No surprise here: Dennis Chung was right. Almost 2 months ago, Motorcycle.com’s super sleuth came across filings in Australia that suggested Indian Motorcycle was planning to reveal a more powerful version of its excellent Scout Bobber as part of 125th anniversary celebrations.
Lo and behold, here we are. With not just a more powerful Scout Bobber, but also two other ‘fancy paint’ models to celebrate the company’s big birthday.
Actually, if you live in the God-Blessed United States of America, there are four anniversary models. But since the Thunderstroke-powered Roadmaster isn’t sold in Europe, its 125th anniversary version won’t be either.
Two weeks ago, when I was in Spain attending the first ride event for the new Chief Vintage, I got a chance to see and fondle the three bikes that will be coming to Europe. I can confirm that they are, indeed, very, very pretty. Though, personally, when it comes to the Chief Vintage, I would prefer the standard version.
“This lineup represents the highest level of craftsmanship we’ve ever achieved,” a media release quotes Indian Motorcycle Design Director Ola Stenegärd as saying. “Every motorcycle was painstakingly designed and refined, not just to perform, but to tell a story. The design of the 125th Anniversary Collection pays tribute to the legacy that built Indian Motorcycle, making every model not just a machine, but a lasting symbol of our history and our commitment to American craftsmanship.”
Each model will be available in limited numbers and feature a unique hand-painted color scheme and fancy-dancy badging. Much like the Liberty Edition Harley-Davidson models that were revealed earlier this year (in honor of the United States’ 250th birthday), these Indian models are primarily an aesthetic exercise.
“A 125th Anniversary Red with Black Crystal paint scheme delivers a one-of-a-kind aesthetic that celebrates the rich history of Indian Motorcycle,” declares a media release. “Obsessive attention to detail highlights Indian Motorcycle’s craftsmanship… including 125th anniversary pinstriping on each model with ghosted details reading, ‘ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY.’ With limited quantities globally, every bike dons a unique serial number, further proving the collection’s exclusivity.”
Mechanically and technologically, however, there’s not anything here that we haven’t seen before. Here’s a look at what’s ‘special’ about each of them and how much you’ll need to hand over to own one:
Scout Bobber 125th Anniversary Edition
UK price: £16,655
Limited to: 450 units worldwide
Priced £3,400 more than a standard Scout Bobber, or £500 more than a standard Scout 101 (which shares the same engine tune), the Scout Bobber 125th Anniversary Edition promises more go than the former and more style than the latter. Powered by the 1250cc liquid-cooled SpeedPlus V-twin engine used in the Scout 101, this anniversary edition bobber claims 109.4 bhp and 80.4 lb-ft of torque.
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2018 Indian Scout Bobber – First ride review
Chief Vintage 125th Anniversary Edition
UK price: £22,855
Limited to: 250 units worldwide
Costing £3,900 more than the starting price of the standard Chief Vintage that I reviewed earlier this week, the Chief Vintage 125th Anniversary Edition is exactly the same as the standard in every way but paint.
Personally, I’m not sure sparkly blingtastic paint makes sense on a motorcycle that’s designed to look like it’s from the 1940s/50s.
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2026 Indian Motorcycle Chief Vintage – First ride review
Challenger 125th Anniversary Edition
UK price: £38,455
Limited to: 250 units worldwide
Costing a heart-grasping £9,900 more than the Indian Challenger Dark Horse (the even more ‘affordable’ standard Challenger is not available on this side of the Atlantic Ocean), the Indian Challenger 125th Anniversary Edition carries the underrated liquid-cooled PowerPlus engine that Indian Motorcycle first introduced roughly 7 years ago.
Again, in terms of ride and tech experience, this motorcycle is exactly the same as its lower-priced sibling but with fancy things like a “custom-stitched” seat. Imagine being able to pay £38,455 for a motorcycle. That is more than I earn annually.
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2020 Indian Challenger – Ride review round-up
Cool-guy clothes, too
This is the actual first sentence from Indian’s actual media release: “In celebration of 125 years of iconic, American craftsmanship, Indian Motorcycle, America’s First Motorcycle Company, today announced an exclusive, limited-edition motorcycle and apparel collection.”
Later in the media release, it explains that the apparel collection is “headlined by a collaboration with DIXXON Flannel,” which makes its clothes in… wait for it… China.
Most of Indian’s apparel is made in China, in fact. And, indeed, most of every brand’s apparel is made in China (or made by Chinese companies operating in places like Vietnam), so I guess we can’t be too critical here.
But, you know, one can’t help but grit their teeth at the – What word should we use here? Hypocrisy? Duplicity? Incognizance? Tone-deafness? – of a company that talks about ‘American craftsmanship’ and uses the phrase ‘America first’ in media releases, but doesn’t sell any clothes that are made in the United States.
That’s not to say they aren’t good clothes, of course. Indian Motorcycle sells some pretty cool stuff. One of my favorite jackets is a Made in Vietnam leather jacket that the company gave me several years ago. I still wear it all the time. I’m just being a grumpy old man about messaging, that’s all.
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