F
or those of you with a love of American iron in
the two wheeled cruiser sense, the Indian Scout
is something of a real looker and an excellent
performer. Personally, I’m not really a cruiser fan. As
a long-time racer of yesteryear, I struggle with the
concept… but I will freely admit it’s a handsome
beast! It also looks bloody well made, with a lovely
finish and decent amounts of chrome to indulge
those bikers with a polishing fetish. Indian says the
Scout blends timeless style with modern design
to deliver an outstanding riding experience. I’ll be
honest, I certainly agree with the first part because
the original Scout entered the world in 1920 and
it does look great, but I’d add a caveat to the last
part… ‘for a cruiser’.
So, putting my cruiser hat on, re-setting my riding
brain to peace, love and all things relaxing; and
well, err, cruising. I settled down on the low seat, hit
54 KIWI RIDER
the starter, snicked it into first gear, stretched my
legs to the forward mounted pegs and rumbled
off down the driveway. The 100hp, 60-degree,
69-inch V-twin (1133cc engine in Kiwi speak) is
a super smooth gem. In no way can you confuse
this engine with the fantastic, yet rumbustious and
pugnacious similar iteration on the Indian FTR I
tested a couple of issues ago. No, this engine is all
about a seamless, super-smooth flow of effortless
torque. It simply wafts along with an efficient purr.
There is plenty of flywheel weight, which allows
for a largely set and forget six-speed gearbox. The
Scout’s engine makes cruising relaxing and easy.
It’s not what I would call fast, but it’s certainly not
slow – it can definitely dispatch slower vehicles in a
very timely manner!
The riding position is really quite comfortable for
the duration of the 12.5 litre tank of gas.