Performance cruisers became popular in the aftermarket scene when riders began customizing their bikes for improved power, handling, and cornering clearance with an emphasis on style. Most of the bikes emerging from this cruiser subculture have been Harley-Davidsons. So much so, The Motor Company started making club-style performance cruisers such as the Low Rider S and Low Rider ST. Recognizing a demand for factory-made or production performance cruisers, Indian Motorcycles debuted its Sport Chief as a direct competitor to the Harley-Davidson Low Rider S/ST..embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }Indian’s Sport Chief is a West Coast club-styled performance cruiser featuring the company’s largest engine, the 116ci Thunderstroke. To further increase performance and style, the Sport Chief chassis receives long-travel suspension, Brembo brakes, a three-quarter fairing, and a 6-inch handlebar riser.At the heart of the Indian Sport Chief is a 116ci (1,890cc) air-cooled Thunderstroke 49-degree V-twin engine with a 11:1 compression ratio and a 4.063 x 4.449 inch bore and stroke. Three ride modes are available (Sport, Standard, Tour), and rider aids are limited to cruise control and ABS. A 4-inch color TFT display powered by Ride Command provides GPS navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, customizable gauge screens, rear cylinder deactivation, a gear indicator, and other generic bike information.The Indian Sport Chief receives higher-quality suspension components over the rest of the Chief line. Up front is a 43mm KYB inverted fork with 5.1 inches of travel; out back are dual Fox piggyback shocks with 4 inches of travel. Sticking with the performance theme, Indian fitted the Sport Chief with a pair of four-piston Brembo calipers and 320mm rotors up front and a single 300mm rotor and two-piston caliper at the rear.

Before hitting our Dynojet 250i dynamometer, the Sport Chief weighed 687 pounds on our automotive scales. On the Cycle World dyno, the 2024 Indian Sport Chief produced 73.7 hp at 4,450 rpm and 105.2 lb.-ft. of torque at 2,410 rpm. For reference, the 2024 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S made 93 hp at 4,690 rpm and 114.8 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,020 rpm on the Cycle World dyno. Although the Sport Chief is down on power compared to its direct competitor, the initial throttle response is so direct and exciting, the Indian delivers a stronger punch off the line. But after 3,000 rpm, the Indian starts to sign off while the Low Rider S continues to pull strong. The 2024 Indian Sport Chief doesn’t match the same engine performance as the Harley-Davidson Low Rider S, but its torquey character and highly custom appearance make it a good choice for those wanting something a little more exciting than the rest of the crowd.