Black on Black
For the new season there are no fewer than five new Indian Scout models. They are, in no particular order, the 101 Scout, the Super Scout, the Scout Classic, the Sport Scout and the Scout Bobber. Don’t say you’ve never been given choices. We haven’t seen this many model derivatives since the 2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700 range was announced.
Power and Beauty
What they all have in common is a new SpeedPlus engine. This is a 1250cc V-Twin that puts out a shade under 110 horsepower. For a bike in its class there’s nothing wrong with that!
Also new is the frame. It’s still a simple steel tube affair that looks the part as its classic name demands. What it really does is make the bike much easier to add any of the 100 plus accessories to be bolted on. Yes indeed, no two need ever be the same. The people at Indian have made following the American tradition of customizing our bikes that bit easier.
What they haven’t done is adjust the low seat height. This makes for a bike that’s accessible to everyone, which has been one of the bikes main attractions since it was relaunched a number of years ago. Then there’s what the soulless marketing wretches refer to as ‘rider amenities’. These include a choice of ride modes that set the fueling and the traction control. ABS is always on since if you’re riding one off road things have gone really badly wrong and no amount of how your brakes work is ever going to fix it.
Raised badging adds a touch of quality
The Scout Bobber is the stripped down one. It has short mudguards, blacked out paintwork, bar end mirrors and a single seat. You might meet the rider in a coffee shop, but you’d probably be afraid to talk to them.
The Sport Scout is the aggressive one. It comes with moto style bars, lots of machined parts, a fairing and a bigger front wheel. Then there’s the classic. Chrome, flared mudguard ends, wire spoked wheels a low and lazy seat height. If smoking wasn’t so incredibly unacceptable all that this bike would need is a rider in an open face lid smoking a cheroot.
Then there’s the Super Scout. This one is the tourer. It comes with a pillion seat and pegs, a windscreen and a set of panniers. Practical bits like longer suspension and an easy to detach screen make for a more comfortable and versatile bike to tour on.
A Scout Classic is just that, the classic model. It comes with ABS, LED lighting, and an analogue fuel gauge. This is a simpler affair and comes in at, a yet to be confirmed, lower price.
Ready to tour on
The one I want is the 101 Scout. This has all the cool stuff on it. Two adjustable piggyback rear shocks, upside down adjustable front forks, and twin disk Brembo braking system on the front with a single down the back. Once again we’re comfortable in our solitude with a custom-stitched riders seat and no pillion one. The machined parts, the higher bars, the cool paint all make it stand out from pretty much everything in its class.
All of this is complimented with a dazzling array of optional extras which can be supplied through the official dealer network. Making your loved one feel that little bit more special just got easier…