2022 Indian Motorcycle Chief First Look Preview

To celebrate the 100th birthday of its Chief nameplate, Indian Motorcycle is rolling out a total revamp of the iconic line for 2022. Technically, 2022 is the Chief’s 101st birthday, but we’ll leave our nitpicks at that. Years notwithstanding, Indian is releasing three new Chief models, marking the first real refresh since the Chief was rereleased all the way back in 2013.

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The list of things I love about Indians new and old is long, but today I am particularly enamored with their spec sheet. In announcing the 2022 Indian Chief lineup, the company just flat did not bother giving us the horsepower number, opting instead to give us the big V-twin’s torque number. Talk about knowing your market. How fast you hit the wall doesn’t matter here. No, with Indian, it’s all about how far you push it.

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The new Chief, Chief Bobber, and Super Chief all get Indian’s 111 powerplant, which kicks out a claimed 108 pound-feet of torque. The Chief Dark Horse, Chief Bobber Dark Horse, and Super Chief Limited all get the 116 engine, which follows the same architecture but manages 120 pound-feet.

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The 2022 Indian Chief and Chief Dark Horse are the everyman’s versions of the Chief. They feature mid-mount controls, swept-back drag-style bars, 19-inch cast front wheel, and a solo seat. They’re also the most affordable models, coming in at $14,499 for the regular Chief and $16,999 for the Chief Dark Horse. The Chief can be had in White Smoke, Ruby Smoke, or Black Metallic. The Dark Horse model comes in either Black Smoke, Alumina Jade Smoke, or Stealth Gray.

Stepping up to the Chief Bobber and Chief Bobber Dark Horse gets you a set of mini apehangers and forward foot controls for a more upright position, and a set of 16-inch wire wheels to hammer home the old-school vibe. The Chief Bobber is $15,999 and can be had in either Black Metallic or Ruby Metallic, while the Dark Horse is $18,999 and is available in Black Smoke, Titanium Smoke, or Sagebrush Smoke.

If you’re generally carrying a passenger, or just want a more comfortable ride with some stuff stowage, you’ll want to opt for the Super Chief or Super Chief Limited. Both bikes get black leather saddlebags, a windshield, cruiser bars, a passenger pad, and a bigger headlight bucket with Indian’s iconic nacelle. As if that wasn’t enough, the Super Chief edges closer to cruiser nirvana with a chrome exhaust.

The base-model Super Chief will set you back $18,499 and is available in Black Metallic or Pearl White. The Super Chief Limited comes in at $20,999 and is available in Black Metallic, Blue Slate Metallic, or Maroon Metallic.

Indian also offers a shed’s worth of accessories, including exhaust systems and big-bore kits for the Thunder Stroke 111.

The new Chief lineup will be headed to dealers in April, just in time for riding season to kick off.