Indian Chief Classic Vs. Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe

The Indian Chief Classic and the Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe are classic and iconic vintage-style cruisers. The 2020 Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe shares a close resemblance to the Indian Scout Sixty. The 2018 Indian Chief Classic is a bulky and wider motorcycle built with heavier parts, including a long skirt front and rear fenders, along with a headlight enclosed in a big chrome nacelle.

The 2018 Indian Chief Classic and the 2020 Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe are powerful motorcycles suited for expert riders. Both motorcycles are equipped with six-speed transmissions for better-touring capability. However, the 2020 Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe is the lighter between the two motorcycles, meaning they have better handling and acceleration. This article provides a detailed comparison between the Indian Chief Classic and the Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe.

The Indian Chief Classic is a powerful and bulky motorcycle. The beefier front and rear fenders, solo vinyl seat, and headlight nacelle give it a vintage look. This motorcycle is for motorcycle enthusiasts who prefer aesthetics over high-speed performance. The Indian Chief Classic’s chrome handlebars, engine, exhaust pipes, mufflers, wheels, and headlight nacelle together with the burgundy metallic color scheme give this motorcycle a lustrous look.

The Indian Chief Classic has wide swept-back handlebars and dual mufflers on each side. The gauges are mounted on a wider teardrop-shaped fuel tank with a fuel capacity of 5.5 gal, ideal for touring and long rides. It is also fitted with extended rider floorboards to ensure comfort on longer rides. The tail light, rear turn signals, and license plate holder are mounted on the rear fender.

The Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe has a teardrop-shaped fuel tank with a fuel capacity of 5 gal with gauges mounted on top of it. It has average front and rear fenders, a solo leather seat, and two parallel chromed mufflers installed. The chrome handlebars, front fork, wheels, battery cover, headlight, cylinder heads, and air breather complement the five different color schemes that enhance the Harley Softail Deluxe’s aesthetics.

The Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe’s front end has three headlamps, one in the center and two on each side, mounted on the stylish front turn signals. The taillight, rear turn signals, and license plate bracket are mounted on the rear fender.

Overall, the Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe has a refined look with a better finish than the Indian Chief Classic.

Both the Indian Chief Classic and the Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe have unique designs but the Softail Deluxe has more color schemes available.

The 2018 Indian Chief Classic is fitted with a 1,811 cc air-cooled Thunderstroke 111 engine capable of torque of 161.6 Nm at 3,000 rpm. It comes with a six-speed gearbox that powers the rear wheel via a belt drive. Its engine is fueled using a closed-loop fuel injection, ensuring optimum fuel delivery.

Despite being bigger in size, the Indian Chief Classic is easy to handle even at low speeds due to its low center of gravity. It has good performance and looks, but still could be improved by adding a traction control system and better-performing suspensions.

The Indian Chief Classic’s braking has been upgraded with a 300 mm dual floating rotor with a four-piston caliper towards the front and a 300 mm single floating rotor with a two-piston caliper towards the rear, along with an ABS.

The 2020 Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe is powered by a 1753 cc air-cooled Milwaukee-Eight® 107 engine capable of producing 147.78 Nm of torque at 3,000 rpm. It also comes with a six-speed transmission. The engine’s vibrations have been greatly reduced by two counterbalancers to help ensure comfortable cruising. The Milwaukee-Eight 45° V-Twin engine produces smooth torque and helps the motorbike accelerate at all gear levels. Like the Indian Chief Classic, this motorcycle also does not come with a traction control system and riding modes.

The Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe has a hard clutch which requires a little more effort to shift between gears. The massive 1,753 cc engine produces a lot of heat, which the air-cooling system cannot always effectively maintain the engine’s temperature.

The Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe’s low center of gravity ensures better handling and maneuverability at both low and high speeds. The linear damping of the Showa front fork ensures you can ride at higher speeds.

The 2020 Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe is 41.85 kg lighter than the 2018 Indian Chief Classic. Still, it is difficult to ride this vehicle in traffic, especially for beginners. Its wet weight of 316.15 kg makes performing U-turns and stop-and-go maneuvers difficult. However, at highway speeds, this vehicle has been proven to have stable handling.

The Indian Chief Classic has a seat height of 26 inches, about 0.1 inches taller than the Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe. It has a substantial ground clearance of 5.5 inches which helps you avoid scraping the lower part of the motorcycle against the ground while riding on damaged or bumpy roads.

The 2018 Indian Chief Classic’s handlebars are wider, low-mounted, and swept-back which gives it relaxed riding ergonomics. The forward foot controls along with the extended rider floorboards provide enough legroom for taller riders. The only aspect that makes it difficult to handle is its overall weight of 358 kg.

The 2018 Indian Chief Classic’s front end is especially heavy which can make even maneuvers at low speeds difficult.

The Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe has a low seat height of 25.9 inches and a low center of gravity, making it easy to handle even at low speeds. It provides enough legroom even for taller riders due to its foot controls being positioned forward. It also comes with extended rider floorboards so you can comfortably rest your feet while riding on highways. The front brake pedal and gear shifter also operate smoothly.

The Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe’s Showa front forks and adjustable rear mono-shock suspension perform adequately on paved and bumpy roads without negatively affecting the motorcycle’s handling and cornering capability.

The Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe’s handlebars are a little higher and less swept back than the Indian Chief Classic, but they are still within comfortable reach of the rider from an upright riding position. It has a low ground clearance of 4.5 inches which can cause the metal parts to scrape against the ground while riding on bumpy roads.

Both the Indian Chief Classic and the Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe have classic cruiser designs and bulky looks. Both motorcycles have good handling and quick acceleration at all rpms. However, due to being more lightweight, the Harley Softail Deluxe has better maneuverability.

The 2018 Indian Chief Classic comes with heavy front and rear fenders and a headlight nacelle. Meanwhile, the 2020 Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe has reduced weight due to being fitted with average front and rear fenders and no headlight nacelle.

The Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe’s laced and whitewall wheels give it a more attractive look than the Indian Chief Classic. Also, the Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe being able to come in more color schemes gives it an edge over the Indian Chief Classic in terms of looks.

Harley Davidson and Indian Motorcycle are the two biggest competitors in the American motorbike market. Indian motorbikes have a slight edge over Harley Davidson motorbikes when it comes to raw performance. However, Harley Davidson has an edge over Indian Motorcycle when it comes to design and aesthetics. Both motorcycle brands are reshaping their identity and branding based on public perceptions of their motorcycles.

Indian motorcycles have good holding and resale value if maintained properly. Indian Motorcycles produces some of the best performing motorbikes in the market with classic designs and high quality. However, Harley Davidson has been dominating the American market since 2009 and Harley motorcycles have better holding and resale value than Indian motorcycles.

Because of low-quality cam chain tensioners, the Harley Davidson’s Milwaukee-Eight 107 Engine sometimes suffers oil sumps. The used oil starts to leak out at various places, including the gear crank and case, which causes an imbalance within the engine’s components that causes it to disrupt the flow of oil to the engine. To prevent deposition and blockages, the cam chain tensioners should be inspected and replaced every once in a while.

The Indian Chief Classic and the Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe are heavyweight cruisers designed for touring and long-distance rides. Both motorcycles have unique aesthetics and good overall performance. However, the Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe has a slight edge over the Indian Chief Classic due to its better handling and performance because of its lower weight. Both motorcycles are suited for beginners and smaller riders.

To enhance their comfortability and touring capability, the Indian Chief Classic and the Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe can be modified using aftermarket parts available at Viking Bags. Viking Bags has specially designed saddlebags for the Indian Chief Classic and the Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe to improve their storage capacity. Viking Bags also has rider and passenger backrests for your Indian and Harley Davidson motorcycles to provide back support.