Indian Motorcycle, founded in 1901, is the oldest surviving motorcycle company in the U.S.A. Indian has produced many of America’s best loved and most famous road-touring bikes, including the original Roadmasters between 1947 and 1953. On August 2nd, 2014, the new 2015 Indian Roadmaster was unveiled to the public view at the 74th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Curious visitors had the opportunity to preview the new Roadmaster all weekend long. What they found was a powerful and luxurious touring cycle with huge storage capacity and a bit of “nostalgia.”
2015 Indian Roadmaster
The Practical Side
The 2015 Roadmaster sports a powerful Thunder Stroke 111 engine that delivers 119 foot-pounds of torque at up to 3,000 rpm. The bike is rather heavy, at over 900 pounds, and thus, this amount of power is a necessity to move it smoothly down the highway. A six-speed transmission, anti-lock brakes, electronic cruise control, airflow adjustment settings, and a tire-pressure monitoring system are all standard.
See this Indian Motorcycle Circle Icon Patch
This bike gives you 38 gallons of storage space, all of it in weatherproof compartments. The spacious trunk is lined with carpeting and opens up quick and easy. Even the saddlebags and glove box are spacious. The seat is long, leather, heated, and equipped with 10 temperature settings.
The Roadmaster offers plenty of luxury
The Luxury Factor
Many features that are options on other bikes are standard with the new Indian Roadmaster. Power-adjustable windshield, keyless ignition, moveable passenger floor boards, extra leg room, and an LED-lit Pathfinder system are all standard. So is the advanced info-tainment apparatus and Bluetooth connectivity.
Finally, there is nothing more obvious about the 2015 Indian Roadmaster than its abundance of chrome plating. Front and rear highway bars, fender tips, the trunk rack, the forks, the trim pieces, and many other components all shine in chrome.
Classic lines
Comparison With the Harley Electra Glide
No name in biking is as famous as that of Harley-Davidson, and their Electra Glide model has dominated touring for two decades. If the Indian Roadmaster is the bringing back of an old tradition, the Harley Electra Glide is the continuation of an unbroken one.
The Harley Electra is about 30 pounds lighter, gets slightly better gas mileage, and costs $24,000 for a brand new, 2015 model. The Indian Roadmaster has a better stereo system, perhaps a few more bells and whistles, a lot more chrome, and a price tag of $27,000.
Harley just got some serious competition
Conclusion
The new Roadmaster promises to give Harley some genuine competition in the touring-bike market. It will most likely sell best among those who are willing to pay a little more for a long, luxurious ride with plenty of cargo capacity. The Harley Electra, a icon on the silver screen and in real life, will certainly hold a large market share as well.
Check this T-Shirt out: Indian Motorcycles Tee ECREW Logo
