For a brand that only relaunched five years ago, Indian Motorcycle is making some bold moves. The Scout FTR750 racebike has cleaned up in the flat track scene and Indian has now released a matching flat tracker for the street: the hotly anticipated FTR 1200.
When the FTR1200 Custom concept broke cover 18 months ago, everyone with a pulse and a love for two wheels went all giddy. And even though the production-ready FTR 1200 has been watered down by practical and regulatory considerations, it’s every bit as appealing.

It’s as if Indian have taken the classic ‘win on Sunday, sell on Monday’ approach?but that’s only half the story. The motorcycle industry is morphing, and Indian are looking to attract younger, hipper riders; riders that want a slice of Americana, but have no interest in cruisers or baggers. (And yes, they’re obviously riding the wave of flat track racing‘s popularity, too.) It’s also no secret that the American cruiser market is struggling. But Indian has seen significant growth in Europe?so the FTR 1200 is a bid to appeal to a wider audience, and pitched directly at European motorcycles.

Does it succeed" Does the FTR 1200 look half as good in real life as it does in photos" And does it go as good as it looks" I headed to LA for a day of Californian canyon carving to find out.
Even when parked up, there’s a lot to like about the FTR 1200. It’s closer to a full-on flat tracker than...