Not all of us have the money to splurge on multiple motorcycles: one for weekend cruising, one for commuting, and one for touring. In that case, we often have to look for something that’s nothing short of being a unicorn, a bike that can do it all without cutting any corners. Finding that bike today is easy if you look at the adventure bike segment. But what if you still believe in V-twin performance and an old-school American cruiser appeal?
In that case, your options are narrow. Look hard enough, though, and you can still find plenty of American V-twin cruisers that can do it all. The typical picks here would be the Nightster Special, Heritage Classic, or Low Rider ST from Harley-Davidson. However, there’s one Indian Motorcycle that offers a better combination of style, comfort, and versatility than Harleys. Here’s all about that Indian cruiser.
Indian Scout Fits The Bill For Style, Comfort, And Everyday Rideability
The Indian Scout has been the defining model of Indian Motorcycles for over a century. Despite the company’s ups and downs and change of hands, the Scout has remained at the helm since its inception in 1920 and its triumphant return before the turn of the century. And over time, it has developed a name for itself for what it offers: lightweight, nimble handling, affordable sticker price, and an easy-to-ride yet peppy V-twin character. It’s the reason why the Indian Scout still remains one of the most iconic and beloved American cruisers out there.
Today, the Scout has evolved into the modern cruiser that we know and love. The new Scouts still retain the same charm that made the older, iconic models so popular, but now, they offer much more. Ticking the box of essentials includes a thoroughly modern SpeedPlus engine producing up to 110 horsepower, promising crisp acceleration and adequate performance. Then there’s a low seat height, lightweight (for a cruiser, at least) build, and plenty of modern conveniences, including a TFT display, traction control, and an anti-lock braking system.
Indian Scout Comes In Multiple Flavors
The best part of the modern Scout is that there’s something for everyone. Starting the lineup is the Scout Bobber, a blacked-out, aggressive bobber-style cruiser designed for those looking for something sharp and barebones. The Sport Scout builds on that with aggressive, West Coast-custom-style bits for weekend adventures. Next up is the Scout Classic that focuses on heritage-inspired design, followed by the 101 Scout, which is the highest-performance Scout ever made. At the top of the ladder, sharing the pricing spot with the 101 Scout is a different kind of cruiser that offers the best combination of style, comfort, and everyday rideability: the Indian Super Scout.
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Indian Super Scout Is A Luxury, Bagger-Lite Cruiser Built For Any Type Of Riding
The Indian Super Scout sits at the top of the Scout lineup, and it’s made with one goal in mind: to hit the open road. To get there, Indian Motorcycles says it doesn’t cut any corners, and it is designed for any type of riding. It’s powered by a SpeedPlus 1250 V-twin engine, producing plenty of power and torque for everything from commuting to touring. Meanwhile, its sporty yet old-school chassis and suspension setup promise poise on the highway and nimble agility in the city.
Swing your leg over with it, and you’ll be met with a low seat height and relaxed riding triangle, which should make all rides comfortable and easy. Meanwhile, the detachable windscreen keeps the wind and bugs off your face, while the standard saddlebags hold all your essentials for a short trip. These things combine to make the Super Scout the kind of cruiser that you can ride off the showroom floor and forget about ever adding any accessories to it; it’s quite a complete package for someone seeking a versatile cruiser in 2026.
Indian Super Scout Starts At $16,999
The Indian Super Scout is unmissable in its design, too. Laced wheels shod in fat rubber, grasser-style fenders, a round headlight, a tall windscreen, and an iconic fuel tank make it a real headturner. And this could be yours for $16,999, making it among the two most expensive Indian Scouts you can buy today, with the other being the 101 Scout. While it may seem a bit high, the Super Scout offers enough things to make it seem totally worth it.
That’s especially true when you consider that the Super Scout falls in an odd place in the cruiser lineup, lacking any direct competitor for an apples-to-apples comparison. Given its light-touring nature, the Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic is one competitor, but it’s a big-twin cruiser with a $20k price tag. Another light-tourer you can consider is the BMW R 18 Classic, a heavy German cruiser that is as good as the brochure would say, but lacks the all-American V-twin charm many of us would expect from a cruiser.
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Modern V-Twin And Nimble Frame Offer Versatile Performance On The Road
The Indian Super Scout is powered by the SpeedPlus 1250 60-degree V-twin cruiser, and this midsize mill is properly up-to-date. It runs an oversquare design, with a 140 mm bore and a 73.4 mm stroke, which gives it a 1,250cc displacement. It also runs a relatively high compression ratio of 12.5:1, which should translate to better on-road performance. The engine is also liquid-cooled, which gives it decent thermal stamina while keeping the heads cool enough to not cook your thighs medium rare.
On the performance front, the engine delivers 105 horsepower and 82 pound-feet of torque at 6,300 RPM. With peak power and torque coming high up in the rev range, you will have to wind the engine up more than you’d expect from a cruiser, but it also makes the engine versatile. You can easily putter around town or sit at highway speeds for long, and when you want to have some fun, the engine’s relatively high-revving nature should come in handy. It’s paired with a six-speed transmission.
Tubular Steel Frame With Rigid Geometry Makes For Lightweight Handling
The Indian Super Scout runs a double-cradle tubular steel frame, which is said to be lightweight, and it mimics the geometry of old rigid frames. Unlike Harley-Davidson’s Softail models, though, Indian Motorcycles does not bother with a conspicuously placed monoshock; instead, it sits on dual shocks that offer 3 inches of travel, which is the bare minimum for a cruiser these days. It’s paired with a telescopic fork up front with 4.7 inches of travel.
It has a 29-degree rake angle and 4.8-inch trail, which should make it track well in a crosswind while giving it agile handling in the corners. Indian claims the Super Scout offers thoroughly modern handling, which is said to be quite sporty with a 33-degree lean angle on either side. With a weight of just 589 pounds in running order, it should also feel quite light in traffic. Rounding out the package are a pair of 16-inch 40-spoke wheels shod in thick Pirelli MT60RS rubber and a single disc brake on each end.
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All-Day Comfort And Plenty Of Tech As Standard
The Indian Super Scout is something of a bagger-lite cruiser, so it’s designed for long hours in the saddle. This begins with a low seat height of just 25.7 inches and a narrow waist, which should make the bike more accessible to shorter and newer riders. Adding to the comfort are its easy-reach handlebars, forward-set pegs, and seemingly well-cushioned seats. The bike also comes with passenger pegs and a seat as standard, making it easy to share the ride with someone else.
What actually makes the Super Scout touring-ready is its windscreen and saddlebags. The windscreen is said to offer plenty of protection from wind, bugs, and road debris. It’s also quick-release, so you can take it off within seconds with a cast clip mechanism, for when you want a more stripped-down look from your Scout. At the rear, the saddlebags offer 8+ gallons of storage, which is enough to carry all your essentials for a weekend ride. These bags are the largest ever offered on a Scout and come with a quick pull tab for ease of use.
Modern Tech To Keep You Safe
The Super Scout is rich in tech, too. It features a 4-inch display with Ride Command, offering GPS navigation, Bluetooth connection, and other ride-enhancing features. You can also upgrade it with Ride Command+ for more features. Then there are ride modes to fine-tune the power delivery, cruise control for effortless highway rides, and keyless ignition, so you don’t have to mess around with keys much. To keep the shiny side up, the Super Scout brings ABS and traction control as standard.
Source: Indian Motorcycles