DGS49
Diamond Member
- Apr 12, 2012
- 16,437
- 14,411
Whilst vacationing in Denver last week, I rented (from Eagle Rider) a new 2015 Indian Roadmaster. Exploiting an internet special offer, the rate was $99 per day (actually for more than 24 ours if you play your cards right), but of course, even after declining all coverages and waiving my life away, the total, out-the-door cost was about $130. Which is not bad. I've paid a lot more for a one-day rental of a Harley.
Obviously, the burning question is, "How does it compare to a H-D Ultra?" It is so different from my Goldwing 1500SE that I dare not make that comparison for fear of seeming cynical or eltist.
The obvious differences from the Harley are (a) cosmetics - the Indian is beautiful; (b) sound - the Indian has a pleasing, even-cadence...different but good; (c) NVH - no Harley-shake of course, but I was unpleasantly surprised at the amount of engine noise coming up from between my legs - valve clatter & such (d) size - the Indian seemed smaller and closer to the ground, though I haven't actually checked the factory specs on the two bikes. Is that a good thing? I would think anyone over 6'2"would feel cramped on the Indian. The heat emanating from the engine (while stopped in traffic) was not as bad as the Harley, but it still would have cooked my right foot if I hadn't been wearing good boots. The extra-large floorboards are something they did right. Even without highway bars I was able to move my legs around enough to avoid cramps and discomfort.
My riding impression was that the Indian, while powerful enough, did not provide that same sense of "torquiness" that Harley's twin-cam, or even the big metric cruisers provide. The other big V-twins give you the feeling that you can pull out from a stop almost at idle, while the Indian required that you rev it a bit before engaging the clutch from a stop. Maybe the Indian provides more on the top end, but that's not what people expect from a cruiser. Also, on the highways, I had to downshift (6 ->5) on some of the minor grades, which I don't think I would have had to do on a Harley.
Otherwise, performance and handling were fine. I was comfortable at all speeds up to 80 mph, in all circumstances. It is a bit cumbersome in parking lot situations, but you have to be careful with any 900-pound bike, so I wouldn't hold that against it.
My wife found the passenger seat to be fantastic. We rode for 7 hours on Wednesday and she was fine throughout, sightseeing and taking pictures continuously. Rider seat was OK (and very nice looking), but not up to a good aftermarket Mustang (or other) seat. By the end of the day, my ass was quite sore.
The luxury-extras on the bike - cruise control, stereo, heated seats and grips, adjustable windshield - all worked perfectly.
The near-thirty-thousand price tag on the bike is ridiculous, of course, but I think the value is there, when compared with the Harley of the same price. While I think the Roadmaster is equally desirable when compared to an Ultra, I don't see them taking any customers away from The Motor Company. Harley guys will not be satisfied with the sound or the torque of the Indian, but people considering their first touring cruiser might just be swayed by the looks, fit, and finish of the Roadmaster.
The Eagle Rider experience was more than satisfactory. They have everything you will need or want for a rental: helmets, clothing, sunglasses, headscarfs, whatever. They seemed to know their stuff, and were able to answer all my questions. The bike was in perfect condition and came with a full tank of petrol. It would have been helpful to have a 3x5 card with instructions on how to use some of the accessories (not intuitive in some cases), but that would be asking a bit much.
This particular agency was located next to a homeless shelter, and there were scores of unfortunates camped outside their doors at basically all hours. Rather an odd juxtaposition, what?
Obviously, the burning question is, "How does it compare to a H-D Ultra?" It is so different from my Goldwing 1500SE that I dare not make that comparison for fear of seeming cynical or eltist.
The obvious differences from the Harley are (a) cosmetics - the Indian is beautiful; (b) sound - the Indian has a pleasing, even-cadence...different but good; (c) NVH - no Harley-shake of course, but I was unpleasantly surprised at the amount of engine noise coming up from between my legs - valve clatter & such (d) size - the Indian seemed smaller and closer to the ground, though I haven't actually checked the factory specs on the two bikes. Is that a good thing? I would think anyone over 6'2"would feel cramped on the Indian. The heat emanating from the engine (while stopped in traffic) was not as bad as the Harley, but it still would have cooked my right foot if I hadn't been wearing good boots. The extra-large floorboards are something they did right. Even without highway bars I was able to move my legs around enough to avoid cramps and discomfort.
My riding impression was that the Indian, while powerful enough, did not provide that same sense of "torquiness" that Harley's twin-cam, or even the big metric cruisers provide. The other big V-twins give you the feeling that you can pull out from a stop almost at idle, while the Indian required that you rev it a bit before engaging the clutch from a stop. Maybe the Indian provides more on the top end, but that's not what people expect from a cruiser. Also, on the highways, I had to downshift (6 ->5) on some of the minor grades, which I don't think I would have had to do on a Harley.
Otherwise, performance and handling were fine. I was comfortable at all speeds up to 80 mph, in all circumstances. It is a bit cumbersome in parking lot situations, but you have to be careful with any 900-pound bike, so I wouldn't hold that against it.
My wife found the passenger seat to be fantastic. We rode for 7 hours on Wednesday and she was fine throughout, sightseeing and taking pictures continuously. Rider seat was OK (and very nice looking), but not up to a good aftermarket Mustang (or other) seat. By the end of the day, my ass was quite sore.
The luxury-extras on the bike - cruise control, stereo, heated seats and grips, adjustable windshield - all worked perfectly.
The near-thirty-thousand price tag on the bike is ridiculous, of course, but I think the value is there, when compared with the Harley of the same price. While I think the Roadmaster is equally desirable when compared to an Ultra, I don't see them taking any customers away from The Motor Company. Harley guys will not be satisfied with the sound or the torque of the Indian, but people considering their first touring cruiser might just be swayed by the looks, fit, and finish of the Roadmaster.
The Eagle Rider experience was more than satisfactory. They have everything you will need or want for a rental: helmets, clothing, sunglasses, headscarfs, whatever. They seemed to know their stuff, and were able to answer all my questions. The bike was in perfect condition and came with a full tank of petrol. It would have been helpful to have a 3x5 card with instructions on how to use some of the accessories (not intuitive in some cases), but that would be asking a bit much.
This particular agency was located next to a homeless shelter, and there were scores of unfortunates camped outside their doors at basically all hours. Rather an odd juxtaposition, what?
