Indian Scout Vs Triumph Vs Ducati etc

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

So, interested in these bikes as a do it all machine to carry the other half around on as much as anything. Not after an amazing amount of pace but still want to have a bit of a fun. I've sat on all of the bikes I'm interested in (Scout, Scrambler, Street Twin, V7) so have an idea of ergonomics. I'll be keeping my sportsbikes alongside this so I'm aware of the reduction in power but don't want to feel like I'm going really slow.

Does anyone have any experience of the new Indian Scout and the others, also in comparison to them? In terms of how they ride two up as well and also ownership (reliability, servicing etc)? This isnt a bike that will be used as a daily commuter but good to know they wont stop on me at any given time.

Thanks for any help.
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Pictorgraphicalfantastical

[Polarbear]

Well, Indian is owned by Polaris who own/build Victory motorcycles so that's pretty pot luck on the build quality from what I have seen on here and elsewhere.

I've had 4 Triumphs although none of the ones you mentioned. I haven't had any regrets with mine.

Is the V7 not a Guzzi? No idea what the modern ones are like. I quite fancy a Griso in matt green but I never will buy one
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Rogerborg]

If I were buying a Polaris bike in the UK, I would want to get a written statement of the expected cleaning routine before I put a penny down.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[robbyb]

Harley Sportster?
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Yamaha FZ8

[andys675]

I've ridden the ducati, major fun.

light, nimble rapid, and thrash happy

easy controls and comfortable, good for carving through traffic and does excellent black line skids if you turn the ABS off
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Some people feel the rain, others just get wet.

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

Yeah, just to clarfiy. Scrambler is the new Ducati, V7 is the Guzzi (although the Griso isnt much more expensive than the Indian), Street Twin is the Triumph.

With regards to Harley I have had a look and the only one I would consider is the new Street 750. Still not convinced by the looks or the lifestyle of owning a Harley.
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Pictorgraphicalfantastical

[Spamalittle]

Can't really comment on the others but I'm currently having a love/hate relationship with my Scout. More of the latter if I'm honest.

The loves:-

Love the look of the thing, even if it does prompt me to make The Fonz poses every time I walk in to the garage. Cruiser naysayers aside it genuinely is a beautiful machine and the machining, details and styling are perfect.

Lots of useable grunt. Took me a while to get used to keeping her at higher revs so she runs smoother, but she's a rugged and responsive little beastie that still gives me a shit-eating grin when I pin it on the open road. It's light for a cruiser (244 kgs dry) so you get a lot out of the 1133cc engine. Can't comment on the new 999cc Scout Sixty tho...

Riding position - solo seat is comfortable and the foot-forward position, whilst taking a little getting used to, is actually pretty comfortable on long rides (although see below for suspension). Also means you can stretch your legs out on the pegs. Jumping on the OH's Bonneville after a while is interesting tho - feels like you're cramped into a sports position

I've never taken a pillion as I don't have the pillion saddle/pegs. Problem being the OEM saddle and pegs are about £400 to 500 squid.

The hates:-

Build quality is not terrible, but some fixings and fasteners are starting to corrode a little, and this with the bike living in a garage for last year and rarely seeing rain (was an ex demo tho so can't comment on the first 1k miles of her life).

Throttle response is interesting. Ride by wire can be a little twitchy and there are a few reports of engine surge on deceleration. No issues with my bike so far but one I hired in the States had an effing mind of its own - pretty lethal on mountain switchbacks. Polaris have so far refused to acknowledge there is a surging issue, despite multiple reports and them having completely replaced some poor punter's bike as The Surge was so bad.

OEM battery is atrocious. Remove, ritualistically sacrifice and replace.

Rear shocks - notoriously hard ride and better replaced asap. The problem being there are no real cheap after market options available. Best seems to be a decent offering from IKON but you're still looking at a few hundred quid.

Opposite is true of the OEM front fork springs - stupidly soft and IMO not fit for purpose.

Parts and accessories are obscenely expensive (including your pillion seat and pegs). I quite fancied the OEM saddle bags but they're ONE THOUSAND FLIPPING POUNDS and that's without the £150 for the mounting spools. What the actual...?

Stupid, expensive 15w-60 oil so no cheap and cheerful oil change.

Soooo, long story short - I love the Scout. I truly do, but for the price tag the build quality could, nay should, be better. Having also skimped on the suspension Polaris have delivered an underperforming, largely uncomfortable hulk which looks great and on decent roads (where are they then?) is great fun to ride but ultimately is a show piece for the garage unless you want to spend serious money on upgrades.

So yep. I'm on the fence with my Scout. Servicing, parts and accessories alone are so outrageously pricey I'm thinking of getting shot. But that's only ever my opinion when I'm sat on the couch over-thinking it. The minute the garage door opens and I fire her up all is forgiven.

All of the above notwithstanding, if it helps sway your decision my OH has a 2015 Bonneville Newchurch which, save for being air cooled and w/o ride by wire, I suspect will be pretty similar to the Street Twin. When I get on her bike and fire her up, the first thing I think is "well that's dull". It's a perfectly balanced and responsive bike but there's just no spirit, no excitement and yep, no grunt. So now I'm totally 50/50 on the fence between keeping my Scout or ditching it for a Street Triple

Hope that helps!

p.s. you wanna buy a Scout? 1133cc model, 3000 miles on the clock. Yours for £8.5k
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Story so far: RV125 VanVan > SV650 > Indian Scout > Triumph Thruxton, SV650 (again) & CG125

[Rogerborg]

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

Thanks very much for that info Spamalittle. I had noticed that the rear shocks were absoloutely solid, particularly under my little weight! Hadnt realised the prices on the rear seat and saddle would be so much either, shocking.

Potentially buying an older Triumph over the new Street Twin is another option of mine also. Having previously owned a Street Triple I'm tempted to go back to one although it isnt ideal for a pillion.

I'll look in to the Ducati a bit more I think. Not sure that's particularly good in terms of pillion carrying ability either though.
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Pictorgraphicalfantastical

[stevo as b4]

If I could afford a Ducati id not be worrying about how good the pillion seat is for carrying passengers.

Id be out in matching leathers, Foggy eyes lid and thinking I was the man!

The other bikes wont make anyone wet and tingly I would say is a reasonable assumption!