2017 Iron Butt SaddleSore 1000: Indian Roadmaster

The Roadmaster joined the Indian line-up in 2015, and was essentially a Chieftain with the full bag of fruit.

With its period looks – that valanced front guard is dripping with history – the Roadmaster quickly became an unmistakable luxury touring presence on the open road, in a hard-fought category that not only includes the Harley-Davidson Ultra Limited and Honda Goldwing – the other Iron Butt mounts – but also bikes like the BMW K 1600 GTL.

In 2018, the Roadmaster ($41,995) will also be joined by the limited production Roadmaster Elite ($49,995), which features two-tone candy paint and real 23K gold leaf badging on the tank and lowers. The bike comes standard with a large number of premium amenities, including the Ride Command system, a 300-watt audio system, passenger armrests, billet aluminium passenger and driver floorboards, touring console and pinnacle mirrors.

Mind you, the 200-watt audio system on the standard Roadmaster is perfectly fine in our books! It came to good use on all 1724km of the Iron Butt Challenge, providing crisp sound quality from the four speakers – two at the front and two integrated ones at the rear – even at higher volume settings and when speeds were heading north.

Appointments galore
Like all luxury tourers, the Roadmaster’s an indulgence package that rewards not only riders, but pillions as well. There’s a broad seat base, typical of the genre, that’s comfortable and supportive, while the Roadmaster was the only bike on test with an electric windscreen.

There are heated seats for both the rider and pillion – and the seats are real leather, which Indian is always at pains to point out.

The Roadmaster is incredibly roomy, so all shapes and sizes are accommodated, while the highway boards add to the sense of security.

The audio system is part of the excellent Ride Command infotainment setup, which is one of the best in the business – and a standout on the ride. The touchscreen is easy to use, even with thicker gloves, and the GPS navigation is exceptional.

There’s a split screen function as well, with the whole plot controlled by just five buttons. It’s an uncluttered, tidy dash, with the power and driving light buttons standing out like a beacon. There are just two dashboard gauges as well, which helps to keep the information overload in check.

The driving lights are brilliant, and threw out a wonderfully wide arc of crisp rays so we could at least canvas for kangaroos about to make a leap of faith across either the Calder Highway or Silver City Highway – our two SaddleSore 1000 main routes.

The LED headlight is a beauty as well, although it did manage to irk a few truckies on the Calder coming home, thanks to its beam being adjusted too high…

The Roadmaster has central locking for both the top box and panniers, a keyless ignition and also a couple of lower pouches to hold bits and pieces. If two-up riding is your caper, the Roadmaster provides about 142 litres of storage.

There are two sets of lower vents which the rider can tweak to facilitate air flow, and they can also be closed if the temperature is a bit brisk. The vents were open on our ride.

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On the road
The Thunder Stroke 111 engine may be basic in its inherent properties – air-cooled and two valves per cylinder – but it’s also contemporary in other ways with features such as the ride-by-wire throttle and six-speed transmission. A bit like the bike itself: the Roadmaster still has a 1940s vibe but has truly forged a modern path.

The 49-degree 1811cc V-twin is, as expected, supremely torquey, and pulls hard from maximum torque (150Nm at 2900rpm) to its power peak of 73hp (54.5kw/74.1ps) at 5075rpm. There's a rev limiter at 5500rpm.

It pushes hard, but the Roadmaster wasn’t quite as brisk as the Ultra Limited during roll-on comparison tests, and its gearbox isn’t quite as slick as its fellow American.

The Roadmaster chewed an average of 6.08lt/100km during our Iron Butt run, and it had the smallest tank at 20.8 litres – nearly two less than the Ultra Limited and 4.2 litres in arrears of the Goldwing.

A ‘safe’ range is about 280km – and if there’s a pillion and luggage on board, a little less than that again.

The handling is rock solid, and there's really nothing that can dislodge the 16-inch wheels (shod with Dunlop Elite rubber) from their designated path.

The planted feeling has a lot to do with the cast aluminium frame, and the bike responds well to rider inputs and it doesn’t feel like the front wheel’s a million miles away.

It has decent ground clearance, with the hinged footboards the first part of the bike to hit terra firma.

At its highest position, the screen puts the rider in a wonderful bubble, and with a full-face helmet you can lift your visor to get even more clarity from the stereo.

Summing up
The Indian has a real aura about it, with the beaut heritage touches and modern functionality. It’s comfortable, packs a punch, and won out in the technology stakes in this company. I’d love a bigger fuel tank, but otherwise the Roadmaster’s a winner.

SPECS: INDIAN ROADMASTER
ENGINE
Type: Thunder Stroke 111
Capacity: 1811cc
Bore x stroke: 101mm x 113mm
Compression ratio: 9.5:1
Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 73hp (54.5kw/74.1ps) at 5075rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 150Nm at 2900rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six speed
Final drive: Shaft
Clutch: Wet

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Front suspension: 46mm telescopic fork, 119mm travel
Rear suspension: Shock with air-adjustable preload, 114mm travel
Front brakes: 300mm discs with four-piston calipers, CBS, ABS
Rear brake: 300mm disc with twin-piston caliper, CBS, ABS
Tyres: Dunlop Elite 3

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Rake: 25 degrees
Claimed wet weight: 421kg
Seat height: 673mm
Wheelbase: 1668mm
Fuel capacity: 20.8 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $41,995
Test bike supplied by: Indian Motorcycle Australia
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres