Launch: 2016 Indian Springfield

It’s hard to talk to anyone about Indian motorcycles without that other American manufacturer of big V-Twins being mentioned. Indeed, the press briefing leading into the actual riding of the new 2016 Indian Springfield during its official media launch was another chance for a mention: Indian revealed exactly what this bike is aiming at — Harley-Davidson’s big-selling Road King.

The Springfield, named after the Indian brand’s birthplace, is a Bagger with purpose — yes, it packs an easily-removable screen and hard bags, but it swings them off a set of frame geometry numbers aimed for better handling, something that can ferry you and your passenger far and wide, but still hussle through a set of sweepers with something approaching “rapid”.

The Harley Road King loves an open road, but handles the twisty stuff better than you would expect from just looking at it — the Springfield needed to do likewise to be considered any sort of competition for one of Harley’s best-loved machines.

In an effort to prove it has the armory to take on the King (there are few signs of a détente between Harley and Indian, form Indian’s side, anyway), Indian launched the bike with a ride from the guts of Sydney out to the magnificent Hunter Valley, via one of the area’s most famous bike roads, the Putty. You simply don’t launch a bike on that twisted, at times bumpy, unforgiving piece of bitumen unless you have done your research…

NUMBERS GAME
So what are those magic numbers and why are they so important? For a start, the Springfield’s steering head numbers help separate it from the Chief Vintage — which we also had along on the launch — raising the handling bar from “cruiser-spec” to something more touring-based.

The steering head runs 25 degrees of rake, with a more active 133mm of trail, versus the 150mm of the rest of the hard-bagger range. The Vintage, which packs soft bags, uses 155mm and 29 degrees.

The Putty Road is a good test for the Springfield’s claims of the sweeter and more purposeful handling it needs to take on the Road King. They are small numbers, but getting them right makes a chassis good or ho-hum.

Adding to the challenge of getting these numbers right in Australia is the state of our roads. You want a bike to steer tight and quickly, but you don’t want the bars dancing to their own beat over the peaks and troughs that make our roads what they are.  

The Springfield certainly feels lighter and tighter in the turns than you’d expect after first laying eyes on the claimed dry weight of 372kg, and first impressions are that it is the lightest steering of the Chief variations. I never felt like the front wheel was going to do anything unexpected, either — the 130mm Dunlop rides the road well, but there is a lighter feel to the bars than some of the other bikes in this category. This works for me, as I like the feedback, but those used to a bike this size staying stoically on line as it tries to flatten every bump in its way will find have to get used to the feeling.

On the average road surface, though, the Springfield feels great approaching, in and through a corner. Stringing a set of corners together really highlights the relative poise this bike has in action mode and an air-preload adjustable shock promises the ability to fine tune the weight/steering balance further, and to adjust it each time you ride, whether it be solo, two-up, loaded with luggage and everything in between.

The ability to fine-tune the bike’s rear pre-load easily matches its ability to shed its screen and bags should you want it to, and while its power-to-weight ratio benefits dropping those extra kilos, it already handles so nicely with them on board - it’s a fair argument to just leave them there.

Big V-twins have a very distinctive feel to them — sound aside — and this Indian engine plays the role of classic V-Twin perfectly. In standard form, it is too quiet and wheezy and throttle response off the bottom is not as crisp as it is when you add the optional accessory pipes Indian offers. The Springfield on test really woke up — as did anyone sleeping nearby - with the added pipes, throttle response much cleaner and the bike more urgent when the go-tube copped a twist.

It changes gear with all the solidity and noise of the usual big V-Twin and cruises lazily in top gear on the open freeway. I did prefer to snap down a gear or two to overtake, but rolling through 100km/h speed-limited sweepers is handled easily in top gear without annoying lag when rolling on the throttle out of slightly slower turns.

The gearing works great in slow moving traffic, too — a small thing, but important when shoveling 450-odd kilos of rider and bike through Sydney’s most rubbish traffic. Again — the bike feels lighter than it is and I find u-turns and low-speed riding easier on this bike than on some of the bigger Harley-Davidsons.

The bike wants to pull up straight, where some of the other larger cruisers want to twist their handlebars left and right as the speed drops to a stop.

TOURING NICETIES
Sitting in top gear for ages is a mostly good place to be on the Springfield. The ditching of the frame-mounted fairing of the Chieftain/Roadmaster means slightly less protection, but there is still plenty there!

The Copshield is a nice size, not so large it amplifies the perceived size of the bike — 25mm of Perspex often seems to add weight and size to a bike. At my 178cm, the top of the screen is just above eyeline, which is enough for some good wind protection, but low enough that I can peek over the top if I need to, yet doesn’t create the annoying wind-induced head wobble that can lead a rider to dumping their screen in the middle of the Hay Plain. I also rode a Springfield fitted with a larger screen, but I preferred the smaller one — it just makes the bike feel more manageable.

The standard cruise control works great and the bike is stable enough to really relax behind the bars when some big kays are on the menu. The 12V plug on the dash, the super comfy seat — I did two hours straight with not a single butt-spasm — and having all my gear with me in the saddlebags, dry and handy, is a plus. I love tyre-pressure monitors on big-kilometer bikes, they have saved me from heading off from town with a slow leak numerous times before.

If pillions are standard fare for you, then the heavily padded, easily removable (without tools) and roomy topbox accessory might be of interest. It looks like a nice place to sit, if you must ride shotgun, though I didn’t have a turn myself, having a pillion phobia as I do…

Fuel range is impossible to gauge on the launch as we swapped bikes amongst each other, however the 20.8lt tank promises to last at least until you spot an Antique store you want to peruse.

TO SUM UP
In its quest to battle a brand that topped the recent sales charts in Australia, the Polaris-owned Indian brand is putting in the hard yards.

The lasting impression for me of the Springfield is how rideable it is for a Big Girl. I have spent a lot of time on big V-Twin cruisers, and the impression I get from riding this one alone is that it is one of the sweetest handling and the easiest to ride.

There is some top-notch practicality in the design of its features, many of which are standard items, and value-for-money is not even questioned, starting at $33,995, ride away. It’s good bang for the Bagger buck, particularly when you know you can strip the screen and bags off and leave them in your garage if the fancy takes you. The Road King? It’s priced at $32,495 (including on roads) so it’s a tight battle.

Downsides? Kicking out the sidestand is a two-tap affair much of the time, which is annoying. The large power/start button looks out of place with the other detail touches, which all hit the mark much better. It does get hot in the seat in traffic, but most cruisers are the same, and ditching the screen helps no end!

Will it punch on fist to fist with a Road King? It’s impossible to say without riding them back to back, but it certainly has a very rideable feel to it and it lacks the awkwardness some of these big bikes can deliver — the thought of riding some of them in traffic or across town can bring on a case of the yips.

The Harley-Davidson Road King has an imposing reputation that is well-earned, and it feels uniquely solid on the road too. It is a big lump of well-tuned grunt, so a head to head comparo would be an interesting exercise!

Competition aside, the Springfield is a beautiful-looking thing, loaded with nice features, backed by a company that means business and is producing on its intent to increase its model range incrementally.   

The Springfield’s ability to change shape and purpose without tools adds to the value, and when a bike handles its weight so comfortably and combines its looks with the essential practicalities of riding a big bike long distances, it’s a bike worth looking very closely at when choosing your next big American V-twin.