Indian FTR 1200
Bike SA|November 2019
What is an American motorcycle? That’s easy to answer, surely; an enormous cruiser, thunderous v-twin engine, gaudy design, basic engineering? Yeah, that pretty much just about sums it up.
Harry Fisher
Indian FTR 1200

However, while all of the above might be true, it does ignore the phenomenon of the American racing motorcycle, a phenomenon that is even more interesting because the sport for which it was designed was (and is) so ‘American’, while the motorcycles built to compete, are not.

The flat track racer is lean and purposeful, the complete antithesis of road bikes. It is very fast, handles well and has a stark beauty all of its own, which does rather make one wonder why American manufacturers haven’t seen fit to produce road-legal versions.

Actually, it has been tried but very half-heartedly, which has left the door wide open for Indian to take a leap into unknown territory and produce the FTR1200, possibly the most anticipated motorcycle of 2019.

Indian was involved in flat track racing during their first incarnation, taking AMA National Championship titles in 1951, ’52 and ’53, the year the original company went bankrupt and ceased trading, leaving the market wide open for a certain manufacturer from Milwaukee. Despite concerted assaults from Europe and Japan which undoubtedly had a huge impact on the home-grown product, the company survived and came to define American motorcycling.

It was into this one-make dominated market that the Indian name reappeared in 2011, under the ownership of Polaris. Initially, it looked as if the heritage trail of Polaris would be following Indian and would be the traditional American route of large cruiser motorcycles, however the Chief and Chieftain models did nothing to dispel this impression.

Even the Scout and Scout Bobber, showed that Indian was thinking on its feet, as these models were still variations on the theme, albeit smaller but still packing serious punch in the market. The heritage was there for all to see but with a subtly modern appearance.

This story is from the November 2019 edition of Bike SA.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the November 2019 edition of Bike SA.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BIKE SAView All
A Ladies Perspective What a Surprise Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
Bike SA

A Ladies Perspective What a Surprise Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX

I’m sure as everyone knows by now there is little that compares to my BMW K1200S and out of the 13 different bikes I’ve been lucky enough to ride over the 18 months I’ve been riding, I finally came across one that I’m almost certain I’d swap my bike for…

time-read
4 mins  |
June 2022
Goodwood's 79th Members Meeting - Hunting, Shooting and - Racing
Bike SA

Goodwood's 79th Members Meeting - Hunting, Shooting and - Racing

For that’s what marked the 79th Goodwood Members Meeting aka 79MM, held this year on April 9-10, which this time included two thrilling motorcycle races, each with a blanket finish which in Race 1 saw less than a second covering the first four bikes home.

time-read
10+ mins  |
June 2022
MIDWEIGHT PUNCH - TRIUMPH TIGER SPORT 660
Bike SA

MIDWEIGHT PUNCH - TRIUMPH TIGER SPORT 660

The Triumph brand seems to be going from strength to strength worldwide. New models are seeing the light of day in various sectors, and here in South Africa there is a carefully planned dealer expansion program in action.

time-read
7 mins  |
June 2022
Isle of Man TT-winning ABUS NORTON NRS588 GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Bike SA

Isle of Man TT-winning ABUS NORTON NRS588 GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Exclusive track test of the last British bike to win the Isle of Man Senior TT in 1992, after what's widely considered to be the most exciting race ever held in the Island

time-read
10+ mins  |
June 2022
NORTON ROTARY RACERS HISTORY - Rotary Race Record
Bike SA

NORTON ROTARY RACERS HISTORY - Rotary Race Record

For eight successive seasons the world’s first - and so far only - Rotary-engined racebikes swept to serial success on British racetracks. Here’s a timeline on their ebb and flow.

time-read
7 mins  |
June 2022
MOTO MORINI'S Alberto Monni - INTERVIEW
Bike SA

MOTO MORINI'S Alberto Monni - INTERVIEW

Exclusive interview with Moto Morini's CEO Alberto Monni, responsible for directing its ride along the comeback trail since its 2018 takeover by Zhongneng Vehicle Group/ZVG

time-read
9 mins  |
June 2022
KAWASAKI NINJA 1000SX - Surprise Package
Bike SA

KAWASAKI NINJA 1000SX - Surprise Package

I’ve recently written in my Editor’s note bemoaning the lack of available Sports-Touring motorcycles nowadays.

time-read
5 mins  |
June 2022
DRYSDALE HISTORY PART 4/5: 25 YEARS ON FROM CREATION OF FIRST 750-V8
Bike SA

DRYSDALE HISTORY PART 4/5: 25 YEARS ON FROM CREATION OF FIRST 750-V8

2002 1000-V8 Bruiser mega-Monster was a Naked roadster with added muscle - the answer to the question of how to out-max a Yamaha V-Max!

time-read
4 mins  |
June 2022
GODIER & GENOUD KAWASAKI 1000 - Enquring Excellence
Bike SA

GODIER & GENOUD KAWASAKI 1000 - Enquring Excellence

Exclusive track test at France's Carole circuit of what's arguably the first motorcycle of the modern era - the title-winning Kawasaki Endurance racer built in 1975 by Frenchmen Georges Godier and Alain Genoud

time-read
10+ mins  |
June 2022
Unnecessarily Fast, or Unnecessarily Dangerous?
Bike SA

Unnecessarily Fast, or Unnecessarily Dangerous?

“The bigger they are, the harder they fall.” This truism comes from boxing, but applies to all walks of life. Innovative MotoGP superstar Marc Marquez, however, adds a new twist.

time-read
4 mins  |
May 2022