Lots of cool options and functionality of the Indian Pursuit Dark Horse

We recently took in on trade two Indian Motorcycles, a 2022 Indian Pursuit Dark Horse with Premium Package in Black Smoke and a 2020 Indian Challenger Dark Horse Thunder Black Smoke, which you can view while they are still available at www.durhamhd.com, or by clicking the links.

I’ve always wanted to put some kilometers (miles) on a Challenger and now I had the chance. Last night I grabbed the Pursuit and picked up my girlfriend and away we went.

As a Harley-Davidson sales person (at Durham Harley-Davidson in Oshawa, Ontario) you should expect me to be biased. My review will be based on comparing it to a 2023 Road Glide Limited. I’m also enlisting my girlfriend’s opinion as a passenger. She just enjoys riding passenger and is really neutral to brand.

I’m fortunate that we carry pre-owned American bikes and also many different metric brands as well, all of which she gladly rides with me.

As we left home, the first thing she mentioned was “bumpy ride.” I had used the bike’s convenient and easy electronic suspension setup, selecting “rider and passenger” and no cargo. Maybe it was my shifting as I learned the stiffer clutch and shifting (which felt clunkier compared to a H-D), but I too found it to be a bumpy ride.

She commented that there was plenty of room for the passenger, however, for more petite passengers it’s almost a bit too roomy.

After the first bump which I hit intentionally, the passenger said she felt like she was falling off. Maybe it was the extra space or the two-up setting.

I had to take my hands off the bars to re-program the suspension to one-up. This made the ride a bit more soft as we hit a few more bumps.

Sport mode is responsive and the low and torque is really nice. Standard mode left me with a squishy throttle. There just seemed to much lag in the throttle in Standard mode. Jumping ahead to the ride the next day in the rain, I really enjoyed Rain mode…the bike performed as it should and hugged the pavement on turns and straightaways.

The Challenger fairing has excellent wind protection. Using the electronic windscreen, we were well shielded from the elements. However, at five-foot ten, I found myself looking through the windshield even at its lowest setting. I had to sit up very straight to see over the windscreen.

The handling definitely felt like a Road Glide Limited. The handlebars felt familiar but more like a Street Glide rather than the “wheelbarrow” feel of the Road Glide. The bike was nimble, responsive and turned easily. I really enjoyed the agility of the Indian Pursuit Dark Horse.

That motorcycle certainly didn’t sound like a Harley Davidson. I believe this bike has a Stage I however, I really wasn’t impressed. To me, it sounded like a tractor with Cobra pipes. I commented to my team at Durham H-D that it sounded like a Pan America or Sportster S should. Not sure they were impressed LOL.

The Pursuit has a 6-speed PowerPlus Liquid Cooled 108 cu in V-twin, of course, one more cubic inch than a Road Glide Standard, but 6 cubic inches less than a Road Glide Limited. The engine puts out 122 hp and peak torque of 128 ft-lbs, whereas the 114 in the Road Glide Limited puts out only an estimated 100 hp and 118 ft-lbs. You’ll love the low-end power and snap of the throttle in Sport mode. Really wish the Road Glide Limited had this same power. Maybe in 2024?

Plenty of cargo space in the side bags and room for two helmets in the top box.

My chief complaint was the lack of handlebar controls for navigation, many audio settings, etc. Yes the bike has an impressive 7-inch TFT screen but I was uncomfortable taking my hands off the bars, looking down, and changing suspension, navigation, and audio settings.

Thankfully, I tried to hook up my iPhone before riding not during. It took me three tries to connect Bluetooth, and even after that the music kept cutting in and out. Finally out of frustration, I stopped and used a USB connection and the music came through seamlessly. There was the option for Apple CarPlay, however, I did not have my Sena headset.

Overall, the bike has impressive features not found on the stock Road Glide Limited, like electronic suspension settings, ride modes (now out on the 2023 CVO Road Glide), an Equalizer, 200-watts of crystal clear power including an antenna that actually picks up AM and FM stations, and heated seats.

Finally, from a comfort and balance perspective, I found the Pursuit tippy and crotchy. Let me explain. I felt wedged into the cockpit with my “family jewels” smushed into the premium seat. As for balance, and I hear it all the time of riders who switch from Indian or a big metric to a touring Harley-Davidson, the balance of the Road Glide Limited is far superior…it’s just less tippy. You don’t feel the passenger and top box as much on the Harley-Davidson as you do on the Indian.

Overall, the Pursuit is a great bike, just not a Harley-Davidson. I can hear the haters now and likely expect a few negative comments. Go ahead, the sound of my pipes on my Harley-Davidson will drown you out.