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2023 Indian Sport Chief and Harley-Davidson Breakout first look

Feb 21, 2023

Spawned in custom shops across the country and fueled by interest in racing series such as MotoAmerica's King of the Baggers, the rise of high-performance baggers has been the most visible trend in the cruiser motorcycle world in recent years. So what's next? Maybe just lose the bags?

Two new models announced for 2023 by the two major U.S. motorcycle manufacturers add a new wrinkle to cruisers that aspire to be able to do more than just leisurely cruise. Though it's not really new — we've seen the "muscle cruiser" genre emerge and submerge a few times over the past few decades. Will this time be any different?

2023 Indian Sport Chief
2023 Indian Sport Chief. Indian photo.

2023 Harley-Davidson Breakout
2023 Harley-Davidson Breakout. Harley-Davidson photo.

The two motorcycles sparking this question are the Indian Sport Chief and the Harley-Davidson Breakout, both new models for 2023. Actually, the Breakout returns to the Harley-Davidson lineup after an absence, but the Sport Chief is a new entry.

Both fit firmly in the long, low, cruiser styling mode, but they also pack the most powerful air-cooled V-twin regular production engines the companies produce. In other words, if you want a traditional cruiser with more performance, this is where you're probably shopping.

Indian Thunderstroke 116 engine
The Sport Chief is powered by the Thunderstroke 116 engine. Indian photo.

Harley-Davidson Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine
The Breakout gets the Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine with a Heavy Breather intake. Harley-Davidson photo.

Just about one cubic inch of displacement and a few foot-pounds of max torque separate the Thunderstroke 116 engine in the Indian and the Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine in the Harley-Davidson. The two motorcycles are also similar in other specs, such as weight, seat height and so on. The Harley is a little more expensive, but it's easy to see a prospective buyer cross-shopping these two.

A closer look at the numbers hints at potential differences. Spec sheet shootouts are always of dubious usefulness, but the specs do suggest the Harley makes more performance compromises for style than the Indian. The Breakout rolls on a 240-section rear tire and a 21-inch front tire that are clearly more about looks than performance, and that may hinder handling, compared to the Sport Chief's 180-section, 16-inch rear tire and 19-inch front. The Breakout claims a 26.8-degree lean angle and the Sport Chief claims 29.5 degrees. The Harley's front end is more raked out (34 degrees of rake versus 28 on the Indian, and that could be the most crucial stat of them all) and the wheelbase is 2.1 inches longer. The Harley-Davidson has a single front brake disc while the Indian has dual front discs squeezed by Brembo calipers.

front wheel and brakes on the Indian Sport Chief
The Sport Chief's 19-inch front wheel with dual disc brakes and Brembo calipers suggests the Indian is a little more serious about performance than the Harley-Davidson. Indian photo.

front wheel on the Harley-Davidson Breakout
The single front disc brake and 21-inch wheel on the Breakout are nods to style, not performance. So is the huge 240-section rear tire. Harley-Davidson photo.

Given that the two machines have similar power-to-weight ratios and designs, will those differences have a great effect on how they perform, handle, and feel? I suspect the answer is "yes," but we won't really know until we ride them, especially the new Sport Chief. Maybe Zack can get one for a "Daily Rider" episode.

TFT gauge display on the Indian Sport Chief
The Sport Chief's display mimics a traditional analog gauge with its round shape but it offers more features than the Breakout's LCD display. Indian photo.

In addition to brakes and suspension that, at least on paper, appear to be higher spec, the Indian also offers a four-inch touchscreen display with more features than the Harley's 2.14-inch LCD display. The Indian display is accessible by handlebar controls or the touchscreen and enables features such as turn-by-turn navigation. It can be paired with a smartphone via Bluetooth for listening to music or screening incoming calls.

Indian Sport Chief in four colors
The Sport Chief is available in Black Smoke (base price), Ruby Smoke and Stealth Gray (add $500) and Spirit Blue Smoke (add $1,000). Indian photo.

The Sport Chief comes with a quarter fairing and a solo seat. The Breakout at least offers token passenger accommodations, though you're not going to choose either for a two-up ride of any length. No, these bikes are built for the cruiser traditionalist who also wants to get a little more satisfaction when twisting the throttle than the typical cruiser provides.

Indian Sport Chief in Ruby Smoke color
Blacks and grays still predominate, it seems, but at least Indian offers the Ruby Smoke color. This bike also features accessory items such as the higher handlebar. Indian photo.

"Sport" is still a relative term when shopping the cruiser market, but there are buyers who will consider no other kind of motorcycle. For them, these are new options and it's always good to have options.

2023 Indian Sport Chief 2023 Harley-Davidson Breakout
Price (MSRP) $18,999 to $19,999 depending on color $20,999
Engine Thunderstroke 116, 1,890 cc, air-cooled, four-valve, V-twin Milwaukee-Eight 117, 1,923 cc, air-cooled, eight-valve, V-twin
Transmission,
final drive
Six-speed, belt Six-speed, belt
Claimed horsepower N/A 101 @ 4,750 rpm
Claimed torque 120 foot-pounds @ 2,900 rpm 123 foot-pounds @ 3,500 rpm
Frame Steel tube Steel tube
Front suspension KYB 43 mm inverted fork; 5.1 inches of travel Dual-bending valve 49 mm fork; 5.0 inches of travel
Rear suspension Dual Fox Piggyback shocks, adjustable for preload; 4.0 inches of travel Single shock, adjustable for preload; 3.4 inches of travel
Front brake Dual Brembo four-piston calipers, 320 mm discs with ABS Single four-piston caliper, 300 mm disc with ABS
Rear brake Brembo two-piston caliper, 300 mm disc with ABS Two-piston caliper, 292 mm disc with ABS
Rake, trail 28.0 degrees, 4.4 inches 34.0 degrees, 5.7 inches
Wheelbase 64.6 inches 66.7 inches
Seat height 27 inches 26.2 inches
Fuel capacity 4.0 gallons 5.0 gallons
Tires Pirelli Night Dragon, 130/60B19 front, 180/65B16 rear Michelin Scorcher 11, 130/60B21 front, 240/40R18 rear
Claimed weight 665 pounds 683 pounds
Warranty 24 months 24 months
More info indianmotorcycle.com harley-davidson.com