The philosophy, as I read it
Indian is the other American V-twin, and its modern incarnation has quietly built better engineering than its rival: liquid-cooled engines, real frames, and the FTR that proved an American brand could build a sport bike. The 2025 Scout showed a company willing to fix a good bike's only flaw. Its new independence from Polaris is the most interesting story in American motorcycling.
History in a paragraph
Founded in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1901, Indian was America's largest motorcycle maker before the First World War and built the legendary Chief and Scout. The original company failed in 1953; the name passed through several owners before Polaris bought it in 2011 and relaunched it with the Thunder Stroke 111 in 2013.
On the track
Dominant in American Flat Track with the FTR750 and a King of the Baggers contender.
Reviewed
