FEATURE - 2023 Indian Sport Chief
Words: Phil Suriano
Photos: Indian Motorcycle
We’re only a few months into 2023 and it’s already been a busy year for Indian Motorcycle. The MY23 range has, for the most part, reached Australian dealerships and there’s been some interesting new bikes announced, too, like the annual Jack Daniel’s limited-edition and the wacky Challenger RR bagger racer replica that’s even more limited, with just one allocated to Australia.
Fortunately, the broader Indian range is coming in bigger numbers and an all-new member of that range is the Sport Chief.
When Indian reinvented the Chief range for the model’s centenary in 2021, they stuck to familiar “cruiser” territory, with the big Thunderstroke 116 v-twin offering an abundance of torque and sitting in a traditional steel cradle frame. On top of this, new styling gave the Chief a low, long and aggressive look that paid tribute to the old while showcasing the new.
The centenary Chief lineup consisted of Chief Dark Horse, Chief Bobber Dark Horse and Super Chief Limited variants. These carried over into 2022 and 2023, but the growing appetite amongst cruiser riders for sharper handling and the ability to carve through corners has seen the Sport Chief introduced this year as a new member of the Chief family.
“With the introduction of Sport Chief, the 2023 Indian Chief lineup is more diverse than ever– offering a wide range of performance and styling options to meet each rider’s unique personality and riding preferences,” said Mike Dougherty, President of Indian Motorcycle.
The New . . .
At first glance, the all-new Sport Chief may look like a Chief with just a quarter fairing bolted on, but there’s much more going on than is immediately apparent.
With the aforementioned corner carving capability in mind, suspension and brakes have been upgraded with premium components, while changes in width and ground clearance have improved the lean angle.
The Sport Chief's key difference over the Chief Dark Horse and Super Chief Limited is the addition of KYB inverted forks at the front end and remote reservoir Fox shocks at the rear. Against the standard tele fork front suspension, the high-spec 43mm KYB set-up (that’s also used on the Challenger) has some obvious advantages, even though travel of 130mm is virtually identical to the stock suspension’s 132mm.
The differences are greater at the back end. Compared to the Chief Dark Horse, the Sport Chief’s dual Fox shocks increase rear suspension travel from 75mm to 100mm (2.95 inches to 4 inches).
Again using the Chief Dark Horse for comparison, the suspension changes increase the wheelbase from 1626mm to 1640mm and ground clearance from 125mm to 149mm. Overall length and height increase, too, but the Sport Chief’s width is significantly narrower, at 842mm compared to 922mm on the Chief Dark Horse.
Rake and trail have been reduced, but crucially for cornering ability, lean angle is greater at 29.5 degrees compared to 31 degrees on other Chief variants. It may not sound like much, but that increase will certainly keep the pipes looking scuff-free and prolong the life of the pegs!
Speaking of the pegs, they’re in what’s described as a mid-mounted position on the Sport Chief; part of an ergonomic package that includes a flat, moto-style handlebar on 152mm (6-inch) risers and a solo Gunfighter seat that has a deep cushioned back for support. Based on the images I’ve seen, riding position looks close to neutral, with the risers contributing here.
If an opportunity comes my way to ride the new Sport Chief (that’s a hint, Indian Motorcycle A-NZ!), I’ll be interested to see how comfortable it actually is, along with the level of rider control this set-up offers.
I’ve been fortunate enough to test a few cruisers of late and for the most part, they’ve pleasantly surprised me with their handling, even the new-for-2023 Harley-Davidson Breakout 117. Indian’s Sport Chief isn’t competing against that “power cruiser”, though. In my view, its closest rival is Harley’s Low Rider S, which was introduced in 2020 and upgraded with the Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine last year.
The second major componentry difference that the Sport Chief offers over other Chief models is Brembo brakes. These semi-floating, four-piston front and two-piston rear premium calipers grip dual 320mm front discs (up from 300mm on the Chief Dark Horse) and a 300mm rear disc.
Referencing the Fox, KYB and Brembo parts that have gone into this model, Ola Stenegärd, Director, Industrial Design for Indian Motorcycle, said: “With the Sport Chief, we wanted to maintain the same carefree attitude and American muscle but elevate it even further with componentry that not only delivers a style and attitude that exudes performance but raises the bar entirely for performance cruisers.”
In addition to these component upgrades, the aforementioned handlebar risers and solo seat, other new features include ‘Sport’ alloy wheels (in a 19-inch front, 16-inch rear combination) and a quarter fairing. The fairing can be customised with taller or shorter screens, and if the 6-inch risers aren’t to your taste aesthetically or ergonomically, 10-inch risers will be available from the accessories catalogue when the Sport Chief arrives.
Other items in that catalogue include high and low seat options, a Syndicate pillion seat with backrest, various luggage options and a Fox rear shock upgrade that offers 24 levels of compression and rebound adjustability (the standard rear shocks are only adjustable for preload).
As the Sport Chief is built off the same platform as the Chief Dark Horse, Chief Bobber Dark Horse and Super Chief Limited, a number of accessories for the Sport Chief can also be fitted to these models.
. . . and the Familiar
Beyond its fairing, revised riding position and upgrades to the suspension and braking, the Sport Chief shares much with its siblings, mainly the Chief Dark Horse.
As with the rest of the 2023 Chief range, the Sport Chief is powered by Indian’s Thunderstroke 116 v-twin; an 1890cc unit that’s made for cruising, but has the chops for power, too. Maximum torque is listed at 162Nm (119lb/ft), and while Indian are cagey about power figures, other outlets have listed a maximum of 66.5kW (89hp). Both maximums come early in the rev range, at least by cruiser standards. For the record, Harley’s Low Rider S just pips the Sport Chief on both measures, but that's due to its larger engine capacity.
The air-cooled Thunderstroke 116 features cylinder deactivation technology to improve economy and reduce heat, while fuel capacity is 15.1 litres. The v-twin is matched to a six-speed transmission and belt final drive, as per the rest of the current Chief range. Pirelli Night Dragon tyres are standard.
Tech from the other Chief models that carries over to the Sport Chief includes ABS, LED lighting, keyless ignition, a USB charge port, 4-inch touchscreen instrument display with Ride Command and three selectable riding modes – Sport, Standard and Tour - which affect throttle response and ABS input. Cruise control is standard but there’s no traction control, which is perhaps a little surprising for a “sport” model.
I haven’t tested Indian’s Ride Command system myself, but many regard it as the best in the business, with impressive functionality and a clear, easy-to-read screen that offers two viewing modes.
As with other Indian models, this screen can display the usual instrument info, as well as turn-by-turn navigation and trip data. With a wireless helmet communicator and Bluetooth, Ride Command also allows phone operation and music control.
The Sport Chief will arrive in Australia in a choice of three colours – Black Smoke, Ruby Smoke and Stealth Grey – with blackout detailing common to all three options. The Sport cast wheels include machined sections to pick up on similar treatment of the Thunderstroke 116’s cooling fins, while the dual crossover exhaust gets the blackout touch.
Coming Soon
The first Australian deliveries of the Sport Chief are expected in early June, with Indian Motorcycle A-NZ advising that, while initial stocks have already been allocated to pre-orders, more stock will follow almost immediately.
Australian pricing is listed at $32,995 ride away, which is the same as the MY23 Super Chief Limited, but a $4,000 premium on this year’s Chief Dark Horse and $2,500 more than the Chief Bobber Dark Horse.
For full specs and more details, see your Indian dealer or go to: indianmotorcycle.com.au
