The V-Twin Motorcycle That Makes Long Weekend Rides Feel Effortless
There’s something special about breaking away from your routine and heading out for a weekend ride. You might not want to spend the day revving the engine out and chasing apexes. Instead, you want enough grunt for confident overtaking, strong pulling power for those long highway stretches, and an engine with a bit of character. A distinctive exhaust note certainly wouldn’t hurt either. And for decades, American motorcycling has had a particular engine configuration that fits the bill rather well.
The V-Twin Is a Natural Fit for American Touring
What exactly does American touring require? Broadly, three things: enough grunt for confident overtaking, relaxed power delivery for long highway stretches, and comfort over hours in the saddle. Large-displacement V-twins, like those commonly found in American touring motorcycles, are well suited to the first two. They deliver plenty of torque at relatively low engine speeds, so you can roll on the throttle for an overtake without constantly working the gearbox or chasing the revs.
It’s worth pointing out, though, that we’re talking about a particular application of the V-twin, not claiming every engine with this configuration behaves the same way. Ducati’s L-twins, for instance, have powered everything from sporty road bikes to superbikes, showing just how differently the same basic layout can be tuned. And the V-twin hasn’t been frozen in time, either. Modern cooling systems, valve trains, and electronic engine management have opened up new possibilities for motorcycles using this configuration, well beyond what its traditional American roots might suggest.
Baggers Wrap That Engine in Long-Distance Comfort
That leaves the third requirement: comfort over long distances. An engine can provide all the grunt you need, but it can’t shield you from the wind or give you somewhere to stash your luggage. That’s where baggers come in. These touring-oriented motorcycles pair big engines with front fairings, integrated saddlebags, and relaxed ergonomics. Spend enough money on one of these American touring machines, and you can end up with a motorcycle that has more technology and creature comforts than some cars.
Indian’s Chieftain PowerPlus Is A Modern Take On American Touring
Meet the Indian Chieftain PowerPlus, a genuine modern interpretation of the American bagger. It sits in Indian Motorcycle’s bagger category alongside the closely related Challenger (the Chieftain has a handlebar-mounted fairing, while the Challenger gets a frame-mounted one) and the Springfield. It brings everything we’ve talked about so far: a big liquid-cooled V-twin, sophisticated touring technology you’d expect from a motorcycle like this, and a few extras you might not find on every rival.
Of course, all that comes at a price. We’re talking about the Indian Chieftain PowerPlus Limited with the 112 engine package, which starts at $30,999 in the US. Add destination charges, taxes, and any accessories you fancy, and that figure will climb. For comparison, Harley-Davidson’s Street Glide Limited starts at $32,999, putting it in a similar price bracket.
A Liquid-Cooled V-Twin Engine Sits At The Heart
What really sets the Chieftain PowerPlus apart from Indian’s more traditional touring machines is its engine. While the brand still offers air-cooled Thunderstroke V-twins, the PowerPlus 112 takes a more modern approach with liquid cooling, overhead camshafts, and four valves per cylinder. The 1,834 cc V-twin puts out 126 hp and 133 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm in US specification, giving this big bagger plenty of muscle for highway overtakes without having to work the six-speed gearbox too hard. An inverted front fork, a preload-adjustable rear shock, and Brembo brakes round out the hardware.
Rear-Cylinder Deactivation Helps Keep The Heat Down
You might spend most of your ride cruising down open highways or carving through canyon roads, but sooner or later, you’ll probably have to deal with city traffic. That’s where the PowerPlus’s rear-cylinder deactivation comes in. Once the engine is warm and certain operating conditions are met, the system can shut down the rear cylinder when the bike is stationary and idling. This reduces the heat radiating toward the rider, making those unavoidable stops in traffic a little more comfortable on a hot day.
The Chieftain Comes Decked Out With Touring Features
Pretty much everything you’d want for a long day on the road is here. The seven-inch touchscreen brings GPS navigation, Apple CarPlay, and Bluetooth connectivity into the cockpit, while the power-adjustable windscreen lets you adjust your wind protection on the fly. Cruise control and three riding modes are included, too. Then there are the remote-locking hard saddlebags, which offer more than 18 gallons of storage.
The upgraded PowerBand Audio package is an optional extra, adding four 100-watt speakers split between the fairing and saddlebags for a total output of 400 watts. It costs extra, though. The Chieftain PowerPlus Limited with the 112 engine package starts at $30,999, while adding PowerBand Audio brings the price to $32,499.
It Also Gets Radar-Based Rider Assistance
Here’s something you don’t see on every American bagger: rear radar. The Chieftain’s system monitors traffic behind and alongside you, with blind-spot warnings alerting you to vehicles you might miss in your mirrors and a tailgating warning flagging drivers following too closely. If a vehicle approaches from behind in a way that suggests a potential collision, the bike can also flash its rear warning lights to get the other driver’s attention. However, there’s no forward-facing radar or adaptive cruise control here.
Indian Offers More Ways To Make The Chieftain Your Own
Customization is a big part of buying a motorcycle like this, and Indian gives you no shortage of ways to make the Chieftain your own before you even look at aftermarket parts. You can choose between the Limited and Dark Horse trims, stick with the 108-cubic-inch PowerPlus engine or step up to the 112, and add the optional PowerBand Audio package. Those choices give you several ways to configure the bike straight from the factory.
Then you get into the accessories, and the options keep coming. We’re talking everything from a $34.99 console cap and $199.99 auxiliary saddlebag lights to more substantial upgrades, including a $479.99 Stage 1 air intake and an $839.99 slip-on exhaust. Put it all together, and with the sheer variety of factory options and accessories available, it’s hardly difficult to make your Chieftain a one-of-one motorcycle.
Source: Indian Motorcycle; Harley-Davidson Motorcycles USA
Related posts
Latest Post
No Comments