Review: Indian Scout Bobber is an eye-catching motorcycle with classic style

My first encounter with the Indian Scout Bobber begins in late autumn on a mild day in Northern Virginia, the perfect time for a long ride.

The Bobber is an eye-catching motorcycle. It’s a blacked-out bike that maintains a good bit of the traditional “bobber” — a minimalist-style motorcycle stripped of unnecessary accessories and built for performance.

The rear fender has a traditional shorter, chopped look. Unlike its namesake, the Bobber has a front fender, but it’s shortened to match the rear.

The wider rear tire has a nice look common to a lot of newer bikes on the market. The solo seat hints at further weight reduction and contributes to the overall clean look.

I plan my route early in the morning. The goal for the Bobber ride is to get a good three hours under my belt and cover approximately 140 miles. This will give me a good feel for the bike.

I want a scenic drive, so I pick Harpers Ferry, W.Va., as my first destination. From there I’ll travel to Point of Rocks, Md., and North Potomac, Md.. Finally, I’ll find my way back to my starting point in Chantilly, Va.

Before setting out, I decide to take the Bobber out for a short, around-town trip to familiarize myself before committing to a longer ride.

I gear up with the appropriate accessories for the weather conditions; thick jacket, gloves, and my favorite pair of riding boots. I tend to ride more laid-back cruiser style bikes and I like to have adequate foot protection. I prefer riding boots with a steel toes and thick heels.

On the initial test ride, I notice the thicker boot — even with my average shoe size of 9½ inches — makes it a little awkward to work the Bobber’s toe shifter.

In order to shift with the boot, I have to move off the pedal, tilt my foot and slide underneath the toe shifter at a slightly uncomfortable angle. This makes it difficult to change gears.

I head home and change into a pair of hiking boots with a smaller sole but still decent protection. This makes a big difference in operating the bike’s shifter.

I also decide to adjust the rearview mirrors. The Scout Bobber mirrors are in a downward position for a nice, low profile. I like the distinctive look but they make it hard to watch traffic behind me, since my elbows block the view.

I’ve also discovered the mirrors will hit the gas tank in a tight turn. Fortunately, this is easy to remedy with the appropriate allen wrench. It only takes a few minutes to reposition the mirrors to an upright stance.

I’m glad Indian made this a simple fix. I feel safer with the mirrors in a more traditional position.

These adjustments made, everything is set for my countryside journey. Once I’m through the mundane stoplights and out on the open road, it’s nice to finally hit 4th, 5th and 6th gears.

I find it’s a fun bike to ride. The 100-hp engine has great acceleration, more than enough to power the Bobber’s full weight of 554 pounds.

The wide handlebars make it easy to navigate twists and turns along the way. The suspension reduces road bumps to tolerable levels. Brakes are dependable in both slow and fast braking.

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Though it looks nice, the solo seat is very slippery. After a quick acceleration, I often have to shift myself back into position. The bike does maintain a good balance in full motion and at rest. I’m not the tallest guy at 5’6” and I’ve been on other bikes where my feet haven’t been planted firmly on the ground. I have no problems on the Bobber, however.

The riding position is more challenging. The Bobber’s handlebar placement and seat position force me to lean forward a little more than I do on other cruiser-style bikes. The result is a little more weight and pressure on the hands.

It’s slightly uncomfortable, though not painful, but after riding 90 minutes between Point of Rocks and North Potomac, I find an increased need to stretch my back and stand up at stoplights.

The forward-body position may not bother all riders, but I can say it definitely shortened my normal threshold a bit.

Into the second hour of the ride, I suddenly noticed the illuminated red low fuel indicator light. Although the digital gauge is clear and allows the user to cycle through odometer, trip meter, engine temp and RPM readings, there’s no way to tell how much fuel is left.

This isn’t a deal breaker, but with all the other numerous settings on the bike, you’d think a fuel gauge would be an option.

Back home, I check the manual to make sure I wasn’t overlooking something on the digital readout.

The manual’s advice is kind of funny:

• Position the motorcycle on level ground in the full upright position.
• Slowly open the fuel cap.
• View the fuel level in the tank.

So it has an old school fuel gauge: Open the gas cap and check.

Funky gas gauge aside, the Bobber is a stylish bike that attracts its share of attention on the street.

The engine heads are nicely detailed in chrome. The beefy dual exhaust pipes look menacing, although they didn’t quite sound as tough as they appeared. But let’s be honest, most stock pipes tend to run a little tame. The Indian logo is prominently displayed, so passers-by will never guess what you’re riding.

With an MSRP of $11,499 ($12,499 with ABS), is the Indian Scout Bobber the motorcycle for you? It depends on your riding preference. I think it’s best suited for shorter rides of a few hours, and I’d certainly upgrade from the slippery stock seat, but you may find it more comfortable. Indian offers a passenger seat with backrest, along with other accessories.

The Bobber is a good choice for average-size riders, men and women alike. Take it for a test cruise and see for yourself. Riding the Bobber was a fun experience and I’m glad I had the chance to try it out.