Indian battles Harley-Davidson with its Challenger challenge

Indian Motorcycle believes its aptly-named 2020 Challenger is superior to its class-leading competitor – the Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special. In fact, it is willing to put money on it.

“If you test ride an Indian Challenger and then still purchase a Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special, we’ll give you $500 cash!” the Polaris-owned company says.

Available until 5pm September 30, the ‘Challenger Challenge’ aims to promote Indian’s recently launched bagger while stealing sales from Harley’s similarly-styled Road Glide Special, which happens to be the Milwaukee brand’s top-selling model in the US.

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So what’s the catch? Apart from obvious ‘T&Cs’ (such as being over the age of 18 and holding a valid Australian motorcycle licence), the $500 cash payment only applies if you buy a new 2020 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special after test riding the Indian Challenger during the promotion period, and have the paperwork in your name to prove it.

The confident campaign follows Indian’s bold move that saw it literally bring the competition to the international launch of its all-new Challenger and allow journalists to compare the pair for themselves.

It has since released a series of back-to-back Top Gear-style challenges featuring pro motocrosser, Carey Hart, and Bryan Mahoney, aka rapper ‘Big B’, both of whom are Indian brand ambassadors.

With rideaway prices of $39,595 and $39,995 for the Challenger Dark Horse and chrome-laded Challenger Limited respectively, Indian says it took more than three years to develop the all-new bike.

Performance was the first priority of the Challenger’s design brief – and a key point of differentiation from its main rival – bringing a new level of speed and cornering agility to the super-popular segment, according to Indian Motorcycle vice president Reid Wilson.

“Our mindset was to leave no stone unturned to deliver a bagger that exceeds the standard in categories like power, handling, comfort, and technology,” he said at the bike’s international launch.

At the Challenger’s heart is Indian’s first large-capacity liquid-cooled engine: the PowerPlus, which takes its name from the historic Indian motorcycle built between 1916 and 1924.

The 108-cubic-inch (1769cc) 60-degree V-twin packs 90kW (122hp) at 5500rpm and 178Nm at 3800rpm, the latter of which is a healthy jump from Harley’s 163Nm output of its (bigger) Milwaukee-Eight 114.

Also unexpected – and unrivalled – for the segment is a suite of electronic rider aids that match a modern sports bike including lean-sensitive ABS and traction control, and drag torque control all thanks to a Bosch Inertial Measurement Unit, or IMU.

For more information or to accept the Challenger challenge, visit www.challengerchallenge.com.au.