Summary
- Indian Motorcycles is preparing to unleash a powerful 122ci V-twin engine to rival Harley-Davidson.
- The upcoming 122ci engine will be air-cooled and will likely match the CVO Road Glide’s output.
- The new engine will debut in a variant called “Colt,” making it the flagship Chief model for Indian’s 2025 lineup.
Last year, Harley-Davidson made a statement move when it unveiled the Milwaukee Eight 121ci engine. It was the company’s biggest production engine to date, armed with impressive horsepower and dollops of torque. At the time, all Indian Motorcycles did was enjoy the show. But now, after roughly one year, it is gearing up for retaliation. How? By readying an even bigger V-twin engine to overshadow Harley’s 121ci mill.
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Indian Motorcycles Is Working On A 122ci V-Twin Engine For 2025
According to an official company document, the American bikemaker has a new 122ci (1,999cc) V-twin engine in the works. It will serve as the new flagship powerhouse in the air-cooled lineup, sitting above the Thunderstroke 116. As a refresher, the 116 debuted in 2019 as the company’s largest air-cooled V-twin. It displaces 1,890 cubic centimeters to churn out 126 pound-feet of torque. So with the extra capacity, we can safely suggest the 122ci mill would have about 140 pound-feet on tap. If that’s the case, the output will match up squarely with the CVO Road Glide’s 139 pound-feet figure.
Upcoming Indian 122ci Engine Highlights
- Cooling: Air-cooled
- Displacement: 122ci (~1,999cc)
- Layout: V-twin
- Transmission: Six-speed
A New Variant Could Feature The 122ci Engine
Where will the new engine find its place, you ask? The documents answer that, too. They list all the existing Chief models–Super Chief, Chief Bobber, Chief, Sport Chief–with Thunderstroke engines, albeit with a surprise entry named “Colt”. While all of the existing models will retain their current engines, the Colt will debut the 122ci powerhouse. This will make it the new flagship “Chief” for 2025.
Now, the documents don’t reveal any other details about this mystery cruiser. But Indian’s previous patterns help make some guesses. You see, the American bikemaker usually follows a similar trend between its “entry-level” Scout lineup and the Chief lineup. The Scout Classic, Super Scout, Scout Bobber, and Sport Scout follow similar design approaches to the Chief, Super Chief, Chief Bobber, and Sport Chief, respectively. That leaves us with the new-for-2025 101 Scout, which could very well inspire the mysterious “Colt”.
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As a refresher, the 101 Scout serves as a spruced-up version of the Sport Chief. Its 1,250cc liquid-cooled engine is shared with its siblings but boasts a different to produce more power. This is topped by upgraded underpinnings–suspension, brakes, wheels–and a bespoke aesthetic. We think the Colt would follow the same approach but with a new 122ci engine rather than a re-tuned 116 engine.
The New Indian Chief Lineup Will Break Cover For MY25
Yes, you read that right. The new Chief lineup, including the Colt, will be part of Indian’s 2025 motorcycle lineup. So its debut could happen anytime this year. Once out, the Colt will probably take on Harley’s performance cruisers like the Breakout 117. It’ll be interesting to see where else Indian plonks its new 122ci engine after the Colt’s debut.
Which Indian bike would you want to see with the 122ci engine? Tell us in the comments!
