“ONCE CRANKED INTO A TURN, THE FTR IS
SUPER-STABLE AND INSPIRES CONFIDENCE
THANKS TO THE SUPPLE SUSPENSION AND
FORGIVING CHASSIS.”
AUS PRICING
STANDARD
$20,995
S-MODEL
$22,995
RACE REPLICA
$24,995
repeat the process. It’s a whole heap of fun holding
the throttle on the stop and feeling the power build
as the revs climb.
Peeling off the Pacific Coast Highway we headed
for the hills behind Malibu. The roads were a mixture
of fast flowing corners interspersed with butt-
clenchingly tight hairpins. On the FTR1200 I selected
third gear and left it there, such is the expanse of the
power curve. That stomping, low down grunt grabs
you by the scruff of your neck,and drags you out of
the turns before transitioning into a roaring top-end.
The brakes were given a hard time throughout the
test route yet didn’t miss a beat and ample ground-
clearance from the high, set-back footpegs meant
you could throw the FTR on its ear without fear of
something solid hitting the deck and firing you into
the bushes. The only inhibiting factor was the traction
control which was easily scared in standard mode.
Flicking the FTR into Sport mode (which you do on
the fly) cured the problem and the rear Dunlop then
hooked up and powered to the next turn.
Bespoke Fit
With the upright riding position, flexible powerplant
and dirt track heritage it’s no wonder Indian has
designed a series of accessories to tailor the FTR to
suit different styles. There are four collections avail-
able: Tracker, Rally, Sport and Tour. It’s a simple way
to create a certain look and style. Options include
high-mount exhausts, side number plates and differ-
ent seats which enhances the FTR flat tracker style
or, alternatively, a set of spoked wheels, small wind
screen and a couple of other items turn it into a Rally
machine. Sport sees the addition of carbon fibre parts
while Tour adds optional luggage. Obviously, you pick
and choose which accessories you like although the
S-model was pretty much spot-on for me. Maybe a
small screen is all I would add.
The overall impression of the FTR is of quality
and carefully considered design, with every aspect
of the motorcycle working well. There is nothing
superfluous or fancy; everything has a purpose.
From the lightweight aluminium footpegs, which
are a work of art, to integrated pillion grab handles
which are a functional in size yet don’t detract from
the overall design. The LED headlight is modern,
stylish and supremely good while the rear light with
the Indian logo is one of many design touches that
say this isn’t just any bike.
The best thing is the way everything works seam-
lessly together to produce a bike that not only looks
great but is seriously fast. And although our launch
route was crammed with young guys in expensive
performance cars and race-suit clad sportsbike riders
who run the gauntlet every weekend, there wasn’t
anything that came past us. With 123hp, more
than enough for the road, the combination of the
electronics and flexible power delivery makes going
quick on the FTR an easy affair.
Okay, with a hefty V-twin stuck in the middle, the
handling is never going to be razor sharp but the
FTR will flick easily through switchbacks, the wide
Pro Taper bars giving ample leverage. Once cranked
into a turn, the FTR is super stable and inspires
confidence thanks to the supple suspension and
forgiving chassis. Moving around on the saddle is easy
if you’re looking for a bit of added ground-clearance
although I never managed to touch anything down
and we were going pretty hard chasing the lead rider.
So if you’re looking for a machine to hold its own
around the windiest backroads while turning its hand
to a bit of gravel, look cool at the local biker meet and
is up for a bit of touring, then the FTR1200 has you
covered. And if you’re a techno geek like me, you’re
going to be sold on it the first time you have a play
with that dash screen... HD