaust system (S&S Cycle)
• K&N air filter and oil filter
• Endurance Adler slipper clutch
• Translogic quickshifter
CHASSIS & FRAME
• Ground-back front sections of the aluminium frame for geometry improvements
• Raised S&S rear-sets for increased cornering clearance
• Smaller lithium-ion battery in a high-mounted S&S battery box
SUSPENSION
• Sachs front fork (from Indian FTR1200) with GP Suspension cartridge kit
• S&S triple clamps with adjustable offset
• Öhlins TTX race shock (rear)
• RSD adjustable ride height linkage rod
• Stock swingarm with welded race stand mounts
WHEELS & TIRES
• 17in RSD aluminum race wheels
• Dunlop KR448 front slick tire
• Dunlop KR451 rear slick tire
BRAKING SYSTEM
• Front: Brembo M4 Monobloc calipers
• Front: Floating discs from a Ducati Panigale
• Front: Brembo 19RCS Corsa Corta master cylinder
• Rear: Brembo P34 caliper on an S&S Cycle mount
• Rear: Serie Oro floating disc
• Rear: Beringer master cylinder
• Rear: Racetorx thumb brake
• Spiegler brake hoses
BODYWORK & FAIRINGS
• Stock Challenger fairing remounted with S&S Cycle stays
• Klock Werks windscreen
• Faux headlight decals
• Saddlemen seat and tail unit
• Airtech Streamlining fibreglass rear fender
• Airtech fibreglass panniers (lighter and slimmer than stock)
• Indian FTR1200 front fender
ELECTRONICS & CONTROLS
• Aim MXm dash with data logging software
• S&S handlebar and risers
• Renthal grips
• Driven Racing lever guards
FUEL SYSTEM
• Modified fuel tank to accommodate larger intake
• Fuel cap lock removed for faster refuelling
PROTECTIVE PARTS & WEIGHT REDUCTION
• S&S aluminium belly pan
• S&S engine sliders
• Overall weight reduced from 361kg (stock) to 281kg (meets race regulations)
Competitors
Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special – $46,995
Engine – 1923 Milwaukee-Eight air-cooled V-twin
Power – 80kW @ 5020 rpm
Torque – 175Nm @ 3500rpm
Wet weight – 380kg
BMW R 18 B – $36,411
Engine – 1802cc air-cooled boxer twin
Power – 67kW @ 4750rpm
Torque – 163Nm @ 3000rpm
Wet weight – 398kg
Specifications
ENGINE
Capacity: 1768 cc
Type: PowerPlus V-twin
Bore & stroke: 108mm x 96.5mm
Compression ratio: 11.0:1
Cooling: Liquid
Fuelling: Closed loop fuel injection / 52mm dual bore
Transmission: Six-speed
Clutch: Wet, Multi-Plate Assist
Final drive: Belt
PERFORMANCE
Power: 90kW
Torque: 178Nm @ 3800rpm (claimed)
Top speed: N/A
Fuel consumption: 6L/100km (measured)
ELECTRONICS
Type: Ride by wire
Rider aids: 7in touchscreen powered by RIDE COMMAND with Navigation and Apple CarPlay integration, tyre pressure sensors, Smart Lean Technology, 6-axis Bosch IMU, Dynamic traction control, ABS with cornering control, selectable ride modes, Drag Torque Control, Power Windshield, cruise control, 12V charging port
Modes: Rain, Standard, Sport
CHASSIS
Frame material: Aluminium
Frame type: Semi double-cradle
Rake: 25°
Trail: 150mm
Wheelbase: 1618mm
SUSPENSION
Type: Fox
Front: Inverted telescopic /130mm travel
Rear: Single shock / 114mm travel
WHEELS & BRAKES
Wheels: Sport Contrast Cut with Indian Red Pin Stripe
Front: 19in x 3.5
Rear: 16in x 5
Tyres: Metzeler Cruisetec
Front: 30/60B19 66H
Rear: 180/60R16 80H
Brakes: Front: Brembo dual / 320mm semi-floating discs / 4 piston radial caliper
Rear: Brembo single / 298mm floating disc / 2 piston caliper
DIMENSIONS
Weight: 381kg (wet, fully fuelled)
Seat height: 672mm
Width: 1075mm
Height: 1346mm
Length: 2501mm
Ground clearance: 137mm
Fuel capacity: 22.7 litres
SERVICING & WARRANTY
Servicing First: 800km
Minor: 8000km
Major: 32,000km
Warranty: 24 months / Unlimited kilometres
BUSINESS END
Price: $44,995 (ride away)
Colour options: Black Metallic, Sunset Red Metallic
