A BEAST!!! The 2020 Indian Challenger Ride & Review

[@brazeagle]

I was in the market for this 2020 Challenger, went to three different dealerships, one did not have what I wanted in terms of color and they were really low in my trade-in (7500). The second, similar in the trade-in, terrible customer service, attitude like, "this is the BIKE, we don't need you" and did not offer any extras or discounts, the third, the same as the second... I rode the bike in the first dealership (not a color I wanted), but just a test ride and ... MAN...OH MAN... did I love the bike? fantastic, handles very well, very smooth power output, great gear feel, lots of torque, great electronics, and the suspension, NO COMPARISON with ANY HARLEY I ever knew or owned. Just the price was a bit push...JUST UNDER 30K ? The verdict...None of the dealerships knew how to handle a sale, All I needed to close the deal (on the second dealership) was: have then agree to give me a BACKREST, since they did not want to offer ANY DISCOUNTS, NONE OF THEM...30K bike, not eve a backrest? really? So I walked away and told them I would think about it, guess what, no words, just a GOODBYE...GOOD LUCK! In the same day, I went to a close by Harley Dealership and they offered me 1500 more on my trade-in, they offered me a test ride on a 2020 Road Glide and I took it out for a spin...NO COMPARISON, much harder, seems heavier, electronics are just OK in comparison with the Challenger, BUT...they know how to sell it...I think it is their policy, as every HD (my 5th) they were all the same, they will do everything to keep you in, and they did...I told them about the Challenger and they advised about re-sale price and weak market, WELL nos so much, but still true... Price was about 2K less, they ended-up giving me (10500) on my trade-in (not Harley) and at the end, just before I walked out, they said...WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE so you do not walk away? I told them that the Indian had an amazing suspension, so I want better shocks and a backrest...DONE DEAL, got a 2020 Road Glide Special (RDRS)for less money (29K), with Progressive shocks and a backrest BOTH FREE and became part of their family (Not so sure about that). INDIAN, you gotta do better, you are a great bike, but you need to improve your DEALERSHIPS customer service and pricing. Thanks for the video, awesome. Love that bike...maybe my next bike? we will see how Indian does it... Cheers LCL

[@servicarrider]

What the hell do they know about the resale? Not one of them has ever been sold used on the secondary market.

[@bobwaller9043]

@@servicarrider on this model I agree with you but the brand (Indian) is what they were talking about. But then, Harley resale value isn't what it used to be either.

[@TwoWheelGarage]

Luiz Carlos Laba I understand H-D gave you a better deal and I agree 100% that the Indian dealer definitely should’ve done better to earn your business but when you’re spending that kind of money on a motorcycle I think it’s more important that you buy the bike you truly love and the more superior product. I don’t think a couple thousand on the trade and a backrest would’ve made me settle for a less superior bike. I would’ve tried another dealer or sold your trade privately. It would’ve been worth the wait. I’ve own 8 H-Ds (including a 2019 street glide special) and my challenger dark horse is by far the best bike I’ve ever owned. The road glide special is a great bike too and I’m still a fan of Harley. This is just my 2 cents.

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

Thanks for watching and for the information about your experience. I hope you're loving your new bike.

[@gabriel24br]

I agree 100% dealers 👎 that's why harley keep selling it

[@Kingdlack]

Rocking that leather HD jacket while cruising on the Challenger....epic! 😂😂

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

Funny you mention that...I actually said that very thing to my buddy, Ryan who was filming that day. I told him and I quote, "I'm too fat right now for any of my other jackets that don't have logos on them". I think it's time to lose some weight. :) Thanks for watching and ride safely...

[@gabriel24br]

First thing I noticed was the suspension, not even comparable with road glide, this bike is at another level, on the corners the bike will cornering for you, this how good this bike is, just love it, harley will be working very hard to try to get close to this one,sad for harley

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

Definitely a great ride. Thanks for watching.

[@fogit4668]

I have a 2005 Road King Classic. I have made the mistake of riding all of the Indians except for the Challenger. I do not think that Harley-Davidson will ever get their bikes to ride as well as the Indians. Even the Scout rides better than my touring chassis Harley-Davidson.

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

@@fogit4668 I love my Road King Classic but it's a bit older as a 2000. I noticed a difference on the Challenger as far as suspension but I really like the Harley Road Glide as well. Maybe I'll get rich one day and be able to afford more than one bike. Thanks for watching and be safe.

[@joedavis4096]

I have a '99 Road King Classic...and a '15 Road Glide Special....I love to ride the Road King...the Road Glide rides like a wagon..hate it...considering trading the RGS for a Challenger

[@jamesspencer406]

I bought one.Never thought I would own big vtwin.Performance minded this bike changed my mind along with liquid cooling.It has been great and I've ridden over 40 yrs many brands.I am not any means brand loyal ..Go try one for all interested trust me big vtwin just don't sprint and handle like this.Got back from the dragon and let's just say big baggers went keeping up

[@snakebite6511]

I dumped my Harley for Indian way back in 2014 and i will NEVER go back to Harley ever!

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

Glad you you like it Snake Bite. That's why I love riding. Different flavors and they each taste good to different people. I agree they're great bikes for sure.

[@mightymerlin128]

Riding an Indian wearing a harley jacket that's a nice touch! :D

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

Yeah, I know. I was too fat to fit into any of my other jackets but I'm losing some weight so I'll have options next time...I just love food!!! :)

[@scottjordan6569]

I really like the Challenger. Sweet bike.

[@stuwhyte479]

I reckon indian will bring out a 4 cylinder sooner or later? I gotta 2020 chieftain dark horse.. Love it, cheers 🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🇳🇿😎

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

Love the chieftain dark horse. Beautiful bike. We shall see about Indian coming out with a 4 cylinder. Thanks so much for watching.

[@stuwhyte479]

@@MotorcycleMonkey indian will release an in-line 4..its a natural progression. And it will be absolutely fantastic and gorgeous. I'm picking around the 2500cc to give the triumph rocket a run for its money. Cheers from new zealand🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🇳🇿😁

[@aldec2585]

I test rode one this weekend it's fast very fast, but I was Happy to bring it back and get back on my Eluder. Granted I wouldn't dear race it on my Eluder but sorry it just reaffirmed my decision to stay with Yamaha they ride like butter that's all I can say. In defense of the Challenger the bike I rode was a rental with 3k on it handlebars weren't adjusted properly for me left handle grip was lose so between the handlebar adjustment and the lose grip it not a great idea to ride such a powerful bike without everything perfect. With that power everything needs to be perfect to hang on. I'm sure I could probably get used to it but everything would have to be absolutely adjusted perfectly then I could give a fair evaluation but as for now it made me love my Eluder that much more.

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

I don't blame you one bit for preferring your bike. I'm just glad you got to experience the Challenger. At least you know what you like. I just looked up an Eluder because of this message. I need to get my hands on one for a review. Looks awesome and the specs are great.

[@aldec2585]

@@MotorcycleMonkey I don't want to condemn the Challenger it was not set up for me, it probably would have felt more manageable if it was tailored for me. The Eluder is just a completely different feel all together the power is torquey but tame. The Challenger was almost uncontrollable and actually scary if I'm to be completely honest. I guess it's just me I'm a little older and I'm a little concerned about flying down the Road on an 800lb Rocket. I prefer my 800lb Cruiser that's just My Honest Opinion.

[@MotorcyclesforTallRidersNow]

Is there an ig page? And who's the tall guy on the 114?

[@harryhowell5644]

I just test rode the challenger at demo days. I was disappointed in the power after seeing all these reviews about what a monster it was.couldnt really tell much difference from my ultra limited. Now it's a stage 2 with a decent tune. Also rode the roadmaster limited. Fun bikes for sure, they both needed some tuning at higher speeds. I did like how nimble the roadmaster was compared to my ultra. Both stereo system were so so. The infotainment screen on the roadmaster shook pretty good on me?? Loved the clutch pull and suspension. Not enough for me to trade my 2017 ultra limited...

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

First off, I love the Ultra Limited. I'm not sure I'd switch either, if I had that bike. I've not tried the Roadmaster yet. I want to but have not had the chance. Thanks for watching and for your input. Ride safely and hope to hear from you soon on another video.

[@harryhowell5644]

@@MotorcycleMonkey of the two I felt more comfortable on the roadmaster, closer to what I'm used to. An absolute beauty of a bike. Really liked the cooled seat it came with. Couldn't believe how light it felt.

[@nokoolaid]

If it had a topcase, I'd be interested. Color choices could be better, but the lack of a trunk is a stop for me.

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

I'd love a bike like this to just hop on and ride but like you, I usually need some bags or at least some storage. A backpack is ok for a few things but not always. Thanks for watching...

[@nokoolaid]

@@MotorcycleMonkey I wear a FF helmet and I need a place to stow it along with gloves, jacket and have rain gear handy too. The bags on that don't work with FF helmets. Thing is, I commute and I park half a mile from my office and when it's 115, I don't want to be humping gear. With my current ride, a R1200RT with the topcase, I can stow it. I've had the bike 10 years, just looking around. I had Vulcans before the BMW, so the cruiser thing wouldn't be new, but for the cost of the challenger, it really should include a trunk.

[@2kanchoo]

I agree. Especially when they are trying to take some of HD's market share. HD has the ultra limited and the road glide limited. Indian has the road master and SHOULD HAVE a challenger equivalent to the road glide limited. I've heard they are planning on coming out with one but who knows when. For me my dream bike is exactly that. A black challenger dark horse fitted out exactly like the road master.

[@andrewovermyer4345]

you can buy a trunk for it already painted to you bikes color through Indian

[@nokoolaid]

@@andrewovermyer4345 Yeah, it's $3600. even BMW isn't that much.

[@erolyalim2911]

Is the Indian Springfield just as comfortable as the Indian Challenger when riding around town? Which one would you prefer?

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

I have not ridden one yet. Now that you ask I'll try to get one on the road to answer your question. May take me a while but I will do my best. I'll look into it. Thanks for watching and I wish I had a better answer for you.

[@erolyalim2911]

@@MotorcycleMonkey Wow! Thanks!

[@motoGPness]

I have been on a Springfield since 2017 and just got a challenger. In a word, yes. It’s more complicated than just which one rides better around town. The Springfield is quite a bit cheaper. The Springfield is also a very adaptable bike. You want to roll with no wind protection in the summer, take the windshield off. You want to roll totally stripped down to bar hop, take the bags and windshield off. You want to roll long miles, keep it all on. The Springfield does it all. The challenger is the future. It’s got the power, comfort, wind protection, won’t overheat, best stock stereo out there, hauls @$$ out of the box. Depends what you want. Springfield has that classic cruiser look, challenger is Indian picking up where Victory left off IMO.

[@erolyalim2911]

@@motoGPness Thanks for the in depth reply! Good points you made on the Springfield. Living in South Florida, that may be the way to go. No long trips planned. Will probably test ride both. See which one I like more.

[@motoGPness]

@@erolyalim2911 You’re welcome. You will not be disappointed with either bike!

[@roadglide]

What about fit and finish? I saw the bike at the Dallas International Motorcycle Show and though it looked real nice on initial walk up, but a closer look thought it was very plasticky. The bags felt and looked thin. The closure and fitment along with overall paint quality not the quality I expected. I can’t dispute the engine performance numbers, water cooled benefits, electric windscreen and excellent use of LED’s all rolled into the price. This really is the way you get attention. Harley’s touring bikes are still the best looking with great paint, fit and finish. My .2. The downside, with Harley you gotta pay to play on all that’s standard on the Challenger. That’s actually good because Harley’s gotta answer this one if it matters to them. “build it, they will come” Harley, Davidson, because Indian has spoken loudly.

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

I like your attention to detail. It didn't feel like the the bags were thin but I have to be honest. I didn't even think about the paint and finish. Good on you for pointing that out. Because I didn't notice it I can't speak to that but now you've got me thinking about this for future bikes. I may not always comment on it but now I'll be looking for it for sure. I do like this bike a lot and thanks very much for reaching out and watching it. Rock on my friend...

[@evil_musclemuscled3814]

Them road kings are beauties

[@Jaynwhite_escape]

Carslbad, San Marcos...…very familiar place. How was the dealer? I am looking into test riding a chieftain or a challenger. I am on a hunt for my next bike.

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

They're great in my experience. Before you go, let me call ahead for you. If you do go, please let me know how it went. Truth be told...I like the looks of the Chieftan a little better from the ground but when you're riding the Chieftain it's hard to beat in my opinion. Both very close in features again...in my opinion. Please keep me posted.

[@Jaynwhite_escape]

Motorcycle Monkey, I will give you a heads up. All I need now is get home. This rona virus got us extended on deployment. Hopefully, we will be back next month.

[@Mildern]

@@Jaynwhite_escape how'd that work out for you? lol Sorry, I kid... scrolling through the comments and saw that then I saw it was 4 months ago.

[@shoomapadoo1141]

Love how you noticed a difference but didn't point out the obvious: better than Harley. Maybe if you turned around and went back and hit those potholes you missed you could give us a more confident review.

[@vaderglide5978]

Challenger has a way better feel and performance in the suspension than the Harley Roadglide. You may need more seat time to differentiate and make a comparison.

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

I'd agree with you on that. I had it for a couple of days and definitely noticed it when I hit bumps. Very smooth.

[@billclay2514]

Ride is excellent. Has a light feel. Power is at will. However, at 6' 3" tall the bike is small. I felt like i was a delivery driver for a local fast food joint. Make the bike bigger so i wont feel like im riding my granddaughters first bike. Ill keep my x1 stealth.

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

Thanks for watching Bill. I'd love to see some pictures of your Stealth. I'm checking them out online now.

[@motoGPness]

Agree 100% the Indians in general are not setup for big folks from the factory. Just like most bikes you have to do seat and bar changes to make it fit you. The bike is plenty big, just need to deal with ergo’s via aftermarket. All makers design to the median sized rider.

[@stefanhofmann6164]

Harley Davidson Jacke auf der Indian....😊👍😎🙈

[@pastorjohnculbertson661]

Lol rite! Pot holes everywhere, and if California married Oklahoma you'd get a full set of potholes.

[@cabeza528]

So another review and waooo how good is this bike...but did you change your Harley for an indian....nooooope...no one does ....

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

If I had the money I'd buy one but not if I've got to get rid of my Harley. It's older but I love it.

[@jamesspencer406]

Lot a guys have switched over.

[@cabeza528]

@@jamesspencer406 did you?

[@jamesspencer406]

@@cabeza528 I did and like it very much.Bought in July base model 4500 miles .great fun

[@gabrielcocco5188]

No one switched from HD to Indian? Really...? Have you done any research or looked at quarterly business reports?

[@andromedach]

state of the art suspension? sorry, electronically automatic adjusting suspensions are state of the art. manually adjustable hydraulic suspensions have been around decades. however I guess the bar is low in American twins. Ride Command is the only innovative feature.

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

I agree with you on the electronic auto adjusting. Certainly top notch. I did find this ride extremely smooth even over some fairly harsh bumps so for me personally, it was very nice. Thanks for watching...

[@tuppersdad]

Dealer was my main problem with Indian. My experience purchasing my wife's scout was the worst by far bike or car. Then the dealer not taking care of warranty issues. Got rid of it in 10 months the dealer sucked and the Indian forum is full of douchbags a total turn off to the brand. I agree with you on suspension but electronics the bike are basically the same and I think HD dash looks so much better Indian looks so cheap. Fit and finnish on Indian is comical had the scout next to a vulcan-s for half the price the Vulcan was far superior. Glad you got shocks should have pushed for legends. HD will soon be offering better suspension on baggers the softail suspensions are excellent. The scout suspension sucked.

[@rodfriesen245]

What bars on the thumbnail?

[@shoomapadoo1141]

Review start 2:09

[@brandoania]

Id rather them compare this bike to the victory vision rather than the road glide

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

I'd love to do that for you but because Polaris dropped the Victory line, I can't get a hold of a new one. As a fan of those bikes, I'm bummed about it. Thanks for watching and ride safely.

[@brandoania]

@@MotorcycleMonkey yea im bummed about it to man,you stay safe as well,good job on the video,very informative

[@brandoania]

@Lee Harvey Oswald your irrelevant

[@motoGPness]

Yeah, so does Harley Davidson!

[@supakamario]

So cal terrible roads.... pish posh. Go to Philly 😆

[@TKinMB]

Love, love love the Challenger but GPS.....ummm, not so much. Most bikers go out to lose themselves, not find their way. Jus sayin. Freedom.

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

I get what you're saying. I don't mind getting lost on a bike either. In a car...depends on the scenario. Thanks for watching.

[@StormAutoAdventures]

This is why everyone is different. That screen, the GPS & all of those features are some of my favorite features in a car and on a motorcycle. I love being able to see where the road I'm driving or riding on goes and when bends and turns are approaching way before a sign tells me... It's very useful, especially at night. Plus, it's nice not having to look at maps all the time or ask directions like my father and his friends did on their motorcycles when they toured the entire lower 48 a few times a year starting in the early 1970's until 2009 when most had given up riding at that point because of either their age, among other things. I know we have phones with maps obviously, but I prefer an integrated system like this that shows things on the vehicle like fuel, mpg's, etc etc. The phone is a backup for me in my car. I use the phone gps on my motorcycle because it doesn't have these features. My next bike will though.

[@Volodiakila]

You have not been in Ukraine! Our roads are much worse than in Callifornia. My advice to you, do not complain) To understand the scale of the tragedy, the only class of motorcycles suitable for traveling around Ukraine is adventure motorcycles) Hah

[@MotorcycleMonkey]

Wow! I'll do my best to stop complaining. Be safe riding out there with roads like that. Thanks for watching.

[@ryanbailey3448]

About the same as a RG? 🤣🤣🤣🤣 put the pipe down