Since the discontinuation of the highly popular Softail Standard in 2025, the Street Bob has taken the spotlight as the most affordable Harley-Davidson Softail today. It packs a gorgeous blend of old-school design, rumbling V-twin muscle, and urban-ready accessibility and ergonomics for $15,999 ($14,999 for the single-seat version). However, look closely at the market, and you’ll find a much more muscular-looking and more powerful custom-style-inspired cruiser bike from Indian competing in the same space.
The best part—This Indian cruiser bike is notably more affordable than the Harley Softail. With the change, you can buy a 1980s Honda Gold Wing GL1200 today. This is a clear-cut example of how Indian and Harley-Davidson war helps two of America’s oldest motorcycle makers push the limits, which becomes a good thing for us customers.
To ensure accuracy, the information compiled in this article was sourced from authoritative sources, including the respective manufacturers’ official websites, such as Indian Motorcycle USA and Harley-Davidson USA.
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A Modern Liquid-Cooled V-Twin Packs More Power
The 2025 Indian Scout Bobber is powered by a modern, liquid-cooled 1,250 cc V-twin engine with 105 horsepower and 82 pound-feet of torque. This engine has a short-stroke construction, which gives it a high-revving nature, with the peak torque coming in at 6,300 RPM. Power is sent to the rear wheel via a final belt drive system.
Compared to this, the Harley-Davidson Street Bob is old-school, packing a notably bigger 1,923 cc air-and-oil-cooled V-twin. The Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-twin is a long-stroke unit that produces a meatier torque of 120 pound-feet. However, it falls short in power rating, with 98 horsepower. Oh, and the Scout is a whopping 100 pounds lighter than the Street Bob!
Engine And Gearbox Specs Compared
|
Motorcycle |
Indian Scout Bobber |
Harley-Davidson Street Bob |
|
Engine Configuration |
V-Twin; Liquid-Cooled |
V-Twin; Air-and-oil-Cooled |
|
Engine Displacement |
1,250 cc |
1,923 cc |
|
Bore X Stroke |
4.094 X 2.898 in. (104 X 73.6 mm) |
4.075 X 4.5 in. (103.5 X 114.3 mm) |
|
Compression Ratio |
12.5:1 |
10.3:1 |
|
Power |
105 HP |
98 HP |
|
Torque |
82 LB-FT |
120 LB-FT |
|
Transmission |
6-Speed Manual |
6-Speed Manual |
|
Clutch |
Wet Clutch; Multiplate |
Mechanica, 10 Plate Wet, Assist And Conventional |
The Indian Scout Bobber Can Lean Harder Than The Harley Street Bob
Complementing the Indian Scout Bobber’s high-revving engine is a lightweight chassis. The Scout Bobber strikes a balance between rigidity and lighter packaging, featuring a steel tube main frame and a cast-aluminum subframe. The Harley Street Bob, on the other hand, utilizes heavier mild steel throughout its chassis.
Suspension duties are taken care of by telescopic forks up front and preload-adjustable dual shocks at the rear. Harley packs chunkier front forks and the famous Softail-special hidden rear monoshock. Braking duties are taken care of by 298 mm single discs at both ends, coupled to a 2-piston caliper up front and a single-piston caliper at the rear.
Finally, the Scout Bobber flaunts 16-inch wheels at both ends, wrapped with 130-section front and 150-section rear tires. This helps it have a notably higher lean angle at 31 degrees, as compared to the Harley’s 28.5 degrees. The Street Bob is restricted by its slimmer tires, where the front features a 100-section rubber around a 19-inch wheel and 150-section rubber wrapped around a 16-inch wheel.
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More Accessible Ergonomics And Dimensions
Especially For New Riders
While the Indian Scout Bobber may appear thicker and more muscular, its low-slung and custom styling contribute to its more assertive visual appeal on the road. Compared to the Harley, the Indian has a shorter wheelbase, a lower ground clearance, and a slightly more compact overall structure. The weight difference is notable here, with the Indian being 104 pounds lighter than the Harley. This, coupled with its lower seat height, contributes to a much more accessible rider triangle and ergonomics.
Dimensions And Weight Compared
|
Motorcycle |
Indian Scout Bobber |
Harley-Davidson Street Bob |
|
Wheelbase |
61.5 inches |
64.2 inches |
|
Seat Height |
25.6 inches (Laden) / 26.2 inches (Unladen) |
25.8 inches (Laden) / 26.8 inches (Unladen) |
|
Ground Clearance |
4.3 inches |
4.9 inches |
|
Rake / Trail |
29.4 degrees / 4.9 inches |
30 degrees / 6.2 inches |
|
Length |
86.9 inches |
91.3 inches |
|
Width |
36.6 inches |
36.4 inches |
|
Height |
42.2 inches |
45.7 inches |
|
Curb Weight |
542 pounds |
646 pounds |
Indian Offers Three Times The Options
Harley-Davidson keeps things simple with the Street Bob. There’s a single-seat variant or a two-up model. However, Indian Motorcycle is giving riders more power of choice. With every trim level, the Scout Bobber is enhanced with more advanced technology features. Interestingly, despite the addition of far superior technology features on the top-spec Limited+Tech trim level, this Scout Bobber still manages to be more affordable than the Harley Scout Bobber.
Diving deeper, the base Scout Bobber trim is pretty basic, with key highlights including a semi-digital instrument cluster, a keyed ignition system, LED headlights, and ABS. With the Limited trim, things get spicier, featuring added features such as cruise control, traction control, a USB charger, and three ride modes (Sport, Standard, and Tour).
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The most-loaded Limited+Tech trim level cranks the desirability level to 11 with additional cool features, including keyless ignition and a 4-inch circular TFT screen powered by RIDE COMMAND. This screen features various connectivity options via Bluetooth. Other features include a GPS with turn-by-turn navigation and customizable screens. Indian also adds Ride Command+, which unlocks features like Bike Health, Bike Locator, and Account Sync. On the other hand, the Harley Street Bob has a much simpler digital-analog four-inch display.
Finally, the accessory list of the Indian is significantly more extensive than that of the Harley. However, due to its vastness, we have not included it here. Checking out the detailed list of accessories for the Scout Bobber here and the Street Bob here will give you an idea of the differences between the two models.
All Of This Costs $2,000 Less Than The Harley-Davidson
All the differences in performance, underpinnings, and features are driven by one deciding factor: price. Despite the advantages of the Scout Bobber, Indian has still priced it aggressively at $12,999. Yes, this is the base trim pricing. However, even the $13,699 Limited trim and the $15,199 top-spec Limited+Tech trim still outclass the $15,999 Harley-Davidson Street Bob (two-up variant) in value. If you are unwavered by the nostalgic appeal that the Harley carries, the Indian Scout Bobber is a very lucrative choice by all means.