Back in the 1920s, when engines were slow and bikes were heavy. Adrenaline-junkies would get their fix by stripping down their bikes, shedding heavy parts in exchange for speed. The tradition continues forth to this day, but when Polaris owned Indian Motorcycles got wind of the fact that many Scout owners from around the globe were building Bobber’s based on the scout, they decided they might as well build their own. If you want something done right, do it yourself might be the mantra of the day. After a few months on the build floor they unveiled their all new Bobber based on the Indian Scout. Which is an embodiment of that very philosophy. In terms of changes the Scout Bobber will get chopped front and rear fenders, chunkier tyres, street-tracker handlebars and blacked-out everything. Like on the Triumph Bobber, the Scout Bobber gets bar-end mirrors and the Scout Bobber gets some new badging on the fuel tank. What transpires though is that this is not just a hash job by the marketing team, Indian have really poured time and efforts getting into the specifics of the Bobber, possibly to ensure that buyers don’t go about paying money to dessicate their Scout. The Bobber gets slammed (as the kids say it) losing a pretty significant inch of travel on the rear suspension, blacked-out wheels and exhaust pipes contrasted with saddle-brown leather seats, are testament to Triumphs aggressive (almost pedantic) attention to detail.
The Bobber also inherits the nacelle theme headlamps from the Chief bringing it together is the side-mounted license plate badge, the rear comes sans a tail-lamp who duties are carried out by the rear turn-indicators when not in use, ensuring the Bobber keeps it utilitarian, naked appeal.
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Now mechanically, there is not going to be much of a difference between the Scout and the Bobber, which carries forward the 1131 cc fuel injected V-twin mated to the same six-speed gearbox. The Bobber benefits from the Scouts 100 hp motor which is a segment topper, and makes a significant 98 Nm of torque.The Bobber will retail internationally at $ 11,000 USD, and is likely to make it to India by September this year at around 13 lakh ex-showroom.
