The 2023 Indian Sport Chief sets the standard for cruiser motorcycles this year, blending riding performance with traditional American cruiser styling. Calling it a “performance cruiser,” the 2023 Sport Chief is factory-equipped with name-brand motorcycle components.
Designed with the hard-charging cruiser rider in mind, the Sport Chief comes with semi-floating radial-mount Brembo four-piston calipers, which grip twin 19-inch front-wheel brake discs, while two-wheel ABS is standard. Standard equipment Fox rear shocks provide 100mm of travel and allow the Sport Chief to achieve 29.5 degrees of lean angle.
For riders who want a little more comfort and handling, Indian offers optional Fox Piggyback rear shocks with remote reservoir. This provides 24-step compression and rebound adjustment for the Sport Chief and the shocks can also be fitted to other models in the Indian range including the Chief, Chief Bobber and Super Chief.
Power for the Sport Chief comes in the form of the air-cooled Indian Thunderstroke 116 V-twin. Displacing a 1,890cc twin-cylinder, the Scout Chief delivers 162Nm of torque at 3,200rpm and approximately 79hp with power delivered to the 16-inch rear wheel via a belt-drive, six-speed gearbox. .
In addition to Fox shocks, the Sport Chief also comes with KYB inverted front forks, allowing for 130mm of front wheel travel. Seat height is set at 686mm, while the Sport Chief tips the scales at 311kg with 15.1 liters of fuel in the tank.
For driving aids, the Sport Chief comes with three drive modes: Sport, Standard, and Tour, as well as cruise control and keyless ignition, and three color options are available: Black Smoke, Ruby Smoke, and Stealth Grey. The instrument’s binnacle resembles a conventional four-inch round analog gauge, but is actually an LCD touch screen with a choice of two display themes.
Using Indian Motorcycle’s Command interface on the rider’s smartphone enables turn-by-turn navigation display, as well as Bluetooth control of music, calls and messages. Other riding conveniences include a USB charging port and LED lighting throughout.
