2016 - 2019 Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster

The luxury tourer in Indian Motorcycle's lineup, the Roadmaster comes equipped with the awesome Thunder Stroke® 111 engine for stellar performance and gobs of torque early on in the powerband. With standard features such as a premium 200W stereo, cruise control, ABS, power windshield, keyless ignition, remote locking storage, tire pressure monitoring, Pathfinder LED lights, heated seats and grips, and that gorgeous desert tan leather, the Roadmaster puts the "LT" in “luxury tourer.”

Continue reading for my review of the Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster.

2016 - 2019 Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster

Specifications

Make: Array
Model: 2016 - 2019 Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster
Engine/Motor: Thunder Stroke 111
[do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster Design

At its core, the Roadmaster is really a fully dressed Chieftain. If that's the case, you might wonder why the seat height of the Roadmaster is just a tad higher than the Chieftain. The answer to that is the extra plush saddle on the Roadmaster. I can tell you how comfortable the two-up seating is on the Roadmaster, but honestly, looking at the deep diamond-tufted seat, you just know it's going to be as comfortable as your favorite easy chair.

The big barn-door fairing and power windshield provide ample wind and weather protection and the wind deflectors in the fairing lowers do a nice job of diverting water away to keep you as dry as can be when riding in the rain. In cool or wet weather, you'll appreciate the heated rider and passenger seat and the x10 setting heated grips.

We can't talk about a full dresser without talking about weatherproof storage. At 17 gallons, the top case is more than adequate to stash two full-face helmets; and in the saddlebags, you get another 17.2 gallons. Glove boxes in the upper and lower fairings provide 3.4 gallons of storage for almost 38 gallons total.

Keyless ignition is a plus when you don't have to take off your gloves to fumble with a key, and remote storage lock and unlock functions are on the key fob. Without the fob, you can still start the bike with a security code.

The 2017 model year saw the addition of the all new Indian Motorcycle Ride Command System that brought a number of infotainment features to the table with touchscreen functionality. A 7-inch display comes with Swipe-and-Pinch-to-Zoom that works even with gloved hands and a number of large buttons that control access to the various features such as the GPS/chartplotter with address search and 3D bird's-eye map, radio receiver with USB/Bluetooth device input for your portable pocket jukebox and wireless phone interface. I think the coolest thing with this system has to be the feature that drops a map marker on all nearby gas stations when low fuel is detected. As one who is occasionally guilty of riding while oblivious, I think this would save me from myself quite nicely.

For 2019, the factory equipped the Roadmaster with Ride Modes for three levels of performance, rear cylinder deactivation to reduce the wash of heat rising over you when you idle, and redesigned lowers with adjustable vents.

Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster Chassis

The Roadmaster isn't exactly an exercise in subtlety. It's a big, heavy bike with a strong, double-cradle frame to support the engine, rather than use it as a stressed member. This bigness carries over to the front end, where a full-skirt front fender and 46 mm front forks house the fat, 16-inch front wheel. A single, air-adjustable shock supports the rear, and provides 4.5 inches of travel to go along with the 4.7 inches from the front. All-in-all, it's a very plush ride, as you would expect on a tourer of this caliber.

Did I mention this bike is big? Not just big, but heavy, too. At 930 pounds wet, before the first bit of cargo, rider or passenger, this is a lot of bike to handle. Indian gives you the tools you need with an ABS overseeing dual front brakes with 300 mm discs all the way around. The front fairing forces the handlebars, which are apes really, into a tiller position that pivots in an arc around the steering head. Not saying it's a bad thing, but it does have a different feel that takes some getting used to.

Frame:	Cast Aluminum
Suspension, Front/Rear:	46 mm Telescopic Fork, 4.7-inch travel/ Single Shock w/Air adjust, 4.5-inch travel
Rake:	25 degrees
Trail:	5.9 inches
Brakes,Front/Rear:	Dual 300 mm Floating Rotor Four-Piston Caliper/ Single 300 mm Floating Rotor Two-Piston Caliper
Wheel, Front/Rear:	Cast Aluminum 16 x 3.5 inches/ Cast Aluminum 16 x 5 inches
Tire, Front/Rear:	Dunlop® Elite 3 130/90B16 73H/ Dunlop® Elite 3 Multi-Compound 180/60R16 80H

Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster Drivetrain

Before the appearance of the Milwaukee-Eight over at the Harley garage, the Thunder Stroke® 111 engine was probably my favorite of the American big-twins. It's big, it has curb appeal, and it really captures the look of the old flatheads with the rocker box design and pushrod tube layout. Chrome engine components draw the eye, and leave me with the impression that this is the engine's world, the rest of the bike is just living in it. Best of all, the pretty-boy veneer falls away as soon as you grab a fistful of throttle. This 111 cubic-inch mill cranks out a stump-pulling 119.2 pound-feet of torque at a mere 3,000 rpm.

A gear-type primary drive and wet clutch carry power to the six-speed transmission for a comfortable highway-cruising rpm. Long-distance ride-ability with the standard cruise-control function rounds out the Roadmaster's interstate credentials.

Engine:	Thunder Stroke® 111, Air/Oil Cooler, Two Valves Per Cylinder Hydraulic Lifters
Displacement:	111 cubic inches (1,811 cc)
Bore x Stroke:	3.976 inches (101 mm) x 4.449 inches (113 mm)
Compression Ratio:	9.5:1
Fuel System:	Closed loop fuel injection / 54 mm bore
Maximum Torque:	119.2 Pound-Feet at 3,000 rpm
Rev Limit:	5,400 rpm
Lubrication System:	Semi-Dry Sump
Exhaust System:	Split dual exhaust w/ cross-over
Drive/Driven Clutch:	Wet, Multi-Plate
Final Drive:	2.2 : 1
Primary Drive:	Gear Drive Wet Clutch
Transmission:	Six-Speed, Constant Mesh, Foot Shift

Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster Pricing

MSRP on the 2019 Roadmaster in Thunder Black is $28,999, and the range tops out at $30,999 with the snazziest of the two-tone paint schemes, Steel Gray Smoke over Thunder Black. Indian covers your Roadmaster with a two-year limited warranty providing that your warranty was registered at the time of purchase. If you don't register the purchase of your Roadmaster with Indian, you'll be SOL on warranty work so hang on to that warranty registration form.

Warranty:	Two-Year Limited Warranty with Registration
Colors:
2016:	Thunder Black, Blue Diamond, Springfield Blue/Ivory Cream, Indian Red/Ivory Cream, Steel Gray/Thunder Black
2017:	Thunder Black, Burgundy Metallic, Steel Gray/Thunder Black, Willow Green/Ivory Cream, Thunder Black/Ivory Cream
2018:	Thunder Black, Burgundy Metallic, Polished Bronze/Thunder Black, Pearl White/Star Silver
2019:	Thunder Black, Burgundy Metallic, Polished Bronze/Thunder Black, Steel Gray Smoke/Thunder Black
Price:
2016:	Thunder Black: $27,999, Colors: $28,599 , Two-Tones: $29,399
2017, 2018:	Thunder Black: $28,999, Colors: $29,599, Two-Tones: $30,399
2019:	Thunder Black: $28,999, Colors: $29,749, Two-Tones: $30,499 - $30,999

Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster Competitors

Since the demise of Victory Motorcycles -- another marque beneath the Polaris umbrella -- we are left with but one worthy American-made adversary; Harley-Davidson and its Ultra Limited.

Big bikes are big, m'kay? A few pounds here or there doesn't make much difference once you get above 700 or so, but for what it's worth the Ultra Limited rolls out at a bit lighter with a wet weight of 877 pounds. Since we are talking about touring bikes, storage capacity rates a mention. The H-D model is equipped with 35 gallons of storage against almost 38 on the Indian, so the MoCo slips a little in cargo capacity.

Both engines have what you might call “inches o' plenty.” Harley's Milwaukee-Eight 114 has ever-so-slight an edge with three more cubic inches and three pound-feet of torque over the 111-inch Thunder Stroke which puts them well within the same power-tourer category, and I'll eat my hat if anyone's heinie dyno is sensitive enough to register the difference. As usual, both bikes remain behind the electronics curve with nothing in the way of traction control, though the Roadmaster is equipped with Ride Modes this year. Point goes to Indian on that.

Honestly, it comes down to personal taste. Both of these manufacturers enjoy the very deepest of roots with something for almost everyone interested in classic American looks and luxe features. Both are good looking machines and, amazingly, Indian manages to hand Harley a minor victory at the checkout with a one-grand premium over the Ultra Limited's $28,089 price tag.

He Said

My husband and fellow writer, TJ Hinton, says, “Great looking bike. You know, I don't care for the full sheet-metal covers on the non-bagger big-twins, but it makes sense and fits the look perfectly on a full dresser. The boss front fender and Indian-head icon really complete the look and take me back a few years, to say the least. It will be interesting to see how this bike sells against the plethora of tour bikes from Harley this year.”

She Said

"This Thunderstroke 111 engine gives me the warm fuzzies all over. It has monster torque at low, low rpm and has that deep, throbbing pulse I expect from a big V-twin. If I were to go with the Roadmaster, I'd have to peruse the accessories catalog and add the desert tan matching armrests. This is a premium ride for serious touring folks. The Ride Modes are new this year, and I think the “Tour” mode is the old performance map, so putting it in “Sport” mode would be a thrill."

Indian Motorcycle Roadmaster Specifications

Engine & Drivetrain:
Engine:	Thunder Stroke® 111, Air/Oil Cooler
Valve Train:	Two Valves Per Cylinder Hydraulic Lifters
Displacement:	111 cubic inches (1,811 cc)
Bore:	3.976 inches (101 mm)
Stroke:	4.449 inches (113 mm)
Compression Ratio:	9.5:1
Fuel System:	Closed loop fuel injection / 54 mm bore
Maximum Torque:	119.2 Pound-Feet at 3,000 rpm
Rev Limit:	5,400 rpm
Lubrication System:	Semi-Dry Sump
Exhaust System:	Split dual exhaust w/ cross-over
Drive/Driven Clutch:	Wet, Multi-Plate
Final Drive:	2.2 : 1
Primary Drive:	Gear Drive Wet Clutch
Transmission:	Six-Speed, Constant Mesh, Foot Shift
Gear Ratio (Overall):	1st 9.403:1 / 2nd 6.411:1 / 3rd 4.763:1 / 4th 3.796:1 / 5th 3.243:1 / 6th 2.789:1
Chassis:
Swingarm:	Cast Aluminum
Suspension, Front:	46 mm Telescopic Fork, 4.7-inch travel
Suspension, Rear:	Single Shock w/Air adjust, 4.5-inch travel
Rake:	25 degrees
Trail:	5.9 inches
Brakes,Front:	Dual 300 mm Floating Rotor Four-Piston Caliper
Brakes,Rear:	Single 300 mm Floating Rotor Two-Piston Caliper
Wheel, Front:	Cast Aluminum 16 x 3.5 inches
Wheel, Rear:	Cast Aluminum 16 x 5 inches
Tire, Front:	Dunlop® Elite 3 130/90B16 73H
Tire, Rear:	Dunlop® Elite 3 Multi-Compound 180/60R16 80H
Dimensions & Capacities:
Overall Length:	104.6 inches
Overall Width:	39.4 inches
Overall Height:	58.7 inches
Seat Height:	26.5 inches
Wheelbase:	65.7 inches
Ground Clearance:	5.5 inches
GVWR:	1,385 Pounds
GAWR:	Front: 500 Pounds, Rear 885 Pounds
Maximum Load Capacity:	455 Pounds
Fuel Capacity:	5.5 gallons
Dry Weight:	897 Pounds
Curb Weight:	930 Pounds
Storage:
Saddlebags:	17.2 gallons
Trunk:	17.0 gallons
Lower Fairing Glove Box:	2.4 gallons
Upper Fairing Storage:	1.0 gallons
Equipment and Electricals:
Standard Equipment:	ABS; Cast Aluminum Frame with Integrated Air-Box; Cruise Control; Driving Lights; Highway Bar; Keyless Start; Horizon Power Windshield; Desert Tan Genuine Leather Seats; Remote Locking Hard Saddle Bags; Remote Locking Trunk; Tire Pressure Monitoring; 200 Watt Stereo with AM/FM Bluetooth and Smartphone Compatible Input; Heated Rider & Passenger Seats; Heated Grips; Adjustable Passenger Floorboards; 37.6 Gallons of Storage
Gauges:	Fairing mounted instrument cluster featuring electronic speedometer, tachometer, and fuel gauge with odometer, dual tripmeters with distance and time, instantaneous and average fuel economy; fuel range; real-time clock; compass; ambient air temperature; gear position display; front and rear tire pressure; engine hours of operation; engine oil life percentage; average speed; battery voltage; radio information display; vehicle trouble code readout; heated grip level; and 15 LED telltale indicators: cruise control enabled, cruise control set, neutral, high beam, turn signal, ABS, check engine, low tire pressure, battery, low fuel, security system, low engine oil pressure and MPH or km/h unit designation
Lights:	Pathfinder LED Lights (headlight, fog lights, turn signals, tail light trunk, tail light, trunk interior light, and war bonnet fender light)
Ride Command™:	7" Touchscreen including realtime clock; ambient air temperature; heading; audio information display; vehicle trouble code readout; Vehicle Status (tire pressure, voltage, engine hours, oil change); Vehicle Info (speed, fuel range, RPM, gear position); Dual Trip Meters (fuel range, miles, average fuel economy, instantaneous fuel economy time, average speed); Ride Data (heading, moving time, stop time, altitude, altitude change); Bluetooth connectivity for phone and headset; Map/Navigation
Power Points:	Front: 10 amp maximum, Rear: 10 amp maximum, (Combined: 10 amp maximum)
Details:
Warranty:	Two-Year Limited Warranty with Registration
Colors:
2016:	Thunder Black, Blue Diamond, Springfield Blue/Ivory Cream, Indian Red/Ivory Cream, Steel Gray/Thunder Black
2017:	Thunder Black, Burgundy Metallic, Steel Gray/Thunder Black, Willow Green/Ivory Cream, Thunder Black/Ivory Cream
2018:	Thunder Black, Burgundy Metallic, Polished Bronze/Thunder Black, Pearl White/Star Silver
2019:	Thunder Black, Burgundy Metallic, Polished Bronze/Thunder Black, Steel Gray Smoke/Thunder Black
Price:
2016:	Thunder Black: $27,999, Colors: $28,599 , Two-Tones: $29,399
2017, 2018:	Thunder Black: $28,999, Colors: $29,599, Two-Tones: $30,399
2019:	Thunder Black: $28,999, Colors: $29,749, Two-Tones: $30,499 - $30,999