Scout Bobber, Perfect First Bike?

       After 1 week of motorcycle classes and a brain-melting trip to the DMV, I had earned 2 whole letters on my license; M1. When I first approached the Scout Bobber, I was intimidated. At this point, my riding experience was limited to 30 horsepower dirt bikes and 10 mice power Honda Rebels. The Indian Motorcycle Scout and Scout Bobber have 100 horsepower and 73 pounds-feet of torque!

            My first couple of feet with the Bobber left a big impression. Even with that rampaging v-twin, the motorcycle was very friendly. The clutch and throttle were very easy to modulate. The powertrain was exceptionally smooth at low RPMs and gave an exhilarating buzz when the revs climbed; not to a point of uncomfortableness but just a little tingle to remind you there’s 100 horsepower between your legs. The weight is very low and gives a lot of confidence for low-speed maneuvering. Some other nice features were the gear indicator, self-canceling turn signals, and easy to reach controls. The 2019 models, with the exception of one trim, even come with ABS standard. The best way to describe this bike was approachable.  

            Even as an inexperienced rider, I found it very easy to poke the bear and unleash the 100 horsepower. Don’t get me wrong 100 horsepower is still 100 horsepower, but the overall balance and stability of the Bobber meant you can enjoy all of the bike. There was definitely enough motorcycle even for people with 500 thousand miles under their rear end. Even after 2 and a half years of riding, I still found the Scout and Scout Bobber to have the perfect balance of everyday usability and I’ll get there first performance. In my humble opinion, skip the Scout Sixty. Go straight to Scout and Scout Bobber.