INDIAN CHALLENGES FOR
BAGGER SUPREMACY
H
ot on the heels of the news that Indian has
developed an all-new water-cooled engine – the
121hp/178Nm PowerPlus – we’ve got our first look
at the new Challenger bagger that it will call home.
“The Indian Challenger delivers a new level of
performance for riders who understand that the
seemingly small details make a huge difference,” said
Reid Wilson, Vice President of Indian Motorcycle. “Our
mindset was to leave no stone unturned and deliver
a bagger that exceeds the standards in categories
like power, handling, comfort, and technology.”
Visually, the Challenger boasts a chassis mounted
fairing which features an adjustable windscreen
with nearly 76mm of travel and adjustable air
vents. As is the current trend, the Challenger
features LED running lights in addition to a central
headlamp, plus a redesigned and modernised Indian
Motorcycle headdress adorning its front fender.
Indian says that this, combined with the
bike’s lightweight cast aluminium frame and
hydraulically adjustable FOX® rear shock, delivers
unrivalled handling and rock-solid stability.
As we theorised, the 2020 Indian Challenger will be
available in multiple trim levels including as one of
Indian’s signature blacked-out Dark Horse line. Bringing the big bagger to a stop are radially-
mounted Brembo brakes matched to Metzeler’s
new performance touring Cruisetec® tyres.
As riders have come to expect from premium
American Iron, the Challenger features all
the premium touring amenities expected for
the bagger class, including electronic cruise
control, full LED lighting, a long-haul seat, ABS,
keyless ignition, and weatherproof saddlebags
with over 68 litres of storage space. The Challenger Limited and Challenger Dark Horse
are equipped with Indian Motorcycle’s intuitive Smart
Lean Technology, which should help keep riders
confidently grounded by utilising a Bosch IMU to
add cornering pre-control to the dynamic traction
control and ABS, as well as Drag Torque Control.
18 KIWI RIDER