Indian FTR 1200 S

Flat tracker for the road?

- Abhay Verma

Purity of intent always makes motorcycles enticing, no? Like flat trackers – they were conceived with the sole purpose of going fast on hard-packed dirt. More importantly, flat tracking requires a specific setup, which is why flat trackers are usually ‘garage-built’ rather than bought from dealerships. But Indian Motorcycles has just launched the FTR 1200, a motorcycle it says is a flat tracker for the road. Effectively, the FTR is the first flat track motorcycle you can buy in India. More importantly, it is based on Indian Motorcycle’s flat track championship winning machine, the FTR 750. But does such a heavy focus on one aspect of motorcycling affect a bike’s performance otherwise? We swung a leg over the FTR 1200 S, to find out.

If looks could kill…

The FTR isn’t gorgeous in the Italian way but looks stunning and will make you stop in your tracks to soak in its details. In fact, the Ed, who converted to being a hardcore car guy aeons ago, was so blown away he wanted to review the FTR himself! Then there’s the overall compactness. The bike looks deceptively small and at first glance appears roughly as large as a middleweight machine especially from the rear, given the slim tail piece and 150-section rear tyre.

The headlight integrates multiple projector beams and looks distinctive. Upswept twin exhausts look very nice and make for a sporty appearance from the sides. More importantly, the FTR boasts top-notch fit-finish levels and build quality is excellent. I also like the tank, though it is just a dummy and the actual tank sits under the seat. Fluid hoses are positioned neatly and the wiring gets nylon covers, indicating excellent attention to detail.