After a three-year hiatus from the lineup, Indian Motorcycle unleashes a refurbished model of the Roadmaster Elite with all the identical goodies from 2020 beneath the hood, however with a modernized bodywork bundle that leaves the dated outdated sheet steel within the rearview. A robust engine pushes the platform whereas Indian’s RIDE COMMAND infotainment delivers a top-notch driving expertise. The worth is over the $40,000 mark, and we anticipate that with a motorbike similar to this. It’s additionally a limited-edition mannequin slated for a 350-unit manufacturing run worldwide, which lends it an additional layer of exclusivity.

What’s New For 2024

This model-year brings a full-up facelift to the showroom flooring with just about each piece of sheet steel falling beneath the sculptor’s knife. Gone are the dated baggage, fairing, and entrance fender from the earlier mannequin, all changed with up to date elements to drag this mannequin firmly into the twenty first century, “at last” some may add. The engine, transmission, and electronics stay the identical as earlier than, which is a ringing endorsement of the outgoing mannequin in that, right here in MY2024, the manufacturing facility was unable to enhance upon it. Or maybe unwilling?

2024 Highlights

• Modernized bodywork
• Powerful, 116 cubic-inch engine
• RIDE COMMAND digital help
• Fabulous distinctive tri-tone colorway
• Tasteful gold trim

2024 Indian Roadmaster Elite Performance And Capability

Folks, this Thunderstroke 116 within the Roadmaster Elite is Indian’s improve engine with 20 % extra energy and 15 % extra torque over the base-model Thunderstroke 111 mill. It rocks the identical 49-degree V-twin structure with the {fake flathead look in full impact and has blackout therapy and polished cooling-fin edges that actually make that massive V visually pop. A 103.2 mm bore and 113 mm stroke offers it a 1,890 cc displacement (116 cubic-inch) to make it one of many greatest manufacturing V-twins at present out there as of the time of this writing.

External pushrod tubes add to the side-valve vibe, however they’re shot with black paint that makes them somewhat inconspicuous in opposition to the blackout engine. Induction management falls to the 54 mm throttle physique. Indian’s Selectable Ride Modes allow you to dial in energy supply to go well with, and the Rear-Cylinder Deactivation characteristic kills the rear cylinder at stops to cut back warmth era. The 2024 Indian Roadmaster Elite produces 92 horsepower and 126 pound-feet of torque. That’s loads of {oomph to drag its nearly 900 kilos off the road and up the gear vary with authority. Indian makes use of a gear-type main drive which, in contrast to a chain-type main drive, does not require frequent adjustment nor the tensioner examined for put on to forestall it from turning into a ticking time bomb in your plant.

Performance Specifications

Design And Styling

The new design is absolutely all the promoting level for this newest era of Roadmaster Elite, and you may go forward and shade me impressed. I’m digging the brand new look. It’s fashionable and sharp with tons of curb attraction. It even makes crimson paint look good, and I often do not like crimson except it is on a Ducati or Honda, after all. Plus, it is onerous to go mistaken with black highlights (lowlights?).

Also, I often do not like gold in any capability, however Indian pulls it off. The new entrance fender is a full-length unit, however as an alternative of the outdated full-valence fender, the brand new one has cut-back sides and a robust aptitude on the trailing edge to place it squarely in customized nation. Naturally, it rocks that traditional conflict bonnet fender decoration that has for thus lengthy marked Indian merchandise.

Also gone is the somewhat dome-shaped entrance fairing in favor of a contemporary, batwing-style fairing that trades rider safety for higher penetration and elegance. It retains the push button-adjustable windshield that permits you to set the peak of the highest of the wind pocket, so you may dial in for consolation. The cyclops headlight makes use of LED projectors, and is of the Adaptive selection that displays lean angle and places the sunshine on the street forward of you within the curve the place you want it for higher nighttime security and peace of thoughts.

Set in a gloss black painted sprint, a seven-inch, shade TFT display screen dietary supplements the twin spherical speedo/tach gauges. Mini LCD screens deal with all of the mundane driving metrics together with management of the digital ride-control/security techniques and infotainment options.

The black heated and cooled seats include color-matched crimson stitching for a putting distinction, and each pilot and pillion take pleasure in help for his or her ft and legs on Indian-headdress floorboards. Both redesigned, the onerous baggage and high case full the visible divorce from its forebear. Seat peak is low at solely 26.5 inches off the deck, which places the pilot in a commanding place at stops and within the parking heaps.

Specifications And Dimensions

Chassis And Handling

The downtube/cradle body association on the Roadmaster Elite totally helps the huge drivetrain somewhat than utilizing it as a burdened member to finish the construction. As for geometry, it carries a 25-degree rake angle with 5.9 inches of path that makes it each helpful within the turns and regular in a crosswind. According to the manufacturing facility, you may lean it as much as 31 levels to both aspect, when you’ve got the nerve for it, that’s.

A set of fats 46 mm forks float the entrance finish on 4.7 inches of journey, and made fatter nonetheless by the blackout beercan fork skirts which are about as old-school because it will get. Out again, a single shock takes care of enterprise with 4.5 inches of journey and an air-adjust preload characteristic as the one suspension tweak. The wheels are cast-alloy in a 10-spoke design with a 19-inch wheel forward of a 16-incher. They come shod in Metzeler Cruisetec rubber with a 130/60 up entrance and a 180/60 out again.

This bike has some heft to it, little doubt, however the manufacturing facility offers you the instruments to handle it with twin four-bore calipers up entrance, a twin-piston anchor out again, and 300 mm discs throughout. ABS comes inventory.

Chassis And Suspension

2024 Indian Roadmaster Elite Price And Availability

MSRP on the 2024 Indian Roadmaster Elite begins at $41,999. That is up there for certain, however the excellent news is it comes already well-stocked with each bells and whistles, all from the highest shelf. They name the colorway “Indian Motorcycle Red Candy over Black Candy,” and it has hand-painted gold trim in addition.

Pricing And Features

2024 Indian Roadmaster Elite Versus Its Competitors

Between the displacement, options, and worth, the Roadmaster Elite finds itself in uncommon firm. However, a few bikes stand out nearly as good competitors with the Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide and Gold Wing Tour from Honda.

How The Indian Roadmaster Elite Compares To The Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide

The Harley-Davidson packs an enormous, 121 cubic-inch V-twin with 115 ponies and 139 pound-feet of torque to depart the Indian within the mud. Plus, it comes with the complete array of security techniques as inventory gear. Not simply any ones both; these are the lean-sensitive kind for an additional leg up on the Roadmaster Elite. H-D’s infotainment system rivals Indian’s personal, so we’ll simply name {that a} wash. In the draw back, it does not include a inventory tour pack which is able to set you again one other $1,200, and that is on high of the lofty $44,499 beginning worth.

• 	2024 Indian Roadmaster Elite	2024 Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide
  Model	Roadmaster Elite	CVO Street Glide
  Engine	1,890 CC V-twin	1,977 cc V-twin
  Transmission	6-speed handbook	6-speed handbook
  Horsepower	92 HP	115 HP @ 4,500 RPM
  Torque	126 LB-FT @ 2,900 RPM	139 LB-FT @ 3,000 RPM
  MSRP	$41,999	$44,499

How The Indian Roadmaster Elite Compares To The Honda Gold Wing Tour Airbag Automatic DCT

Honda actually brings its personal goodies to the desk with the Gold Wing Tour Airbag Automatic DCT. As the devilishly-clever identify suggests, this bike comes with an automated transmission that neither of the opposite two can match. This additionally offers it a walking-speed operate together with a reverse characteristic that’s distinctive amongst these three. Perhaps better of all is the airbag characteristic that ought to lend it unparalleled security. It comes with full baggage, full fairing, and windshield. The heated grips and seats are a pleasant addition, too. The flat-six engine brings the numbers with 125 ponies and 125 pound-feet of torque, and the Gold Wing Tour will not break the financial institution at $33,000.

• 	2024 Indian Roadmaster Elite	2024 Honda Gold Wing Tour Airbag DCT
  Model	Roadmaster Elite	Gold Wing Tour Airbag DCT
  Engine	1,890 CC V-twin	1,833 cc flat 6
  Transmission	6-speed handbook	7-speed automated DCT
  Horsepower	92 HP	118 HP @ 5,500 RPM
  Torque	126 LB-FT @ 2,900 RPM	123 LB-FT @ 4,000 RPM
  MSRP	$41,999	$33,000

He Said/She Said

He Said

Pencil me in as a fan of the paint and general darkness that hangs like a cloak across the Elite. Definitely has oodles of curb attraction, and is a rolling envy machine. I additionally like that Indian deserted the outdated Roadmaster construct right here, ‘trigger I by no means favored it, however that is one I might positively be seen driving.

She Said

My spouse and fellow motorbike author, Allyn Hinton, says,

It’s positively a lovely bike. I’m not a fan of the strips. I believe it might look higher if the colours light into one another, but when that is the {worst factor I can say about it, it is actually a small nitpick. It would additionally ignore the truth that this paint honors the 1904 Indian Motorcycle Red. The Elite’s tricolor scheme of Indian Motorcycle Red Candy, Dark Indian Motorcycle Red Candy, and Black Candy with its blacked-out styling and painted by hand Championship Gold pinstripes takes greater than 24 hours to finish for every bike produced. Combine that customized paint with Indian’s top-shelf options and that is one lovely bike.