Spending 2022 with the Indian FTR S | MCN Review

[@GpaWestCoast2022]

Great review. I own a 2022 FTR-R and have loved it from the day I brought it home from the Dealer. For all those that are considering a bike like this…. Simply sit on one and if you are lucky, take it for a spin. It SCREAMS “American Motorcycle”. I have been converting mine into a track bike complete with racing slicks and related racing components……. I actually ride this more on the track then the street. EVERYONE at the tracks want to look at it, ask about it and flat out are amazed to see this bike rip around the corners. Not the typical track bike … not the typical motorcyle - in a class all its own! GO GET YA ONE!

[@Twin_solo_az]

I’m watching so many British motorcycle reviews I’m starting to pick up the speech habits. Brilliant. Also, this is one of the best, most useful bike reviews I’ve ever seen.

[@markellott5620]

I've had mine for eighteen months now. It's gorgeous.

[@964tractorboy]

These long-term reviews are so good. I hear about all sorts of bikes I'd never even think about otherwise. If Ben did 10k miles since May then it has to be pretty darn good.

[@motorcyclenewsdotcom]

Thank you and yes it is!

[@floridamankyle5461]

What a Beast, as a Flat Track fan and watching Indian dominate the competition with the FTR750, long term it looks like a blast to own and ride.

[@dukie1616]

These long review opinions are quite insightful for anyone seriously looking to own that particular motorcycle. Really wish MCN had done one of my bike before purchasing it.

[@ThatCleanMT]

I just bought my third FTR. That’s how much I love these bikes Had a 2019 RR, 2022 Champion and now a 2024 100%. I have to admit having dual 17’s compared to the previous 2 that had 19 and 18 is far better for handling and overall riding experience. I love these bikes and I am sure I will get a 4th!

[@WayFastWhitey02]

Currently on a Trident 660 as my first bike after a 10 year hiatus in riding. It's between this, the Ducati Monster, and a Street Triple 765 for my next bike. Having a hell of a time deciding what to go for, and it's hard to find dealers that will let you test ride near me. This review is kind of swaying me towards the FTR though.

[@Ferraiolo_1]

Finally, a reviewer who understands what the bike is. I love it and its quirks, its what makes it so good. So good ive bought two. A 2019 I bought when it first launched and a 22. As far as the GPS, the FTR screen isnt shared with other bikes, and its too small to meet the car play requirements. Someone did crack the dash and got GPS to work on it, but the processor was too slow to let it work seamlessly. The 2023 models come with the gauge from the new chiefs, and it does have GPS. All the FTRs came with slipper clutches. But for 2023 they changed the inner hub with a different PN, and others have said its a bit smoother.

[@samesparza2149]

Nice. Good info.

[@TheSar]

I owned an FTR Carbon R for about 18 months. I loved it, but I didn't love it. It is a muscle bike, a bit of a poser toy and a real hoot to ride, but it didn't really work in the real world for longer rides, touring and the type of riding I like to do. I think the FTR is a the perfect bike for a rider who doesn't want to venture too far and loves the look and presence of the bike over useability. I do miss it though.

[@timothy9596]

I went out and bought a 2022 FTR and absolutely love it. After 35 years of sportbikes, it's a welcome change of pace for me. The brakes are an issue but upgrading the pads helps a lot. I also put a Brembo RCS master cylinder on and that made the brakes exceptional. I haven't experienced the cruise control issue, but the only time I use it is when I'm on a hwy for long stretches. I never use it in the city. Overall it's an outstanding bike and I just love it.

[@tashneame6023]

Good long term review - I've owned my 2019 FTR1200 S since Oct 2019, my husband has had his 2022 FTR S since March 2022. I agree with many of your points, but some of the info is actually incorrect - there IS an allen key, it's located right under the battery. that key will access your fuse box and help you remove your seat. The tank is also 13L not 11. Many of the things you've listed are cosmetic, i.e the licence plate holder, and can be switched out pretty easy but understand this is not your PERSONAL bike so therefore you wouldn't have done so. I haven't had the issues with rust but then I'm in Australia so no riding on salt roads for me. I haven't experienced the issues you have with the cruise control or brakes, it might be a personal preference or riding style thing possibly, or just what you're used to. but overall good review - I love my FTR.

[@motorcyclenewsdotcom]

Can't believe I didn't know about that Allen key! Still annoying to need to use it to get under the seat though. How much fuel do you manage to squeeze in because a few have mentioned higher figures than I managed?

[@sivanm2130]

Nice to see a reviewer really liking the bike for a change. It’s strangely rare and says something about Indian

[@axelfiraxa]

Its problem is really where it sits. Ktm's 1290 v2 motor is punchier Ergonomics are fine for a sport tourer but there are 0 luggage options It is more expensive than the suzuki and honda 4 cylinders Really, it is a good bike but it doesnt really grab any particular slice of the market for itself and with the small tank and no luggage it cant go for the joker status in your garage

[@Texasphotoguy]

I’ve been looking at a 2022 for sale with 3k miles on it and this review sealed the deal. Making an offer. Thank you gentlemen!

[@leviefrauim1425]

I wish I had the space in my garage for a '23 Indian FTR Sport. I was at the Indian dealer last week and saw one- stunning and great looking bike, w/solid performance. It ain't cheap but looks to be a solid ride.

[@branthurley2285]

Clear,informative review. Good chemistry between Ben & MN. FTRS needs to drop 20kg for me.

[@toofastnobrakes]

God I love the FTR. It’s got amazing styling, and it makes all the power you’d need on the street and handles very well for its size and weight. Feels like a muscle car equivalent of a bike

[@DarR1299]

I really like it being a Monster 1200 fanboy. Glad to see an Indian comeback into the sporty realm.

[@magellanicspaceclouds]

Come back? What was the last sporty thing they had?

[@DarR1299]

@@magellanicspaceclouds IDK. I'm not an Indian follower. I though all they made in the past were cruisers.

[@magellanicspaceclouds]

@@DarR1299 Exactly, so it's not a comeback. It's a start.

[@DarR1299]

@@magellanicspaceclouds Indian has a long history of racing. Following lots of bankruptcies and start-ups the sporty models only dates back to 2016. That's why I wrote come-back. Your definition maybe different.

[@magellanicspaceclouds]

@@DarR1299 If you're talking about their return to Flat Track, then yes. But I was under the impression we're talking about street models.

[@sarahdell4042]

These are really good bikes. Tons of fun, and much more than the spec sheet would otherwise say.

[@SouthAuckMarine]

You mentioned earlier that you had a comparison with the Z900RS, and I've just watched the long term review for that. If you had a choice between the Z900RS and this, what would you choose?

[@RobsRidesPA]

I have the exact same bike and I absolutely love it. I agree that the fuel range and filling the bike is awful. I wish it had much more range and that you could just gas and go, but it takes patience to get it fueled all the way up. Can't believe they have left this bike with this kind of a problem. Still love the bike and glad that I bought it. Would not get rid of it.

[@marwood1969]

I have one of these and it has mostly been great. I have the S and I'd agree with just about everything said here. In most respects its fantastic. The only very negative thing that I've experienced is that the bike WILL NOT EVER start if the temperature is under about 12 degrees C. It's nothing to do with the battery; the engine turns over but simply won't fire. This seems to be a known issue although perhaps not on this newer version of the bike (mine is a 2020 model). I also have a Tiger 1200 which is my daily bike and the FTR only comes out for warm weather blasts, so it doesn't really affect me from a practical perspective, but still, it's not on given the cost of the bike.

[@jordanjoestar8839]

That cold start has been addressed along with some other software naggles

[@tashneame6023]

a tune will sort that out for you.

[@toofastnobrakes]

Yeah they fixed it with the 21+ models

[@TheCdubbleyoo]

Every real bike test should include a test of the headlight.

[@michaelskinner896]

Great review! I really like the looks of this bike. Indian did a great job with the styling of this bike! I wouldn't mind having one.

[@grigorisspiros8191]

Great review? Great review??? Really now? They didn’t even fired it up man. Worst video ever! At least one of the worst videos ever.

[@natural9743]

Now that was a superb review.

[@giovanniricci2869]

I was considering this bike which always appealed me but I’ve been driven away by the guy at the shop, here in Paris, who was very unpleasant. I would have tried another one but eventually I fell in love with the Superduke and made my pick elsewhere ✌️

[@CarrionDC]

I love the review. How would you compare the Tuono V4 to the FTRS based on the way you ride?

[@motorcyclenewsdotcom]

The Tuono V4 is more eager to go fast than the FTR. It's like a kid pulling at your sleeve to get to the funfair faster. I also think the FTR is better looking, but that's just personal taste, of course.

[@CarrionDC]

@@motorcyclenewsdotcom I'm picking up my Tuono V4 Base tomorrow which is why I asked the question. I don't think you can go wrong with either one. Just pick your flavor.

[@CarrionDC]

@@motorcyclenewsdotcom I've riden my Tuono V4 base for the past 2 days. I now understand what you were referring to about a kid pulling your sleeve. It does not like to be under 4k RPM.

[@mickleblade]

I love its style but that tank size/range would be a killer for me

[@marcusgeorge1825]

Nice one. Thank you. An 11 litre fuel tank with a 1200 cc bike just sounds wrong especially for touring.

[@toofastnobrakes]

Well it’s not really made for touring, they designed it more for weekend rides and hitting corners. I agree though that the tank size is abysmal

[@marcusgeorge1825]

@@toofastnobrakes So you were apart of the design and build team for this bike. I thought it was based on the flat track bikes so no need for lots of miles. But yes, 11 litres for a big engine won’t get you too far. He mentioned he did some touring on it, hence the comment.

[@toofastnobrakes]

@@marcusgeorge1825 why yes I was! How’d you know?! 😲 lol. my point was almost anyone can look at it on paper and see it’s not meant to be a touring bike. Nor was it advertised that way.

[@marcusgeorge1825]

@@toofastnobrakes I get it. Like I said my comment was based upon what the long term reviewer said.

[@agooddadandadirtbike7149]

He did a great job as a new presenter!

[@nickrider5220]

A modern take on an old school bike...I quite like it 👍

[@techtoth1]

When I saw it at the dealer, in flesh and bones (...), I immediately fell for it. Unfortunately my budget could be just enough for the saddle, probably...

[@MrAndrew1953]

Any problems filling the fuel tank these days? Question answered. The fuel side of things makes it comparable to the Harley Sportster S and Nightster for me. Your thoughts. Difficulty of filling and short range would put me off owning one. Best bike I owned from a fuel range view point, was an R80GS P/Dakar with a 32 litre tank / shaft drive - no chains to adjust,oil,fuel refills between Melbourne and Canberra - just a short top up at the end of the day.

[@shortattentionspangarage1312]

It's interesting to hear that Polaris still hasn't refined cruise control. I had a 2013 Victory Vision and had the same issues. There's no feedback into the cruise control module for clutch or brake input. I would pull in the clutch during cruise and the RPM's would shoot up. Also, braking and cruise would fight as well. It's not hard to fix, just tell the module when you hit the brakes to kill the cruise. Cars have done this since cruise first came out 50 years ago.

[@nickclarkuk]

What an absolutely beautiful looking and sounding bike . I hope to try one out one day .

[@yvonnegonzalez5616]

Absolutely-Awesome!

[@davez1713]

Great review, thanks guys. I’ve recently bought a used base model and absolutely loving it. Coming up for a tyre change, can you remind me of the make/model of the sport touring tyres you put on it. Cheers

[@donalddopp1257]

I love these long term test shows, this one would make me want to look a Indian.

[@courtneymcgowan9561]

Even with trusted, long term reviewers, ultimately this all still comes down to personal preference. I'm an American, love v twins and own several, love sport bikes and sport retros and in theory I should the ideal customer for this machine. I really want to love this bike, or even like it, but I've ridden this bike multiple times in multiple configurations and I just absolutely can't stand it. In my eyes, it looks ok to me but definitely looks better in pictures. The sound is kinda intakey or airy to me, even with the Akra pipes. It doesn't feel like a 120hp bike and the bike is VERY buzzy. Not good buzzy or characterfull...just annoying. It's so interesting how everyone has different takes on the same bikes.

[@motorcyclenewsdotcom]

Yes you're right. Reviews will always be subjective by their very nature. We try to be as objective as possible in our standard reviews and then let a little more opinion-based stuff into these long-term tests.

[@chriswest2290]

Very insightful. Ben is a good test rider 👍

[@wendysharpe4568]

Brilliant review, awesome bike 👌

[@whiskywhippet]

Great review thanks.

[@motorcyclenewsdotcom]

Glad it was helpful!

[@brucekendall52]

This was a good review.Thanks.

[@flatcapcaferacer]

Nice review.

[@YeahNahMaybe947]

I'd buy one in a heart beat were not for the rear pegs set up & the small fuel tank. Not a deal breaker but the dash load time is a niggle I could do without.

[@kylebradshaw5196]

Very very good review. Thank you

[@yvonnegonzalez5616]

ThankU2!

[@veeken777]

I have Angle ST and they are awesome value

[@DarR1299]

But holly molly, is it ever heavy! That's a lot more than my 1260 Multistrada Pikes Peak.

[@motorcyclenewsdotcom]

Yeah it's a heavy bike. It wears it well though.

[@nickloborec1416]

Are they not within 2kg of each other wet?

[@DarR1299]

@@nickloborec1416 Yes, the Multistrada 1260 PP weighs-in at 229kg wet (according to Ducati 😉) But it's a big sport touring bike. My Monster 1200R (better comparison) weighs a claimed 207 kg wet. Moreover, I was able to shed a measured -9.5 kg from that with a carbon exhaust, bits, tail tidy and a lithium

[@nickloborec1416]

@@DarR1299 Monster is a different bike again

[@toofastnobrakes]

With and aftermarket pipe and getting rid of the rear splash guard “that’s made of steel” you can easily get this bike south of 500lbs. But it doesn’t change all that much because it Carries its weight low. Does feel that heavy at all in motion

[@otlndsh]

The claimed fuel capacity is 13 liters or 3.4 gallons.

[@motorcyclenewsdotcom]

Yes, you're right. But I've never managed to squeeze more than 11 in, even from dry when it ran out.

[@Wilflyheli]

The tank is 13.5 ltrs,I average 147 miles per tank, best I've done is 165, the fueling is an absolute pain at times. Works better on the kick stand tough

[@motorcyclenewsdotcom]

That's interesting, I always refuelled on the kickstand and I could never get anywhere near that much fuel in.

[@davidjloveland3673]

The sleeper gag hehe.

[@dougiequick1]

As an American I would dearly love to own an American or at least North American motorcycle for a change. Unfortunatley Harley refuses to even try to win me and Indian while getting ever closer still they have a way to go to win me over. Does it need to weight so much? Probably my main complaint. It does not have to equal a Ducati or whatever but it does need to get closer to win my business ....but I'll meet em half way if they can get there if that makes sense

[@Konghulio]

I just really can’t get past the new colour schemes on the base models. Now the base models look like the new MT-09s, I preferred the classic American look that they previously had.

[@rickpuetz3289]

What's so important with that phone....does it come with the bike?

[@jeremycox8261]

I think the cruise control needs a dealers inspection. I’ve not had the same issue and what he’s described here is just dangerous. I think it’s faulty

[@ajlbeer]

Did I hear that man compare a lump of wood in his garden to this bike?! Or is that some British colloquialism that I misunderstood? Kind of rude otherwise! Ben clearly likes this bike, seems really cool to me as well.

[@motorcyclenewsdotcom]

Neevesy is referring to a railway sleeper in his garden. He's a rascal.

[@alan36753]

It was all going so well….

[@AllboroLCD]

We really are deprived of proper sport bikes from North America, and I honestly dont understand that! Why is HD SCARED TO DEATH of making a competing bike to the brilliant FTR!?!? Triumph went and set the blueprint on how to tastefully offer both heritage & bleeding edge designs, theres zero reason HD cant follow suit.

[@whiskywhippet]

Cracking sleeper joke 😂

[@doricdave]

Confused, he asks him would you buy one?! Isn't it his own if he's ridden it for a year?

[@anthonymepstead9326]

13 liter tank not 11, I actually put more than 11 in mine

[@-JSLAK]

He says its called just the FTR S now but it says FTR 1200 on the top of the gas tank hmm..

[@toofastnobrakes]

That just what Indian calls it in they’re advertising

[@khakimzhanmiras]

the ftr1200 is way too small. Looked better with the 19 inch wheels. Indian should have doubled down on the flat tracker schtick.

[@yvonnegonzalez5616]

Cycle= Motorized;& Bike= Manual.

[@pieterbulthuis]

It is a very nice bike the look at but the tank is a way to small fore a 1200 bike and in the past there was a 750 it is a shame that it's out of production!! 😲🧡🇳🇱

[@viktorbenedek868]

You should've mentioned the passenger footpegs. Unusable. At least above 130 cm :D

[@stevelawrie9115]

They've all got their foibles :)

[@azguitar]

A mid-nineties Ducati Monster will do everything this bike will do, at about 1/3 the cost.

[@DanielKnybel]

Until desmodromic service

[@robertdavey319]

I traded my awesome Yamaha MT10 which was a weapon, on this exact same model and I am very happy with it.

[@do_wygt_do]

Had this in America and it was the worst designed fuel tank in history!

[@stephenchapman8344]

👍

[@Robbie-mm8kx]

Dont want to be an anorak butbthe allen key for the seat is under the sump. Fukin hell im an anorak

[@landedzentry]

Fuel tank 11 litres??? 90 miles...Madness - is this company trying to fail? The cruise control sounds well dodgy. Ok so long as you dont want to stop in a hurry. I can only assume the rest of the Indian range are equally badling engineered in their own ways. Fool me once...

[@yvonnegonzalez5616]

Recreational?Cycle=FTR. Not4;Long-Transit-Purposez.

[@oliverlotus]

My VFR750FG is 36 years old. Cracked, aged plastics aside, it's hard to see much progress.

[@povilaslondon]

wow the dislikes are actually some serious issues to be fair

[@keirreeves766]

I've done 5k on one over the past two years, I've continued to fit the Dunlop flat track tyres, nothing compares when it comes to having fun at (cough cough) road legal speeds.

[@jamesowen4360]

😅 looks great

[@Jj-ff9vq]

Range kills this. That is pathetic for the size of it.

[@pv12345]

so a couple of things which aren't 100% correct. The capacity isn't 11l, it's more like 13. There's an allen key under the battery, not sure if it pops the seat tho.

[@BodybuildingSteve]

That cat looks so hideous, destroys the entire look of the bike you cant take your eyes off it lol

[@DarR1299]

Agreed but you can change that easily and I would suspect most will.

[@NudaMan]

Just get a akra decat pipe and flash the Ecu 😈

[@toofastnobrakes]

That’s why the first move is get a Toce full system or the S&S high pipes. Both really clean up the bikes style

[@paulwren1722]

You obviously have never seen a bmw s1000rr cat

[@whylie74]

Looks like a dog's breakfast to me.

[@motorcyclenewsdotcom]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What's your favourite roadster on the market at the moment?

[@TheRealNVT]

2:52 My word, that is the ugliest motorcycle I have ever seen...

[@gerry343]

You beat me to it ! Its just a mess- twin silencers, lumpy exhaust cat, exposed shock spring, rear hugger/licence plate, that piece of plastic above the headlight. What were they thinking?

[@ralphwarom2514]

I still do like it. Nice to see an American manufacturer that makes high performance machines.

[@TheRealNVT]

@@morgan98801 LOL you are not wrong there mate.. LOL

[@gerry343]

@@morgan98801 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder' To me this bike is offensive.

[@robertdavey319]

I love mine