Welcome to the party, man! When Harley-Davidson launched the new Sportster lineup for 2021, it brought a big engine and plenty of power to the mid-size cruiser game. The Sportster pushed out mid 90’s And 121 horsepowerwhile the previous generation of Indian Scouts only managed 78 ponies with its inexpensive Sixty line and 100 horses for plump models. With impressive competition from Bar and Shield, Indian has followed clean design for its new Scout, giving it a new chassis, a new engine and new styling. It’s worth it? In two words: damn.
Full disclosure: The Indians flew me to San Francisco to join the 2025 Scout troop. The trip was split into two days with sport-focused models on one day and the cruiser crowd on the other. other. I ate a lot of delicious food and slept in two different hotels overlooking the ocean. I had some great times.
While Harley still only produces two bikes on the Sportster platform, Indian has launched the Scout with five distinct models across two categories. The Bobber, Classic and Super are forward-looking cruisers with plenty of amenities, and the Sport and 101 are minimalist machines with a dedication to speed. All five models are based on a new tubular steel frame with an alloy subframe and a new SpeedPlus 1250cc water-cooled V-twin engine. The Bobber, Classic, Super and Sport all have the same 105 horsepower, while the 101 gets a slight boost to 111 horsepower. Technically, because they are all built on the same platform, these Scout models are all modular. You can combine quite a few parts to make your bike your own. If you want a 101 with a big windshield and a bag, you can do that. If you want a fully chromed Classic with the controls in the middle and a mirror at the end of the bar, you can do that too.
On the first day of the driving event that took us from the Golden Gate Bridge to the beach in Santa Cruz, I switched between Scouts Bobber, Classic, and Super. They are all variations on the usual cruiser theme and I have presented them as a separate section. Day two was a twisty blast through inland mountain roads heading north toward San Francisco. Although I had a bit of time on Sport, I spent the majority of the day on 101, which was completely fine by me.
As with the Scout Sport, I was impressed with the range-topping 101. I’m not sure I really noticed the 101’s six extra horsepower, but there are plenty of other parts that make it up. The price of 17,000 USD is reasonable. You can immediately tell what this bike is just by looking at it. It has a modern 4-inch circular touchscreen digital dashboard, yellow upside-down forks and piggyback rear shock, dual front Brembo brake units, blacked-out everything, 6-inch risers and a 1/ 4. There’s a lot of SoCal throwbacks going on here, mixed with some quality ingredients. It’s a good time to scrape pegs.
At around 550 pounds, the 101 Scout isn’t exactly light, but it’s 10 pounds lighter than older Scout models. The engineers at Indian must have really been watching its weight because the new steel frame bike is lighter than the old all-aluminum bike. Amazing. All that said, it’s about 10 percent heavier than Harley’s more powerful Sportster S, which is the same price as the 101 Scout.
After just over 101 miles on the 101 Scout, I was a little tired at the end of the trip, mostly due to city traffic and fighting the wind on the freeway, but that’s the kind of tired you feel after fun. play hard. day. The roads are a good mix of tight, technical, flowing and flat, although some of the roads are a little less than flat. With a fully adjustable suspension, the 101’s ride isn’t bad even on the worst roads California can throw at us. The Scout sits low to the ground with a 26.8-inch seat height and 3 inches of suspension travel. Add in the front control layout and my big and tall frame, and you have a recipe for days of back pain after a few hours in the saddle, but Indian has found the right combination of suspension and chair to keep me comfortable. live a happy life.
For me, the biggest upgrade from the Sport to the 101 is in the brakes. The single front rotor on the Sport is adequate, but the sporty 19-inch Metzeler Cruisetec front tires can overwhelm the brakes in the tightest corners. The addition of a second front rotor and caliper as well as the Brembo hardware upgrade really made a noticeable difference in braking characteristics.
As Indian took us on the roads surrounding Alice’s Restaurant, I knew they must be quite confident in Scout’s abilities. There is no doubt that they are among the best driving roads in the world. Luckily, the bike handled it with aplomb, providing much better grip than the wide forward control pegs that allowed for lean angles. I spend most of my day pulling pegs from corner to corner. Good grip, good braking, good power. It’s a pretty solid package.
Should I buy a 101 Scout instead of a Harley Sportster S? Both are large-bore 9,500 rpm V-twins that produce significant power. The Harley is lighter but only uses one front brake caliper. The Indian car looks cooler with a narrower radiator and low exhaust pipes. The Harley gets better fuel economy, but the ride feels a bit unusual with its animated balloon tires, while the 101 Scout has better (and adjustable) suspension. There are a lot of positives, but the Indians are a safe choice.
Indian really didn’t beat around the bush when it launched the new Scout. For decades, the mid-size touring bike market has been dominated by Harley’s Sportster, although India’s share has grown from just 2% of the segment to 18% over the past decade. With the new HD moving into a sportier and faster realm, Indian is targeting a market segment that Harley has recently vacated. It’s a smart move, and the new Scout fits the bill.
I think this will be a successful car for the brand. The Scout has always been India’s sales leader, selling several thousand units every year. It was immediately clear to me that the new Scout is much better than the old Scout, and as a result, it will continue Indian’s upward trajectory in the market. If you’re the type of person who wants a mid-size cruiser with striking visuals and a sport-focused ride, the 101 is probably the bike you want. If you can’t shake the 101’s price tag, the Sport is probably enough.
