Indian Chief Roadmaster: Specs, Features, Background, Performance, & More

The Indian Motorcycle Company is back with exciting motorcycle lineups in 2022, but the Indian Roadmaster will leave you awestruck as always. These motorcycles are truly the masters of touring, long hauls, and luxurious urban rides.

The rumbling Thunder Stroke 111 engine is better than ever with its 1890 cc displacement and soul-satisfying rumbles.

When riding the Roadmaster, you can cross borders and interstates thanks to its exceptional level of comfort that keeps you glued to the seat as you take in the beauty of your surroundings. The saddlebags will help you carry your belongings everywhere, and the tail trunk will make sure that all of your stuff stays on board.

Moreover, the Roadmaster’s modern technological specs allow you to charge your phone and keep track of your vehicle’s state. Many new and exciting features will also be included in the 2022 model.

Read on to find out all about the Roadmaster’s specs, features, and performance.

The Indian motorcycles got the attention they deserved in the 1920s. In the 20th century, the Indian Motorcycle Company emerged as Harley Davidson’s biggest rival.

In the 1970s, the Indian Motorcycle Company went bankrupt. American cruiser enthusiasts were no longer interested in buying motorcycles featuring the same engineering and technology that Indian Motorcycle Company was capitalizing on for decades.

The Indian Motorycycle Company regained its glory after Polaris Industries acquired it in 2011. The company redeemed itself by designing the 1800 cc Thunder Stroke 111 engine to meet the expectations of riders.

Fitted with this powerful engine, the Indian Chief Standard/Classic and Chief Vintage motorcycles graced the market and met great success in 2014. While the Chief Classic was discontinued in 2018, the production of the Chief Vintage continued until 2020. These two lineups conquered the cruiser market.

The same year, a touring variant of the Indian Chieftain was also launched. This bike was the first Indian tourer and featured a fairing, hard saddlebags, and advanced features such as the bluetooth media player, windshield adjustment, and a modern rear shock with air adjustment. The company earned much praise from hardcore riders for the Chieftain’s exceptional performance, chic styling, and maneuverability.

Encouraged by the response, the Indian Motorcycle Company launched its Scout motorcycle and the mighty Roadmaster at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally held in 2014. According to participants at the rally, the Indian Roadmaster is an advanced Chieftain. However, the Indian design team claimed the opposite.

The Roadmaster is similar to the Chieftain, but fitted with additional luxury features for a relaxed touring experience.

The Roadmaster was officially launched in 2015. And after seven successful years, the Indian Motorcycle Company is still continuing the production of this bike.

Equipped with innovative technology, a well-crafted chassis, and six-speed transmission, the Indian Roadmaster didn’t receive any mechanical upgrades over the years. Only the color schemes were revised, the details being provided in the chart below.

The Roadmaster is an extremely stylish bike with ultra modern features. The bike has a beautiful shiny paint job with muted graphics. For example, the metallic black bike has subtle blue specks that improve the aesthetics.

The engine parts, exhaust pipes, and front fork has shiny chrome plating while the fenders, side covers, and fairing are color-matched.

The plush leather rider seat and pillion are black and enhance the look of the chrome plating and high-quality paint. The ape-style handlebars are hidden from the view due to the fairing but they boast a highly-polished metal look.

The hard saddlebags and trunk add to the bagger look of the Roadmaster. The elongated, teardrop-shaped fuel tank features elegant lines that cascade into the rider’s seat and give the bike its streamlined look. The shiny mirrors and forward fender-mounted headlight complete the look of the Roadmaster.

The Roadmaster has three LED bulbs for forward lighting. The headlight has a stylish nacelle that complements the fairing.

The bike ensures maximum visibility in all weather conditions and features a fog light, fender light, taillight, and turn signals.

To help you find your essentials at night, a light helps illuminate the inside of the trunk.

The Indian Roadmaster features a large, big-bore 1890 cc engine. The Thunder Stroke 111 is an air-cooled, four-stroke V-twin engine that produces a horsepower of 92 hp and maximum torque of 172.2 Nm at 2900 rpm.

The engine’s split dual exhaust comes with a crossover to optimize engine performance and produce a steady flow of exhaust. Moreover, the fuel filter offers a crisp throttle response.

The closed loop fuel system injects an accurate amount of air and fuel in the engine for greater combustion efficiency and higher engine output.

The engine is supplied to the six-speed transmission via a smooth clutch system that allows seamless gear shifts.

Surprisingly, this 412 kg machine is quie nimble for its weight. The 31° lean angle, 5.9-inch trail, and 29° rake angle keep the bike stable whether you ride in a straight line or make turns.

The handlebars are light which increases the maneuverability of the bike manifolds.

The front fork and rear mono-shock suspension with air-adjustment offer plush wheel travel and support your weight so you can enjoy a more comfortable riding experience. The low seat height and well-damped suspension keep things smooth no matter the condition of the road.

The Metzeler Cruisetec wheels of the Roadmaster are covered with durable tires that offer maximum road traction so you can ride safely on different terrains and in different weather conditions. The tire pressure indicator will help you be aware of when your tire needs to be replaced so you don’t end up stuck on the side of the road. The 180 mm rear tire is a prominent feature of the bike that adds to its tourer appeal.

The Roadmaster’s brakes are designed to ensure a safe experience on the highways. The strong front and rear brakes bring the bike to an immediate stop with a single press. The standard ABS system is reliable and inspires confidence in riders.

The Roadmaster is an unparalleled tourer due to its exceptional level of comfort. The low seat height provides good stability. Moreover, the bike has a unique heating and cooling feature for the seat. The ape handlebars and heated hand grips are comfortably spread apart and within reach. The floorboards are spacious and keep your feet relaxed as you ride for long hours. Riders have yet to report back sores and aches after riding this bike for long hours.

Another feature that enhances the Chief Roadmaster’s level of comfort is its electronic windshield. You can decide how much air should touch your face as you ride at highway speeds.

The Roadmaster offers an overall 136 liters of storage. It is equipped with stylish hard saddlebags and a trunk. You can pack everything you might need during your vacation tours with convenience due to the exceptional storage capacity.

The Roadmaster features a seven-inch wide touchscreen that features a clock, tire pressure indicator, oil change warning, speed, cruise control, ABS light, fuel and rpm gauge, gear position indicator, and a trip meter.

Moreover, you can select any one of the three riding modes using this touch screen. The Apple Carplay option allows you to connect your phone to the bike. This way, you can use Google maps for navigation and other information. With Bluetooth connection, you can play your music playlist to keep you entertained while you ride.

The Indian Roadmaster is built for open roads and can attain a top speed of 115 mph.

The Thunder Stroke 111 engine of Roadmaster has a displacement of 1890 cc.

The Indian Roadmaster engine produces a peak horsepower of 92 hp.

The Indian Roadmaster offers an estimated mileage of 39.5 US-mpg and 43.1 imp-mpg.

The Indian Roadmaster has everything that a rider could ask for. A powerful 1890 cc engine, six-speed transmission, strong suspensions, a smooth drivetrain, and superior build. The bike has exceptional levels of comfort and is loaded with travel amenities. Despite weighing 909 lbs, the Roadmaster is an agile bike and performs equally well on city streets and open highways.

Sold at a price of $30,499, the Chief Roadmaster is an awesome ride that can prove to be a worthwhile investment.

The Indian Chief Roadmaster is a loaded bagger motorcycle. Everything you need for tours and camping trips is already on the motorcycle.

The motorcycle is well-designed and equipped with all the necessary components. So all you need to do is pack your essentials in the luggage provided and hit the road.

But some riders like to customize their tourer to give it a personal touch. For this purpose, you can replace the factory-installed touring accessories with Indian-specific aftermarket parts. This includes soft leather saddlebags, fairing, crash bars, luggage racks, sissy bar, and rider and passenger backrests.

If you want to use your Roadmaster as a lightweight, daily commuter, then you can opt for small handlebar bags or windshield bags. The best thing about custom parts is that you can add or remove them whenever to better suit your needs.