whats your take on the so called new Indian Chief?

The Indian fiasco is never ending but IF anyone can put an old name on a new bike and make it sell Bombardier may be the one company that might do it. Still wouldn't buy one, not my style.

Polaris is a big outfit with lots of sporting vehicles- they just might be able to pull it off. The 3 wheeled tadpole Can-Am Spyder is selling pretty good, Victory had some parts available at strange places- like a agriculture implement dealer locally. Pushrods and 2 valve is a 'proven' design- and the pushrod Honda clones using the old Honda design are selling and not blowing up. 4 valves, etc are fancy current design for the fastest racers--but the target buyer for a retro look are not racers, they are older, wealthier buyers that may want to make a fashion statement and have the money to do it or someone who figures it 'ain't a Harley' so won't attract as many thieves. John Deere 2 cylinder tractors still working, retaining value- 'old fashion Indian' with a good parts network from Polaris/Bombardier does have market possibilities. Engine design of small block Chevy V8 dates to the early 1950s and those engines are still around and racing, winning races and running on street as utilities. Cost is a factor along with 'image'- if comparable competition is about same price??? - fair chance in market then.

The problem the Indian resurrections have always had was that the original Indian closed down in 1953. Therefore, the only way an Indian revival can market itself as a true Indian successor is to start right back up where Indian left off, aesthetically. And it doesn't work, just like it wouldn't work if Studebaker came back and started producing cars that looked like the "Yank Tanks" you see in Havanna.

This bike is only going to appeal to a special kind of owner. It looks...like what an old man would ride...an old man with a good enough pension to pay $19,000 minimum. It costs $2000 more than a Fat Boy, but it has none of the refinement of the Fat Boy.

What about the dealership network? What about reliability? What about the aftermarket support? Where do you get it fixed? All those are unresolved questions, but a Harley-Davidson owner doesn't have to worry about those things.

They would have done better if they worked off the Indian Four, rather than the Chief. A thoroughly modern Indian Four would stick it to Harley where it hurts: in the innovation department. That way, they could have showed what Indian was /really/ about: true American innovation.

The motorcycle world does not need another Harley as in another motorcycle with an air cooled v-twin with inline cylinders and pushrod operated valves. Which also describes the new Indian. It will be a failure. Polaris is wasting its money.

Since nothing in the Harley-Davidson lineup fits my needs, nothing in the new Indian lineup will fit my needs. I will never swing a leg over an Indian.

Looks nice, I would buy one in a heartbeat if I had the money, but they are asking way too much money for what it is. Besides, it's not even a true Indian.

I could buy a nice Jap cruiser for half the price of that bike.

Indian is a failure and needs to stop trying. It's dead. I don't know about new ones, last run used thunder heart electronics. JUNK.

Been tried before, and failed.