Indian 1890 Super Chief Limited / Dark Horse 2025 — Specifications

Imagine a train running between Chicago and Los Angeles in the mid-twentieth century, carrying artists and celebrities in its luxury cars, drawn by the comfort and grandeur on offer. That is the memory Indian evokes by naming its new model the Super Chief. The railway nod is clever, a touch nostalgic, perhaps too grand for the machine itself — the brand's true flagship remaining the Roadmaster. But this deliberate lineage says something important about the manufacturer's intent: to offer a custom capable of touring without taking itself too seriously.

The Thunderstroke 116, displacing 1890 cc, produces 90 horsepower and delivers 155.9 Nm of torque at 3,300 rpm. This air-cooled 49-degree V-twin received a revised clutch for 2023, with a lighter action that demands less effort from the left hand. On the other hand, torque has edged back slightly compared to previous generations — something purists will not fail to notice. On the Super Chief Limited, the engine makes no attempt to hide behind dark trim: every case cover, every panel, every outlet of the Crossover exhaust gleams beneath a generous layer of chrome. This is the American V-twin in its most theatrical form, a machine as much to be admired as ridden.

Compared to a Chief Dark Horse or a Bobber, this Super Chief Limited plays an entirely different tune. It adds around thirty extra kilograms to reach 335 kg fully fueled, and brings a faired fork, wire-spoke wheels, a 16-inch front wheel, and leather saddlebags. The luggage capacity remains modest — 36.7 liters in total — but sufficient for a loaded weekend with a passenger, since the pillion seat is standard. The tall windshield and wide handlebars invite you to eat up the miles without tension. At $24,590, the price climbs 25% over the base custom, which is a significant premium for a touring package that stays firmly in the modest category.

The steel tubular frame shares its geometry with the Chief Dark Horse: a shorter wheelbase and a tighter front end than the previous 1811-generation, for a less monolithic feel. The 46 mm telescopic fork travels 132 mm, with 75 mm of rear shock travel. A 300 mm disc per wheel — with a four-piston caliper up front and a two-piston caliper at the rear — handles braking duties. Seat height is low at 665 mm, which reassures at traffic lights. The onboard electronics package is comprehensive: keyless ignition, ABS, three riding modes, cruise control, a 4-inch touchscreen TFT display with GPS, and smartphone connectivity. All of this for a claimed top speed of 180 km/h, backed by a 15.1-liter fuel tank.

This niche of the light custom-tourer is not Indian's invention. Harley-Davidson explored it with the Softail Sport Glide, and before that the Dyna Switchback. The Super Chief fits the same Swiss Army knife logic: weeknight city riding, weekend road trips. The Dark Horse variant inverts the aesthetic register entirely, with the engine, exhaust, and hardware finished in uniform black. Where the Limited demands attention, the Dark Horse deflects it. Two temperaments, one chassis. The intended audience is riders who want a motorcycle capable of daily use without sacrificing the long ride, and who prefer American heritage over Germanic efficiency. It is a coherent positioning, even if the internal competition within the Indian lineup sometimes makes the choice between this Super Chief and a better-equipped Chieftain — for true long-haul touring — a genuinely difficult one.