CB 100 BY DEUS BALI

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CB 100 BY DEUS BALI




If I were looking for a lifestyle change, hanging out in Bali building custom bikes and surfboards would be near the top of my list. The guys at Deus have obviously been thinking along the same lines, because they’ve just set up the Deus Canggu bengkel (workshop). And this bike is one of the first fruits of their labors.

Called ‘Inari’, after the Japanese Shinto spirit of fertility and success, it’s based on a humble 1976 Honda CB 100—one of the most popular bikes in Indonesia. Virtually nothing of the original machine remains, though: the engine has almost doubled in size to 180cc, and the front and rear suspension is from a Yamaha 225. And despite the CB 100’s diminutive size, she carries her Bratstyle influence well. 




Yes, she’s a lightweight bike, but the motorcycling environment in Bali is very different to what most of us are used to—and the local custom scene reflects that. Here, Deus is creating smaller bikes with robust suspension and simple mechanicals that don’t require a degree in electronics to fix.




According to their Bali guys, “We are currently building ‘The Deus Temple of Enthusiasm’ in Canggu. This 2000m2 site will be a clever combination of new and 100-year-old traditional Indonesian wooden houses, taking reference from a Kampung, or traditional Indonesian home village.

“This somewhat eclectic collection of buildings will house the showroom, art gallery, workshop facilities, photographic studio, artists studio, and even a surfboard shaping bay. Connected by a wide veranda full of tables and chairs is the Deus Cafe, where eventually Canggu locals, pro surfers and artists will rub elbows with riders gassing up on caffeine whilst out on their Bali excursions. A melting pot of ideas and ideologies, a Warung (stall) of Knowledge.”




It’s a good location: Canggu is an area increasingly popular with expats, with the new Canggu Club nearby, and just up the road is a beautiful house owned by Deus founder Dare Jennings. I’m green with envy already.

Check out the Deus Bali blog for more images of this CB 100—plus Deus’ other equally charming builds.

Build sheet

Rebuilt Honda 1976 CB 100 Engine bored out to 180cc
88mm aftermarket piston
CDI added
All engine bolts swapped for stainless steel
4.5 inch chrome headlight from Japan
Deus custom headlight bracket
Smoked alloy indicator lights from Japan
Daytona speedo and bracket
Easyriders ‘Early Tail-light’ from Japan
Ventura “BSA Style” Handlebars
Kitaco handlebar controls
Clip-on mirror
Relocated ignition switch
Custom battery housing
Brown ‘British ribbed’-style grips
Front suspension from Yamaha 225, chopped 5cm
32cm ‘Old style’ Yamaha rear suspension
Alloy rims: 18” rear, 18” front, with stainless spokes
Swallow tires, 120/80 × 18 front and same for rear.
Custom galvanized Tank
Custom seat upholstery
Rear frame section modified to accept seat and shortened 3 inches
Hidden horn and rectifier/regulator
Front converted to ‘Flower disk brake’
Re-wiring of whole bike
Original rear hub swapped to Yamaha 225
Custom built Swing-arm made from steel tube

TRIUMPH STREET TWIN (2016-on) Review

Overall Rating5 out of 5

Classic looks aside - the Street Twin is a brilliant roadster in its own right. But add in the retro style, Triumph’s unrivalled heritage and a sensible price tag and you’ve got a winner.  With its smooth new liquid-cooled 900cc motor, easy handling and modern day electronic rider aids, the Triumph is a cinch to get on with, but fun, too. It’s affordable and there are a raft of accessories and kits available to turn your Street Twin into something special.

Ride Quality & Brakes4 out of 5

With its new chassis, non-adjustable Kayaba forks and preload-adjustable twin Kayaba shock set-up (with 20% more rear wheel travel over the old Bonnie), the Street Twin is agile around town offers a plush ride. A well padded seat and relaxed riding position enhances comfort and lets you ride all day with no aches or pains. The Triumph is low enough for feet-down at the lights, but not too cramped for tall riders. 

The Street Twin handles brilliantly. The 198kg (dry) machine is light, agile, has excellent full lean stability and acres of ground clearance. The single disc twin-piston Nissin brake set-up has impressive feel and power, too. 

The Triumph has an 18” front wheel for retro looks, which takes a bit of getting used to after 17-inchers, so the front end needs more muscle to get into a corner, but once you’re in and powering through, the Street Twin is completely stable. 

Engine5 out of 5

Triumph claims 54bhp from its smooth new ride-by-wire controlled, liquid-cooled, 900cc ‘high torque’, 270° parallel twin-cylinder engine. That’s more than enough for mischief on a naked retro. Power is up 22bhp over the old out-going air-cooled Bonnie (between 2750rpm and 4750rpm) and the new motor makes 18% more torque. Triumphs claims a frugal 75.5mpg and service intervals have increased from 6000 to 10,000-miles. The new ‘slip assist’ clutch is far lighter than the previous-generation Bonnie’s and the five-speed gearbox is slick and precise.

Build Quality & Reliability5 out of 5

Although designed and developed in the UK, the new Bonnie range, including the Street Twin will be made at a Triumph factory in Thailand. Build quality is excellent, from the paint finish to the welds. There are some nice detail touches, including a stitched seat, brushed ali throttle body shrouds, logo'd chrome fuel cap, finned cylinder heads and dummy exhaust headers, to hide the catalyser.
Insurance, running costs & value5 out of 5

The Street Twin offers superb value for money. Its retro rivals come in the shape of the more basic, but punchier Yamaha XSR700, the entry-level Harley Davidson Street 750 and the quirky-but-lovable Moto Guzzi V7 II Stone.

But the Triumph’s big rival is the Ducati Scrambler Icon. Both manage to pull off the neat trick of appealing to new and experienced riders alike, breezily mix classic cool with modern performance and technology and come with phonebook-thick clothing and accessory catalogues.

Equipment4 out of 5

You get traction control and ABS as standard, as well as a Smiths-style white on black speedo, incorporating a multi-function digital display, an underseat USB socket and immobiliser. There are over 150 official Triumph accessories available, including heated grips, Vance and Hines 2-1 exhaust, a tail tidy, fly screen, handlebar grips…the list goes on. Triumph also offers three pre-prepared ‘Inspiration Kits’ to transform your Street Twin into a scrambler, flat-track and urban style. And of course there’s loads of old school Triumph-branded clothing to choose from.

CCM FT35S (2005-on) Review

Overall Rating3 out of 5

The CCM FT35S was built as the bastard offspring of a supermoto motorcycle and a flat-track racing motorcycle comes the road-legal beauty from Britain’s own CCM. Stopping just this side of total two-wheeled self-indulgence the CCM FT35S is for folk who make statements and act the goat with no thought for such dreary irrelevances as practicality or comfort.

 

Ride Quality & Brakes4 out of 5

With its colossal, fully-adjustable 48mm WP forks and fully-adjustable WP shock there’s little the CCM FT35S can’t handle. It’s stable over bumps, turns quickly and feels light and controlled. The motorcycle's riding position doesn’t lend itself to motorways, obviously, but neither does the motor. The two-piston Brembo brakes and 320mm front disc work well together, but with just 118kg of CCM FT35S to pull up that’s not surprise.

Engine3 out of 5

The 398cc, DOHC single in the CCM FT35S comes from the Suzuki DR-Z 400S.Only in this motorcycle it feels much more alive, thanks to some clever gearing (if you’ve got £450 the factory will sell you a big bore 450cc kit for your CCM FT35S or for £1600 you can swap it in for a special 499cc ‘race’ motor). The CCM FT35S' gears are slick and the motorcycle always pulls cleanly and keenly.

Build Quality & Reliability3 out of 5

The CCM motorcycle company has recently been reborn under new management after it went under in 2004, garnering a reputation for poor quality control as it went. This shouldn’t affect the CCM FT35S, which benefits from low production volumes and greater attention to detail. The constituent components are high quality on the CCM FT35S.

Insurance, running costs & value3 out of 5

There have been very few CCM FT35S' made, so prices are likely to remain high for years to come. Some motorcycles have been raced, so check carefully if you're looking at a secondhand CCM FT35S. Find a CCM FT35S for sale.

Insurance group: 9 of 17 – compare motorcycle insurancequotes now.

Equipment4 out of 5

The spec of the kit screwed on to the CCM FT35S' frame is impressive – there’s an Acumen digital dash, a lovely ally tank, a variety of colours to have your CCM FT35S painted in and you can specify the wheel sizes on new motorcycles.

2001 Kawasaki Vulcan 800 Classic

 

- 2001 Kawasaki Vulcan 800 Classic
.

With a nostalgic look of the '50s, the Vulcan 800 Classic features deep valanced fenders and a big, fat front tire on the spoked front wheel. Chromed covers enhance the fork downtubes and are topped off by a large chromed headlight housing. Two-tone paint graces the fuel tank while a tank-mounted speedometer gives it a custom look. The low-stepped seat adds to the low cruiser look and provides feet-on-the-ground comfort and stability when stopped.

 

2001 KAWASAKI VULCAN™ 800 CLASSIC

Style, image and a great value!

The Kawasaki Vulcan™ 800 Classic motorcycle provides all the attitude and image one expects from a classic-styled cruiser motorcycle. Add modern performance features and a great price and this V-twin cruiser is one of the best values in its class.

With a nostalgic look of the ’50s, the Vulcan 800 Classic features deep valanced fenders and a big, fat front tire on the spoked front wheel. Chromed covers enhance the fork downtubes and are topped off by a large chromed headlight housing, while a tank-mounted speedometer gives it a custom look. The low-stepped seat adds to the low cruiser look and provides feet-on-the-ground comfort and stability when stopped.

Powering the Vulcan 800 Classic is a rubber-mounted 805cc V-twin engine, featuring a single-pin crankshaft with a gear-driven balancer to reduce vibration. Finned cylinders and four-valve heads are liquid cooled for optimum thermal control. Concealed automatic cam chain tensioners preserve the engine’s clean lines and allow precise cam timing without maintenance. A spin-on oil filter helps make maintenance a quick and easy job.

The 36mm Keihin carburetor is equipped with an accelerator pump for quick throttle response. To take advantage of the engine’s broad torque curve, the five-speed transmission produces strong acceleration and a relaxed engine pace at highway speeds. The transmission also features Kawasaki’s exclusive Positive Neutral Finder, which simplifies finding neutral while at a stop.

The single backbone, double cradle frame design gives the Vulcan 800 Classic stability at highway speeds and maneuverability on city streets. At the rear of the frame, a sleek, triangulated steel swingarm and hidden Kawasaki UNI-TRAK® linkage rear suspension system provide a smooth ride while maintaining the look of a hard tail cruiser. A 41mm front fork adds to the handling and offers a wide stance for the classic cruiser look.

By combining modern performance and handling with the styling of a classic V-twin cruiser, the Vulcan 800 Classic does more than make a statement about style; it’s a value that lets the good times roll.

 

2001 VULCAN™ 800 CLASSIC FEATURES

V-Twin 805cc Engine with Gear-Driven Balancer

Torque from idle to redline 
Smooth and reliable 
Balancer allows use of single pin crankshaft without the heavy vibration 
Four Valves Per Cylinder

Better breathing for more power and low end torque 
Single overhead cam design is simple, lightweight, and practical 
Liquid and Air Cooling

Finned cylinders and heads combine with liquid cooling to provide exceptional thermal control 
More consistent running temperatures mean no “power fade” on hot days and longer engine life 
Automatic fan keeps things cool even in traffic 
Includes temperature warning light 
Five-Speed Transmission

Designed to handle the engine’s unique power characteristics 
Ratios designed for great acceleration and relaxed highway cruising 
Exclusive Positive Neutral Finder 
36mm CVK Side Draft Carburetor

Equipped with an accelerator pump for quick throttle response 
Two-stage air intake with paper air filter element 
Double Cradle Frame

Right down-tube unbolts for easy engine access 
High tensile steel for strength and light weight 
Low Stepped Seat

Confidence inspiring, both-feet-on-the-ground stability 
Laid-back riding comfort for two 
Tank-Mounted Speedometer with Turn Signal Indicators and Caution Lamps

Compact design complements the bike’s clean look 
Clean-design locking gas cap 
Modern instrument cluster with nostalgic style 
Push-to-Cancel Turn Signals

No fumbling, just a simple push on the switch cancels the turn signals 
Transistor Controlled Breakerless Ignition with Digital Timing Advance (TCBI)

A hot spark at all engine speeds for easy starting, smooth running and good fuel economy 
Maintenance free 
41mm Front Fork

Excellent rigidity and 5.9 inches of travel 
Wide fork pitch for classic look 
Disc Front Brake

A single 300mm disc with hydraulic caliper keeps the front end lean while providing sure stops 
48-Spoke Custom Wheels

Chromed steel rims and spokes with “spool-style” polished aluminum front hub 
Mechanical Drum Rear Brake

Provides smooth stopping power and the right look 
UNI-TRAK® Rear Suspension

Single shock absorber with 7-way cam-type preload adjuster 
Sleek Swingarm Design

Triangulated, steel swingarm looks like a “hard tail” 
Engineered for rigidity, provides precise handling with good tire and chain life 



New for 2001:

Candy Wine Red 
Metallic Nocturne Blue

 

 

Specifications:

Model 
VN800-B6

Engine Type 
4-stroke V-Twin

Displacement 
805 cc.

Bore x Stroke 
88 x 66.2 mm.

Compression Ratio 
9.5:1

Valve System 
SOHC, 8 valves

Carburetion 
Keihin CVK36

Ignition 
Digital

Starting 
Electric

Transmission 
5-speed 

Rake
32 degrees 

Wheelbase 
63.0"

Suspension, Front 
41 mm

Suspension, Rear 
Uni-Trak with 7 way cam-type preload adjuster

Tire Front 
130/90-16

Tire Rear 
140/90-16

Brakes, Front 
single 300mm disc with hydraulic caliper

Brakes, Rear 
Drum

Seat Height 
27.8"

Fuel Capacity 
4.0 gallons

Dry Weight 
516 pounds

Specifications are subject to change without notice, in accordance with national regulation and legislations.

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2016 Indian Springfield - FIRST RIDE REVIEW

The 2016 Indian Springfield uses the “touring” chassis geometry but with shorter trail, making for the best handling Indian bagger yet.

A few years ago I swung a Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic into Peter Egan’s hometown south of Madison and we proceeded to motor around the great roads in southwestern Wisconsin. Peter owned a Road King at the time and asked on the ride if I’d like to swap bikes for a while.

I was instantly charmed by the copbike-screen-equipped touring bagger, its lightness and agility much more up my personal alley than what was delivered by the heavier Ultra. Love all the extra features for the long haul on the big FL, but the unobstructed view and sportier feel of the Road King would send me its direction at a Harley dealer unless a lot of dedicated long-distance touring were on the menu.

Indian has followed a similar path with the new Springfield, stripping the Chieftain/Roadmaster of its purported 24-pound frame-mounted fairing with electric-adjust windscreen in favor of a quick-detach clear windshield. The riding results are charming and offer the same kind of light-feeling rewards delivered by the Road King.



The 2016 Springfield is Indian’s Harley-Davidson Road King fighter. Same basic recipe: Start with a strong touring platform but keep it on the simple side.




The 2016 Indian Springfield uses the “touring” chassis geometry but with shorter trail, making for the best handling Indian bagger yet.

A few years ago I swung a Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic into Peter Egan’s hometown south of Madison and we proceeded to motor around the great roads in southwestern Wisconsin. Peter owned a Road King at the time and asked on the ride if I’d like to swap bikes for a while.

I was instantly charmed by the copbike-screen-equipped touring bagger, its lightness and agility much more up my personal alley than what was delivered by the heavier Ultra. Love all the extra features for the long haul on the big FL, but the unobstructed view and sportier feel of the Road King would send me its direction at a Harley dealer unless a lot of dedicated long-distance touring were on the menu.

Indian has followed a similar path with the new Springfield, stripping the Chieftain/Roadmaster of its purported 24-pound frame-mounted fairing with electric-adjust windscreen in favor of a quick-detach clear windshield. The riding results are charming and offer the same kind of light-feeling rewards delivered by the Road King.



The 2016 Springfield is Indian’s Harley-Davidson Road King fighter. Same basic recipe: Start with a strong touring platform but keep it on the simple side.

It was 39 degrees the morning I saddled up on a Springfield in Austin, Texas, and I surely missed having the optional heated grips and seat, particularly when a few pieces of “solid rain” stuck to the screen. Still, wind protection was good, even if my lower legs were chilled by the windblast (add accessory deflectors to the chrome highway bars, if you like). Cruise control allowed me to alternate pulling my hands off the grips to warm them a bit.

But the temperature rose to mid-40s pretty quickly, the road mostly dried and Texas Hill Country was calling.

Steering was impressively light and precise, with a neutral cornering attitude and excellent stability. Damping is well dialed in, with good straight-line compliance from fork and shock, but no wallowing in corners, even in high-speed sweepers. And, as if Indian read my mind, the air-adjustable shock was set up for a 220-pound rider.



Hard saddlebags are like those on the other Indian touring models. Dual exhaust pipes help support the 19-gallon, electric-locking cases. It’s possible to add the top truck used on the Indian Roadmaster touring bike.

Although it is tempting to think the Springfield is a Chief Vintage with hard bags, this is not the case. Instead of the “cruiser” geometry, the Springfield uses the “touring” steering head and upper member on its aluminum frame, and utilizing a rear subframe designed to carry more weight. Plus, the dual exhaust pipes have the weight-bearing pads to help support the Cheiftain/Roadmaster electric-locking 19-gallon hard saddlebags.

Although the frame is like that of the other tourers, its 25-degree rake works with just 133mm of trail, vs. the 150 of the other hard-baggers or the 155 (and 29-degree rake) of the soft-bag Vintage.

This is the lightest steering Chief variant yet, to the point that there was a slight shimmy in bumpy corner exits when hard on the gas. It was no real worry, but a bit of a surprise given the bike’s role and general largeness. Tires are the same as those of the touring bikes (130- and 150mm-wide 16-inchers) and run on cast-aluminum wheels to accommodate tire-pressure monitoring.



The Indian 111 ci, 49-degree V-Twin engine is the same as that used in the Roadmaster, which on a recent dyno run produced about 76 hp at 4510 rpm and 107 pound-feet of torque at just 2640 revs.

The Springfield is the best handling of the Indian big twins and the rest of the dynamic package is similarly impressive, from the ABS brakes to shift quality to the hearty pull of the 49-degree Thunder Stroke 111ci V-twin. The Roadmaster we recently dyno tested made 76.4 hp at 4510 rpm and 106.6 pound-feet of torque at just 2640 revs.

Screen and bags are both supremely easy to remove, no tools required. I popped off the windshield for the post-lunch portion of our Texas tour and the bike felt sportier still. Turns out removing that big sail attached to the bars lightens steering effort a bit. It also eliminated the high-speed helmet buffeting I (at 6-foot-2) experienced at anything over 70 mph. Higher and lower screens will be available from Indian.



The copbike windshield is quick-detach, no tools required. It’s also quite different than the one used on the Indian Chief Vintage due to the Springfield’s steeper fork rake.

Detail improvement noted: The chrome strips on the windscreen have black backing on the rider-facing side, rather than the bare, not-that-chromed metal finish seen on previous Vintages. Nice to see Indian keeping after the little things. The screen is a significantly different rake and height compared to the one used on the Vintage since the fork rake is much different.

The leather saddle is identical to those of the tourers, just with a different stitching pattern, and passenger floorboards are adjustable for height and for rake, the latter to help accommodate boots with taller heels.



Saddle stitching is the only change from the other Indian tourer seats, which is a good thing. This is a comfortable motorcycle seat.

The cross-compatibility of parts and accessories (top trunks, wind-deflectors, and much more) is quite good since the touring platform is fundamentally the same across the line. Want to add the 17-gallon top trunk from the Roadmaster? Can do.

Clearly, Indian has observed the highly successful model-proliferation playbook developed in Milwaukee. As well it should.

The core product from Indian is well designed and engineered, making the work to produce more good models from the basic platforms relatively straightforward. The Springfield is one of those good models.

SPECIFICATIONS2016 Indian SpringfieldENGINEAir/oil-cooled OHV V-TwinDISPLACEMENT1811ccBORE x STROKE101 x 113mmCOMPRESSION RATIO9.5:1FUEL SYSTEMElectronic fuel injection, closed loop, 54mm boreEXHAUSTSplit dual exhaust with crossoverTRANSMISSION6-speed/constant mesh/foot shiftBATTERY12 volts, 18 amp/hour, 310 CCACHARGING SYSTEM42 amp max outputCLUTCHWet, multi-plateFINAL DRIVEBelt drive, 152 tooth. 2.2:1FUEL CAPACITY5.5 gal / 20.8 ltrOIL CAPACITY5.5 qts / 5.20 ltrPRIMARY DRIVEGear drive wet clutchFRONT SUSPENSIONTelescopic fork, 46 mm diameter, 4.7 in / 119 mm travelREAR SUSPENSIONSingle shock with air adjust, 4.5 in / 114 mm travelCLAIMED DRY WEIGHT818 lb. / 372 kgGROUND CLEARANCE5.6 in. / 142 mmGVWR1,385 lb. / 630 kgLENGTH101.7 in. / 2583 mmRAKE / TRAIL25° / 5.2 in. / 133 mmSEAT HEIGHT26 in. / 660 mmWHEELBASE67 in / 1701 mmBRAKE SYSTEMIndividual front and rear control with ABSFRONT BRAKING SYSTEMDual 300 mm floating rotor with 4-piston calipersREAR BRAKING SYSTEMSingle 300 mm floating rotor with 2-piston caliperFRONT TIREDunlop Elite 3 130/90B16 73HFRONT WHEELCast 16" x 3.5" with tire pressure monitoringREAR TIREDunlop Elite 3 180/60R16 80HREAR WHEELCast 16" x 5.0" with tire pressure monitoringCOLORS & MSRPThunder Black $20,999 US, Indian Motorcycle Red $21,549 US

The Motorcycle Obsession

There is only one reason you should not rush out and buy yourself an Indian Chief Classic. I'll get to that in a bit, but first I want to stress that the Chief Classic is the best motorcycle I have ever ridden.


That sort of thing comes with a caveat, I suppose, because of the truth that there is no perfect motorcycle. If you are looking for elbow-dragging cornering prowess, or crossing-the-Kazakh-mountains off-road capability, the Chief will disappoint. Indeed, there are any number of unfair comparisons that could be put to this bike that would leave it wanting. But if you take it for what it is –– an outsized torque monster that turns the head of everyone you pass –– then it is, without question, The Best Motorcycle Ever.

I should probably admit a certain amount of bias right uprfront, however. Indian Motorcycles is owned by Minnesota-based Polaris, and I tend to have a soft spot for all things Minnesotan. But even without that adopted-home-state connection, I reckon I'd be pretty hot on this machine. The Chief (I see no reason to differentiate between the Chief Classic and Chief Vintage, since the only difference between the two is that one has a screen and saddlebags as standard) has long been on my What I Want list. I have previously written about it both here and here. 


You will know, of course, that the resurrected Chief was introduced to the world in summer 2013. The forthcoming 2015 Chief Classic is only different from previous offerings in paint schemes. The machine I rode was a 2014 model, bedecked in deep Springfield Blue that, in my opinion, looked even better with a little bit of Birmingham road grime on it –– rather than shining and spotless on a showroom floor.

That's good to know. I'm not big into cleaning regimes beyond throwing some water on the thing to clear away road salt. I think if I were to own a Chief I'd be somewhat inclined to let the bike's chrome rust –– as chrome is so naturally wont to do –– and create a bit of patina, which you could then clear coat to keep it from rusting any further.

(I learned that trick from the guys at Gas Monkey Garage.)

You'd certainly have a fair bit of patina, because the Chief is dripping with shiny bits. Like the massive steer's head that is the headlight assembly and handlebars. I mean, good grief, that thing is huge. I am not exaggerating even slightly in telling you that just the headlight assembly is larger than my Honda's 19-litre fuel tank. It is the size of a horse's head.




This theme of hugeness extends to all corners of the bike: giganto pullback handlebars that are as thick around as a tree trunk, supersized forks, valanced fenders the size of a child's bicycle, a seat large enough to establish a homestead on, and so on. With Minnesota serving as the de facto home to Indian Motorcycles, one wonders if this thing wasn't designed with Paul Bunyan in mind.

At 8.5 feet long and more than 3 feet wide, it is a big motorcycle. One benefit of all at girth (and all that chrome), though, is that it gets you noticed. As the rider of a 600cc Honda, I am used to being ignored by other road users, but when I was astride this beast, cars and trucks were stopping to give way –– partially out of respect for the bike's size and partially because it is a joy to look at.

It is also a joy to ride. Somehow, Indian has figured out a way to make the massive Chief handle far better than it has any right to. No, you won't be pulling any Royal Jordanian-style filtering moves, but the curves and awkward corners of normal British roads are surprisingly manageable for anyone who understands the basics of clutch/throttle control. Slow-speed manoeuvring is solid and relatively stress-free.

At speed, this great American land yacht floats over everything. It got to the point that I started targeting massive potholes, but still the Chief's suspension gobbled them up. Additionally, the bike's surfboard-sized floorboards allowed me to stand up off the seat when hitting speed bumps and the like. Add to this the bike's incredible leather seat, and it is genuinely the most comfortable vehicle I have ever experienced. Note that I say "vehicle" there; it is more comfortable than any motorcycle I've ridden, easily, but also more comfortable than any car, truck, bus, train, boat or aeroplane I've been on/in.




Twisting the throttle produces a deep, from-the-bowels-of-the-earth growl in the Chief's gargantuan 1,811cc engine. Hauling all that weight means you won't be popping any wheelies, but a fistful of throttle definitely hurls you forward in such a way that will have you whooping in your helmet. Indeed, I spent the whole of my ride laughing, shouting expletives of affirmation and grinning so wide my teeth went dry.

Because of the Polaris family connection, I had expected the experience of riding a Chief to be similar to that of riding a Victory, but it turns out that an Indian is so much more. First gear is a little "shorter" than on a Victory, meaning the engine's groaning will have you wanting to shift at about 30 mph. But the higher gears are much "longer." Sixth gear is very much a motorway/interstate gear; when cruising below 65 mph, you find no need to explore beyond fifth.

The clutch is relatively light –– especially when compared to a Victory –– though I should point out that I have long fingers (that's right, ladies), and I wonder how easily shifting gears would come to someone with smaller hands.

At higher speeds, that leviathan headlight assembly blocks a lot of wind –– to the extent I wonder whether I would ever want a screen. The Chief purrs at 75 mph, suggesting an ability to go far into the territory of illegal speeds before the engine shows any signs of stress. This is clearly a motorcycle suited to its home country. The United States is roughly 3,000 miles from ocean to ocean and this bike is a great way to tackle those miles in style and comfort. The roomy seat, the massive floorboards and the colossal pull-back handlebars offer plenty of wriggle room.

When it comes time to bring all that mass to a stop, the Chief's two front discs and single rear seem to be very much up to the job. Again, this is a markedly different experience than one finds on a Victory. With a Chief, you can use a sportbike-style two-fingered grab of the lever to temper momentum. The bike is also equipped with anti-lock brakes as standard.

I, personally, am not a fan of placing the speedometer and other info on the tank of the bike, but I'll admit that it works with the Chief's aesthetics and I had no trouble keeping speed and gear position in my peripheral view whilst riding.




Beyond that, I can find no other qualms with this motorcycle. Well, except for that one thing I mentioned at the start of this post –– the only reason I can think of for not running out right now and buying one: its price.

Good Lord almighty, is it expensive. Here in the United Kingdom, the starting price for an Indian Chief Classic is greater than my my net annual salary. At my current rate of saving (which is already overly optimistic), it would take me 12 years to put aside enough money to buy one of these magnificent beasts. Which means –– despite its greatness –– you will probably never see one in my garage.


All of this, then, leads to the three questions I put to every motorbike I get a chance to test ride:

1) Does it fit my current needs/lifestyle?
Sadly, no. The Indian Chief Classic is too big, too expensive and too demanding in its cleaning schedule to belong to a low-paid PR hack who has to store his bike outside.

2) Does it put a grin on my face?
Yes. A massive, kid-on-Christmas-morning grin that sits on my face even as I think of riding the Chief. The thought of never owning one initiates a deep, trembling sadness in my soul.


3) Is is better than my current motorcycle?
Yes. In looks, acceleration, comfort, quality and coolness it is –– unsurprisingly –– superior to my hard-working little Honda. In comfort alone it is, as I said, superior to every other vehicle I've ever experienced.

If your financial situation is better than my own, I urge you to get a Chief. I wish you many years of happy riding. Please don't be surprised when you see me gaping in envy as you ride past.