With the launch of the Sport Chief, Indian Motorcycle has unleashed the most aggressive iteration of the iconic Indian Chief. The 2023 Sport Chief has, according to the manufacturer, raised the bar for American V-twin performance cruisers.
“Since launching in 2021, the redesigned Indian Chief lineup has received incredible feedback from riders around the world, offering a wide range of performance and styling options to suit their unique personalities and riding preferences,” said Mike Dougherty,
President of Indian Motorcycle. “With Sport Chief, we are excited to expand the lineup with a performance-oriented model built specifically to perform for riders who value high-end components.”
When designing Sport Chief, Indian Motorcycle focused on performance through premium components from proven brands. By using a KYB 43mm inverted front fork with 130mm of travel, which is also used on the Indian Challenger models, the Sport Chief should provide superior handling and ride performance, according to Indian.
That’s not the only thing that sets the Sport Chief apart. The new and stylish headlight fairing gives the bike its distinctive looks, while the new moto-style handlebars with CNC-machined triple clamp and 152mm risers must have given the Sport Chief a commanding yet comfortable riding position. According to Indian, also thanks to the beautifully designed 686 mm high single seat.
The Sport Chief’s twin semi-floating-mount discs with radial-mount Brembo four-piston calipers deliver confidence-inspiring stopping power, while dual FOX piggyback reservoir rear shocks have increased travel to 100mm and lean angle to 29.5 degrees. The beating heart of the Sport Chief is the Thunderstroke 116 49° V-twin with Rear Cylinder Deactivation, whose 1,890 cc displacement is good
for a maximum torque of 162 Nm at 3,200 rpm. Like that other American motorcycle brand, Indian also omits top power, but 162 Nm of torque is quite an impressive number.
Of course, the Sport Chief is also equipped with the 101 mm TFT touchscreen with Bluetooth connectivity, which can also be operated via the buttons on the steering wheel in addition to the touchscreen. The bike can be paired with a smartphone via RIDE COMMAND, which gives you access to information on your phone, including recent calls, your contacts and text messages, via the TFT display.
According to Indian, the Sport Chief is an Indian Chief that begs to be ridden aggressively, offering the confidence and capability to take the riding experience to another level. “In 2021, we celebrated Indian Chief’s 100th anniversary with a lineup that pays homage to the glory days of American motorcycling,” said Ola Stenegärd, Director, Industrial Design for Indian Motorcycle. “With Sport Chief, we wanted to keep the same carefree attitude and American power, but take it even further with components that not only deliver a style and attitude that exudes performance, but that completely raises the bar for power cruisers.”
The Sport Chief is available in Black Smoke, Ruby Smoke and Stealth Gray. It is not yet known how much the bicycle will cost and when it will be available.
– Thanks for information from Motorfreaks.