2016 Indian Chieftain Dark Horse Unveiled | Blacked Out Touring

May 12, 2016

2016 Indian Chieftain Dark Horse

The venerable Indian Chieftain was released in 2014. With a mind to connect stylistic lines from the past and the expectations of modern riders, the Chieftain has done quite well for Indian Motorcycle. At the time, the Chieftain stood as a fine representation of what Indian is about as a brand, but since then, they’ve taken a few healthy steps forward.

If you’ve been keeping your finger on the pulse of things, you might have noticed that cruiser manufacturers have turned to a darker hue. The matte-black club look is in, but more accurately, it always was in the more discerning circles. Those aesthetics qualities of more black and less chrome have been pulled out of the subcultures and pushed into the limelight – something that we appreciate.

Enter the 2016 Indian Chieftain Dark Horse, which takes brings this blacked-out look to the Chieftain. The designers did a fine job of utilizing the shiny bits well. All eyes are directed to the Thunder Stroke 111 engine, which produces 119 ft/lbs of torque. This powerplant is found in all of Indian’s larger bikes and from there, every contour line will tell the tale, letting the chrome work do some accent work, giving each line a bit more drama.

The standard Chieftain will set you back $22,999; however, the Chieftain Dark Horse has an MSRP of $21,999. You’ll save a bit of change but get a whole lot more when it comes to looks.

All of the features from the Chieftain are present as well, and there is a full line of matching accessories. However, there are a couple minor changes. First off, a much more compact windscreen can be found on the Chieftain Dark Horse, along with the absence of crash bars.

Some might say that this is a push to appeal to the younger demographic of riders that happen to go in for the blacked-out, raw look. And the solo seat certainly suggests that this bike is supposed to be about you, a full tank of gas and the open road. With the chrome subdued, the Chieftain Dark Horse is looking like quite a contender for the cruiser market, one that is shifting into a bit more aggressive postures when it comes to styling.