2018 INDIAN SCOUT BOBBER First Test
as cool as this (Indian has louder
pipes available in their aftermarket
catalog for the Bobber).
Those freeway rides are best left as a
last resort, because the riding position
gets pretty uncomfortable at a con-
stant 65 mph with all the wind blast
possible hitting you in the face and
the lowered rear suspension doing its
best to make you feel absolutely every
minor bump in the road. The Bobber's
natural habitat is bar hopping or even
mild speed twisties as the chassis
is quite good fun to hustle when
cranked over, but I couldn't handle
any more than 40 minutes at a time
in the saddle because of the slouch
bend the seat puts my lower back
Being the same motor as that of the regular Scout at 69 c.i
(1133cc), the Bobber has the most get-up-and-go performance
of any cruiser I've ridden in recent memory, but that's more
down to the fact you're only pushing a claimed 554 pounds
wet compared to most cruisers that struggle to get below 600
pounds dry, than outright power and torque figures.
Fueling can be a little touchy at a constant throttle (again, like
the Scout), but the motor is one of the Bobber's shining points.
There's lots of bottom-end torque, enough to get you moving
and not having to downshift to make freeway passes, but it is
extremely quiet—too much in my opinion—for a bike that looks
(Below) Long
and low pipes
detract from the
looks and muffle
the sound too
well. Shorter,
louder pipes are
in order.
Reprogram your
brain to take things
a bit slower, and the
Bobber's brakes will
be fine for the task.
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