Indian Motorcycle’s new premium bagger, the Challenger, is seriously competitive — just like its namesake. The 2020 Challenger is set to battle Harley-Davidson’s popular Road Glide with a truly formidable weapon in the form of Indian’s first large, 1,769 cc liquid-cooled PowerPlus V-twin. Just look at the numbers…
Indian’s new PowerPlus engine claims to make 123.7 PS and 178 Nm of torque. Compare that to Indian’s air-cooled 1,811 cc Thunder Stroke 111 (74-78 PS and 138-161 Nm) and the upgraded 1,890 cc Thunder Stroke 116 (170.8 Nm). You can even see Indian “challenging” Harley-Davidson’s liquid-cooled 1,870 cc Milwaukee Eight 114 (161 Nm). New Atlas even remarks that H-D owners need the Stage IV Screaming’ Eagle kit to get their Milwaukee Eight up to 120 PS.
Back to the 2020 Indian Challenger… The touring-ready steed comes in three variants — the base model, Limited, and Dark Horse. All of them are built around a lightweight cast aluminum frame and feature three ride modes (Rain, Standard, and Sport), electronic cruise control, adjustable windscreens, adjustable air vents, LED lighting, ABS, keyless ignition, and weatherproof saddlebags.
Inverted front forks and a hydraulically adjustable FOX rear shock take care of the suspension, Brembo brakes provide stopping power, and each motorcycle rolls on Metzeler Cruisetec rubber. The new Indian Challenger also comes equipped with the seven-inch Ride Command touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, USB mobile pairing, a stereo system, and other key readouts.
The 2020 Indian Challenger Limited is a higher-spec version of the base Challenger with additional eye-catching color schemes. While the Challenger only comes in Titanium Metallic for $22,000, the Challenger Limited offers Thunder Black Pearl, Deepwater Metallic, and Ruby Metallic for $28,000 to $28,750.
Meanwhile, the 2020 Indian Challenger Dark Horse switches out most of the chrome bits in favor of a blacked-out components including the engine and exhaust. The Dark Horse comes in Thunder Black Smoke, Sandstone Smoke, and White Smoke for $27,500 to $28,250. The upgraded 2020 Challenger Limited and 2020 Challenger Dark Horse get additional goodies, including Smart Lean Technology utilizing a Bosch IMU which works with ABS, dynamic traction control, and Drag Torque Control.
