The FTR1200 is Here!

The best bike America has ever made! Sure a Roadmaster is better for long distance. Yeah the Scout is more approachable. But the FTR1200 will make you forget the name of your first born. All you can think about is the next time you can ride one. 

My first time sitting on the FTR1200 S in Race Replica left an unbelievable impression. Nothing stands out and I mean that in a good way. The pegs and shifter fall exactly where your feet want to be, the bars are comfortable and easily spaced, the hand controls require no effort to find. The seat hugs your hips and doesn't want you to get off. Nothing stands out because it's as natural as the breathing. Everything is exactly where you want it, when you want it, how you want it. You can hear Indian Motorcycle talk about how much R&D they put into the ergonomics but to feel it yourself is something incredible. 

Then you push the little button with the lightning bolt on it and hear that 73 cubic inch v-twin startup for the first time. It has a completely different sound from the Scouts. The low rumble is replaced by a angry growl. This thing wants to rev and it begs for you to crank the throttle. Lucky owners of the Race Replica paint scheme get the Akrapovic low-pipes standard so you get a bike more bite. I stomped my left foot and now we have power to the rear wheel. 

The powertrain is smooth and linear. It's very well managed and takes no effort to putt around town. Poke the bear and you'll suddenly feel like an airplane about to leave the runway. Power is abundant. It's more than you need but then again this bike doesn't do mundane. They did model this bike off a flat track racer and not a couch. If you have trouble doing wheelies, don't worry. This bike practically does them for you. 

The 4.3 inch TFT display is a supreme piece of tech. Bright, easy to read, and extremely intuitive. It's like a smart phone for your motorcycle . With Bluetooth, your phone can sit securely in your pocket as you poke away at the screen to control your phone calls and music. The display also shows your traction control, cornering ABS, and wheelie mitigation settings so you can tweek and tune the performance any way you want it. 

The suspension is set-up extremely well from the factory. The suspension is firm but compliant. There's enough travel for commuting around your neighborhood potholes but the compliance around corners is satisfying. S models get an extra damping adjustment in the rear and rebound in the front compared to standard FTR1200 models. 

Brakes are some of the best I've ever felt. The initial bite is very predictable and the feedback on the lever feels like a good handshake. Brembo makes some of the best brakes in the world and it's only fitting that the FTR has them standard. 

The FTR1200 is here. I rode one. Come here and you can too.