Indian announced yesterday, in a bold, flaming arrow to-the-forehead marketing move, that it’s going to offer up head-to-head test rides with the new Challenger’s main rival, the best-selling Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special. (Say, didn’t we already do that comparison here at MO?) If our word’s not good enough for you, you can conduct your own two-bike comparo beginning at Daytona Bike Week March 6.
Indian Press Release:
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE DRAWS A LINE IN THE SAND WITH “CHALLENGER CHALLENGE” – A HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON OF THE NEW INDIAN CHALLENGER DARK HORSE & HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE SPECIAL
National Demo Tour, Local Dealer Demos, Advertising and Episodic Video Series Serve Up Bold Demonstrations of the Indian Challenger’s Superiority Over the Harley Davidson Road Glide Special
Minneapolis (February 12, 2020) – “May the best V-twin win.” That’s the rally cry for the newest marketing campaign for Indian Motorcycle’s all-new Indian Challenger – a fully-loaded premium bagger designed as a superior alternative to the category leader, the Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special. This morning, Indian announced the “Challenger Challenge,” a campaign that invites motorcyclists to test ride the Challenger and Road Glide Special back-to-back for the ultimate head-to-head comparison.
Launching at Daytona Bike Week on Friday, March 6, the Challenger Challenge product demo tour will visit Indian Motorcycle dealers around the country, as well as select motorcycle rallies and events, including the legendary Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August. In addition to the national tour, select Indian Motorcycle dealers will have a Road Glide on hand to ensure that any customer who visits their dealership can take the Challenger Challenge.
Indian Motorcycle will support the Challenger Challenge with a digital media campaign, highlighted by an episodic video series where action sports icon Carey Hart and his loyal sidekick, Bryan “Big B” Mahoney, pit the new Indian Challenger head-to-head against the Road Glide Special in a series of tests that showcase power, torque, braking and handling. In addition to the digital media campaign, the content series can be found on IndianMotorcycle.com, Indian’s social media and YouTube channels.
“The Challenger’s combination of power and dexterity is at another level,” said Hart. “The first time I rode it, I knew that they had something special. But riding the Challenger back-to-back against the Road Glide, it’s not even fair. The Challenger absolutely crushes it.”
“Over the years, the Road Glide has firmly entrenched itself as the category leader and has become the default choice, but our bike is simply better and our confidence in this product is what this campaign is all about,” said Mike Dougherty, President, Indian Motorcycle. “The difference when riding these two bikes back-to-back is undeniable, and we’re excited for riders to experience it for themselves with the Challenger Challenge.”
At the heart of the Challenger is the PowerPlus engine, Indian’s first liquid-cooled large displacement motor (108 cubic-inch, 60-degree V-twin) that packs a best-in-class 122 horsepower and 128 ft-lbs. of torque. The Challenger’s modern and aggressively styled chassis-mounted fairing sits over an inverted front suspension, while the Challenger Limited and Dark Horse variants are equipped with Indian Motorcycle’s intuitive Smart Lean Technology
, keeping riders confidently grounded by utilizing a Bosch® IMU to add cornering control to the dynamic traction control and ABS, as well as Drag Torque Control. A host of amenities add style, convenience and keep the rider comfortable, including electronic cruise control, full LED lighting, a long-haul seat, ABS, keyless ignition, weatherproof saddlebags with over 18 gallons of storage space, and an adjustable windscreen with nearly three inches of travel.
For more information on the Challenger Challenge, visit IndianMotorcycle.com/en-us/Challenger-Challenge. Join the conversation by tagging photos on social media using #ChallengerChallenge. At select events, riders who take the Challenger Challenge will receive an exclusive Challenger t-shirt.
For more information, or to find the nearest dealer, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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