2002 Indian Chief

We finally got our hands on a 2002 Indian Chief to test. Seems the factory has changed its policy of producing way ahead of its dealers’ orders and is following Harley’s lead by keeping a backlog of orders and generating something of a waiting list. Well, is it worth the wait? Are the changes cosmetic or is this a new bike? Was anything lost in lowering the price from $23,999 to $20,495? The answer to all these questions are mostly favorable from the consumer’s perspective. Indian has done agreat job,this new bike is a huge improvement over their first effort.

The new 100” Powerplus motor is not an S & S motor. Its internals are proprietary even if the design and general configuration is very close to the EVO/S&S style motor. While the performance of the long stroke motor is very entertaining, with loads of torque down low making for quick take offs and relaxed engine speeds, to me the best thing about the new motor is how damn attractive it is. Both the cylinders and heads are round and along with the unique rocker boxes, this engine gets an A+ for looks. Hopefully, Indian will release these motors to custom builders quickly, I can imagine some good looking choppers cruising around with this engine.

The rest of the changes I imagine were generated from A.P.E., ass pocket experience. Indian now has several thousand bikes out in use and has been paying dealers on warranty claims for two years. This is the information that makes Harley-Davidsons get better and better over time. No one likes giving money away and that’s what warranty work is all about from the factory’s perspective. The biggest change and the one that separates all custom bikes from those of big time manufactures is the newly designed, super heavy duty frame. Indian figured out what Harley has known for a long time. If you want big twins to hold together, you need to brace the motor in a super sturdy, beefy frame. True, the spindly chopper style frames make for engaging looks but more steel is required to keep the vibration of the big twin motor in check. This helps the electrics last longer, the fenders stay on longer, the tank mounts to crack less often, the bulbs to shine for more years, and the instruments to havea chance at a longer life.

I had a salesman start a 2000 model Chief in the showroom once and the lens popped off the taillight. This kind of embarrassing situation has been addressed. The new bike feels much, much more solid and as an added bonus, the Indian factory designed a rising rate rear suspension that catapults it to the top of the class. It soaks up bumps like crazy and gives a genuinely nice ride, not just a nice ride “for a cruiser.”

Tired of replacing brake calipers and pads under warranty or listening to customers complain that they weren’t getting enough mileage out of them, Indian has installed new 4-piston Brembo brakes front and rear. These are well made and should put an end to Chief riders’ brake problems. The rear is among the strongest I’ve tested and while this heavy bike could use a second disc on front, braking is good for the type of riding most Chief riders will do.

Just about everything else on the bike has been improved. I noticed the seat was more comfortable, the tank and dash nicer looking, the rear fender more stable and well mounted, and ground clearance improved. I rode the Chief pretty hard in the corners and didn’t scrape a thing. This is a notable improvement over the older design, which could not only scrape, but ground out hard in some pretty modest corners. The tradeoff is seat height, however. The new Chief is a taller bike and has lost the custom, super low feel of the first generation. You can’t have things both ways though I imagine the aftermarket will try. Perhaps a shorter shock or KT suspension package for the rear will show up soon.

The overall feel of the bike, at least from the steering stem backwards, is notably improved. The forks and handlebar controls still feel like discount models, even though they are chromed and look nice. The key has a more expensive feel and footboards and foot controls are still solid and well built. The bike feels much tighter when traveling over bumpy roads. The stronger frame is doing a better job of controlling the heavy rear fender and the rear suspension is soaking up the shock, saving the rest of the bike and the rider much abuse.

There a few nits to pick. I couldn’t see the odometer/trip meter while riding, the handlebars while better are still a little awkwardly shaped, the optional passenger seat should be standard and the left side air cleaner needs to be improved (re: replaced) by the aftermarket right away. Kind of looks like the Chief got sideswiped by a Buell, a huge plastic air box comes standard. A chrome cover or just a smaller aftermarket air cleaner would end all griping, not a big deal. The large displacement, 1638cc engine shudders a bit if you rev it too far, but it does an admirable job of scooting this 687 lb bike off the line or around a truck on the freeway. Short shifting is the secret.

What kind of rider will want an Indian Chief? Tall people will feel more at home on one. If your Heritage or Fat Boy feels a little short coupled, the spread out Chief should fit you just right. Those who want to be different and don’t mind a bit of “custom” in their factory ride should like them. The “custom” part means putting up with a little more maintenance and a little longer wait for parts and warranty repairs. Overall, I predict that if you stop in at your local dealership or fly into El Paso to visit us, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by your Chief test ride, especially if you’ve spent some time on the older model.

- Mark Barnett