Indian Scout 2025 Lineup.

The 2025 Indian Scout lineup is all cruisers, despite what the brand might label them. Classic, American-made V-twins that are just as much about heritage and body lines as they are cornering clearance and technology. The new machines have excellent performance and keep all previous Scouts' traditions and personalities.

That laid-back approach has worked well for Indian since the Scout was unveiled in 2014, quickly turning the model into the company's most successful platform. In some parts of the world, the Scout is the most successful mid-displacement cruiser, and in all parts, it's described as the most crucial bike to Indian Motorcycle's future.

Indian aims to get people to buy into their brand with the entry-level Scout, so it has to please customers purchasing one. Part of pleasing the masses comes down to having something for the masses, and for 2025, Indian is doing that by bringing five Scout models to showroom floors, including the simple but elegant Scout Classic, the slammed Scout Bobber, the light touring-ready Super Scout; the Sport Scout; and its most aggressive middleweight cruiser yet, the 101 Scout.

That's a lot of Scout, but a bulk of the hardware is shared across models, meaning Indian isn't trying to confuse you so much as it's looking to give you options through stylistic upgrades.

Indian's liquid-cooled SpeedPlus 1250 V-twin engine is first on the list of "components" shared across the lineup. Measuring in at an even 1,250cc (versus 1,133cc), it makes a claimed 111 hp in 101 Scout trim and 105 hp when bolted to every other model thanks to different ECU tuning, with all versions making a claimed 82 lb.-ft. of torque. Depending on the model, that's a 5 to 11 hp bump and an added 10 lb.-ft. of torque.

The engine is new from the inside out, with significant changes to the top end (including new pistons and larger valves) and a lighter crank, helping Indian shave nearly five kilos from the engine.

A slip/assist clutch was added, plus Indian spent much time refining the inside of the engine to eliminate gear whine customers complained about on earlier-generation Scouts.

The airbox has been redesigned, but that's less obvious than the new radiator, which is 20 per cent smaller and squeezed into a new frame with a steel tube front section versus cast aluminium. Steel tubes are significant because of their lighter appearance and because they open the door to more custom work.

Indian went to great lengths to give the Scout a polished look. Electronics and necessary hardware are packaged as neatly as possible, with most of the hardware tucked behind the frame's cast aluminium midsection. Out back, you'll find a platform-wide subframe that allows accessories to be shared across models and a new exhaust, giving more space for accessory saddlebags than the more cumbersome dual-muffler exhaust.

Similarities fade from there. The Scout Classic, Scout Bobber, and Super Scout roll on 16-inch wheels, while the more aggressive Scouts have a 19-inch front wheel. All bikes have a nonadjustable fork with 4.7 inches of travel and dual shocks with 3.0 inches of travel, except for the "slammed" Bobber, which has nonadjustable shocks with just 2.0 inches of travel, and the 101 Scout, which has a fully adjustable inverted fork with 5.9 inches of travel and fully adjustable shocks.

The 101 Scout also gets Brembo front stoppers and dual 320mm brake discs versus a single 298mm disc.

If that sounds more expensive than most other options, that's because it is. The 101 Scout comes in at £16k, identical to Harley-Davidson's Sportster S and mostly on par with the luggage-equipped Super Scout up to £17k. The rest of the lineup is priced between £13000 and £17000.

The wide price range is thanks primarily to Indian offering every bike but the 101 and Super Scout in different trims. Standard models get an analogue gauge, LED headlight, and ABS; Limited versions have ride modes, traction control, cruise control, and a USB port; while Limited +Tech gets you all of the features mentioned above plus a 4-inch touchscreen display, keyless push-button ignition, and Ride Command, which opens the door to turn-by-turn navigation and more.

Paint is different on nearly every model and even varies based on trim level, as do the finishes, with bikes like the Classic getting more chrome than bikes like the Bobber, Sport, and 101. We hope you're good with making decisions because there are many of them to make here, and each will dramatically change your experience.

There is a general theme across the board and a similar sensation between each of the bikes. Preproduction firmware delayed start-up initiation on the TFT-equipped Limited +Tech bikes prepped for our ride from San Francisco to Santa Cruz (and back), but fit and finish are otherwise excellent. Controls are solid, wires are concealed, and paint is pristine; hold for a small, unpainted surface below the fuel cap.

The new exhaust doesn't do much to wake you up on a cold morning, but the bike settles into a pleasant low hum, and in either trim, the engine gives your eyes something nice to look at—a stark contrast from the Harley-Davidson's Revolution Max 1250T engine that leaves something to be desired from a visual perspective.

It's been nearly a year since we've ridden the Rev Max 1250T-equipped Sportster S and even longer since throwing a leg over the Revolution Max 975T-equipped Nightster, so we'll refrain from more comparisons. We can say that the SpeedPlus 1250 feels more flexible than the previous Scout engine, with enough midrange and top-end not to feel like you have to shift as often. Luckily, because India hasn't updated the transmission, and with everything else getting a touch of modernity, this box feels clunky and outdated.

Pulling away from a stop is more complicated than it should be, too, thanks to a combination of a new slip/assist clutch that lacks feel at the friction zone and the lighter crank, which helps the engine spin up faster and adds to the overall character, but doesn't do much for you around town. We made friends with the clutch after a few miles, and you will too in the first long ride, but those aren't minor concerns given that the Scout is built mainly for around-town riding and newer riders. Seamless is always better here.

The rest of the engine gives you precisely what you need from a cruiser platform. There's enough power to have fun but not so much top-end performance that you'll wish the engine was stuffed in something other than a bike with 2 to 3 inches of travel. Power is tractable, vibes only start to pick up at around 80 mph in top gear, and the powerplant is flexible enough for a wide variety of riding, making it an ideal centrepiece for the Scout in any version. "

“The heart of an American cruiser is the engine," says Ola Stenegärd, director of industrial design for Indian Motorcycle.

In this case, India has a strong one.

Speaking of versions and different conditions, after two full days of riding—the first through downtown San Francisco and the (much) more scenic coastal roads skirting the Northern California coast, and the second up tight two-lane roads heading inland from Santa Cruz, we challenged ourselves to rank each of the new Scouts in order of least favourite to favourite, and the order might surprise you.

While we hoped the most expensive Scout wouldn't also be our favourite, the reality is that the 101′s upgrades completely change the ride experience. Brakes are responsive, suspension eats up rough pavement, and the 111-hp engine tune gives the bike a sharpness that suggests more to the sound than just a 6-hp difference.

The £17000 price tag is £4000 higher than that of the standard-spec Bobber that gets you into the lineup, but the 101 doesn't have to be an entry-level machine that you'll move on from; this is a bike you'll want to hold onto as your skills and wants as a rider grow. There's more than enough style, performance, and character to make this a long-term commitment. It's the Scout that you can ride fast if you want, but it is equally entertaining on a casual ride with friends. Plus, the prices are much closer once you max out the options on the other Scouts.

The downside? You can only get the 101 Scout with painted graphics rather than solid colours.

There's something for everyone in this lineup and enough accessories (100 total) to create the bike that works best for you.

Of course, Indian has managed to do all this without ultimately shifting the Scout's storyline. It is still ultimately a cruiser, with a bit of cherry on top in the form of more horsepower and available tech.

Speaking of horsepower, if anything other than the 101 catches your eye, consider updating the ECU tune at your dealer if and when the opportunity arises. Pricing is not confirmed, but Indian says that will be an option, and the performance leap is enough that it's worth doing.

Also, while we only tested bikes with the Limited +Tech trim levels and loved the touchscreen display, we tinkered with a Limited model with an analogue gauge and found it much less endearing, meaning the Limited +Tech package might be the best way to go unless you do love keeping it simple.

Technically, that's what the Scout is all about.