Indian Chieftain Dark Horse Vs. Harley Davidson Street Glide

Indian Motorcycles and the Harley Davidson are two iconic American motorcycle manufacturers that have produced top-class motorcycles since the early 1900s. Both motorcycle brands became popular during World War I when the U.S. Government asked them to produce motorcycles for their troops. Indian Motorcycles and Harley Davidson are the biggest competitors in the U.S. market that produce the best cruisers and touring bikes.

The Indian Chieftain Dark Horse and the Harley Davidson Street Glide are well-known touring motorcycles. The Indian Chieftain Dark Horse is one of the most luxurious and expensive bagger-style touring bikes in the Indian lineup, with several modern ride-assist and safety features and an infotainment system for a comfortable and fun touring experience. The rider can ride this motorbike for hours without getting exhausted. The Indian Chieftain Dark Horse comes with Bluetooth connectivity, navigation, USB connection, mobile connectivity, AM/FM, and speakers to keep the rider entertained on long-distance rides. Meanwhile, the Harley Street Glide comes with a few modern features, including cruise control, Reflex Linked Brembo Brakes, and an infotainment system. This article is a detailed comparison between the Indian Chieftain Dark Horse and the Harley Davidson Street Glide.

The Indian Chieftain Dark Horse has a streamlined look with blacked-out finishing. It is available in seven unique color schemes with the Indian Motorcycles logo on both sides of the fuel tank. The Indian Chieftain Dark Horse is fitted with a step-up seat capable of two-up riding offering lumbar support for the rider. It also comes with standard saddlebags and a sleek batwing fairing with an electronically adjustable midsized windscreen. A round headlamp is enclosed inside the fairing with a small vent below the windscreen. The blacked-out, teardrop-shaped side mirrors are attached to the ends of the pulled-back handlebars. The batwing fairing comes with two high-output speakers, two analog gauges, and a seven-inch touchscreen display. The Indian Chieftain Dark Horse is also fitted with stock crash bars and floorboards for a relaxed touring experience. The chopped front fender provides a full view of the stylish 10-spoke contrast-cut front wheel. Overall, it is a modern-day bagger-style touring bike with the latest features.

The Harley Davidson Street Glide is a simple yet stylish touring bike that can be easily customized to give it a stripped-down cruiser look. It is available in three single-tone color schemes with a chrome finish. The Harley Street Glide also comes with saddlebags, crash bars, floorboards, and a batwing fairing with a small windscreen, four analog gauges, dual speakers, a display screen, and fairing-mounted side mirrors. The chopped front fender provides a good view of the Enforcer II cast aluminum wheel. The Harley Street Glide also comes with a single-piece step-up seat with a dip in the rider’s seat to provide lower back support for the rider. Overall, the Harley Street Glide is a classic bagger-style touring bike with a minimalist design and a few ride-assistance features.

The Indian Chieftain Dark Horse is powered by a 1,890 cc air-cooled, Thunderstroke 116 V-Twin engine capable of producing a torque of 170.83 Nm at 2,900 rpm. The Thunderstroke 116 engine ensures powerful, high-speed performance with quick throttle response. Despite being loaded with several modern features and heavier parts, the Indian Chieftain Dark Horse feels light when ridden at high speed. It is quite agile and nimble even while riding at lower speeds, which makes handling and turning tight corners easier. The Thunderstroke 116 V-Twin engine provides smooth power delivery and a soul-satisfying rumble.

The Indian Chieftain Dark Horse has a six-speed transmission, a belt drive, and a multi-plate assist clutch to ensure smooth clutch operation, gear shifts, and riding experience. The closed-loop fuel injection system has a bore size of 54 mm which ensures optimal fuel delivery. For lower fuel consumption and to better maintain the engine’s temperature while riding through traffic, the rear cylinder deactivation system can be switched on. However, for a fast and fun cruising experience on open roads, the rider can toggle on cruise control and sports riding mode. The Indian Chieftain Dark Horse also has touring and standard modes that are easy to switch between. It is fitted with 46 mm telescopic front forks and an air-adjustable single rear shock for a comfortable touring experience on paved and bumpy roads. The front suspension has a wheel travel of 4.7 inches and the rear suspension has a wheel travel of 4.5 inches. The Indian Chieftain Dark Horse has reliable braking with dual front discs, a single rear disc brake, and a standard ABS. Despite being loaded with several ride-assist and safety features, fairing, saddlebags, and an infotainment system, the Indian Chieftain Dark Horse is six lbs lighter than the Harley Street Glide thanks to its lightweight cast aluminum frame.

The Harley Davidson Street Glide is fitted with a 1,753 cc air-cooled, Milwaukee-Eight® V-Twin engine capable of a torque of 150.5 Nm at 3,250 rpm and a horsepower of 93 hp at 5,020 rpm. It is not a very fast motorbike, but the Milwaukee-Eight 107 ensures smooth power and torque delivery. The Harley Street Glide is a heavyweight motorbike, which makes it difficult for the Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine to provide a quick throttle response. If you are looking for a more powerful touring bike with a bigger engine size, the Harley Street Glide Special version comes with a Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine offering more powerful performance.

The Harley Street Glide is fitted with a fork-mounted batwing fairing, which makes the front end slightly heavier. A beginner rider can find this motorbike a bit tough to handle at low speeds and turning corners. However, it is easier to handle and offers a stable ride at highway speeds. The Harley Street Glide also has a six-speed transmission, belt drive, and assist & slipper clutch for smooth operation.

The Harley Street Glide comes with only a few standard ride-assist features, including cruise control and Reflex-Linked Brembo brakes. However, it is heavier than the Indian Chieftain Dark Horse due to being built with heavier metallic parts. The Harley Street Glide has a high-performance, dual-bending front valve suspension, but the hand-adjustable rear suspension has smaller wheel travel which makes continuous, long-distance rides slightly uncomfortable.

The Indian Chieftain Dark Horse is a comfortable bagger motorcycle with a low seat height of 25.6 inches and laidback ergonomics. The stock seat is slightly uncomfortable but can be replaced with an aftermarket seat. The Indian Chieftain Dark Horse also comes with stock forward-mounted floorboards so that the rider can comfortably rest their feet. The pulled-back handlebars, low seat height, and forward-mounted foot controls ensure a relaxed riding position and adequate legroom for both shorter and taller riders. Though the Indian Chieftain Dark Horse comes with an electronically adjustable windscreen, the fairing is still inadequate for blocking the incoming wind while cruising on open roads. For an ideal touring experience, the Indian Chieftain Dark Horse can be fitted with a large windscreen and backrest.

The Harley Davidson Street Glide provides a smooth ride quality and a comfortable riding position with its low seat height of 26.1 inches. The forward-mounted floorboards ensure adequate legroom and the swept-back handlebars are within comfortable reach of the rider. Both shorter and taller riders can comfortably ride this motorbike due to its upright back position and adequate legroom. However, the Harley Street Glide has a smaller, less powerful engine, a wet weight of 829 lbs, and a heavier front end which makes it difficult to handle while riding through traffic, making U-turns, and maneuvering at low speeds, especially for beginners. However, once it reaches a good speed, it does not feel heavy and becomes easy to ride. The Harley Street Glide can also be transformed into an ideal touring motorcycle suited for long-distance rides by installing a large windscreen, sissy bars, backrests, and luggage racks.

Both Harley Davidson and Indian Motorcycles produce reliable motorcycles, which is why they have remained so successful for more than a century. Harley Davidson has remained a popular motorcycle brand since its introduction; Indian Motorcycles also rose in popularity since Polaris acquired the company in 2011. Reliability is one of the major reasons why both motorcycle companies are popular worldwide.

Harley Davidson has an edge over Indian Motorcycles when it comes to reliability due to being an older motorcycle brand, which has been operating since 1903. Harley Davidson motorcycles also have better resale and holding values than Indian motorbikes.

Older Harley Davidson motorcycles that were manufactured decades ago are still frequently seen on the roads which prove their reliability. Expert says that this is also one of the reasons why Harley Davidson’s recent sales have dropped.

The Indian Chieftain Dark Horse and the Harley Davidson Street Glide are comfortable baggers with unique looks. Both touring bikes have low seat heights, adequate legroom, and comfortable riding position. The Indian Chieftain Dark Horse is an expensive touring bike due to being loaded with many ride-assist and safety features, including ABS, selectable riding modes, cruise control, and rear cylinder deactivation. The Indian Chieftain Dark Horse’s infotainment system is powered by Ride Command and comes with a seven-inch touchscreen, weather updates, live traffic situations, music, and mobile phone connectivity. It also has a more powerful and torquey engine, ideal for two-up riding across long distances. Meanwhile, the Harley Street Glide is a heavyweight motorcycle with a less powerful engine, making it slightly unsuitable for two-up riding across long distances. However, the Harley Street Glide is $7,069 cheaper than the Indian Chieftain Dark Horse.