2025 Indian Sport Chief RT First Look

When Indian brought out the Sport Chief model a couple of years ago, it was seen as the brand’s overdue entry into the performance cruiser segment, or more specifically, a line cast to troll the Low Rider and its club-style crowd. But there was nothing in the brand’s portfolio to address Harley’s Low Rider ST, which added an FXRT-style frame-mounted fairing and saddlebags to haul cargo. To remedy the situation, the brand is rolling out the new 2025 Indian Sport Chief RT, which builds on the Sport Chief’s base and likewise adds hard saddlebags and audio, but keeps the existing fairing. Is it enough to take on the ST?

Related: 2023 Indian FTR Sport First Look

The foundational elements should be familiar by now; the Sport Chief’s stylish quarter fairing stands as its signature visual marker, further augmented by moto-style bars on 6-inch risers. The RT also sports the same 4-gallon tank, chopped fenders, and stacked dual exhausts as the donor bike, and power comes courtesy of the unchanged 1,890cc Thunderstroke 116 motor (good for a claimed 120 lb.-ft. of torque) shoehorned into a simple steel-tube frame with aluminum rear subframe. Like other 116 engine-equipped models, the Sport Chief RT also packages throttle-by-wire, cruise control, ABS, and rear-cylinder deactivation into the standard feature list, and Indian’s Ride Command system is included as well, displayed on a 4-inch TFT touchscreen. The three selectable ride modes, which include Sport, Standard, and Tour, are here as well; cruise control, keyless ignition, ABS, LED lighting, and a USB charging port round out the list of standard features.

Like the base Sport Chief, the RT rolls on 19-inch front and 16-inch rear cast alloy wheels wrapped in Metzeler Cruisetec tires.

Key performance-focused components back up the RT’s bark, with a 43mm KYB inverted fork, a pair of Performance Adjustable Piggyback shocks from Fox (adjustable for compression and rebound damping via 23-click twist knobs) and beefy Brembo brakes, with dual discs with four-piston calipers upfront and a single disc out back. Differences start to appear in some of the ergonomic elements, with the Sport Chief RT introducing an all-new 2-Up High Bolster Seat, a design that features 5 inches of bolster for an aggressive, stepped look that also increases cushioning. There’s also the fact that the RT sports forward controls, to “keep the rider’s legs in a more relaxed and comfortable position”—a distinct change from the original Sport Chief’s mid-mount setup. Hidden at the end of the release is the statement that “all 2025 Sport Chief models are standard with forward controls,” which seems like a significant point.

Naturally the new model needed to offer tunes too, and making its first appearance on the RT is Indian’s all-new PowerBand Audio Bluetooth speaker, tucked in behind the fairing. The audio package includes two 2.5-inch midrange speakers, one 4.5-inch subwoofer and two tweeters that deliver 90 watts of audio (rather than the full-featured 400-watt system found on the baggers). You can access the speaker’s five-band equalizer on the touchscreen, along with other Ride Command features like audio settings, navigation, bike information, and different gauge configurations, and if you add connected services, Bike Health features are also accessible, though a fee applies.

A whole new set of luggage makes the cut here too, with a pair of locking hard saddlebags adding a hint of style and more than 10 gallons of storage, despite their compact appearance. Each saddlebag’s lid is constructed with a forward hinge layout for easy access to the gear inside, and the bags are also compatible with the rest of the Indian Chief line; you can order them with color-matched premium paint or in a textured black finish.

“When we launched Sport Chief, we raised the bar for performance cruisers,” said Aaron Jax, vice president for Indian Motorcycle. “With the Sport Chief RT, we’re adding custom-inspired componentry to create the ultimate package for riders looking to enhance style, add storage and integrate audio.”

Indian also says it has an array of accessories ready for the new model, with adjustable shocks, an adaptive LED headlight, taller bars, and higher-flow air intakes being just a few of the options. Pricing for the 2025 Sport Chief RT starts at $22,499, and the model will be available in Black Smoke, Sunset Red Smoke, and Heavy Metal when it hits dealers this February. The standard Sport Chief is also back for 2025, and will retail for $19,999.

Along with the Sport Chief RT Indian also rolled out the new Super Chief Dark Horse, a Super Chief styling variant that goes fender-to-fender on the glossy black-out treatment. There’s really nothing new to report here, as the mechanics are all unchanged; basically you can now have your Super Chief in two flavors, Limited or Dark Horse, with each powered by the Thunderstroke 116 and coming with the Ride Command–enhanced 4-inch touchscreen, ride modes, cruise control, keyless ignition, and USB charging. Like the Super Chief Limited, the Dark Horse is priced at $21,999.

More info can be found at indianmotorcycle.com.