Harley Lowrider ST vs Indian Sport Chief! There's A Clear Winner

The Harley Lowrider ST and the Indian Sport Chief are two of the best big motor mid frame bikes on the road but which one is better? Let's find out.

[@jdisgood00]

I wanted a Low Rider ST. But my Harley dealer marked it up too much to make it worth it. I am super happy with my Indian Chief.

[@barrybarnes96]

Like the fact that the Indian is still a pure air cooled engine.

[@akguy6454]

I have a 2023 Lowrider ST. I put a forward controls kit on it, and it feels so much more comfortable. And it looks effin great with that kit. No complaints with this bike. Lots of power, torque and style. And has the ability to go touring. I love this bike!

[@cbrippee]

Indian should make another model Sport Chief with an audio fairing to go after the enthusiasm of the Low Rider St. and do it right quick. They addressed the shortcomings of the Chief line this past year with the Sport Chief - now take it a step further as an option.

[@BenDelacruz-xx5gg]

I agree!

[@stevenguajardo6049]

I really like the Harley and the minimalistic tech. I know a lot of riders who don't like all the tech bullshit a lot of new bikes come with. I personally don't need the different ride modes, maps and weather. It's been my experience more tech more problems. That said, the INDIAN is a fantastic ride. Even though it has a little too much tech for me its just beautiful. In this particular case,it's tuff to decide which ride I would choose. Great review man.

[@tacosan9256]

Hey man great review! I’m a little biased to the Chief as I ride one and have worked through some of the quirks and have upgraded a few things, seat, stage 1 on the 111 platform; some 10” apes coming soon. I do ride in sport mode 100% of the time because I like the response- for Harley’s though- I honestly would love to build a shovel head chopper with a jockey shift. I think there is nothing that compares to a straight piped, wire wheeled chopper Anyway- keep up the great reviews and thank you-

[@BoreSight1973]

The whole point to the Sport Mode is to NOT have the feeling of sport mode all the time. Especially for those times when you're riding in the rain for instance. To argue that the Lowrider doesn't need sport mode because it feels like it has sport mode all the time is actually a detriment, not a plus.

[@jetjock400]

Totally agree, I like having modes

[@Three-LeggedCat]

I honestly can't get with modes. I mean I respect the technology and I can understand how some people would like it but you have an endless amount of mode in your throttle hand. In my opinion it's just more of an expense than anything, that's why I like my older bikes... I believe that both Harley and Indian should spend their time in research developing better high-speed stability, overall better suspension/handling and more responsive and dynamic engines.

[@paulf9653]

Great job and well put together! The comparison should be to the LR S though. It's a more direct competitor to the Sport Chief. Thanks!

[@rainkaru1946]

You are HD lover, all your tests showed that.Sorry but this is honest opinion. I like HD too, but noone is paying to me for loving it. Lowrider ST is a mini bagger, Sport Chief is completely different type of motorcycle. HDis mainstream, Indian is for people who admire technology but have own opinion. Same like I have Kawasaki zx14r that is far away more powerful than Hayabusa gen3, but Hayabusa guys say that I don't understand things well, from their perspective almost 30 hp less difference power from rear wheel seems like a profit . So I am trying to start understand things different, though I don't yet

[@stephenhollingsworth9158]

Great review! One thing that should have been mentioned is the easy removable bags of the Harley. With a twist of a knob in about 5 secs they're off and you have a more sleeker ride for cruising around town.

[@cheeng1]

A Lowrider S would be a better comparison.

[@Shah_creates]

This.

[@kaystorms7494]

I have the Super Chief and from the factory the bars are as low as they'll go. I adjusted them up quite a ways, and it made all the difference in the world.

[@Txcowboy80]

It doesn't look like the test Sport Chief you drove didn't have the optional 10 inch high risers. That makes a ton of difference imo as far as arm position.

[@paulf9653]

Yes they completely change the feel of the bike!!

[@GearHeadMoto]

I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure the front forks on the Harley are Showa. They have been using them for years on all their motorcycles. I test rode the ST and I felt very crunched up on it. The bars were too low for my liking and I wasn't a fan of the handlebar clamp speedometer. Other than that I enjoyed the bike. When I rode the Indian Sport Chief I felt comfortable on it. I also rode one with the factory 6" optional riser height. I preferred the brakes on the Indian along with the speedo with built in GPS.

[@talkingrock7011]

Your honesty is appreciated , I prefer the LRST also

[@poppysadventures2020]

Thanks for the review. Even though they may be similar. I still think they are two different bikes. The LR ST to me, is that smaller RG style bike. Where I see the Sport Chief is a bike for someone who wants to throw it around. IMHO

[@paulf9653]

Totally agree with that!!

[@bradk3670]

Love the Mosin Nagant in the back ground

[@thomasosteen6027]

Thanks Bro great show. Take care

[@TheChromeRonin]

So what about muscle bobbers - the Chief Dark Horse with the 116cu Thunderstroke vs the Fat Bob 114cu Milwaukee-Eight?

[@paulfreespirit]

Great review as always👍👍

[@HegshotRides]

Thanks brother

[@jimharrison4526]

I haven't actually pulled the trigger yet. But I'm a proud owner of a 2016 Ultra Limited at this writing. It has everything, including 200 pounds of weight I'm thinking I could do without. Not fond of the clamshell bags but I think I could get used to it. I'd miss my Ultra but like I said, I wouldn't miss it's weight. And it has the 103 in it where the ST has the 114 and I'm liking that. Ore and more. Great video.

[@ChrisJones-el7bw]

117, but no real noticeable difference.

[@urbanadventurer5]

I have test ridden the LRST twice now and it’s a great bike, full stop. I really like the ride command feature on the Sport Chief too though. It’s similar to what I have on my Sportster S and I dig it. It’s the LRST for me out of these two ultimately however and I am currently considering that and the base level Challenger I test rode this weekend for my final new bike choice. I really like both, I just need to determine what my riding priorities are. Thanks for the content. I have been looking for this comparison fir a bit. 👍🏾

[@paulf9653]

Challenger is definitely the way to go for a bagger. Superior handling and power to anything else out there!!

[@urbanadventurer5]

@@paulf9653 I have now tried most of the baggers and I like the ride experience on the Street Glide and Challenger Darkhorse the most. I like the build quality and looks of the new 2023 Street Glide CVO the most overall but I would never spend that much on a motorcycle regardless of how much money I have. If that new CVO body style truly trickles down to the standard Street Glides that would be my choice. The Challenged is definitely a really nice bike too though.

[@paulf9653]

@@urbanadventurer5 I do agree with you on the Build quality of the CVO and the crazy price. The challenger just handles so much better and more than equal power in my opinion. I do like to ride aggressively though. I can tell you this though, I have a first year 2020 Challenger DH and have needed the dealer one time in over 3 year. I had the power windshield replace under warranty. It's been a near perfect bike. Good luck with whatever you end up with though.

[@danielrebel8027]

The dash on the Indian is the benchmark for a cruiser !! Especially with the GPS!! Harley need to keep up with the times !!

[@jasonpavicich4868]

But thats not what harleys about

[@jetjock400]

But with that new inky dinky ridiculous display on the ST they are just being cheap, and stupid... Just like not all LED lighting, wtf... Harley lost my business to Indian...

[@paulf9653]

@@jasonpavicich4868 Right!! They are still stuck in the 80s at best. Halogen lights.. LOL

[@stevewilson8752]

What are they about then ?​@@jasonpavicich4868

[@breedlofam]

@@jasonpavicich4868 They have a nice digital gauge on the Sportster S, there's no excuse for them not to.

[@dyates6380]

Excellent comparison video. GREAT job man.

[@HegshotRides]

Thanks man

[@gilbertmills4885]

You did a Great job! I like how you did your research on the product before riding. Not everyone on KZbin does that. Keep it up.

[@HegshotRides]

Thanks man

[@THELASTRID3R]

Great job on the video dude, very well done! 👊

[@HegshotRides]

Thanks brother

[@illsuspect]

I traded My 18 Indian Scout 60 for a 23 LR ST. I wanted another Indian but trading in Harley gave me a better deal. My INDIAN had things going wrong like rust in some of the bolts, my Tach went blank and was going to cost a lot to fix. INDIAN wasn't keen on my trade in and, I think the LRST is more of what I wanted for the price(protected from the wind, big fuel tank, lots of power, not 1000lbs) So far, I'm happy.

[@marcusturner5291]

Nice video keep up the good work

[@HegshotRides]

Thanks man

[@seamusruane6718]

A lot of younger Harley riders were doing a lot of mods to their Dynas to make them like the old FXR. These newer STs are like a modern approach to the FXR. Seems like Harley is appealing to their customer base, just at a super premium price.

[@Starlesslemon]

I hate how smooth the M8 is. I miss my Sportster 48.

[@billyflanagan9657]

I can't see out of my mirrors will.a flip work on this ST?

[@MrRWager56]

I have a 23 ST, and I felt like you when I first saw the 2' Digital gauge on a Street Bob(?) I may or my not have exceeded the speed limit on that test ride because I couldn't se the gauge. However, after 7000+ miles on the ST, I am fine with it. I keep it on Tach and have the speedo, and that's all I need when I'm riding. I have been pleasantly surprised how well these 67 year old eyes can see this gauge.

[@GregScavezze]

You should test the Sport Chief again with the optional 10" risers and let us know if it improves that reach.

[@ponyboy1664]

Ride position, vibrations, and throttle response are the key cruiser requirements at stock. I prefer the Indian's looks, but it sounds like the HD is the better stock cruiser. Thanks for the review, and thank you Tim for the bike loan.

[@Racso88e]

Have a 2022 lowrider S. Bike is awesome. Made it more awesome with Stage IV kit. Its staying forever. Nothing quite like it.

[@frankiecycle7426]

Wrinkle black, the ST bags being uneven and not a top lid latch system is annoying but I prefer storage vs none. The gauge on the Indian is cool but I’d rather have pure style of the HD

[@chrismarkow7573]

i went from a sportster to the low rider st just one awesome bike

[@johnpicard366]

I’m sure it’s been said, sport chief is better compared to Lowrider S. Regardless great video and two beautiful scoots

[@vernlochtefeld1626]

If you plan to use it as more than a bar hopper. The smooth power plant larger fuel tank and superior fairing & bags make the LRST the hands down choice. But I must say the torquey Thunderstoke with any aftermarket pipe easily make’s beautiful music. The M8 takes the right cam, and the right pipe, maybe some compression and an aftermarket tuner to slow the idle a bit just to get in the same music room. Advantage Thunderstroke stops there. The M8 4 valve heads are far superior. 125 HP Thunderstroke is best I’ve seen. 150 HP M8s are not unusual. Suspension & brakes are good on both so what you have left is preference as to looks.

[@chipneal6846]

This might be my favorite Indian but I still prefer the Harley. I wish Harley had an option on the low rider for a TFT screen.

[@joshdavis4781]

Late to the party here but a rider can opt for the Lowrider S instead of the ST. Same bike minus big fairing and boxes/bags. The S is the comparison to the Sport Chief is my point 🤙

[@daryldaryl913]

I agree. I nearly bought the harley lowrider but i could not handle the high peg height. I have short legs and i can only think it is worse for others with average length legs. I will not buy a Polaris as had bad experiences in the past plus they are all new designed bikes.

[@High_Desert_Tanner]

I would've bought a Low Rider ST if the bags were symmetrical, but I HATE that the right side bag is shorter than the left. It kills me lol...

[@jetjock400]

Yes, another thing about the ST that's dumb...

[@curtknutson3936]

I have a s .love it. The screen is a lot better. And probably fit the st.

[@gunshipgray4295]

Indian manufactures an excellent bike…..but I still prefer Harley Davidson….

[@dgross2009]

My 23 Low Rider s (not the ST) has 3 riding modes, sport, sport, and sport. All great modes. BTW the regular Low Rider has a much better gauge than the ST, one reason why I upgraded from the Street Bob (but of course not the only or biggest reason). Not a fan of the fixed fairing on the ST, much prefer my Memphis Shades system which allows swap-outs or just bare wind. Also simple to add hard or soft bags to the regular LR, Harley has 2 options on their site.

[@davidwalther6455]

Overall for bike purpose I agree on paper the Harley maybe better. I prefer the looks of the Indian by some margin and the LCD screen goes with out saying. I personally found the Low rider ST riding position to aggressive for me when I tried it, so I bought a street glide special and modified it. But that's rider preference.

[@myleshopkins2529]

If you take off the stock air cleaner and replace it with anything on the Indian, it's a massive power and response upgrade. The stock cleaner starves the bike of oxygen. I noticed the Harley already had an upgraded air cleaner.

[@jetjock400]

And exhaust...

[@BINK-ln6jx]

Not complaining but isn’t this the wrong Indian to compare with a low rider st? Shouldnt a st compare to a challenger?

[@mosgor]

The Road Glide ST vs the Challenger would be more appropriate.

[@99naSvt]

the sport chief should have been compared to the low rider S not the ST

[@BINK-ln6jx]

@@99naSvt I agree.

[@BINK-ln6jx]

@@mosgor I mean. Isn’t the lowrider st a touring bike?

[@kevinmorales7039]

Wait for Indian to respond to HD LR it will be a beast

[@dantheman4217]

Better price on Indian, too much for st lowrider, even though I love the bike. I'm convinced I would go for the Indian, and I didn't like the display too small on the lowrider.

[@rustyshackleford5509]

I can't wait til Harley puts that new 121ci cvo engine into the Lowrider ST.

[@paulson9616]

ST hands down. This comparison should be with low rider s rather than ST.

[@paulf9653]

Right!!!!

[@user-oc5je8iu5r]

Yeah on low riding st fast Johnnie but giving 25000 to Indian sport chief then look sport bike turn 40 looking get to riding again thanks vid

[@1luiluilui]

In my opinion the ST is the best bike made by Harley ever. It has it all, it is not heavy, it is good for enjoy twisties but also made for medium to long distances,but, but, if you change the fairing and the risers of the Sport Chief you get almost the same good bike for the same money.. I prefer the ST but by a rather subtle margin. Well done Indian

[@chiefjoseph8154]

I went to purchase a low rider ST and ended up with the Polaris Challenger. IMHO the Challenger is closer to a Gold Wing than any HD.

[@onlyhereonce7290]

Apples to oranges. ( Just my biased opinion )

[@dantheman4217]

Undecided between both. Price point indian, but that harley looks nice. And I didn't like the small digital screen on harley. I think I'm tipping over to st. Not sure any advice for anyone?

[@jetjock400]

I think the Indian is better all around, including looks... I have the leather saddlebags on order, won't scratch like the hard bags on the ST and they look way cool..

[@a99miata]

ST has larger tank which would be a better option for me.

[@TorpedoRider]

Ive seen the sport chief and the only thing that holds me to buy it, is that windscreen... The wind screen and the screws are very poorly finished, especially on the inside. Or am I the only one who makes an issue of this?

[@Meketoa1]

Both nice bikes. I don't really know why Indian bother about rain mode and normal mode. Without having ridden either I may go with the Indian. Why? Because with the price difference I could spend more money on mods that suit me till it reaches the same price as the harley.

[@jayomul]

I have a Low Rider ST. It is the best bike I have ever owned.

[@markshaw9361]

I know you'll get more likes because you gave the Harley the win, but we all know the Indian is a more advanced, better equipped, and better priced bike than the Harley. You need to compare to the Lowrider S, so you don't ding the Indian for not having a fairing and bags, if you want to do a real comparison. The funny thing is, you can put bags and a bigger fairing on the Indian for much less then you'll spend on new suspension, LED lights, bigger brakes but you still will have that very outdated instrument display on the Harley LR.

[@jbinvegas2000]

Or maybe he likes the Harley better?

[@Prometheus1979]

You sound butthurt. Both bikes are good. It’s a matter of what features you want the most. Indians biggest problem right now is not having enough aftermarket support for options which pushes more people to go Harley.

[@PrettyGoodShot]

I like Harley better and I will say that having halogens on a 20K plus bike is a fucking crime.

[@Prometheus1979]

lol I agree.

[@markshaw9361]

I have nothing against Harley, and was going to buy a LR S. But I started looking at Indian and for about the same money, I could get the Indian Sport Chief with the upgrades I would want to do on the Harley right out of the box. The funny thing is, I've had a few Harley guys ride my bike and they really like it but the funny thing is, they still say they wouldn't buy one. That's the part I don't get. @@PrettyGoodShot

[@RevJay_Rides]

The Low Rider ST is a more premium bike. I do wish they did something better on the display though.

[@Billuhhanks]

It’s thousands of dollars more

[@RevJay_Rides]

@@Billuhhanks Without real, locking hard bags and without real wind deflection for the highways, the Indian should be thousands less. I’d pay the extra for the ability to tour easier.

[@tinman3586]

It would be nice if they used the TFT display with all the added features from the Sportster S but if they weren't going to do that I don't know why they didn't at least just keep the same instrumentation on the ST that they used on the S. That tiny trapezoid thing they're using on the ST sucks period.

[@andraealexander364]

the foot positionin is geared for more positive control. Wasnt for majority cruising

[@99naSvt]

i ended up on the sport chief since harley couldnt answer a simple email ..my local indian dealer answers everything even on his off days ...no regrets either...def wasn't an apples to apples comparison though considering the ST had hard saddle bags and road glide sized fixed fairing lol ..the indian sport chief fairing doesn't do much for wind protection and anyone that says it does is either lying to themselves or really tiny

[@myleshopkins2529]

I would disagree, for as small as this fairing is, it completely takes the wind off of my chest. I put the taller wind screen on and it almost puts the wind over my head. If I'm wearing a helmet, I have zero issues. I'm 5'11" and 220 pounds for reference.

[@99naSvt]

@myleshopkins2529 yea I mean it may work for some there's no argument there. I'm 5'7 with a 31in inseam and with a saddlemen seat and the 10in windshield with the fairing raised the wind still hits me in the shoulders

[@99naSvt]

​@myleshopkins2529 it's def better than no fairing that's forsure...I've tested the sport cheif fairing, blackmore wedge , no fairing and now doing the road warrior lol

[@glennelliott4989]

@@99naSvtwhat’s your preference?

[@99naSvt]

​@glennelliott4989 I like the road warrior the best out of the 3

[@valuedcustomer5022]

I like both of them but I like the looks of the Indian better. The only thing about the Indian is that it has went out of business twice that I know of and I watched Victory motorcycles get the boot with supposedly only 10 years of factory support. Twice Bitten, Twice Shy. Harley has stood the test of time. Some of the Polaris stuff I've seen people didn't keep for very long because of engineering flaws. Then you wonder if someone is going to be offended by the name, Like the Washington redskins. The last thing I can think of, is all of the aftermarket opportunities there are for Harley. Even China is pounding out parts for the Harley because no one ever throws a Harley away.

[@jetjock400]

I threw my Harley away for the Sport Chief, tried to like the LRST but for me it sucked…

[@tinman3586]

Do a review of your gun collection some time.

[@matthewdeancole]

Viking makes lots of hard case saddlebags for the Chief.

[@khakimzhanmiras]

harley really couldn’t be bothered to install a normal speedo and tach on the massive empty fairing lmao

[@breakfast00club..11]

I love the Indian bought a chief a and the throttle response was off ..I could not handle that so I traded it .. I just could not handle that.. a waste of money ps it never went away .. I had a street bob now and love it 2022

[@terryhaught9976]

You forgot one of the best feature on the ST, CRUISE CONTROL!

[@gomchenlama]

I like very much the style of the ST and the fact it comes with cases. But I think the indian give much more for a lower price. I think the price of the ST is too high for what is it. Around 21€ would have been a more correct price. I don't like at all either the so small digital screen of the harley. Compared with the one of the Indian, it is ridiculous. Well finally, I think riding both is the only way to really decide which one is better for you.

[@guins99]

I went with the street glide special

[@breedlofam]

They should have made the Sportster S gauge work with the new Low Rider ST

[@Marcoguzzi1969]

That front fork it is not manufactured by Ohlins . Most likely Showa .

[@mr.giveurgirlback7007]

Lowrider ST is where it’s at!!! 117 rips!!!

[@WangChung69]

The Harley has Showa front forks, not Ohlins, how could you not know???

[@barrybarnes96]

Like the Harley but that speedo is heinous...I like classic clocks. I'd buy the HD Icon Hydroglide.

[@elithegreat6463]

The shocks are NOT Ohlins, if they were the bike would be 4-5K more $$$, they are Showa.

[@RoadieWingZZ]

LRST all day every day. Polaris just not in the same league by a long shot.

[@nhzxboi]

The bulbs are NOT halogen...just traditional incandescent. It sorta clarifies that you don't know what you are talking about. But the winner is clear. I don't have the patience to wait until the winner is clear when the start is nonsense.

[@gotboost2jz]

Translation: Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 😭

[@Starlesslemon]

"Oh leans"

[@UnrulyRider]

The HD comes with Showa front forks... definitely NOT Ohlins from the factory.

[@rainkaru1946]

Mr. , why to cruiser a superbike forks, do you want to go over 300km/h and kneedragging curves?????

[@UnrulyRider]

@@rainkaru1946 yeah, we upgrade our factory forks to Ohlins, but these bikes don't come with that kind of equipment.

[@rainkaru1946]

@@UnrulyRider Showa is also used on a GP, new Kawasaki H2SX SEis coming out with electronic Showa front, zx10r too. Tests are showing superb handing on a track. I really do not belive that HD bombs(my Indian RM is bomb too) need roadracing suspension,, and supersport suspension maker is not good enough for you. It sounds a little funny, sorry.

[@UnrulyRider]

@@rainkaru1946 The forks used in the factory bikes are not the same build quality and lack the adjust-ability of the higher end GP parts. The factory forks on my Indian Challenger are not adjustable in any way, I have added BareKnucklePerformance +2" extensions to the tops and pushed the forks down in through the trees. I also installed their +2" rear lift bracket. Lifting the Challenger an additional 2 inches allows it to corner harder at higher speed with a greater lean angle before scraping hard parts. Maybe watch King Of The Baggers and see what is being done with these things. Adjustable forks like a set of Ohlins cartridges would be perfect, and thankfully... Kevin Alsup over @ Big Bear Performance is working on just the solution for us Indian guys.

[@arta9440]

@@rainkaru1946 If you own a Lowrider ST or any Harley you know the stock suspension is shite. You don't need to be racer or sportbike rider to appreciate a properly suspended motorcycle. Better suspension provides a better feel for the road and inspires confidence in the corners. Harley forks are the worst. No preload, no rebound or compression damping adjustments. Just poor. If you don't believe me spend a little of that bling money on a proper suspension and it will transform you bike. All the engine mods in the world me nothing if you can't get the power to the ground. And I don't mean straight line drag racing. More than half the fun of a motorcycle is how it feels in the corners

[@mosgor]

Great review! I think I would have gone for the Sport Chief. But I think the Low Rider ST is a great motorcycle too. So it's about margins, and for me it boils down to something as superficial as appearance. I think the Indian Chief has the right shapes and proportions.

[@kingkole02]

No way son. I don’t see how the HD makes more power to a superior build motor with the Indian/Polaris design. Indian is known for far better performance numbers from a base engine and torque for days.

[@Burden82]

i dont know about estetics. the isnt one good looking fairing in any cruiser/bagger on the market but HD has the better looking ones. that half fairing on indian looks more like after thought because thats what it is.

[@Charger73_504]

5:25 jumpscare warning

[@erizfolkz31]

Ive only ever ridden Harleys. I dont like the soft tail. Indian knew who they were going after.

[@juliancrooks3031]

As a tall guy the ergonomics is better on the indian

[@henrywes2628]

The lcd display ugg, just give me an analog rpm and mph gauge.

[@JDzAlive]

Every modern Indian needs a bar change.

[@MrX-dg9hm]

Unfair comparison. You should have compared to the Low Rider S which doesn't have the bags and the large front fairing.

[@donovanweaver2436]

Harley Heritage Softail

[@George-rk5lr]

I think I'd get a road king for the money. I think for the money? You're better off getting a Ducati Diavel v4 168 hp. I like the bikes but I think both are way over priced

[@stevenmoore3850]

I like the indian everyone and there cousin has a harly how many indians do you see on the road

[@chiefjoseph8154]

The ST is better looking, but the Indian is all around better motorcycle. Fact.

[@ccb7122]

Less is more

[@justingoddard9589]

The ride command on the indian needs alot of work it's pretty much a gimmick

[@renatomarana3716]

easy... HD MUCH better... indian just copies (not only from HD, also from other brands)

[@TheBassSlayer62]

Like the Indian better.Harleys are too expensive for what you get.