Words by Gugu Masuku

When one mentions the term “cruiser” in the context of motorcycles, the first thought that comes to mind is Harley Davidson! Many have come to associate this style of riding with one brand because a lot of what we see on the road in this segment is, in fact, Harley’s. But once you start to dig a little deeper, you will be pleasantly surprised to find that there’s more to cruisers than this – and the newest kid on the block is Indian Motorcycle.

 

The Indian Scout Sixty

It’s quite sad that we’ve only come to experience this American cruiser in the past year because, truth be told, Indian Motorcycle has been around the American block for a while. Believe it or not, Indian carries a very rich history; they were actually the first motorcycle brand in the US, dating all the way back to 1901, and some would argue the first in the world. Whichever way you choose to look at it, the point is it’s finally here!

My first point of contact with the brand was through their young Scout Sixty. This is the entry point into the Indian range, and it’s exactly where I wanted my journey to begin. In bright Indian Red, it had the privilege and honour of being the one responsible for popping my cruiser cherry.

 

Indian’s retro looks and beautifully designed arches make this red Indian an eye catcher

 

The Scout Sixty is propelled by a 60-cubic inch motor, which is where its name is derived from. In standard english, this is a 999cc – roughly translated to 1000cc because round figures just sound better! The V-twin is good for 89Nm of torque, and when this is translated to a language we all understand, means plenty pull from the Indian, especially on the low end – it hauls!

I found myself quite smitten with my voyage cruiser experience. The power on demand made me feel like a kid on a rumbling rollercoaster, with a massive grin on my face, white-knuckled, and clinging on to the handlebars! The laid-back riding position definitely got my vote because, at over 1.8m tall, I often find myself in the squatting position, with my knees over my ears on many sports-orientated bikes. Whereas here, I felt right at home in the seating position – for once my long legs finally had enough room to just be!

Indian’s retro looks and beautifully designed arches make this red Indian an eye catcher; this, coupled with the saddle-style seat, allows the Scout Sixty to stand apart from its competition.


Priced at R149 900,  it’s not going to leave your pockets bleeding either.

Visit Indian Motorcycle Melrose Arch and take one of these things for a spin.

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