Motorcycles
Muscling in The king of cruiser cool, Harley-Davidson has had to deal with some compatriot challengers for its throne by Rod Eime
T
here’s nothing quite like having almost a half-tonne of American metal beneath a comfortably cushioned saddle, the rhythmic rumble of an overly large V-twin engine punching through the buffeting breeze and a highway unfurling to a distant horizon ahead. Not for nothing are the most popular and revered of American motorcycles known as “cruisers”. Fans of sports motorcycles may yearn for twisting roads, contorted riding positions and highly strung performance. A cruiser, however, is about the appreciation of the surroundings and the absence of need to prove anything – with the quiet confidence of a surfeit of muscle at a twist of the throttle.
110 Robb Report Australia | April 2017
With enormous engine displacement, tonnes of torque and acres of black and chrome, few machines on two wheels or four can rival the presence of a big American cruiser motorcycle. More likely than not, that bike will carry the iconic eagle logo of Harley-Davidson. In more than a century since friends William Harley and brothers Arthur and Walter Davidson completed their first prototype in 1903, Harley-Davidson has represented open-air freedom with steeledged style. The marque’s sheer longevity has contributed to an exceptional degree of loyalty and recognition; a 2013 survey cited Harley-Davidson as the fourth most respected brand in the US. Cleverly, Harley-Davidson maintains a boutique aura despite its Milwaukee, Wisconsin factory producing in excess of 250,000 bikes annually. That’s more than double the output of Germany’s
BMW and around four times the output of Italy’s Ducati, both these manufacturers offering a far more extensive range of models, including sports and adventure bikes. Ask any existing or aspiring Harley owner, however, and it’s evident that the brand exists well outside pragmatic, statistical considerations. Buying a Harley is usually motivated by the desire for self-expression, to flick a middlefinger salute at conformity (on the weekends, at least). It’s pure escapism, as experienced from the saddle of a notso-subtle sex symbol. But Milwaukee no longer has the monopoly on cruiser cool, and we’re not referring to the easily overlooked stream of Japanese pretenders that constantly come and go. Two American compatriot brands have latterly chipped away at the decades-long dominance of the ‘Hog’. One of them arrived with a 21stcentury take on the classic cruiser concept; alas, its most recent model will be its last. Ironically the other, still going strong, is the one that can boast an even earlier (if not unbroken) heritage than Harley-Davidson’s.
INDIAN CHIEF DARK HORSE $27,995 (solo seat) Engine 49˚ V-twin
The reborn original
The Indian motorcycle brand can trace its roots to 1901, when George Hendee and his friend Oscar Hedstrom installed small-capacity internal combustion engines into bicycles. The little ‘motocycles’ became wildly popular, spurring further development and soon, the Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company. Indian enjoyed half a century of uninterrupted production, which included huge boosts during both world wars. By 1953, however, the company had fallen on hard times and production came to a halt. Its imperious flagship, the Indian Chief, stood as a timeless work of industrial art and a sad but significant marker for the end of the first chapter. After various entrepreneurial attempts to revive the brand, one such (in 1999) launching sputtering production of new retro-styled models. Eventually in 2011 the Minnesota-based Polaris Industries – famed for snowmobiles and ATVs – acquired the Indian brand and provided the lifeline it sorely needed. In 2013, the reborn Indian motorcycles made their way to Australia. They’ve enjoyed a steady climb in sales since.
(opposite) A trio of cruisers: the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy S, the Indian Chief Dark Horse and the Victory Hammer S; (below) the Indian Chief Dark Horse received top marks for comfort and ‘cruisability’
Its imperious flagship, the Indian Chief, stood as a timeless work of industrial art
Displacement 111 cu in (1811cc) Torque 139Nm at 3000rpm Fuel system Electronic injection Transmission Six-speed, belt final drive Weight 341kg
Photos: Rod Eime
Seat height 660mm Fuel capacity 21 litres Features Keyless ignition, ABS brakes, cruise control
April 2017 | www.robbreport.com.au 111
Motorcycles
(left) The sporty Victory Hammer S will only be available until current stock is exhausted, as the brand will wind down this year
VICTORY HAMMER S $23,995 Engine 50˚ V-twin Displacement 106 cu in (1731cc) Torque 139Nm at 2800rpm Fuel system Electronic injection Transmission Six-speed, belt final drive Weight 306kg Seat height 673mm Fuel capacity 17 litres Features 250mm rear tyre, inverted forks, dual front disc brakes
The new contender
Polaris Industries (Indian’s saviour) wasn’t a complete newcomer to cruiser motorcycling. Having mused on HarleyDavidson’s continued success despite minimal styling and technology updates, in 1998 Polaris decided to reinvent the American cruiser and to launch an all-new brand, Victory. Its clean-sheet designs included core cruiser characteristics, most obviously a big V-twin engine, but reinterpreted them with modern technology and more integrated, forward-looking styling. Victory has also strived to expand the pure cruiser platform with models that put a foot into touring and cafe-racer camps.
Victory set out to be different and up-to-date and in most areas, it achieved that goal
(right) Harley-Davidson’s enduringly popular Fat Boy summons brand cachet and engine torque to keep cruiser rivals in the background
112 Robb Report Australia | April 2017
Sadly, in January 2017, Polaris announced Victory’s, er, defeat; the brand will be gradually wound down this year. Victory bikes will continue to be available until stock is exhausted, and by law the company must provide spare parts and servicing for the next 10 years. The sister Indian brand soldiers on, unaffected.
Triple treat
In blazing Australian summer sunshine, we assembled three machines that exemplify the American cruiser and that are, in tech sheet terms, relatively evenly matched. First up, let’s look at the Indian Chief Dark Horse, a model so named as it’s only available in Thunder Black Smoke and, supposedly, with a solo saddle. In the spirit of rebellion, our test bike came with a plush pillion seat and footrests. At more than 2.6m in overall length this is a long bike, but its 1.73m wheelbase greatly aids stability and ‘cruisability’. The Chief won plenty of kudos for its pillion comfort and was a delight to handle, though its aesthetically challenging styling split our team for visual appeal.
Motorcycles Indian’s big, 1811cc (111 cubic inch) Thunder Stroke 111 V-Twin, a clean-sheet design in 2014, holds true to heritage with parallel pushrods and two-valve heads in a 49-degree V-twin configuration. The monster powerplant delivers a whopping 139Nm torque at just 3000rpm, so it’s always going to be a relaxed ride. Altogether more sporting, in appearance and specification, is the Victory Hammer S. Introduced in 2005, it’s the only bike in this trio to employ overhead camshafts (as opposed to antiquated pushrods) in the 1731cc (106ci) Freedom 50-degree V-twin. A four-valve cylinder head ensures ample power and torque, the latter matching the Indian’s 139Nm at a quickly reached 2800rpm. The Hammer’s big, 250mm-wide rear tyre accentuates the sporting attitude and isn’t shy on bad-boy appeal either. A neat “dicky-seat” is provided for a pillion, but it’s certainly not something on which anyone would want to perch all day. For the rider, however, it’s an easy bike to master, with sport-tuned responsiveness and handling and an overall go-faster feel that appeals to well-heeled Gen X-ers. The Hammer S
brochure even (condescendingly) refers to riders having friends who are “still” into sportsbikes ... Victory set out to be different and up-to-date and in most areas, even in its creative colour range, it achieved that goal. In a market segment that’s supposedly all about being an individual, however, there’s apparently no future in being too individual. Which brings us to HarleyDavidson’s Fat Boy, until recently the brand’s most popular model. Of the latest Fat Boy S, Harley advises: “Presence is about being impressive. Be impressive.” This signature bike, continuing a model series designed and introduced in 1990 by family scion Willie G. Davidson, is destined to take the leading role – as it already has done in plenty of Hollywood movies. In its styling, the Fat Boy S simply sums up everything that muscular cruisers are about. Those seeking Japanese smoothness and Swiss-watch precision will not find it here. The Harley demands a shearer’s grip for the heavy clutch in city riding, and its footrests are too quick to touch down when cornering on the open road. But
The Fat Boy S now seems certain to resume its best-selling status in the Harley-Davidson range
the whole package swims in heavy-duty Hog appeal. It’s an intimidating package that attracts road respect in spades. The Harley’s big 1801cc (110ci) V-twin has the most torque (146Nm) of our test trio, delivered with a sharp and crackling exhaust note at 4000rpm and quite effortless acceleration. According to Harley-Davidson, this was the biggest motor that would fit in the Fat Boy’s chassis. The Fat Boy S now seems certain to resume its best-selling status in the H-D range, a title it recently lost to the brand’s entry-level, learner-legal Street 500 model. As they like to say in American horsepower circles: there’s no replacement for displacement. And as Harley-Davidson’s rivals know only too well, it’s no small task to try to tackle a legend. HARLEY-DAVIDSON FAT BOY S $31,750 Engine V-twin Displacement 110 cu in (1801cc) Torque 146Nm at 4000rpm Fuel system Sequential port electronic injection Transmission Six-speed, belt final drive Weight 333kg Seat height 670mm Fuel capacity 18.9 litres Features Gloss or matt-black finish, cruise control, full-length footboards
April 2017 | www.robbreport.com.au 113