How Does the New Sportster S Compare To the Indian Scout?
Did Harley build a better middleweight V-Twin than Indian?
Competition Emerges
The Indian Scout arrived on the scene back in 2015 and quickly unseated the Harley-Davidson Sportster as America's middleweight V-Twin of choice by taking a much more modern approach than the aging Sportster. Thus, Harley went back to the drawing board and came up with the Custom 1250 concept, which it revealed back in 2018, signaling big changes. A few years later, the Sportster S was officially revealed, representing the first major changes to the model since 1986.
Photos: Harley-Davidson
Power Advantage
The Sportster S certainly has the juice to compete with the Scout, thanks to its Revolution Max 1250T powerplant, which produces 121 horsepower and 94 lb-ft of torque. That's enough to trump the Scout's 100 horsepower and 72 lb-ft of torque, which was once the benchmark for this segment. The Scout also weighs 59 pounds more than the Sportster S, which means that it should have a hard time keeping up.
Photos: Indian
Handling
Then there's the matter of handling, and once again (on paper at least), the newer Sportster S has the advantage thanks to its 59.8-inch wheelbase, linkage-equipped monoshock, and adjustable USD fork. The older Scout gets by with a longer 62-inch wheelbase, dual rear shocks, and a conventional front-end design.
Photos: Harley-Davidson
Tires
Meanwhile, the Scout rolls on a set of matching 16-inch wheels wrapped with Pirelli Night Dragon tires, while the Sportster S uses staggered 16- and 17-inch wheels and specially-developed Dunlop GT503 rubber, which are both sticky and aggressive. This helps the Harley provide a 34-degree lean angle compared to the Scout's 29-degree result.
Photos: Indian
Seating Position
There are some big differences between these two bikes, most notably the Scout's seat height of 29.6 inches, which is four inches higher than the Sportster S's 25.6-inch height. This is an important consideration for shorter riders, as well as novice riders, who tend to prefer a higher perch than those that are more experienced.
Photos: Harley-Davidson
Better for Novices?
The Sportster S also wins points with newer riders thanks to its plethora of rider-assist technology, including traction control, ride modes, engine braking settings, and cornering ABS, as well as a round four-inch TFT display. The Scout offers, well, ABS at least, along with an analog speedometer and digital tachometer. The same goes for brakes - the Sportser S features Brembo brakes with four-piston front calipers, while the Scout makes do with a two-piston front setup.
Photos: Indian
Pricing
Thus, by every measure, the Sportster S seems like a far superior choice to the Scout, though it is a bit more expensive. With a starting MSRP of $14,999, the newest Harley costs $3,000 more than the Indian, though it offers far more features and significantly more power. Now, we'll just have to wait and see how these two modern American cruisers stack up on the sales charts.
Photos: Harley-Davidson
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