The Harley( left) and Indian( right) both have capacious top-loading saddlebags mounted above dual pipes. The Harley’ s rear has a cleaner look. The Indian has a small black box above the license plate that houses the rear-collision radar.
the suspension, scraped hard parts, and compressed our spines. The road is steep and treacherous and has steep drop- offs with no guard rails, and we absolutely love it. More of an adventure- bike road, for sure, but you ride the bike you’ re on and make the most of it.
When we stopped for gas or tacos or photos or more ibuprofen, Thad and I compared notes on the Harley and Indian. We were generally in agreement with Kevin Duke’ s assessment of the Chieftain PowerPlus published in our April / May issue( and on American Rider. com) that“ Indian has built one of the best baggers in America.” By most of the criteria used in
a touring- bike comparison test – performance, comfort, ride quality, wind protection, technology, and convenience – the Indian beats the Harley. The Street Glide is lighter and more compact, which gives it sharper handling, but on the wideopen roads where big baggers spend most of their time, such an advantage becomes less important.
Just as the Indian Challenger did against the Harley Road Glide back in 2023, the Indian Chieftain PowerPlus wins by decision. However, there are less tangible qualities to consider. One is styling, which is in the eye of the beholder, but to us, the Street Glide looks more cohesive, more harmonious. Harley- Davidson has been making variations of this motorcycle since the batwing fairing debuted on the 1969 FLH Electra Glide, so it has had decades to get the formula right. That’ s where the Milwaukee- Eight 117’ s smoothness comes in too. Cruising down the road on a Street Glide just feels right.
It always seems like a cop out to say“ you can’ t go wrong with either bike” at the end of a comparison test, but in this case it’ s true. Harley and Indian are fierce competitors, so it’ s no surprise that they’ ve built similar bikes in an effort to attract similar customers: those who want an American- made V- Twin bagger for the open road. Some will choose purely based on brand preference, some will buy based on specs or price, and others will buy purely on emotion. None of them will be wrong.
AMERICANRIDER. COM | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2025 | 19