Indian Motorcycle's base-model Chieftain is a carryover but with a couple of blanket upgrades that affected all Thunderstroke-powered and front-fairing models with new LED headlights and the addition of a slipper-type clutch. Classic design Easter eggs at nearly every point reflect Indian's genuine, real-world experience within the American bagger market making this machine qualify as The Real McCoy.
Modern electronics run the Thunderstroke mill with Indian's RIDE COMMAND package on board along with Selectable Ride Modes and ABS. They're part of the stock equipment package for extra built-in safety. A good deal of utility with extra storage in the inner fairing bolsters the capacity of the hard bags, so the Chieftain is definitely capable of light touring, boulevard bruising, and grocery-getting missions to make it a very flexible model indeed.
2023 Indian Chieftain
- Model
- Chieftain
- Engine:
- 1,811 cc V-Twin
- Power Output
- 100 HP
- Torque
- 119 LB-FT
- Transmission
- 6-Speed Manual
- Driveline
- Gear Drive Wet Clutch
- MSRP
- $22,999
- Low Seat Height
- Robust Electronics Package
- Classic Elements O' Plenty
- Black-Only Paint
- Windshield Provides Minimal Protection
2023 Indian Chieftain Performance And Capability
Power for the Chieftain comes from the proven Thunderstroke 111 which is, itself, a major contributor to the Chieftain's antique chops. The four parallel external pushrod tubes, blocky head design and faux cooling fins on the valve covers all mimic the look of the old flathead/side-valve engines, but with thoroughly modern performance figures. The flathead look is a lie, of course. The top end sports over-head valves instead of side valves.
The 2023 Indian Chieftain produces 100 horsepower and 119 pound-feet of torque. That torque number is fully realized at the 3,000 RPM mark, but a considerable amount of that grunt is available lower in the range. This gives it tractable power just above idle to ease out of the hole, plus the new slipper-type clutch has a broad friction zone to further improve low-RPM control and stall prevention. A six-speed transmission and belt-type final drive complete the drivetrain with an estimated top speed of 115 MPH, so it's fast enough for the pass, even on the superslab.
Design
There are plenty of eye-candy items on the Chieftain to go around. It starts with the classic, full-length front fender that leads off with the old-school chrome war bonnet ornament and trails with a bit of flare like the old full fenders. It has the sides cut away to leave most of the front wheel visible, custom-bike style.
The front suspension is fat and made fatter yet by chrome beercan skirts. The fairing proper is also relatively minimal compared to the old barn-door fairings, not entirely unlike Harley-Davidson's “Batwing” fairing design. You get some control over the top of the rider's wind pocket through the push button-adjustable windshield.
A cyclops headlight splits the night with new LED delightfulness that casts a wider beam for improved visibility and situational awareness once the sun goes down. Behind the glass, the color TFT screen measures seven inches, corner-to-corner to handle the instrumentation, ride-control electronics, and infotainment functions in one handy location, save for the speedo and tach. Those ride in the two-round analog gauges to keep those most-important metrics readily available no matter what else is going on in the digital display.
For another classic reference, the 5.5-gallon fuel tank sports a teardrop profile shape, which is a feature used since early on by American manufacturers. Seat height is quite low at only 25.6 inches off the deck, which should give you good leverage when your feet are down and should be quite confidence-inspiring at stops and in the parking lot, even for shorter riders.
Folding footpegs and a tapered pillion pad means you are set up to share the fun with a friend right off the showroom floor. Hard-side color-matched cases provide 18-plus gallons of secure, lockable dry storage to aid in whichever tasks you decide to take on, be it commuting, touring, or whatever.
Specs & Dimensions
Length | 98.7 in |
Width | 40.3 in |
Height | 51.6 in |
Seat Height | 25.6 in |
Wheelbase | 65.7 in |
Ground Clearance | 5.1 in |
Fuel Capacity | 5.5 gal |
Curb Weight | 823 lbs |
Dry Weight | 791 lbs |
Chassis
The Chieftain's frame is also more or less a way-back style with tubular members in a dual-downtube/double-cradle design that fully supports the non-stressed engine. A yoke-style swingarm completes the standing structure with a single, air-adjustable shock to float the rear end and dampen the swingarm motion.
Up front, a set of fat, 46 mm forks float the front end with 4.7 inches and 4.5 inches of travel at the front and rear, respectively. A 25-degree rake angle pairs with a 5.9-inch trail figure for stability and solid tracking in a crosswind. Ten-spoke cast wheels round out the rolling chassis. They come shod with Metzeler Cruisetec hoops in a 130/60-19 ahead of a 180/60-16 and an “H” speed rating that'll handle anything the Chieftain can muster.
Chassis & Suspension
Front Suspension/ Travel | 46 mm telescopic fork/ 4.7 in |
Rear Suspension/ Travel | Single Shock w/ Air adjust/ 4.5 in |
Rake | 25° |
Trail | 5.9 in |
Lean Angle | 31° |
Front Wheel | 10-Spoke Cast Black 19 in x 3.5 in |
Rear Wheel | 10-Spoke Cast Black 16 in x 5 in |
Front Tire | Metzeler Cruisetec 130/60B19 66H |
Rear Tire | Metzeler Cruisetec 180/60R16 80H |
Front Brake | Dual 300 mm floating rotor, 4-piston caliper |
Rear Brake | 300 mm floating rotor, 2-piston caliper |
2023 Indian Chieftain Price And Availability
MSRP for the 2023 Indian Chieftain starts at $22,999. Like ol' Henry Ford said, you can get it in any color you want, as long as you want black. Black Metallic in this case. It seems that Indian saved the other colors for the Chieftain's many variants.
Pricing & Features
Features | 7-inch TFT Display, Power Windshield, Ride Modes, Cruise Control, Smartphone Compatible |
Warranty | 2 Years, Unlimited Miles |
Colors | |
└ 2020 | Thunder Black, Titanium Smoke |
└2021, 2022 | Thunder Black |
└2023 | Black Metallic |
Price | |
└ 2020 | Thunder Black: $21,999, Titanium Smoke: $23,999 |
└ 2021 | $21,999 |
└ 2022 | $22,499 |
└ 2023 | $22,999 |
Competitors
There's just no way around it. When dealing with a genuine slice of Americana such as the Chieftain, nothing but another genuine product will do. With that in mind, I grabbed H-D's Street Glide to see how it stacked up.
Harley-Davidson Street Glide
Looks wise, these two could be brothers from another mother starting with the cut-down front fender, Batwing front fairing, and color-matched hard bags. The MoCo also sets its entry up with a built-in pillion pad and folding passenger footpegs to break even in passenger friendliness.
H-D has its own brand of infotainment system, but the higher ride-control electronics are on the optional gear list to cede a slim edge to the Indian. The H-D mill produces 111 pound-feet of torque to fall a skosh shy of the Thunderstroke, but probably not even enough to show up on the old heinie-dyno, I'll wager.
Harley gets some back with a trio of colorways against the Chieftain's black sheet metal. You'll pay for it, though. The Vivid Black rolls for $21,999, but you can add $750 to that for the Atlas Silver Metallic or Redline Red packages.
He Said
“You can pencil me in as a fan. The low-slung look, classic design elements, and super-special engine design combine to make this a very interesting machine, and the more motorcycle history you know, the more interesting it becomes. Not quite a rolling museum piece, but close, and one that can get up and go.”
She Said
My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says,
“A few years ago, you could get the Thunderstroke 116 in the Chieftain. It wasn't a new engine, per se. Prior to 2020, Indian offered it as a BigBore kit but added it as an option to the 2020 model as a production engine. I guess it didn't go over that well because it wasn't carried over to 2021. If you look for a 2020 Chieftain for sale, you might still score one with the 116 engine.”
“I really like the Thunderstroke engine. Power delivery is smooth. There's stump-pulling power down low and ample roll-on anywhere in the rev range. When Indian introduced Ride Modes to the Chieftain, the old engine mapping became “Tour” mode. If you want a little thrill, put it in “Sport” mode. It makes me smile just thinking about it.”
FAQ
Q: How much is the 2023 Chieftain?
For 2023, MSRP on the Indian Chieftain is $22,999 available only in Black Metallic.
Q: How much horsepower does Indian Chieftain 116 have?
With the Thunderstroke 116 engine, the Chieftain produces a claimed 92 horsepower and 126 pound-feet of torque.
Q: How much horsepower does the Indian Chieftain have?
With the Thunderstroke 111 engine, the Indian Chieftain produces a claimed 100 horsepower and 119 pound-feet of torque @ 3,000 RPM.
Q: What are the trim levels for Indian Chieftain?
For 2023, Indian Motorcycle offers the Chieftain starting at $22,999, the Chieftain Limited starting at $27,999, the Chieftain Dark Horse starting at $28,999, and the Chieftain Elite starting at $35,499.