Expanding on the Scout platform, Indian has introduced a new model called the Scout Bobber. Featuring the Scout’s 100 hp v-twin engine and frame, the Bobber gets several changes.
Blacked-out details abound, including the wheels, frame, exhaust, handlebars, mirrors, headlight nacelle … and even the gauges.
Perhaps the biggest cosmetic change is the logo on the tank, which features a huge font spelling out Indian. Unique front and rear fenders are shortened, as is suspension travel in back (down from 3″ to 2″).
The ergonomics differ from the Scout with the foot pegs moved back an inch and a half and a unique handlebar an inch and a half closer to the rider. The Bobber also has an unique tail light and license plate holder (pictured), as well as knobby tires.
Four color options are available, and pricing ranges from $11,499 to $12,499. Take a look at Indian’s web site for additional details.
See more of MD’s great photography:
Indian introduces the Scout. Again.
FTFY.
Why didn’t they name it the “Scrambler”?
Oh boy, a couple of Heck’s Angels on “custom” bikes that they didn’t build.
Not my cup of tea but I like the bike.
Wow folks, so many negative comments. The Scout has a superior motor. I’m certain it will be appreciated in many forms. Indian is an American company. It’s building bikes for USA and globally for those who enjoy an American style bike. Second, it’s great to see USA has several bike makers now. Motus, HD, Indian…all good quality. As Polaris is a relative newcomer (experience with Victory) I’m excited about US company gains. Remember, it was HD vs Honda etc. Now the USA is regaining its stature.
Less suspension, flat paint, douchebag in the rider seat… all that’s missing is a chrome sundial on the tank.
Not my cup of tea ( I prefer overweight, overpriced adventure bikes), but I think this is a great looking ride. I would bet the Scout Bobber buyer doesn’t care how much suspension travel it has, they just want to ride it. That’s a good thing…just look at tomorrow’s article.
“bobber” pfft. embarrassing.
why can’t we have a decent standard from any of the American manufacturers? is that such a tall order?
Apparently, yes. Insurmountable, it would seem.
More dumbassery from the Wine/Menneto camp.
I guess they look ok. But, I think modern suspension is a good thing. So there’s that.
Back in the days of my misspent youth (70’s) I worked as a Japanese bike shop mechanic and was always appalled by the massive number of people that would come in and buy these dorky, ill handling, low performing bikes that to them probably looked cool. But that is the way it is with a lot of people who just want to cruise and not get wrapped up in all the techy or sporting aspects of motorcycling. For them, I can appreciate what a nice bike the Indian above is. I believe they nailed it!
I preferred the scripted Indian name plate.
Agreed!
Sigh, so with the Octane out of the way, I guess there is no more reason for Polaris to bother trying to accommodate more than just cruiser-riders. I really really like that engine, but this thing is so far from its potential in a sporty chassis as to be laughable.
Apparently an open face helmet, cool sunglasses and facial hair is required to ride a bobber so I’m out.
Don’t forget your skinny jeans and “work boots”
you also forgot the smugly superior side-glance
Taking an already under-suspended bike, and making it worse. Right out of the Harley sportster play book.
The Triumph Bobber did it right. Kudos to the design team there.
I agree, Peter.
Why would you put the plate hanging out to the left like that? at least put it on the right and it will look smaller with the exhaust under it. Instead you get a back end that is wide on the top left for the plate and bottom right for the exhaust.
If you are going to talk about new placement for the bars and pegs for ergonomics please include a picture of the person sitting on it while moving to show those off, also the person’s height being listed would be helpful.
On a personal viewpoint please don’t brag “See more of MD’s great photography:” below an article that features stock photos from the Indian website. At least give credit to the people that took the photos instead of trying to claim them as your own.
Dude, why so hurtful?
Must be new around here. Not used to less than current comment tech, boilerplate on each post, 1 guy more or less running the site*, etc!
* “thrus” you caught that part right?
Not my cup of tea as if I wanted a bobber I’d do it myself. However Indian is using the MoCo’s play book….one bike many iterations and t-shirts, lots of t-shirts for sale!
Just look at the shock placement on a Scout! The angle itself limits the amount of useable travel it can have. I want Indian to thrive/survive but this approach won’t do it for me. If Indian offered a Scout with true mid-controls, at least 5 to 6 inches of travel on the rear shocks, flat wide seat, 5 gallon tank, and a standard length springer front end (like a great Scout should have) THEN, you’d have a Scout worth having!
JOMO
Mid-controls, Right on. I have forward controls on my Sporty and will never own another bike with them. My old 45 had a springer, a new modern one would be a nice touch. It also had a Hard tail. Put more travel on this bike, not less.
My back hurts just looking at it. If this is “evolution” then I want out.
Image over function? Pass
Ed Kretz and Floyd Emde think that 2″ of rear travel is a vast improvement from their Daytona 200-winning machines…
I’ll hold out for next year’s model with 1″ of travel, even shorter fenders, and a complimentary vest.
ive got a question for you. where did the idea that “cool” came to mean lowering a machine, its suspension, or removing suspension completely? why is that “cool”, “badass”?? who asks for that? why do we (not me mind you…) consider that an American version of a motorcycle must be long and low to the ground? seriously Harley, Indian, must have a reason for continuing to make and sell them right? are there that many of us who long for that? when you read the threads like this, (here and on other sites) most are negative comments, not much love. but still they sell, sell, sell.
I will bypass the sarcasm to find something positive to say…
,,,um, I like the tread on those tires. Keep up the good work on those tires.
Randy Newman once sang, “Short people got, no reason to live”…
Not anymore.
What a ridiculous looking bike. Same tiny tank and more flat black paint. License plate is move around a bit too. “New”? To Hell with this thing. Same with Triump’s Boober. All of them are made for posing. “Pose to live. Live to pose” should be their new ad copy.
WTF is so hard about listening to riders? They asked for some ground clearance, a five gallon tank, triple disc brakes, ABS and more. What did Poselarus give ’em.
A turd on wheels. Hey, why not make an even more ridiculous bike. Copy the ’72 but give it a 1 gallon tank so it’s even cooler and you can’t go anywhere. Make the suspension with 1′ of travel too.
Call it the “Hard Sell”.
Re: “WTF is so hard about listening to riders? ”
I’m sure they do listen to their riders. This must be what they want. Indian/Polaris wants to compete with HD, not BMW.
“Pose to live. Live to pose”
That is the motto of SO many people, motorcyclists and beyond.
2 inches travel. Forget anyplace it snows in the winter. It looks nice. Nice motor. But yeah, where is the cool standard? I know we don’t buy a lot of standards here the way Europe does and I saw scads more riders in Paris than Boston. The street corners there are packed with scooters and motorcycles. Asia and Europe are also up and coming markets and they like these too. But yeah, my back…no chance.
The riders in those photos do look like members of the Lollipop Guild.
Or Spaceballs.
Did I just make an argument for non-DOT “helmets” for this style of bike? Hmmmm
lol, I think “Lollipop Guild” says it best.
I was thinking oompa loompas.
I am waiting for the Pikes peak, flat track, real deal.
Make a 10k Motus rip off and rule the world…
“Perhaps the biggest cosmetic change is the logo on the tank, which features a huge font spelling out Indian.”
Bold New Graphics.
OH PRAISE THE LAWD ANOTHER ONE OF THESE
I was getting really nervous there, developing a tic even
How long are we gonna go down this path? 47 variants later (the last one being..wait for it..THE 47!) I guess not enough people were buying the accessories, so they were able to build a NEW model ha-ha. Alas, HD’s been surviving on that for 100+ years, so who am I ….
Today Harley cuts 2017 shipments forecast. Sales in the US fell nearly 10% (6.7% decline globally). The new engine did not help.
and Polaris is all-in going after Harley’s customer base, what’s left of them!
Pretty nice looking bike. 1″ less travel at the rear will make it ride even worse than the regular Scout. With that seating position, like the regular Scout, you should be able to ride at least 50 miles before extreme lower back pain causes you severe buyers remorse. Dang it Indian! Take that wonderful motor and trans and put it in a standard!
argh! i’d take the triumph bobber any day.
A very good looking machine that I will never buy.
they might nab a few trustafarians with this one..chipping away at HD’s share of prospective buyers
1″ less suspenstion and they chopped the fenders for only $200 more than the standard. How do they do it?
Blacked out! Revolutionary
It’s not my type of bike, I’d never buy it, but it is good looking.
I certainly hope Indian does well and makes a ton of money with it, as they seem to put care into what they’re producing.
I guess as bobbers go, this has the look. Except one thing, and that one thing as far as I’m concerned is the damning thing on all the Scouts, those rounded boring mufflers. They look like something that someone fabricated that should fit a big scooter instead of a cruiser. Very generic looking. They need more stylistic mufflers to set them apart better. P.S. that rear taillight is just too small, hard time seeing it at night- rear end susceptible.
If you look closely to the first picture, the fact that they show both feet of each rider firmly flat on the ground was no accident.
Yes, and both riders are 5’3″, because any taller and they will hit their knees on the mirrors. With 2″ of suspension travel, the customer base is short people who don’t really travel anywhere. 😉
Umm, if you ride with your knees 90 deg to your body. The mirrors are outboard enough where you don’t hit. The turn radius of the bar-ends is so that they lock out before they even remotely come close to your body. So, edbobjoebillyspit, you are wrongo…..
If you read today’s ride review on MO, they do hit.
Down to 2″ of suspension travel!
Ha, ha…. I’ll pass thanks. I like a functioning spine.
Looks lovely though.
Last photo: I’m so fnkg pssed that my lower jaw extended 2 inches….
Look at me, I’m bold, I’m knobby you want to be me.
Smoke everywhere while the guy drifts the bike while guys see drowning in envy, girls playing with their hair…
“Capitalism” whisper an almost surreal girl in her sexiest voice when suddenly starts to go away as passenger of the bike… end of the add.
“Capitalism” is way too big a word for such an ad. For you as well, it appears.
If only they would build that up-right 400 lb bike they have been racing, I would be in line to buy one. I just don’t get the reason they are resistant… Hope they sell a bunch of them though.
It is not easy to convert a race bike into a street bike.
Wvhats difficult about adding lights to a race bike?
some good brakes and suspension would be nice, but I am into the minimalist type of bike, keep the weight down, keep the price affordable.
YAWN!!!!! Another useless poser bike.
Love it. But will have to see it in person, to really compare it to one of my favorite bikes, the Triumph Bonneville Bobber…
Cool looking bike. As always, I question the no-passengers-allowed ergos.
It’s a bobber. It can’t have passenger accommodations if it’s a bobber. You want passenger accommodations, buy a different bike. None of the Scout lineup have any passenger accommodations.
http://www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/scout-thunder-black-smoke
> It’s a bobber…. it’s a bobber.
http://www.cabelas.com/category/Floats-Stops/104336280.uts
Bobber….that’s a fun word.
I question dual-sport/off road tires on a cruiser that features reduced suspension travel as a feature!?!
For looks? What could be more “badass” looking than knobby tires?
Racing slicks would look more badass. Adventure Bike Starbucks tires look all wrong on this bike and are the opposite of badass.
Racing slicks on a cruiser? Most casual passersby admiring this bike would wonder why the rider hasn’t replaced his “worn-out tires.” Yeah, I guess appearing to have a death wish could be badass, of a sort…