First ride: Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster

It's the same for all the full-dress luxury tourers: a passenger's journal nearly holds as much weight as the rider's, because you don't often fork out nearly 40K on a rolling indulgence package just for yourself.

And so it is with the mighty Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster, the appointment-rich machine which has recently gone on sale in Australia, joining the Chieftain, Chief Vintage, Chief Classic and Scout in the resurgent American company's 2015 line-up.

The 1811cc Roadmaster, essentially a Chieftain with the full bag of fruit, joins a segment that already includes bikes like the Harley-Davidson Ultra Limited, BMW Motorrad K 1600 GTL and Kawasaki 1700 Voyager ABS.
The Roadmaster probably trumps them all on looks alone: it's quite beautiful, and the halo effect of that alone can't be ignored. There's chrome on the bike – the handlebar, tank strip, racks, engine air cleaner, etc – but it's not overdone, which only adds to the appeal. And the deeply valanced front guard is dripping with history.

But with an obvious focus on comfort and getting the job done for long distance riding, the two pillions who took the big 'hop' to get into the back of the bike on a Victorian country sojourn were well rewarded.

The seat is the obvious focus, and both reported that it's more like a "mobile armchair", with a good backrest and armrests complemented by a broad seat base. The speakers are integrated into the back rest, but they certainly don't impinge on comfort or become an unwelcome pressure point.

The highway boards add to the sense of security and the seat heating is a superb feature – and unexpectedly came in handy as Victoria 'showcased' a beautiful 13-degree summer day. Passengers can adjust their own seating, as well.

Both pillions reported that it's not incredibly roomy – which wasn't a problem per se for their 170cm frames, but taller pillions might find it a bit of a squeeze.

When the Roadmaster started to get a little groovy through some twisty roads, they also reported the preload-adjustable pneumatic shock held up well, soaking up smaller bumps and generally delivering a compliant ride with 114mm of travel. The shock is adjustable with a hand air pump, accessible via a valve on the side of the bike. Just follow the factory recommendations for varying payloads – and if it's your wife or girlfriend on the back you can't get in trouble for asking how much they weigh… Suspension travel on the 46mm forks is a little more than the back at 119mm.

The pillions also enjoyed the quality of the sound from the stereo, reporting quality feedback and clarity even when speeds increased.

If two-up riding is your caper, the Roadmaster provides about 142 litres of storage via the top box, side cases and lower pouches. There's central locking as well, and the technology fun doesn't end there: there's also a keyless ignition, with the start button on the tank. There's a power socket in the top box, as well as the dash.

Removing the top box and side cases is a straightforward process, the latter via quick-release latches. But how often would you really want to do that?

So what does the Roadmaster offer the rider? Well, an absolute abundance in the power, comfort and handling stakes, so let's take a closer look at each of them.

The 111ci 49-degree V-twin is unchanged in Roadmaster guise, as there's simply no need to tinker with a mechanical package that is already outstanding. The engine is supremely torquey and one for all seasons. There's ample oomph, and at 2600rpm the bike is already producing maximum torque, which the company claims is 138.9Nm.

From there, it pulls hard to its power peak of 73hp (54.5kw/74.1ps) at 5075rpm. There's a rev limiter at 5500rpm.

The Roadmaster, like all the Indians, is easy to ride smoothly with the electronic throttle, even in urban situations, and vibration is minimal as the bike chugs along at 2200rpm in sixth gear at 100km/h -- which is a good as time as any to activate the easy-to-use cruise control.

The Roadmaster has a helical-driven primary balancer, which is one of the more advanced features of an engine that is basic in its inherent properties – air-cooled and two valves per cylinder – but also contemporary in other ways with features such as the ride-by-wire and six-speed transmission. A bit like the bike itself: the Roadmaster still has a 1940s vibe but has truly forged a modern path.

By the way, engagement on the six-speed transmission smooths out as the rider punches through the gears, and it doesn't have a reverse gear. That means you have to be careful where you park, as manoeuvring around a 408kg bike (dry) around in tight spaces isn't easy, even with a low 673mm seat height and both feet grounded.

Range on the Roadmaster is around the 300km mark from the 20.5-litre tank, which includes a 3.8-litre reserve.

The Roadmaster has a low centre of gravity, so low-speed manoeuvrability is excellent, and with the smooth electronic throttle, light clutch pull and 1668m wheelbase it handles slow-speed traffic very well. And the back of the bike is no wider than the front, so you can even undertake some lane filtering with plenty of assurance.

On the open road, the handling is simply rock solid, and there's really nothing except a willy willy which could really dislodge the 16-inch wheels (shod with Dunlop Elite rubber) from their designated path. This is a bike which does really devour the kilometres with ease.

The planted feeling has a lot to do with the cast aluminium frame, so changing direction isn't a major chore and the bike responds well to rider inputs. There are limits, of course, on such a big bike, but it does have decent ground clearance, with the hinged footboards the first part of the bike to hit terra firma.

My only minor criticism of an otherwise excellent handling package is the front end, which can sometimes get a few little wiggles on uneven road surfaces.

The rider's seat, just the pillion's, provides plenty of padding and support, and I was able to wrap my legs around the 20.8-litre tank no problems. The footboards are all I need to relax, but I can understand how some people would maybe like highway pegs fitted for even more room.

The rider also has an adjustable lower back rest, which has both plenty of movement for the rider to work with, and it also provides a barrier to the pillion rider.

I'd describe the cockpit as roomy and compact at the same time – a contradiction perhaps, but compared to some of its competitors the Roadmaster feels tauter, providing just enough accommodation without feeling like the front wheel's a million miles away. That's probably why it is such a keen handler, as well.

There are two sets of lower vents which the rider can tweak to facilitate air flow, and they can also be shut as well if the temperature is a bit brisk. The rear cylinder on the 49-degree V-twin does push up a lot of heat through the seat though, which could become an issue on a really hot day.

The electronically controlled windscreen doesn't move an inch or shudder at speed, but it's still too high for me at its base position. Another inch lower would be perfect. 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. The Roadmaster's sound system has Bluetooth capability, and there's a USB connection as well for your iPhone, etc.

I love the 'warm' feel of the Roadmaster's dash, which has analogue speedo and tacho and a digital inset, the latter relaying the time, temperature, stereo mode, and gear position permanently, and you can also toggle through other information (trip meters, fuel consumption, tyre pressures, average speed, engine temperature, or just leave the screen blank). The dash doesn't have factory navigation, which for a $38,995 bike (rideaway) is quite a noticeable omission.

I like the fact that all the functions are close at hand, so your digits don't have to leave the bars, save for the windscreen function. The reset and toggle buttons do require a firm push to get them working, which is my only criticism.

I didn't do any night riding on the Roadmaster, but I'm told the Pathfinder LED headlight is a beauty, and the bike also had LED taillights. With the amount of power that the bike is capable of draining with the likes of the heated seats and grips, LED lights are less of a burden and way more durable.

The mirrors are small, so they don't sully the view – but offer plenty of scope on what's behind.

This luxury touring segment is a competitive one, and the Roadmaster makes for a brilliant entry. For me, there's an aura about the Roadmaster that's sorely missing on bikes like the Goldwing, which is supremely functional but in a staid kind of way. The Roadmaster's functional, but with loads more spunk and historical touches – balanced out by waves of new technology. And no other bike has excited my pillion buddies like this one, which is a massive tick of approval.

It's classy, not clunky. I could travel across the country on this jigger, in absolute comfort and style.