How do you take one of the most iconic names in motorcycling and make it better? That was the daunting task the team behind Indian Motorcycle was facing with the brief to take the nearly 10-year-old Scout platform and bring it into the roaring ‘20s.
The reintroduction of the Indian Scout as a 2015 model is perhaps one of the keys to the successful revival of the Indian Motorcycle brand under the ownership of Polaris Industries, so getting the second generation of the modern Scout right wasn’t just important for the design team, it was crucial.
Thankfully, the 2025 model Indian Scout appears to have what it takes to carry the brand forward into the future, with a more powerful engine, revised styling and more technology all balanced with the traditions that make a Scout a Scout. Visually, the biggest change away from the 2023 model playbook comes from the exhaust which now opts for a HUGE single outlet pipe instead of the twin outlets of the old model.
“Scout is the most iconic American cruiser of all time and is synonymous with the Indian Motorcycle brand,” says Mike Dougherty, president for Indian Motorcycle. “As our top-selling platform, Scout has long been a staple in our lineup. And while riders around the world love the current Scout offering, we’re excited to take it to the next level and continue its evolution with a robust offering of models to meet the diverse needs of our global riding community.”
Set to arrive in New Zealand dealers in Q2 of 2025, the new Indian Scout will arrive in a five-model family from the off, a clever move on Indian’s part to get the maximum from the new platform by building on learnings from the Gen-1 bike’s owners.
This will see a wide range of riders catered for by the Scout model family, with the Scout Classic keeping to the model's roots juxtaposed by the top-of-the-line Scout 101 pushing the bike towards power cruiser territory. As previously, the Scout Bobber will return alongside the new Sport Scout with its Scout Rogue-inspired fairing and the new Super Scout which sees the platform optimised for touring.
Having the opportunity to lead the design efforts for the next evolution of Scout is a dream come true,” says Ola Stenegärd, director of product design for Indian Motorcycle.
“Our top priority was to uphold the iconic namesake of Scout and ensure the new lineup is as timeless as all its predecessors. For us, it was imperative to keep it clean, follow the iconic lines of Scout, and create a package that offered seamless customisation. To achieve this, it all started with the steel tube frame and all-new, V-Twin engine.”
The Scout Classic, Bobber and Sport Scout will be offered in two trim levels, with a Standard trim focused on keeping pricing attainable with a stylish analogue dash, while the optional Limited +Tech Trim throws in Indian’s Ride Command infotainment system and touchscreen dash into the mix. For the Scout 101 and Super Scout, the Limited + Tech is the standard equipment.
While the 2014 model Scout offered an Aluminium frame from which it cradled its V-twin engine, Indian has chosen to revert to tradition for the 2025 model with an all-steel frame.
Indian loves to give its engines colourful names, and the new Scout’s 1250cc unit is no exception. Dubbed the SpeedPlus 1250, the new 60-degree V-twin engine puts out a respectable 79kw at 7250rpm and is backed up by 108Nm at 6300rpm in variants but the Scout 101, which sees performance boosted slightly to 83kw and 109Nm at the same revolutions.
“Scout is a beloved model and the most iconic and historic of our lineup, resonating with all types of riders, men and women, from all over the world,” says Ben Lindaman, product director for Indian Motorcycle. “Since launching the current Scout 10 years ago, the midsized cruiser segment has evolved. After conducting tons of research, rider insights drove our developments that prioritised the Scout’s iconic styling, its class-leading performance, and new rider-centric technology.”
While the new Scout undoubtedly adds many new features in both technology and performance riders now expect, it remains the key to entering the Indian Motorcycle range. With the lowest seat height in the industry at just 649mm and its range of models for different niches within the cruiser class, it looks like Indian is well on the way to another success story with the Gen-2 Scout.
Pricing as always will play a large role in the model line’s success, and this is expected to be revealed closer to the 2025 Indian Scout’s New Zealand release next year.