2022 Indian Pursuit First Ride Review

[Admin]

The Indian Pursuit Limited with Premium Package retails for $32,999. This Deepwater Metallic blue adds $750. (Kevin Wing/)

My mother would often tell us that my father was the head of the family. Then she’d look at us with a smile and say, “But I am the neck that turns the head.” It was my father who would often announce decisions, but my mother who would motivate that decision. This is the situation with many riders in the two-up touring world: We like to think we’re the ones making the big choices, but it’s our partner behind us who really has the power.

When Indian Motorcycle released the Challenger in 2020, there were hopes that a full-dresser on the platform wouldn’t be far behind. Now the Indian Pursuit has been released for model year 2022, and it’s exactly that—a Challenger model that’s been expanded upon with touring intentions.

Indian Motorcycle invited us to Southern California’s Temecula wine country, where we spent a full day riding the new Pursuit model in a test group. Having previously spent time on a Challenger, I believed that bringing a passenger along would allow me to better evaluate the new aspects of this machine; riding two-up would give a more accurate picture of the machine, from both my perspective and as experienced from the pillion. Therefore, the lovely Justine Hernandez took a couple of days off of work and joined me for her first official gig as a test rider.

Base models weren’t available for testing, but show a plain and unheated seat, manually adjustable rear suspension, no lower driving lights, and no Smart Lean technology. (Kevin Wing/)

At the heart of the Pursuit, beneath the top case and behind the lower fairings, is basically the same Challenger you’ll find in dealerships right now. Engine equipment, tune, and all shared components are identical from Challenger to Pursuit. The PowerPlus 108ci engine was recalibrated, but that minor update is shared between both models. The Pursuit, however, brings with it Indian’s new Premium Package, which in addition to a heated seat and LED driving lights brings Indian’s Smart Lean technology and electronically adjustable Fox rear suspension for an added $3,000. Smart Lean includes lean-sensitive traction control and ABS, and is the only part of the Premium Package not available as an individual accessory.

Indian Motorcycle has a history of releasing base model motorcycles with Limited trims in chrome and flake alongside Dark Horse trims in matte colors with blacked-out engine components. The company decided to mix that up a bit for the Pursuit; there is no base model, only Pursuit and Limited, and models with or without the Premium Package. Here we see metallic paint in Dark Horse editions and matte paint on Limited variations. Rather than only matte-and-black or shiny-and-shiny, these new options look more balanced.

Only models with the full Premium Package were being tested, which didn’t seem like an issue as we’ve spent time on the Challenger base model and know those components well. So we loaded onto the bike, and adjusted the suspension to rider with passenger, full luggage, and plus-two “Fine Tuning,” which added the maximum preload for an indicated 450 pounds. Note that while this covers the combined weights of my girlfriend and I, that puts Indian’s largest rider and passenger at 200 pounds each with 50 pounds for luggage and no further adjustability. That is not a wide range, and American touring riders are not known for being small people.

When asked about this, Gabe Mezzenga, Indian’s product manager for Challenger and Pursuit, said that with 450 pounds of additional load, the Pursuit is at its maximum gross vehicle weight rating and that’s all the rear shock can handle. Yet the Challenger, with a shock that hasn’t been pre-adjusted for the weight of the top trunk, can add adequate preload for 500 pounds before reaching the extent of its shock’s capability. Heavier-duty rear suspension seems like it should have been an obvious choice, especially when you’re looking at the accessory unit, which adds $1,000 if purchased independently.

afdasfdsafdasf

Electronic suspension can be adjusted through the Pursuit’s Ride Command system. (Kevin Wing/)

Kicking up our stands and pulling out of the parking lot led to early passenger impressions; it was immediately apparent that the Pursuit’s seating position didn’t allow much room for error. Justine is a good passenger, and had all the room she wanted, but leaning back on the carved backrest helped to hold her shoulders and keep her from rocking back and forth as we rode. Thick padding held her high enough to rest her arms on the sides as we left the hotel and headed toward our first photo pass.

It was a cool 67 degrees as we meandered down country roads through Temecula’s rolling hills past farms and wineries. Thanks to the Pursuit’s onboard ride tracker, I knew we were exactly 16 minutes into the ride when I started to feel the engine’s heat on my right shin, which grew hotter and hotter until I realized that I hadn’t opened the lower fairing’s vent. Opening both lower vents, which I found can be done with one’s foot, allowed incoming air to cool both my shin and the engine. Heat was still noticeable several times throughout the day, but once the vents were opened it was never bothersome.

Vents on the Pursuit’s lower fairing help to cool both the engine and the rider’s leg. (Kevin Wing/)

Arriving at the base of the mountain road, we stopped briefly to make photography arrangements before motoring through the twisties toward our target several turns down the road. But once underway again, we found the ride had suddenly changed; the bike was bouncing around and bottoming out easily through the turns. Double-checking the suspension adjustments revealed that the settings had reverted to those for a single rider with luggage and no fine-tuning adjustment. Mezzinga said this is being addressed and that settings will remain through every power cycle after an inbound update. Luckily, this adjustment only takes a few button presses, but it’s still something riders need to be aware of and remember before each and every ride, at least for now. We readjusted and continued.

The Pursuit rewards smoothness with stability, flowing through turns comfortably while feeling planted and firm. Turns are easily initiated with little more than a shift of the hips, and only minor pressure on the inside handlebar is necessary to hold an intended line. When relieving bar pressure and twisting the throttle, the bike quickly pulls back to upright and out of the turn. However, steering inputs that are too quick or aggressive, or harsh mid-turn bumps would upset the chassis, leading to a feeling similar to that of the maladjusted suspension as the fork and shock fall out of sync and the chassis shimmies loosely through the turn. My passenger didn’t like that one bit, so take note: smooth inputs only.

The Pursuit has a claimed 31 degrees of available lean angle. (Kevin Wing/)

The Pursuit’s adjustable windshield is several inches taller than the Challenger’s, meaning that at its lowest point the top edge was right in that annoying spot in the middle of my field of vision. When adjusted to maximum height the shield provided excellent wind coverage for both my passenger and myself, eliminating all buffeting to both helmets. However, as temperatures grew to an indicated 90 degrees on our test day, I wished for the relief added venting would provide.

We should also mention that the 2020 comparison test ran into inconsistencies in the electronic systems of a few Challenger models. Two testbikes showed a range of indicator lights flashing on the dash as we rode, though performance was unaffected. One of those 2020 testbikes failed to recognize its key fob after it fell out of range while riding. Mezzenga claims that a new calibration for 2022 rewrote a specific part of diagnostic code that successfully addressed these issues.

The Pursuit shares a top trunk with Indian’s Roadmaster models. (Kevin Wing/)
Like the Roadmaster, a rack on the top of the Pursuit’s top case allows for easy attachment of additional luggage. (Kevin Wing/)

Our other complaint about the Challenger was its lack of throttle and clutch feel. The Pursuit’s throttle feels better than that of our test Challenger, with a quicker and smoother response at partial openings, but the clutch is still vague with no engagement feel. We swapped between Dark Horse models at one point and found that, despite both clutch levers showing the same adjustment, the bite point of the clutch varied by roughly one-third of the lever’s stroke. Since the bike uses a cable clutch, this is likely just variance in setup, but it’s worth noting nonetheless.

Later, I cornered Mezzenga to ask about a larger-displacement PowerPlus or perhaps integrating VVT into the platform. “It’s something we’re always evaluating based on customer feedback,” he said. “But where we get with that engine in the competitive space, we’re kind of industry leading with that motor right now. So we’ll always look to what’s next, but we’re cool for now.”

Equipped with an 11-inch Flare windshield, this Dark Horse model provided good wind protection and an uninterrupted line of sight. (Kevin Wing/)
Brembo calipers on two 320mm discs do an excellent job of stopping the 917-pound Pursuit. (Kevin Wing/)

We remounted our bikes and headed further into the mountains around Julian, an area lush with trees and small scattered lakes about 50 miles from San Diego. The region provides a quick escape with plenty of opportunities for camping, fishing, hunting, and a wide variety of pies. Mountain Berry Apple Crumb with a side of cinnamon ice cream from Julian Pie Company is a combination for which we are prepared to ride hundreds of miles.

With the day fading, we broke away from the group, punched the hotel’s address into the Pursuit’s TomTom-informed GPS, and set out to enjoy what was left of the day. Then, in a particularly tight set of turns nearing Julian, as we headed north on Highway 79, a delivery van came around a blind corner well over the double-yellow lines and into my lane. I was moving quickly and had already initiated my turn, but was able to apply the front and rear brake, dip a bit further toward the inside of the turn, and miss the truck by a decent margin. The Pursuit, like the Challenger, has excellent brake feel, and I’m confident that I would not have broken traction, but I do feel the presence of the Smart Lean ABS helped maximize the efficiency of my braking at this moment. I gave Justine a quick squeeze on the knee, the nonverbal scary-moment acknowledgment that all experienced passengers know. She hugged me from the back of the bike and we rode on to the hotel.

Indian’s fender-mounted headdress has grown smaller over the years, but remains a symbol of the brand’s historic design. (Kevin Wing/)
Indian’s Pathfinder Adaptive LED Headlight and dual LED driving lights are part of the Premium Package offered for both Limited and Dark Horse models. (Kevin Wing/)

Until now, Justine’s passengering bike of choice was Honda’s 2021 Gold Wing Tour Automatic DCT, and I was curious how this evolved cruiser would compare. “It felt more like I expect a motorcycle to,” she said. “Like I was more a part of it. I could hear the engine and feel you shift, but it was still nice and smooth.” As for seat comfort, she prefers the Pursuit. There has been a nagging issue with backrests rubbing against her clothing and causing irritation, but the Pursuit’s seat and backrest were plush and supportive throughout the day. Likewise, my seat was well padded and comfortable for our full ride of almost 200 miles. We did not test the heating function.

Indian’s new Pursuit expands the use of the Challenger platform while proving that, despite all of the high-performance marketing surrounding the platform, it is truly an American touring motorcycle at heart. The electronically adjustable suspension has some small setting issues that need fixing, but aside from that, this bike has everything that made us love the Challenger platform, delivered in a way we can truly enjoy with a passenger. Its character, style, and personality are different than Indian’s Roadmaster while still feeling true to the full dresser/bagger ethos. It feels like a cohesive motorcycle, not an accessory package on a Challenger. And for what it’s worth, the neck that turns my head is now asking to go on a road trip.

Pursuit models are available in Indian dealerships now. (Kevin Wing/)

2022 Indian Pursuit Limited with Premium Package

MSRP:	$30,999 (Dark Horse)/$33,999 (Dark Horse with Premium Package)/$20,999 (Limited)/$32,999 (Limited with Premium Package)
Engine:	PowerPlus 108 liquid-cooled, 60-degree V-twin
Displacement:	108ci
Bore x Stroke:	108.0 x 96.5mm
Compression Ratio:	11.0:1
Transmission/Final Drive:	6-speed/belt
Claimed Horsepower:	122 hp
Claimed Torque:	128 lb.-ft. @ 3,800 rpm
Fuel System:	Closed-loop fuel injection w/ 52mm throttle bodies
Clutch:	Wet, multiplate, assist
Frame:	Cast aluminum
Front Suspension:	43mm inverted fork; 5.1 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	Fox single shock w/ electronically controlled hydraulic adjustment; 4.5 in. travel
Front Brake:	4-piston radial-mounted caliper, dual 320mm semi-floating discs
Rear Brake:	2-piston caliper, 298mm floating disc
Wheels, Front/Rear:	Sport Contrast Cut; 19 x 3.50 in. / 16 x 5.00 in.
Tires, Front/Rear:	Metzeler Cruisetec; 130/60B-19 / 180/60R-16
Rake/Trail:	25.0°/5.9 in.
Wheelbase:	65.7 in.
Ground Clearance:	5.4 in.
Seat Height:	26.5 in.
Fuel Capacity:	6.0 gal.
Claimed Wet Weight:	917 lb.
Contact:	indianmotorcycle.com

View the full article