2015 Indian Scout Test Drive Score Sheet

The Indian Scout is one gorgeous motorcycle. And though many may mock us for taking a cruiser to the track, our main reason was to have a safe, enclosed environment where there won’t be cattle, dogs and absent-minded people straying across our path when we test the bike. With beautiful retro styling, one can just sit and look at it for hours. As a matter of the fact, the Scout will make anyone look good. This is why it scored a lot of points in design – understandably! With a beautifully crafted single seat, it provides great lower back support – making it ideal for long rides. It’s just you and the machine. Its low centre of gravity also means that it can manoeuvred around the city without much effort. And despite weighing 253 kilos, the Scout easily cuts through traffic.

The liquid-cooled V-twin 1,133cc engine is very smooth and responsive. Just twist the throttle, and it starts sprinting without warning. It manages to reach 150km/h very quickly, and the swiftness of the power delivery took all of us by surprise. Even Sarath had to check the speedometer to believe how quick the Scout was. And since it produces almost 100Nm of torque and 100bhp, it never runs out of steam.

But, of course, the Scout isn’t exactly built to stray too far from the straight highway. And so it’s a bit of a tug-of-war when it comes to taking sharp bends. It’s just not particularly happy to do it. The tyres on our test bike were past their prime and didn’t inspire much confidence. And since it’s not a particularly bulky bike, we did expect it to be better when changing direction.

But there is absolutely no doubt that the Indian Scout is one of the most stunning motorcycles on the market. If one has Rs. 11.99 lakhs stashed away somewhere (Ex-showroom, Delhi), you would have to be heartless not to consider the Indian Scout. With the way it looks, let’s just say that you’ll be the talk of the town on the saddle of this bike. Plus, it’s extremely comfortable to ride as well. In terms of engine refinement too, it’s spot on and the acceleration is simply brilliant. Its Achilles heel was practicality and value-for-money. But this is a bike that you choose with your heart rather than mind. So, never mind the scores – if it tugs at your heartstrings (like it does ours) you’d better start saving now.

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