2025 Indian Sport Scout Review: 9 Fast Facts, Limited +Tech Trim

August 31, 2025

Indian has stood firm with its Scout platform since its introduction in 2015. Although we were treated to many iterations, no fundamental changes were made. 2025 brings us a major overhaul, including a new motor and frame, though many aspects of the Scout remain familiar. We went over all the changes in detail in our 2025 Indian Scout Lineup First Look and Associate Editor Jonathan Handler gave us a quick First Ride review of the Sport version. Now, we have a full review of the 2025 Indian Sport Scout, complete with the top-shelf Limited +Tech Trim.

The first time you start up the 2025 Indian Sport Scout with the Limited +Tech Trim, you might be confused—I was. It’s a fob system, which is convenient. However, you have to push the power button on the bike to get its attention. Unusually, the power button is on the left side of the motor, between the cylinders. It’s a nod to the days when you would find a keyhole there—and still occasionally do—but it caught me by surprise when I couldn’t find the button on the handlebar.

The Sport Scout is punchier than ever, thanks to the new, bigger-bore SpeedPlus 1250 motor. The short-stroke V-twin is a revver, waiting until 7250 rpm to produce its 105-horsepower peak. Torque tops out at 82 lb-ft when the motor is turning at 6300 rpm, so you’re rewarded for being aggressive with your right wrist. Give the throttle a hard twist and be prepared to be pushed back into the comfortable stepped seat. Fortunately, the SpeedPlus 1250 motor is not peaky, so you have plenty of muscle at lower rev counts, though things start happening around 4000 rpm.

There are three modes to customize your ride. Sport mode, as usual, sits at the top of the food chain. It allows you to spin up the motor faster, enabling you to access those 105 horses ASAP. Happily, power delivery is smooth, so you don’t have to endure a snatchy throttle response to get higher performance. Standard mode reduces throttle response for a more relaxed ride without requiring much thought. If I’m not in traffic and don’t need a quick boost of power when things get dicey, Standard is a great pick. The lowest performance is delivered by Touring mode, which has the least aggressive throttle response—unnecessary unless conditions are poor or you’ve engaged cruise control. Basic traction control is increasingly sensitive as you pick a slower throttle map, though it’s never intrusive.

Indian replaced the aluminum frame with a 12-pound lighter steel-tube frame, although the geometry remains unchanged. We’ve always been satisfied with the handling of the various Indian Scout models, so we’ll accept the weight reduction on its own merits. There was no suspension update, which we wouldn’t mind, especially in the rear. Fortunately, shock upgrade paths via the aftermarket include units from Öhlins, Progressive Suspension, and Fox.

Although the 2025 Indian Sport Scout has “sport” in the name, it’s not especially sporty. The ergonomics are pure, feet-forward cruiser. Yes, there’s a quarter fairing, but you can consider that a style affectation more than anything. Wide, flat-bend bars help put the rider in a sporting mood, and the Sport Scout has a natural, neutral responsiveness in urban canyons. If you can adjust to the ergonomics, the cornering clearance is adequate courtesy of the tall 19-/16-inch wheelset. Metzeler Cruisetec tires are more than capable of meeting the demands of the Sport Scout and its rider. Consider the Sport Scout to be sportier than any of the other 2025 Scouts, except for the flagship 101 Scout, which we expect to fully test soon.

As an urban bike, the Sport Scout is a winner. The seating position that is a sporting liability is a style enhancement when cruising through town. The V-shaped ergonomics are just short of uncomfortable, so cruising around the metropolitan area all day is not an unreasonable goal. While it’s not the head turner that a big-inch cruiser can be, the Sport Scout holds its own in the styling competition. Indian presents the bike with under-the-handlebar mirrors. For those of us who don’t like under-the-handlebar mirrors, the good news is they can be moved to the standard position in a minute or so—just loosen the mount and spin them skyward.

Braking is basic and effective. There’s only a single 298mm disc in the front, and the ABS is not cornering-aware, mode-linked, or rider-adjustable. A same-size rear disc is employed. It is definitely part of the braking system when you need to slow down quickly. I found myself relying on the rear 298mm disc increasingly as I rode, as pressing the pedal is easier than pulling on the lever. Either way, you can slow down when you need to, with the Cruisetec tires helping with healthy deceleration traction.

The Limited +Tech Trim adds Indian’s four-inch round TFT dash. The dash is quite impressive, with a range of capabilities via the Ride Command+ feature. Plenty of customization options are available, allowing you to see what you want on the display, including GPS. Frustratingly, Indian software engineers may have been a bit too ambitious. As we have experienced with various Indian models, the dash is buggy and prone to freezing. We would prefer reliable simplicity over undependable complexity. We did test an early version, so the software issues may be solvable with updates. If your dash freezes, know that you’re not alone. It’s frustrating, of course, because the dash looks great when it’s working, and the system has a lot of promise.

The 2025 Indian Sport Scout, particularly in the Limited +Tech trim, is a notable step forward. We get more power and a frame that’s more conducive to customizing, if that’s on your to-do list. It’s lighter, although the lack of attention to suspension shortcomings is disappointing, albeit mitigated by the availability of fine aftermarket options. With a starting list price of $15,199 in the Trim we tested, this is a premium mid-size cruiser. Fortunately, the styling and improved performance make it easier to write that check.

Photography by TMS Productions et al

RIDING STYLE