Flipping from Harley Davidson to Indian: A Personal Journey

I've ridden Harleys since 2013. My first one was a Sportster 883R with the 883C gas tank for increased autonomy and some other mods to make it roadworthy. In 2016, I traded it for a 2014 Softail Deluxe Sand/Brown Pearl, which was astonishingly gorgeous.

Exploring Indian Chiefs

Back in 2017, I had the opportunity to visit the then-existing Indian dealer in Goiania, 200km from my home in Brasília, to check out the Chiefs. I had already tested a friend's Scout and was genuinely enamored by how it handled.

However, when I tested the Chief, I found it a little underwhelming—what they say about "meh". It's important to note that my initial feeling was likely influenced by the poor deal offered by the dealer—I thought the bike was overpriced, the trade-in evaluation was highly unsatisfactory, and it would have required additional expenses for seats, flooring, and other accessories, or I would have had to pay even more for a Chief Vintage.

Harley's New Era

When Harley-Davidson released the new Milwaukee Eight Softtails, I took a test ride on a Heritage Classic FLHC. I instantly fell in love with it. The new model addressed all the complaints I had with my Twin Cam Softail, particularly thermal issues. However, the rear pillion comfort was lacking. My wife got cramped on the back seat, and the rear footpeg position was not as good as the front one. Despite these drawbacks, it was overall a better bike for my long rides. It's noteworthy that, even eight months after my visit to the Indian dealer, I received an outstanding trade-in evaluation for my Softail.

A Family Bereavement and a New Cycle

In January 2018, while still waiting for my brand-new Softail to arrive, my father passed away. This was a time fraught with mourning and bureaucratic tasks, leaving me with little time or mental energy to ride much. In just eight months, I covered only 3,000 km on my bike. Then, in October 2018, Indian Motorcycle decided to cease operations in Brazil.

Bargain Hunting and a Twist of Fate

I owned an Indian Scout that I had bought to resell, and I even made a small profit on it. I was part of a local owners group, and then came the unthinkable: a fully equipped Indian Roadmaster with original parts, including rare Zambini Bros. badges, for an unbelievable price. With the money I had, I believed it was a golden opportunity to make some. I traded in my Softail, valuing both at the same, as the previous owner was trading it up for a BMW Adventure bike. I had to fly to Belo Horizonte, 750km away, to pick it up.

The Embrace and a New Life

The moment I rode the Roadmaster, I knew I was in love. That day, after a two-day road trip, I brought my wife along and she asked: "Are you selling the Harley?". That was the final confirmation I needed. I was sold.

One Year Later

Today, a year and a half after my purchase and with 21,000 kilometers on the odometer, I can't see myself rides any other bike. I own a Royal Enfield for commuting, but that's just for daily use. Although I did face some minor issues with the bike, such as replacing and reprogramming the key fob twice, which is only possible at the authorized service center 200km from home, there were no serious problems. My Harley, except for the 2018 model, didn't encounter significant issues either.

Final Thoughts on Reliability and Comfort

I still believe Harley-Davidson's factory paint jobs are unbeatable, both in appearance and quality. However, regarding other factors like reliability and comfort, Harley and Indian are on the same page. Indian does, however, offer some gadgets like power locks on saddlebags and seat heaters, as well as powered windscreen height adjustment for tourers. Indian motorcycles feel more like Japanese cruisers, especially when it comes to maintenance. The bike uses the same oil for the engine and transmission, unlike Harley, and has metric hardware and tools.

My wife now rides with me much more frequently. Is there anything more to say?