Indian FTR 1200 2025 — Specifications

What has Indian brought to its FTR since 1993? A new sport exhaust? OK! A new clutch? OK too. And let’s add firmer braking, acid-tinged colors, and a higher-mounted instrument cluster. The list contains other paragraphs but at the appreciation of other FTRs.

With time, this roadster has known how to adapt to its environment. It has above all understood that to please enthusiasts of the genre, it was necessary to be more incisive. The key is the tires. So, the American sheds its trail-road tires for something more sporty. Everyone goes with 17-inch wheels, with a good 180 width at the rear. It also recovers a pair of Metzeler Sportec tires, but that is not enough; it also changes the geometry of its chassis. Suspension travel decreases to 120 mm, rake drops to 25° (-1.3°), and damping is now fully adjustable. Consequently, the game changes, with the FTR announcing itself as more dynamic and agile.

The engine gains automatic rear cylinder deactivation at idle to limit overheating. Conversely, access is less restricted. With the new suspension, the seat height drops sharply, to 780 mm from the ground. Also, the handlebar is 40 mm narrower. Consequently, the 1200 FTR becomes less Flat Track Spirit and more roadster.

It still retains the idea of transposing the spirit of the FTR 750, a machine victorious in the American AMA Flat Track championship, into a road bike perfectly uninhibited. The FTR is a model that still surprises in the Indian lineup, a motorcycle that owes nothing to others, taking only the engine from the Scout. And yet – with a good dose of modifications.

By lengthening the piston bore from 99 to 102 mm, the engine builders have increased the displacement to 1203 cm3. A good dose of magnesium to contain the weight, an optimized intake via an airbox above the engine, a significantly increased compression ratio up to 12.5:1, high-flow cylinder heads, dual throttle bodies, and a crankshaft with reduced inertia change the dimension of this powerhouse. Under the hand, 120 horsepower are ready to burst, supported in their surge by a peak torque at 12 mkg. It’s not yet the fury of an Italian or Japanese production, but we are witnessing a real new approach to power. Decades of torque and pounding at low revs will now coexist with watts and high revs.

This time, we have something to really twist the throttle. It’s necessary that the chassis is up to the task. This is where Indian excels: a completely new cycle part. It was out of the question to imagine any kind of custom-style shenanigans. So, we put away the hack job, we heat up the gray matter, and behold, the FTR 1200 is fitted with a unique tubular steel trellis frame. A swingarm and suspension layout similar to those of the FTR 750 race bike are installed at the rear. Striking! The tank is hidden under the seat to lower the center of gravity. At the front, an inverted 43 mm fork is complemented by Brembo radial 4-piston calipers.

Sporty, the FTR; but not radical. A still sensible wheelbase of 1525 mm (a 1200 Monster is at 1485 mm) and a dry weight of 233 kilos prevent it from appearing as a sulfureous machine... but already quite unhinged for an American. Playing, giving gas and attacking provocation are manifestly in the specifications.

Let’s go back to the basics, the look, the first glance. This Indian is striking by its style. It doesn’t want to remain calm, and its only regret is the imposition of a huge exhaust. A certain style allows it to save face. The left side of the machine is much more airy. The 1200 FTR’s cockpit is stripped down. An aluminum ProTaper handlebar, a circular tachometer, and a digital window, that’s all; and that’s enough. It’s much more alluring in terms of lighting. The rear light manifests a beautiful identity in its illumination. The front optical unit is completely provocative. A cover houses a set of LEDs with a defined visual signature. And then, there’s no question of forgetting a bit of additional driving comfort. A USB port allows you to connect a GPS or recharge your smartphone. A cruise control will allow you to switch to cruising if you opt for road rather than dynamism in virolos.

Fallen in love with Flat-Track, the FTR 1200 copies some codes for a particular, brand-new road experience for an uncle Sam production. The machine is unique, intriguing (in the good sense of the term), and pioneers a new clientele. The FTR 1200 is also available in a 70 Kw version that can be restricted for an A2 license. As well as in a more premium Sport or R Carbon version, with more shimmering colors, an adapted Ride Command instrumentation, three engine maps, a color TFT screen, stability control, traction control, and an anti-wheeling system.

M.B - Photos constructeur