Indian Chieftain Dark Horse

Comfortable, functional, and stylish, these are words that best describe the Indian Chieftain Dark Horse’s design. Its predominantly black appearance exudes a strong aura wherever it goes. One of the main highlights of its design is its new fork-mounted fairing, illuminated by a round LED headlamp and a pair of turn signals. On top, it comes with an adjustable transparent windscreen. 

This bagger features a sporty silhouette, accentuated by a mix of blacked-out naked features, iconic branding decals, and bright-coloured accents. It runs on 10-spoke machined cast wheels (19-inch at the front, 16-inch at the rear) wrapped in Metzeler Cruisetec tyres, which deliver outstanding grip on the road. Additionally, its blacked-out split exhaust system with a resonator makes its side profile look more aggressive and high-performance. Meanwhile, it gets an LED tail lamp with round turn signals at the back.

Aside from these, the Chieftain Dark Horse comes with a 7-inch RIDE COMMAND-powered display that offers Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth connectivity, configurable gauges, ride stats, as well as GPS navigation. This display is linked to two 50-W fairing speakers. You can also access its fairing-mounted instrument cluster, which features a total of 15 LED telltale indicators. 

In terms of comfort and practicality, it comes with a well-padded 2-Up ‘Gunfighter Style’ seat, passenger pegs, and a pair of remote-locking hard saddlebags, which offer over 68 liters of storage for your belongings. The Indian Chieftain Dark Horse measures 2,503 mm in length, 1,066 mm in width, 1,237 mm in overall height, and 672 mm in seat height. It comes with a 1,668-mm wheelbase and a 137-mm ground clearance.

The Indian Chieftain Dark Horse comes with a 130-mm Inverted Telescopic Fork suspension at the front and a 114-mm Single Shock Absorber with hydraulic preload adjustment at the rear. This setup contributes to the bagger’s excellent handling in sharp corners. It also eats up bumps and other road imperfections quite well, resulting in a comfortable and very dynamic riding experience for you and your pillion. 

One of this bagger’s main downsides, however, is that its huge frame limits its maneuverability in tight traffic conditions and narrow streets. But, overall, there is really not much to complain about when it comes to the bike’s chassis.

Powering the Chieftain Dark Horse is Indian’s 1,834-cc, liquid-cooled PowerPlus 112 engine that delivers a maximum power output of 122 hp and a maximum torque of 181.4 Nm. This bagger comes mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox and offers three selectable riding modes: Standard, Rain, and Sport.

The Chieftain Dark Horse is a breeze to ride on the highway. Its engine delivers outstanding power and torque, yet it feels silky smooth and composed. Its manual transmission gearbox is also responsive. If you are the type to worry about fuel costs, then it is best to consider other options. This bagger is best enjoyed on long, open roads rather than in traffic-heavy city conditions.

In terms of braking, the Indian Chieftain Dark Horse comes with dual semi-floating rotors with Brembo calipers at the front and a single floating rotor at the rear. Its braking setup is supported by an anti-lock braking system. Moreover, this bagger is also equipped with cruise control, blind spot warning, rear collision warning lights, bike hold control, electronically linked brakes, and tailgate warning. 

In my opinion, the Indian Chieftain Dark Horse sets a high standard among locally-available premium baggers when it comes to versatility. It is an excellent tourer for adventure seekers and, at the same time, an exceptional performer on the highway.