2003 Indian Motorcycle reviews

I love my 2002 Chief and the changes for 2003 only refine it more. I agree the air cleaner is terrible but Gary Stark of Starklite is making an aftermarket setup that will be available this month through him and Indian both. The awesome is a torgue monster...since we all know that HP without torgue is nothing. The ride is good...the handling on the road is good...though it can be a bit of a challenge at parking lot speeds but then again this is a big bike. Fit and finish is awesome and the amount of chrome that comes std is eyepopping compared to my friends on HD bikes. This bike has no more problems than any of the other American counterparts...including the Motor Company and Polaris/Victory... Finally, the naysayers that said it would only last a year or two were wrong...as were the calls of kit bike especially since it now makes its own frame and motor for the Chief. Many feel this bike is going to make it...and continues to grow stronger and better each year...afterall, how manyother companies are putting out a product this nice and refined after only 4 years back in business...? The Chief is a great bike...better than the Fatboy and Roadking in my opinion...and definately has more show and go than competitors. If you like Indian bikes and have wanted a classic ride...then buy one. If you are a fan of the motor company or metric cruisers...then you might be better with one of them..since if you do not get what you want the first time...you will never be happy. Just dont balk when you pay 3k over sticker for the Road King..and then sink 2-3k more in chrome...and another 2k in upgrades just to get your bike equal to the Chief off the showroom floor. Good riding, no matter what you choose...but the Chief is a great bike and will be around for a while and hopefully regain the glory as it knew as AMERICAs FIRST MOTORCYCLE company... Show less

I plunked down 25 large rode it home,excited to show it off to my neighbors,and yea the bike looks cool,but thats where the love affair ends.I tried to start it and it coughed and sputtered and finally started.I thought it might have bad gas,so I had it towed back to the dealer.They drained the tank and I noticed a bunch of goo that came out the tank.The dealer cleaned it out since it was the first fill.The bike only had 10 miles on it.My neighbors are still laughing at me,as the tow truck had to be called again,this time because the belt came off,45 miles from home.2 tows in less than 100 miles.Happy?Not!!! Show less

The chief is so uncomfortable the air cleaner will wear a hole through your left knee.The motor shakes the poop out of you,so you'll won't be buying any Exlax.I tried to sell it back to the dealer,but he only offered me $15,000 for it.I took it and lost $12,000 in 2 months.What a nightmare! Show less

As with any product you can have a lemon 1 out of every 100 made. Look at all our great Cars. Look at all the recalls. I've seen more HD's die out the door then Indians. The Spirit has the looks and feel of Great American Steel. It's mostly made in America unlike HD's. 54% of HD's are made in other lands (Mexico, Japan, China and Australia) Get with the show. Indians are good bikes. Yes they have growing pains, but they're working them out. Go Test drive one and feel the heart and soul this bike has. Show less

The Spirit is a good lokkin good ride. The fit and finish of all the chrome and paint is by far better then any other bike out there. The gears are set just right. don't condem the Scoot till you ride one. Show less

You have to love the looks of the Indian line. That big old tear drop head lamp, and those classic fenders just cry out for hard wax shines and show off parking places on the strip. But the ride and the bike is a disappointment. The first reality is that Indian is struggling to find a place for that air filter. It sticks out far enough to bother your leg when you cruise, and on the chiefs, it is butt ugly. For 22k, shouldn't be. Next the gear ratio labors to produce an around town ride. The engine has balls, but you are hard pressed to enjoy the rpms at 25-35 mph. You will find yourself shifting alot trying to find a home. Finally the exhaust system sizzled an inch off my boots sole! Not a very good set up if you ask me. I put 11k on my ride this summer, and never had to put up with any of these concerns. I think the Indian is going to have a short cruise on the America motorcycle market. Show less

From the second I drove my Brand new 2002 Spirit Deluxe off the lot, I have had nothing but problems!!! I did manage to get 4 blocks before it died in the middle of an intersection. Thinking I forgot to turn the gas on, I checked it. The gas was on and had plenty in the tank. The bike had to be towed to a shop and fixed. Then a week later it died on me again. Took it back to the dealership. After that, it ran even worse, backfiring and cutting out when you give it a little throttle. But the final thing that happened was as I was coming to a stop. I let off the throttle and started to apply the brakes, and all of the sudden it opens up full throttle! After almost slamming into the cars infront of me, I try to turn it off but it wouldn't. Finally it stopped, and once again...I WAS SITTING ON THE CURB WITH MY BRAND NEW INDIAN!!!!! I'm now in the process of contacting the Better Business Bureau and the Indian Manufacturer to try to get my money back. Show less

I have only driven 200 miles so far but the Spirit is very comfortable & is a real attention getter. I have been notified by the Dealer of a recall on one of the wheel axles. They will be replacing it soon. I was told it would take 15 to 30 minutes. That is why I only gave 4 stars. I paid $1,000.00 less than MSRP which is unheard of if you shop for a Harley. The amount of stock Chrome puts Harley Davidson to shame. The dealer did an air kit to the bike which I was told increases performance & most people will come back to have done if they didn't have it done at the time of purchase. The bike has a loud throaty American bike sound & I would recommend it to anyone in the market for an American cruiser. Show less

Since I am in the market for a new bike after a long spell without one, I have been looking at the american iron available today. After looking at Harley and Victory I took a test ride last friday on the Indian Spirit and must say it was a lot of fun. The S & S provides plenty of giddy-up and the brakes give the needed whoa power. The riding position felt comfortable and the seat provides lower back support. The bike rides nice and handles very well for a cruiser. A couple of times I was doing 80 mph without even realizing it. The engine is mounted straight to the frame so there is some vibration. The mirrors shake a little at a stop. The fit and finish and the amount of polish, chrome, and braided lines blow Harley off the map as far as a stock bike goes. The stock heel & toe shifter was a new experience for me, but I adapt quickly. You get more for your money than you would with a Harley, but I feel ALL the American bikes are higher priced than they should be. It seems we are being gouged for our patriotism and pride in our country. The Victory Motorcycle and its lack of style, and the Harley dealers and their attitude that "hey, someone else will pay way over MSRP for this bike", have almost convinced me to buy the Indian Spirit (the Chief is cool but not my style). I still have some more research and looking to do, but the Spirit looks killer in black with all that chrome. It really is a super clean looking mount, and, like the Chief, it stands out in a crowd because I noticed one at a poker run a couple of weeks ago. The dealer seems genuine and acts like he will take care of any problems during the 5 year warranty he would throw into the deal, and a free loaner during down time. I can't rate the bike at 5 stars because I don't own one, yet. I recommend at least go test ride one for the fun of it. Unlike Harley, the dealers let you touch the motorcycles and sit on them and even ride them, ooooooh. You don't have to rent one to try it out. Ride safe! Show less