I can go on and on about this gorgeous looking motorcycle, but, perhaps, it would be best if you decided yourselves how good-looking this Chief really is. Moving on, the Indian Chief comes with a proximity key that allows you to get astride, press the big power button on the instrument console and thumb the starter to bring the motor alive: a feature that is usually reserved for ultra-modern bikes. Another aspect worth noticing is the missing throttle cables. This is because the Chief has a ride-by-wire throttle, which means that throttle is controlled by the computer rather than a cable running down the handlebar.
Once I got over the fact that the Indian Chief packs a lot of technology for a cruiser, it was time I thumbed the starter and began the ride. The first thing that I noticed about the Chief was how well-balanced it was. It weighs 350 kg, but once you get it off the side-stand and start riding, all that bulk disappears. The well-engineered aluminium frame and perfect steering geometry make the Indian Chief a very easy to handle cruiser even though it is eight feet in length. Negotiating the Gurgaon traffic on the Indian was like child’s play: the bike is easy to manoeuvre and doesn’t feel bulky even at low speed. After making my way through the heavy traffic I finally reached the smooth, almost traffic-free, Gurgaon-Faridabad highway.
Here I focused more on the torque-rich 1,811-cc V-twin that felt like a dream as I rode down the road. Being a product developed by a company that has engineering as its priority has its own distinct advantages and the Indian is a perfect example of what Polaris Industries are capable of. The beautiful V-twin engine, for example, was developed from scratch. It still uses pushrods but somehow doesn’t feel like a machine operated by pushrod. The refinement levels were sublime and the smooth, subdued exhaust note keeps reminding one that this is a high-class motorcycle that doesn’t bark like a wild animal. Polaris engineers have also managed to get rid of the vibrations at lower revs, although these do creep in at high revs.
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