Indian widens appeal with new Indian Scout Sixty 2016

The new Indian Scout Sixty was a surprise announcement at today’s Milan motorcycle show and will be a new cheaper route into ownership for cruiser riders.

Much of the new bike is shared with the larger capacity Indian Scout which was launched in 2014 at the famous Black Hills Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, USA. The new Scout Sixty shares the same chassis, suspension and brakes but is now mated to a new 999cc version of the 1130cc V-twin of the existing Scout cruiser model. The metric capacity of 999cc translates to almost exactly 60 cubic inches; hence the name given to the new version of the bike.

Indian hasn’t made it clear why such an apparently similar model to the existing model has been added with the only change being a small reduction in the overall engine capacity and a corresponding drop in power and torque.

President of Motorcycles for Indian parent company Polaris Industries, Steve Mennetto said: “The Indian Scout has been a stunningly successful introduction for us, with balance, performance and maneuverability that appeals to a broad swath of riders here in America and around the globe.

“The new Scout Sixty expands that reach even further to include newer riders and a younger demographic who long to experience the legendary quality and craftsmanship of an Indian motorcycle.”

A UK price for the new Scout has been confirmed at £8999 and pitches the bike above the Harley-Davidson Iron 883 at around £7400 and the Harley 48 at £8400; although in performance terms the 78bhp from the Scout Sixty is way higher than the Harleys.

Indian has always pitched the Scout model as an accessible bike for a wider array of riders to include those who don’t like the more retro styling and imposing size and weight of the Chieftain and Chief range. The lower power and reduced cost of the new Scout Sixty is likely to be of appeal.

Launching a bike like the Scout Sixty with a capacity and power output so closely matched the larger 1130cc bike only makes sense when the context of the US market is considered. Over the in the USA younger riders are heavily penalized in their insurance premiums for any motorcycle over 1000cc. Indian is perceived as an expensive brand in America so adding a cheaper version of the Scout will allow the firm to appeal to younger riders and, they hope, grab sales from riders who previously might not have been able to afford to buy or run one.

The riding ergonomics are aimed at keeping this bike appealing to less experienced riders along with those who have more riding miles. The seat height is 642mm and the centre of gravity is kept low to making riding the bike easier.

One massively important element of the bike is the huge array of available options which now runs over 200 different accessories. Indian are pushing the customization possibilities of this bike.