A black Indian motorcycle is on the agenda for the Kings Mountain, North Carolina Indian Motorcycle Company in 2010. One of the special 2010 offerings is the Indian Chief Dark Horse, with one of the color offerings being a dramatic flat-finish black.
Starting in 2009, the Indian Motorcycle Company will release a 2010 model called the Chief Dark Horse, and it is a new take on the classic Indian Chief. Assembled at the Indian plant in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, it’s made to look dark and intimidating with a smoky matte finish. The Chief Dark Horse will be available in Thunder Black, Indian Red, and Deep Water Blue. Pictures of the Thunder Black model show a menacing looking machine with blacked out components including the headlight, suspension, tappet blocks, engine components, hand controls, and exhaust system. The matte black finish makes the chrome parts really stand out. This model also comes with a color Indian head logo on the tank that has received a lot of positive response. Many Indian owners would like Indian to offer this logo for every model.
The Chief Dark Horse is not an entry level bike, since it is priced at just under $28,000. Then again, every Chief has a 105 cubic inch PowerPlus V-Twin power train and electronic closed loop sequential port fuel injection. The stainless steel exhaust system consists of a 3-way catalytic converter with heated oxygen sensors. Engine cylinders are Nikasil plated.
The 2010 Chiefs are equipped with a six-speed transmission that delivers power through the belt drive. The Brakes are Brembo 4-piston calipers with 11 1/2 inch dual rotors in front. The gas tank is a standard 5.5 gallons. Seats are made of leather.
Preliminary reactions to this new black Indian motorcycle have been mostly positive. Shorter fenders are available on some Indian motorcycles, and admirers of the Chief Dark Horse have expressed interest in having the option of shorter fenders on this bike. One or two Indian enthusiasts have suggested offering it in glossy black as well and seeing which sold best between glossy and matte.
There are a few purists who believe that the PowerPlus V-Twin is a “Harley clone” and that Indian should introduce their own engineered engine and drivetrain with semi-unit construction and a 42 degree V like the original Indian bikes.
In short, like with anything, a new motorcycle design will be embraced by some and rejected by others. The “black Indian motorcycle” in the form of the 2010 Indian Chief Dark Horse in Thunder Black is no exception. But there are many Indian fans out there who say that this new motorcycle design is the kind of thing they have waited a very long time for.
