Indian Roadmaster Elite
This week, Indian announced a super premium, brand new version of their Roadmaster Tora as part of their top of the line elite range of bikes.
And it has to be said, this is a fantastic looking bike with a really special finish. But the price tag is particularly steep at £38,695. So can it possibly be worth it?
Technical Marvel
Now, the foundations for this new elite model, as I say, the Roadmaster Tora and from a technical perspective, you’re getting a lot of the same spec.
It’s powered by Thunder Stroke 116 cubic inch AirCool V-Twin with pushrod-driven valves, and so it should have that fairly traditional and typical American large capacity V-twin vibe to it.
Power
The emphasis really here is on torque as opposed to out and out peak power and so it makes 171 newton meters right down low in the revs at the 3000 RPM, That really is a heck of a lot of shove. Roadmaster Elite
And you can see why this engine is super appealing for a big old bike like this. That’s, of course, built to be loaded up with luggage and a passenger.
In fact, when the 20.8 liter fuel tank is properly filled up, the entire package comes in at 403 kilograms, which really does put it right up there with the heaviest of bikes.
But then again, it should perhaps come as no surprise because this thing is purely built for straight line comfort and leaves no stone unturned in terms of distance riding features.
Tech Infusion
There’s plenty of wind protection, for example, from the substantial fork mounted fairing.
And also you’ve got an electronically adjustable windscreen and some lower fairing vents that can be adjusted. Roadmaster Elite
So the airflow can be perfectly optimized, specifically for each rider. Then you’ve got 137 liters of luggage combined, which is remote locking and tied into the keyless ignition system.
And you’ve even got a heated and cooled seat, which is something you don’t really see that often on other bikes.
So not only can you keep your butt toasty on those colder days, but also pipe in cool air when things are a little warmer.
And I’m sure when you’re baking in your riding gear, it’s going to be a welcome breeze on the behind.
Touchscreen
Then on the tech front, you’ve got the seven-inch ride command infotainment system, which is touch screen enabled. Roadmaster Elite
And not only does that allow you to control all of the settings of the bike and use their integrated navigation system, but also we’ve got Apple CarPlay, so you can hook it up to your phone and get all your favorite apps.
Then you can blast your Spotify playlist out over the 100-watt audio system that also includes an AM/FM radio.
And that’s all on top of some selectable riding modes, ABS, cruise control, USB charging points, and LED lighting all round.
There’s even rear cylinder deactivation, which switches off the cylinder closest to the rider when you’re at a standstill to help keep you cool in slow-moving traffic.
So like I say, the base bike that this elite model is built upon is already a a thing of significant comfort, and the £28,000-ish starting price makes up a good chunk of what you’re paying for the elite version. Roadmaster Elite
So with all that in mind, here’s everything that you get extra on the Roadmaster Elite.
Exclusive Upgrades
The first and most noticeable feature has to be that Tritone Candy paint job, which combines Indian signature red candy with a dark red candy and a black candy. And they say it pulls inspiration from custom bikes of the past and present.
There’s also hand-painted gold Striping, which they say is done by of the industry’s top paint jobs, and each bike takes over 24 hours to complete in terms of the paintwork.
Then you’ve got the elite branding and graphics, which is, of course, exclusive to the elite lineup so that everyone knows you’ve splash the cash.
And you’ll see that on the side cases, on the center console, and also some of the engine badges. Roadmaster Elite
Speakers
Now, that 100-watt audio system that we just mentioned gets a significant upgrade on this bike with the power band audio and bass boost package, which they say, delivers 50% louder audio through 12 speakers located in the front fairing, the saddle bags, and the trunk or top box, if you’re in the UK.
Now, not only does it give you that extra volume, but also as the bass boost part of the name implies, you get more bottom end to the sound than the stock system.
Safety Feature
Now, in terms of safety, this elite model gets their Pathfinder adaptive LED headlight upgrade as standard. Roadmaster Elite
And this is lean sensitive, so it specifically illuminates the inside of a turn, which, of course, gives you better visibility of the road surface head at night.
Also, another praiseworthy night time feature would be the backlit switch cubes, which I guess are specific to this model.
And although it might not seem like a massive deal, if you’ve got plenty of buttons to manage on a bike like this with loads of techy features, then it really can help to be able to just glance down and see what you’re prodding at, especially if you’re wearing thicker gloves, which is probably the case in the coolness of the evening.
Finishing Touches
Then you’ve got some really nice finishing details like the gloss black painted dash, polished rider and passenger floorboards, color match stitching on the heated and cooled seat, a flared windscreen, which they say gives you a little bit more wind protection, and also they’ve tinted it to match the blacked out hardware on the rest of the bike. Roadmaster Elite
Then you’ve also got some 10-spoke cast wheels, which are specific to this model, which I think have a little bit more of a modern edge.
I certainly prefer this front wheel to the standard Roadmaster with that big signature front mug guard.
Then finishing things off at the rear, you’ve got a pair of passenger armrests as standard, so hopefully that should keep them happy.
Limited Edition
Now, these bikes are shipping to dealers in spring 2024, and I believe they’ll be just 350 available worldwide. And of those, just three being sold specifically in the UK.
Comparison
But still, worth 38 grand, though, Well, if you go to the configurator and take a 28-ish, £1,000 Roadmaster Limited, add in the armrest, the fancy seat, the floorboards, the flared windscreen, heated grips, the maxed-out audio system with 12 speakers and bass boost, which costs about £3,000 its own, Pathfinder cornering lights, and the wheel upgrade, it comes in at £36,948 anyway.
That’s £1,747 quid difference with this elite model, except you don’t get the beautiful Candy Red paint job, the elite branding, and the limited run, which I guess may or may not help it to retain some of its value. Roadmaster Elite
Undoubably, 38 grand is a lot of money for a motorcycle, especially if you’re coming from just naked bikes and adventure bikes and that thing.
But if you’re really into big tours like this, especially the elite and special editions, this is pretty much what you’re expecting to pay. Roadmaster Elite
For me, it’s the best looking of the bunch now in terms of the roadmasters, and Indians always look fantastic in that signature red.