/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/octane/VERLFNKGMFD5PF7LTO36SZHE5I.jpg)
Indian shook up the American V-twin touring game with the debut of the liquid-cooled Challenger back in 2020, and now no real conversation about the class is complete without mentioning the brand’s first fixed-fairing bagger. With its well-sorted suspension, cast aluminum frame, chassis-mounted fairing, and inverted fork, the Challenger was clearly meant as a direct shot at Harley-Davidson’s Road Glide, and the embedded 1,768cc PowerPlus engine definitely places an emphasis on performance; on our dyno, it belted out 103.11 hp at 5,560 rpm and 113.08 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,330 rpm.
The Challenger also brings an array of modern touring amenities to complement that punch, including three ride modes, cruise control, keyless ignition, an adjustable windscreen, and weatherproof saddlebags with over 18 gallons of storage capacity. Add in aggressive styling, full LED lighting, and impressive stopping power (courtesy of dual discs with four-piston Brembo calipers), and it’s easy to see why the Challenger is an excellent touring motorcycle.
For a more full-featured experience, check out the Dark Horse trim, which adds premium paint and badging, contrast-cut wheels and blacked-out finishes, as well as an additional suite of safety electronics enabled by a six-axis Bosch IMU that includes traction control, ABS with cornering control, and drag torque control. Here, you’ll also get more features out of the Ride Command system, such as navigation, weather, and traffic overlays. The next tier up is the Challenger Limited, which includes all of the above and adds premium metallic paint, more chrome, rear fender closeouts, and different handlebars; at the very top of the series is the very exclusive Challenger Elite, which additionally serves up custom paint, beefed-up suspension, lighting and audio components, and even more Ride Command features.
The 2024 Indian Challenger starts at $26,499 and is available in either Black Metallic or Titanium Smoke. The up-spec 2024 Indian Challenger Dark Horse costs $30,999 to start, comes in more color options, while the 2024 Indian Challenger Limited begins at $29,999 and is available in chrome finishes with metallic colors. The ultra-limited Challenger Elite is available in one custom paint scheme and retails for $38,499 to start.
