2020 bikesales Bike of the Year Finalist: Indian Challenger

Out of all the machines on the 2020 bikesales Bike of the Year test, the Indian Challenger, our Best Touring nomination, was arguably the most out of its depth. But the big bagger impressed our testers with its supreme comfort and practicality, its torquey engine, and its better-than-expected handling.

Chasing sportsbikes up Mount Hotham surely wasn’t in the design brief for this monolith of a bike, but Indian has achieved a rare formula here – a touring heavyweight that can turn.

When our resident TT star, Cam Donald, jumped aboard, he was surprised by the bike’s ability to tackle the twisties, although he did find its limits on several occasions with a few scrapes and a shower of sparks (check out the GoPro footage below). But the result was clear – the Challenger is far more than a one-trick pony.

At the heart of the beast is Indian’s all-new PowerPlus 108 engine. The 1768cc, liquid-cooled, SOHC V-twin puts out around 122hp (90kW) and 178Nm at 3800rpm. They don’t call it ‘PowerPlus’ for nothing. The monstrous engine is complemented by a six-speed transmission and three ride modes that alter throttle response.

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The beautiful thing about the Challenger engine is that there is always torque at your fingertips, no matter where you are in the rev range. From taking off at the lights to rapid highway overtakes, there's always a heap of grunt to work with.

One minor downside to the Challenger is that gear changes can be a touch clunky at times. This might have something to do with the massive workout our testers dished out for the gearbox and clutch over five days of twisting mountain roads, but even still, the character of the engine and the heavy gearbox action felt old-school compared to the other bikes on test. Mind you, it's nothing out of the ordinary for a big American bagger.

Before the 2020 Bike of the Year test, none of our testers were expecting great things of the Challenger when it came to handling. With a 377kg wet weight, a huge fairing, and those low highway boards, it’s fair to say the Challenger shouldn’t handle well. But it does.

For a bagger, it turns way better than it should. As you tip it into corners, it feels appreciably lighter than its quoted weight. And there is a surprising amount of ground clearance too, meaning you can get a pretty decent lean on before the sparks start to fly.

The frame-mounted fairing invariably helps. Taking all that weight off the fork and front wheel and placing it on the chassis just makes the front-end feel a whole lot lighter and more agile.

From head to toe, the Indian Challenger is well built, and it has a lovely finish. It's a high-end machine with a features list that goes on and on, with enough creature comforts to satisfy the most discerning of mile eaters.

The Indian Ride Command multimedia system is a big plus, with the colour touch-screen offering plenty of info and customisation. And the booming sound system, roomy (and lockable) saddlebags, and electric windshield also add to this bagger’s premium tag.

As for styling, Indian has smashed it out of the park. For our Bike of the Year test we rode the Limited version, which offers plenty of bright, shiny chrome in contrast to sparkly metallic black paint. The Dark Horse version, which we rode earlier in the year, has a blacked-out paint scheme.

To be honest, both versions look incredibly cool. Each version also has alternate paint schemes too – White/Bronze for the Dark Horse, and Blue/Red for the Limited.

So far the Indian Challenger is ticking a lot boxes, but the sizeable price tag is the big question mark. At $39,995 ride away for the Limited (the Dark Horse is $500 cheaper), the Challenger doesn’t come cheap. But to be honest, it is probably fairly priced when you look at the competition. And when you take into account the list of standard equipment, the price is more easily justified.

And for fuel economy, the Indian Challenger came in at an average of 6.3L/100km on Bike of the Year. That was fifth out of our eight contenders, meaning three other models were thirstier than this big brute of a bike.

The Challenger is a bike that will provide ultimate comfort and practicality on long road trips, while still giving you a good dose of adrenaline and excitement when you want it.

From cruising along a lonesome highway, to mixing with sportsbikes on a mountain road, the Challenger is one versatile and incredibly capable machine.

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, SOHC, PowerPlus 108 V-twin
Capacity: 1768cc
Bore x stroke: 108mm x 96.5mm
Compression ratio: 11.0:1
Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 122hp (90kW)
Claimed maximum torque: 178Nm at 3800rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Clutch: Wet, multi-plate
Final drive: Belt drive

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Lightweight cast aluminium
Front suspension: Inverted telescopic fork, 130mm travel
Rear suspension: Fox monoshock, hydraulic adjustment, 114mm travel
Front brakes: Twin 320mm semi-floating discs with four-piston radial caliper
Rear brake: 298mm disc with twin-piston caliper
Wheels: Sport Contrast Cut with Indian Red Pin Stripe; 19in x 3.5in front, 16in x 5in rear
Tyres: Metzeler Cruisetec; 130/60B19 66H front, 180/60R16 80H rear

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed wet weight: 377kg
Seat height: 672mm
Wheelbase: 1668mm
Rake: 25 degrees
Fuel capacity: 22.7 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: From $39,995 ride away
Colours: Black or blue/red
Warranty: 24 months/unlimited kilometres
Bike supplied by: Indian Motorcycle Australia