The Indian Scout Bobber was launched in India yesterday at the 2017 India Bike Week. It competes with the Harley-Davidson Roadster and the Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber. Read ahead to find out how the the Scout Bobber plays out against its competition-
Design and features
The Scout Bobber is based on the standard Scout however the bike features a host of changes and looks like Ghost Rider's next ride. It gets an aggressive riding position thanks to the revised handlebar and footpegs. The Scout Bobber sports a dark theme all through with the matte black wheels, exhaust, engine and frame. Moreover it rides on cartridge-type front forks and a lowered dual-spring setup at the rear for a classic bobber-like stance. Stopping power comes from single 298mm discs at both ends. The tail section features a chopped fender that exposes the Scout Bobber's beefy tyres.
The Harley-Davidson Roadster's design harks back to the '70s motorcycle racing days. The perfomance-oriented member of Harley-Davidson's Sportster range features a low-slung handlebar and the track-racer like seat is complemented by the curvy design of the chopped rear fender. The Roadster sports a 'dark' look with the blacked out alloy wheels, fork bottles, engine, heat shield and the rear shocks. The exhausts get the chrome treatment along with the handlebar, fuel cap and the 43mm inverted front forks. Braking is taking care of by twin 300mm discs in the front and a single 260mm disc at the rear.
The V9 Bobber is Moto Guzzi's offering in the dark-themed modern classic list. Apart from the matte black bodywork, the exhaust unit, mirrors and fenders are also painted in matte black. However the touches of chrome on the headlamp bezel, forks, eccentrically mounted instrument clusuter and footpegs add to a classic look. The bike gets 40mm inverted front forks and a twin spring setup at the rear. It sports a Brembo caliper that holds on to a single 320mm disc brake at the front while the rear gets a 260mm disc brake.
Engine
The Indian Scout Bobber is powered by the same liquid-cooled 1133cc V-twin engine as the standard Scout. This unit produces 100bhp and 97Nm of torque via a six-speed gearbox and final chain drive.
The Harley-Davidson Roadster gets an air-cooled 1202cc V-twin engine that produces 96Nm of torque. The manufacturer does not reveal its model's power figures. The engine however is mated to a five-speed gearbox and final belt drive.
The Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber sports an air and oil-cooled 850cc V-twin engine that delivers 54bhp and 62Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a six-speed transmission with a shaft final drive.
Pricing
The Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber is the priciest in this list with a price tag of Rs 13.22 lakhs (ex-showroom, Mumbai). The Harley-Davidson Roadster costs Rs 10.28 lakhs (ex-showroom, Mumbai) while the Indian Scout Bobber sits between its rivals with a price tag of Rs 12.99 lakhs (ex-showroom).
