Indian FTR1200 - if they do, would you?

[gareth_r]

Indian FTR1200:





If Indian make a production version that is a tail tidy and an exhaust away from the concept, would you consider it?

[gareth_r]

andburg said:

Janluke said:

Too focused and sporty for the average Indian rider. Not sporty enough for quick riders.

100% agreed. HD did the same with the XR1200, there will always be a niche few like myself who would buy and ride it but it'll never be a big seller.

I guess you'd have to compare it with the Yamaha MT-07/09, Ducati Scrambler, Guzzi, Triumph. There are two versions (1000 & 1200) of the Scout engine, so there's potential for a range of bikes. It wouldn't be aimed at either cruiser or sportbike riders.

Over the years, Harley have had a few attempts at selling "sport" bikes - XLCR, XR1000, XR1200, and, arguably, the FXR Evo big twin - but none of them lasted very long, and they were all pretty half-arsed (although the XLCR and XR1000 are now expensive classics, and the FXR is heading in the same direction). I don't know how the current Street Rod 750 is doing, but it's very much at the Triumph Street Twin, limited performance, new rider, end of the market, and I can't see H-D moving away from their core market with a performance model, even though there is a race version.

Indian have shown that they can make a race bike, so if they do the job properly, for a reasonable price, with a lightweight frame, good suspension, and a decent amount of power (I think the Scout engines make about 78bhp and 100bhp, which would be OK), could they make inroads into the "naked sports/retro" market, or does the brand have too much cruiser baggage? Perhaps, with the backing of Polaris, they could afford to try to diversify in the direction of Ducati, Triumph, and even the Yamaha MTs.

I love it, but I've wanted a road-going flat tracker ever since I first watched On Any Sunday.

graham22 said:

By the time they make it road legal/Euro compliant, I'd imagine it would look quite different to the concept...

That's always the problem. How much would they have to dilute it, and how much weight would they have to add, in order to turn it into a production bike?

Edited by gareth_r on Friday 6th April 13:55

[gareth_r]

andburg said:

gareth_r said:

Over the years, Harley have had a few attempts at selling "sport" bikes - XLCR, XR1000, XR1200, and, arguably, the FXR Evo big twin - but none of them lasted very long, and they were all pretty half-arsed (although the XLCR and XR1000 are now expensive classics, and the FXR is heading in the same direction). I don't know how the current Street Rod 750 is doing, but it's very much at the Triumph Street Twin, limited performance, new rider, end of the market, and I can't see H-D moving away from their core market with a performance model, even though there is a race version.

Indian have shown that they can make a race bike, so if they do the job properly, for a reasonable price, with a lightweight frame, good suspension, and a decent amount of power (I think the Scout engines make about 78bhp and 100bhp, which would be OK), could they make inroads into the "naked sports/retro" market, or does the brand have too much cruiser baggage? Perhaps, with the backing of Polaris, they could afford to try to diversify in the direction of Ducati, Triumph, and even the Yamaha MTs.

I love it, but I've wanted a road-going flat tracker ever since I first watched On Any Sunday.

I'd actually argue that the XR1200 wasn't half arsed, when you look at the list of changes it really is pretty substantial and none of the parts were found elsewhere eother than the XR1200x.

Oil cooled heads
Cast alloy swingarm
completely new front end with 43mm upside down forks and twin disks and Nissin calipers (shared with a fireblade)

makes ~80bhp which isnt really enough for proper sporty riders and its not a fuge fan of revs.

the bespoke development of the above must have cost a fortune and probably made negligible sales difference.

If you like the idea of a flat tracker as a 3rd/4th bike take a look at the Fantic Caballero its only a single cylinder with 30bhp but its much much lighter than anything the americans would sell.

80bhp is what I mean by half-arsed, I suppose, plus it looked over-styled to me.

Indian have an advantage in that they already have a 100bhp engine and a frame design... although I'm sure the FTR750 frame is made from something rather more exotic than you'd see on a production bike.


When you say Fantic Caballero, I see this



Although I never had to ride a moped. When I was 16 you could still ride anything once you'd passed your test.

[gareth_r]

Indian Motorcycle confirms production of FTR1200 - https://www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/news/press-...

The FTR 1200’s full specification is yet to be announced, but it will embody a flat tracker style, housed in a trellis frame, and powered by a new V-twin engine... "We wanted to make sure that the FTR1200 wasn’t merely a regurgitation of the FTR1200 Custom, but something uniquely 'street', albeit flat track inspired.”, said Indian Motorcycle Senior Designer Rich Christoph. “We’re thrilled about the character this bike possesses, and its ability to take American V-twin motorcycles into new territory.”.

I hope it's actually purchased by enough of the people who wanted Indian to make it, and I hope they can keep it close to the concept bike, and I hope they don't "retune the engine for mid-range torque" (i.e. cut its balls off ).

[gareth_r]

So far, all we've seen is the "FTR1200 Custom". It's a one-off that is nowhere near being a production bike.

Just listen to it >>>> https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v...

Edited by gareth_r on Saturday 21st July 14:22

[gareth_r]

Why does every fking motorcycle "stylist" have to design those fking stupid bd rear light/numberplate units that hang off the swinging arm like a sodding hemorrhoid? What the fk is wrong with a neat little bracket on a short mudguard, eh?

And while I'm bloody typing, why does the seat have to stick up in the air like one of those embarrassing German streetfighters? Is "horizontal" too fking difficult to spell?

As for that over-complicated st under the seat... words fail me! Start off with a nice simple tube frame, then bolt on a subframe that looks like I. K. Brunel rejected it. It's supposed to evoke the most bare-bones class of racing motorcycles ever - two wheels, a big rorty fk-off V-twin, and a giant pair of bks to throw it into corners at 130mph with no fking brakes. It's not supposed to channel the architect who designed the Houses of fking Parliament while making it really difficult to customise it with the arse end that it deserves. At least it appears that the subframe bolts on so it might be possible to create something that bears less resemblance to a fking cast iron Victorian railway bridge.


Other than that, it's a better effort than I expected.

[gareth_r]

Ho Lee Kau said:

You will not like the new Suzuki Katana then.

I know. Designers? Creative? They're like sheep.

Does anybody actually like those stupid number plate brackets that hang off the swinging arm? They look even worse now that the indicators are there as well.


I just saw a pic of the 2019 Ducati Scrambler Full Throttle. It has, more or less, the seat I'd like to see on the FTR. Pity about the number plate.


As far as the FTR is concerned, I think that the back end spoils it (I'd prefer a flat seat like the race bike, a rear mudguard, and a '60s-style number plate/tail light mount, but that's just personal preference), but, other than that, it meets the criterion of 100bhp/litre (Norton achieved that with a race bike in the 1930s, so I reckon it's the very least we should expect for a road bike 80 years later ), it's close enough to the concept bike, and whatever I bought would need an exhaust and probably something done to the rear end, so the FTR is definitely on the list.

I suppose the sparse dealer network may be a problem for a lot of people. For me, there's no dealer in Bristol, so it's 40 miles to Blade in Swindon.


EDIT:
UK prices - £11,899 and £12,999.

https://www.indianmotorcycle.co.uk/family/

Edited by gareth_r on Tuesday 2nd October 18:00

[gareth_r]

Indian have listed the accessories that they've devised to part owners from their hard-earned.

www.indianmotorcycle.com/ftr1200accy