Indian Motorcycle is at a crossroads of sorts. The heritage brand, which was recently sold by Polaris to Carolwood Capital, a private equity firm, has been facing a market that's aging up, aging out, or otherwise unable to afford the largely expensive cruisers and baggers it's been built upon. Harley-Davidson is facing the same problems, too.
And, honestly, many of the other brands have found issues with affordability and demographic shifts within their markets, as well. But while Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycle haven't adapted to those seismic shifts, those other brands have.
Honda, Kawasaki, BMW, Aprilia, and countless others have seen that not everyone can afford a $20,000 machine, nor wishes to start with a 700-pound-plus, 100-horsepower-plus motorcycle. Entry-level, starter bikes, or just small-displacement motorcycles have become all the rage, as they're not only great for new riders, but even older motorcyclists like myself just want something that works and isn't actively trying to kill me. And I say all of this because, while Harley-Davidson has finally said that it's going to build a small-displacement, entry-level motorcycle for the masses, Indian's executives were quoted at EICMA this year saying they just wanted to stay the course.
