Indian Chieftain Limited 2024 — Specifications

You don’t ride, you don’t cruise, you don’t travel with an Indian Chieftain Limited – you embody all-American nobility. In this latest attire, it gains a surprising dynamism. We had become so accustomed to its curves, its skirts, its history... that seeing it retouched brings a touch of sharpness that erases its nostalgic side. The presence is such that you don’t even notice its redesigned front headlight. Justifiably, as it was slightly redesigned in 2023.

Illustrating the premium of the range, the Limited rightly benefited from the 2019 improvements. They mark the engine with a very particular evolution, in addition to an even richer equipment.

The twin engine had the good fortune of a spectacular increase in power in 2018, allowing it to proudly display 84 horsepower facing the copious Milwaukee Eight. Indian drives the point home with the introduction of three riding modes – Tour, Standard, Sport – and rear cylinder deactivation to limit heat diffusion when stopped. In 2020, we give this engine more belly, with a displacement that goes to 1890 cm3, watts approaching 90 horsepower, a severely improved torque displaying 17.3 mkg, new cylinder heads and more compression in the cylinders.

The sound system will delight big riders. The 100 watts of audio are managed by an equalizer that adapts to external conditions to best compensate for external noises and deliver good sound regardless of speed.

Next, the voice is given to the Thunderstoke 116 twin. Ode to metal and American power, this huge block pulses to the rhythm of its 945 cm3 bowls... each. A touch on the right handlebar, just enough to bring it a little under 2,000 rpm, and let it express its full torque full of American pieces. The offer of force is present everywhere, like a tempered steel bison. This does not prevent some moments of flexibility, especially at the level of the clutch revised for all Thunderstroke and Powerplus blocks since 2023. Less effort will be required, a guarantee of greater relaxation when changing gears.

Higher in the range, the Limited distinguishes itself from the standard Chieftain by the addition of numerous chrome parts, from rims to machined spokes, and more flattering paints. It especially distinguished itself at its launch when it introduced a 19-inch front wheel and a more conventional front fender, making it (with the Elite) a model apart. Since then, most models equipped with the large twin have adopted this front end.

But the Indian Chieftain Limited is not just a dark and classy muscular bagger. It is also a machine piqued by road entertainment, with the Ride Command infotainment system (improved in 2020 then equipped with Apple CarPlay in 2021), keyless start, an electrically adjustable windshield, cruise control... and all this will soon be anecdotal once this vibrant liner is on the long roads, transmitting its emotion to the crew.

M.B - Photos constructeur