Indian has expanded its Chief line-up of cruiser motorcycles for 2023 by adding a new, sportier model to the mix: the Sport Chief. It features the same Thunderstroke 116 ci (1,890cc) engine as its siblings but gets a host of performance-oriented parts and more aggressive styling cues. 

1. Same engine as other Chief models
2. Positioned above Chief Dark Horse in the line-up 

Indian Sport Chief: what’s new? 

The Sport Chief is the only model in the Chief line-up to get an upside-down 43mm KYB front fork. It isn’t adjustable, but its 28-degree rake and 111mm trail figures are much sharper than the rest of the Chief lineup’s 29.5-degree rake and 131.5mm trail figures. 

Its twin Fox shock absorbers are remotely adjustable for compression and rebound and can be optioned onto the other Chief models as well. These Fox units also endow the Sport Chief with 25mm of extra travel and it has a total of 100mm of travel (as opposed to 75mm on the other Chief models). Another area where its sporting intent shows is in the twin radially mounted Brembo monoblock calipers at the front, as opposed to the axially mounted units on the other Chief bikes. 

The Sport Chief’s styling is much more aggressive with a small visor atop the front bikini fairing, taller handlebars set on higher 6-inch risers and most of its bodywork sporting a blacked-out finish. It has a very accessible 686mm seat height. 

Like the rest of the Chief line-up, the Sport Chief has a 15.1-litre fuel tank, three riding modes – Sport, Tour and Standard – 19-/16-inch wheels (front/rear) shod with Pirelli Night Dragon tyres. Fully fuelled, the Sport Chief weighs 311 kg. The Indian Sport Chief’s air-cooled, 1,890cc, V-Twin engine makes its 162Nm peak torque figure at just 3,200rpm and is mated to a 6-speed gearbox. 

Indian Sport Chief: price, rivals

The Sport Chief sits above the Chief Dark Horse in Indian’s line-up. The Sport Chief is priced at $18,999 while the Chief Dark Horse commands $17,999. In India, the Chief Dark Horse is priced at Rs 22 lakh, so we expect the Sport Chief to command roughly a lakh more when it is launched here.

The Indian Sport Chief rivals the sportier bikes in Harley-Davidson Softail line-up, which would include the likes of the Fat Bob 114 and the Low Rider S.   

All prices mentioned are ex-showroom, Bengaluru.

Would you pick the Indian Sport Chief over the equivalent Harley-Davidson? Let us know in the comments section below.