Indian Springfield Dark Horse Project Bike [Personalizing A Winner]

May 7, 2023

My riding buddies don’t get me. We have all been riding and buying the same flavor of motorcycles for a long time now. ADV bikes, scramblers, and retro European bikes have been our bikes of choice, and we have not even bothered with touring bikes, sportbikes, and, especially, cruisers.

Last year, I had the pleasure of covering the launch of the 2022 Indian Super Chief. I had not spent much time riding cruisers before the launch, and I had not liked the Harley-Davidsons I had ridden in the past. They were loud, heavy, slow, and too vibey. Historically, they underperformed relative to European and Japanese competitors. And H-Ds are expensive. I didn’t see the attraction.

Super Chief 2022 colors — Indian Super Chief.

After spending two amazing days in Sedona riding the Super Chief, I began to understand the appeal. It is a totally different experience from all the other motorcycles I’ve owned and ridden.

The Indian immediately put me in a more relaxed riding mode. It was no longer about how fast I can go or how quickly I take corners. I started to see opportunities for enjoying long straightaways and big, sweeping turns through our stunning country as the Indian’s big air-cooled American engine purred along. I liked the Indian’s vibe. I liked its relaxed approach combined with a powerful engine, and I liked the style.

I liked it so much, I had Indian loan me one for a motorcycle and blues music trip I was doing through the Mississippi Delta a few months later. The Indian launch and the Delta Blues ride got me hooked on the idea of owning a cruiser, so it was time to start researching my next motorcycle.

The two most obvious brands to explore were Harley-Davidson and Indian. Both have rich and long heritages and are the undisputed leaders in big cruisers. They have mastered the craft. Other manufacturers have cruiser-style motorcycles— Triumph, BMW, Ducati, and the Japanese manufacturers, but they are not the true cruiser I wanted. There are only two authentic choices: Indian and Harley-Davidson.

My parameters for a cruiser were pretty specific. I love the look of an old-school naked cruiser with its simple, clean lines. I wanted a motorcycle with strong performance—a motor that felt powerful and reasonably nimble while still having the presence and feel of a big, air-cooled cruiser.

I also loved the idea of easily changing a bike to what type of riding or which experience I wanted—a stripped-down naked cruiser for a solo ride around town, or ready for distance and maybe two-up riding with a windshield, trunk, and bags.

With these parameters set, my choices narrowed to the Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic 114, the Indian Springfield Dark Horse, and the Indian Super Chief I rode in Arizona. All three have large displacement engines, quick-release windshields (an option on the Springfield), and optional quick-release trunks or passenger backrests.

As I researched all three, the Super Chief and Heritage Classic eventually fell out of the running.

The Super Chief had superior style, lighter weight, and performance. Unfortunately, it has a smaller gas tank and less-comfortable rear suspension. It lacks tubeless tires and tire pressure monitoring (both of which I find very helpful for touring). Also, the Super Chief has the least comfortable pillion seat of the three bikes.

The Heritage Classic 114 is impressive on many fronts. It has superb power right out of the gate, fantastic ergonomics, a comfy higher seat for upright riding, and an easy reach to the grips. The Heritage Classic also has good brakes and plush, well-dialed suspension. In addition, the fit and finish are outstanding. The Heritage Classic is a stunning bike.

The only issue for me was the feel and sound of the Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine. While it has excellent power, it is rough around the edges and a bit vibey for me. I know I will get an earful from The Motor Company faithful, but the Heritage Classic sounded a little like a VW microbus when I accelerated up hills. I am sure the rougher feel is exactly what the H-D buyers like, and a simple exhaust modification would improve the sound, but it just didn’t pull the heartstrings.

So that brought me to the Indian Springfield Dark Horse. The Super Chief launch was eye-opening because the engine had that great air-cooled feel and presence. The Thunder Stroke 116 motor is smoothly muscular. I can ride it aggressively or sit back and cruise. The Springfield Dark Horse has the same V-twin engine, so I knew I would like it, even though it was a bigger bike.

Seeing the Springfield in person, it had an immediate presence. The engine is the centerpiece, and it is handsome. The bike has beautiful swept lines and ideal proportions. This motorcycle looks precisely like what it is—an American muscle bike with that old-school American cruiser vibe. It was just what I was looking for.

Swinging a leg over, it immediately felt different from the other cruisers. While it is only a little longer and slightly heavier than the Super Chief and Heritage Classic, it felt much bigger. I was initially worried it was too big and unwieldy for me. Besides a bigger tank between my knees, the nacelle surrounding the large headlight gives the impression of riding a Tomahawk cruise missile.

Once I started the engine, that smooth power was right there. As soon as I got the bike rolling, the weight and size melted away. It magically transformed into a more nimble, authoritative, and smooth motorcycle. I knew I had found the one for me.

There is a lot to like about the 2022 Indian Springfield Dark Horse. In addition to elegant lines, a fantastic matte army green color, and a blacked-out engine, it has the engine size I wanted, a larger fuel tank for long rides, tubeless tires for easy flat fixes, twin disc front brakes, plus a superior rear air shock with more travel and accommodations for a passenger. Also, there is more information on the dash, including gear position indicator, tire pressure monitoring, and remote lockable hard cases.

However, no motorcycle is perfect for everyone. There were some things I wasn’t crazy about that I could not change, and a bunch of things that I could. Motorcycles, particularly American cruisers, are about customization and personalization. So, I was going to do just that.

The areas I could not change were minor—the tank-mounted location of the speedometer/gauge and the big upfront metal cowl. Both are part of the style and are only very minor gripes. Also, the clutch is heavy and a chore to pull in LA’s stop-and-go traffic, and the front brake could use a bit more bite. Again, nothing terribly bad.

The areas that I could address were wind protection (the Springfield Dark Horse does not come with a windshield), seat (the stock, while comfortable, is too low and far from the bars for me), the mini-ape handlebar (neither my favorite look nor comfortable), no pillion backrest, passenger footpegs rather than floorboards, lighting (adding aux lighting), and exhaust sound and performance (including intake—because why not?). It was time to dip into the Indian Accessories & Parts catalog.

“She sure is beautiful.” That was the first impression of the motorcycle as it rolled off the delivery truck from Arizona.

I began my search for a Springfield Dark Horse in the Sagebrush Smoke color (matte army green for us ordinary folks). Turns out, there were none in California and very few in the United States. To make matters worse, Indian was discontinuing the color for 2022.

Panic suddenly set in, and I began scouring the internet. Fortunately, I found the last example in the western states in Tucson! It took a bit of negotiation and logistics work, but I made the purchase. After spending months trying to find the right motorcycle in the right color scheme, my 2021 Indian Springfield Dark Horse finally arrived.

First on the list of changes to the Springfield was swapping the apes for the Indian Beach Bar with no crossbar (since discontinued) and adding heated grips ($330). I know apes are popular with many V-twin riders, but they just don’t work for me. The tall bend is uncomfortable, and the positioning makes the bike less maneuverable and awkward in turns. I had the Tucson dealer install the new handlebar and grips before delivery, and the bike looked exactly like I wanted.

The first ride with the bars was great, along with the terrific sound, feel, and performance of the Thunder Stroke 116. Unfortunately, the stock seat was still too low and set too far back for the riding position I wanted. Also, highway riding above 70 mph required a firm grasp of the grips to battle the strong windblast to my chest.

To address these areas, I turned to the Indian Accessories catalog once again. I found the ClimalCommand Classic Seat ($1000) and the Polycarbonate 14-inch Quick Release Flare windshield ($750). The seat offered heating and cooling! To help solve my ergonomics issues, it is a few inches higher and set more forward, which I felt would create the ideal seat position for my six-foot frame.

My first trip was a two-day sprint from LA to Paso Robles. The routes included some highway riding on US Route 101, plus the twisty country roads around Paso and California Highway 58 between Santa Margarita and McKittrick—perfect for testing the initial modifications.

Climbing aboard the Springfield, everything felt great. As I hoped, the new seat put me a few inches higher and more forward—exactly where I wanted to be on the bike. The windshield was positioned right below my eye line, allowing for the wind protection I wanted without obstructing my view.

While the screen provided excellent protection on the roads around town, the big test was at highway speeds. One of the few complaints I had of the Indian Super Chief I had ridden was that the upright windshield created a lot of buffeting at speeds above 60 mph. As I cruised Highway 101, I didn’t experience that same effect on the Springfield. The windshield is slightly more angled and flared at the top and sides, resulting in smoother airflow and less buffeting. Another desirable aspect of the windshield is its quick-release mechanism for fast installations and removals to suit the desired look and feel I want at any particular moment.

As the miles rolled on, I got a better feel for the new seat. In addition to creating a better body position, the seat is very comfortable, thanks to plenty of padding and support.

As I approached Paso Robles, the temperatures climbed—time to try the “cooling” aspect of the seats (small fans under the seat provide the cooling). Unfortunately, the seat was unresponsive as I pressed its control buttons on the side. I found out later the seat requires a specific wiring harness that the dealer had not installed.

Overall, the trip was a lot of fun, and the modifications were a great success. The Springfield was now dialed for distance. However, it wasn’t ready for two-up trips without a passenger backrest or trunk.

This necessitated another review of the extensive Indian Motorcycle Parts & Accessories catalog. One of the other benefits of the ClimalCommand seat is a large and very padded pillion section. To improve the passenger experience, I found and ordered a good-looking Quick Release Touring Trunk with a well-padded Low Profile Truck Backrest Pad ($80). I also ordered passenger floorboards ($215), which allow the passenger to change leg position on the ride. The Springfield comes stock with driver floorboards, and I absolutely love that ability to move my legs around on long trips.

Unfortunately, the pandemic-related supply chain problem reared its ugly head. The trunk was back ordered for an eternity. After a very, very long wait and numerous discussions with the Indian rep, it was decided that the Touring Trunk may never come. Fortunately, Indian offers a Quick Release Low Profile Trunk ($1800).

The advantage of the slimmer top box is a streamlined look that complements the Springfield Dark Horse. However, the main reason I wanted a trunk was to provide a large backrest for the passenger, and the Low Profile Trunk setup is not highly supportive. Other than that, it functions well, holds a lot of gear (but not a full-face helmet), and looks sharp.

It was now time for the final phase of the customization project—performance!

I went with the Thunder Stroke Stage 1 Oval Slip-On Muffler ($1100) and Performance Air Intake ($550), as well as the Thunder Stroke Stage 2 Performance Kit ($850), which includes a new fuel injection system, cams, and fuel mapping. I didn’t do a before-and-after horsepower and torque dyno test because my criteria for the results feel. I can tell you that these upgrades definitely increase power, improve throttle response, and the Thunderstroke engine sounds great. Winding the motor out on the highway clearly demonstrated the value of the upgrades.

It should be noted, however, that the cams give the idle a bit of a loping feel. In addition, the various throttle maps that are standard with the engine aren’t mapped consistently with the new cams. While this is not noticeable in Sport mode, I usually use Touring mode around town, with a pillion to smooth out the throttle response. In Touring mode, there is a slight lag in throttle response, which is not ideal.

Overall, the modifications were critical to making the motorcycle just the way I want it. The best changes and additions were the windshield, beach-bend handlebar, seating position, and exhaust pipes. All of these improved the riding experience and did not break the bank. I like the look and functionality of the low-slung trunk, but it needs a higher backrest for the passenger. Unfortunately, the heated and cooled seat never worked, so I doubt I would do that upgrade again. The Stage 2 Performance Kit makes a notable difference, though I might stick with the stock Thunderstroke 116 next time due to a preference for smoothness over power.

Not including installation, the total price of the 2021 Indian Springfield Dark Horse came up just short of $30k. Now that I have dialed in my motorcycle, the only thing left to do is load it up and head to my first Sturgis Motorcycle Rally this summer.