Okay, so, I’ve been messing around with my Indian Scout lately, and let me tell you, it’s been a ride! I’m all about getting the most out of my machines, and this time, it was all about the horsepower. Here’s how it went down.
First off, I got my hands on my buddy’s Indian Scout. Beautiful bike, classic design, but I felt like it had more to give. It comes stock with a 69 cu-in (that’s 1,133 cc for the metric folks) V-twin engine. Pretty beefy, right? It’s rated at 100 horsepower from the factory. Not bad at all, but I had a hunch we could squeeze a bit more out of it.
So, I started digging around. Turns out, if you get a dealer-updated engine software tune, you can bump that power up to 111 HP! I mean, who wouldn’t want an extra 11 horses under the tank? Torque stays the same, about 82 ft-lbs, which is already plenty to throw you back in the seat.
- Step one: I scheduled an appointment with the local Indian Motorcycle dealer. Gotta make sure everything is done right, you know?
- Step two: I waited. Anticipation is a killer, let me tell you.
- Step three: Dealer did their magic with the software tune. I’m not gonna lie, I watched them like a hawk, making sure they were treating my baby right.
Once they were done, I took that beauty out for a spin. Holy smokes! The difference was noticeable right away. It felt like a whole new beast. That extra power really made a difference in the throttle response. Acceleration was punchier, and passing cars on the highway? Forget about it. Piece of cake.
Here’s the thing, though. Even without the tune, the Scout is a solid machine. 100 HP is nothing to sneeze at. It’s got a six-speed transmission that’s smooth as butter, and the belt final drive is just chef’s kiss. The seat height is pretty low, around 25.6 inches, which makes it comfortable for most riders. It’s not a super heavy bike either, about 541 pounds, so it’s easy to handle, especially in traffic or when parking.
I heard some folks talking about the top speed being around 120 mph. Honestly, I haven’t tested that out yet. I’m more about enjoying the ride and the power delivery, not necessarily pushing it to the absolute limit. I’ll leave that to the speed demons. This 4-stroke v-twin engine has a power output of 74 kW and torque output of 72 ft-lb, it’s really a good engine.
My Takeaway
If you’ve got a Scout and you’re itching for a little extra oomph, that software tune is definitely worth considering. It unlocks some hidden potential in that engine. But even if you keep it stock, you’re still riding a powerful, well-built machine. Indian really did a great job with this one.
And hey, at the end of the day, it’s all about the ride, right? So, get out there, enjoy your Scout, and maybe, just maybe, give that throttle a little extra twist for me.
