Indian’s flat track-inspired model gets a street-minded makeover.

By Morgan Gales / cycleworld.com

In 2019, Indian Motorcycle released the FTR1200 models, which were inspired by the company’s winning FTR750 flat-track racer. Cycle World Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer said the bike signaled “a new era for American street standards,” combining the endearing elements we associate with American cruisers and sporty street trackers to achieve a riding experience that is “purely good-time oriented.” Now, for 2022 (yes, you read that correctly), Indian is updating the platform, moving all models except the Rally away from the scrambler genre and toward a more functional on-road design equipped with 17-inch wheels, a lower seat height, and updated engine tune optimized for street performance.

Why 2022? The FTR1200 models currently being sold are model year 2019, while FTR Rally and Carbon models now in dealerships are both 2020. So while the bikes we’re looking at today will be in dealerships in spring of 2021, Indian has decided to skip model year 2021 altogether and call this whole updated lineup 2022.

The base-model FTR1200 is now the FTR, with a $500 price decrease that brings the MSRP to $13,000. The FTR S stays at $15,000, while the FTR R Race Replica and Carbon models are now combined into the FTR R Carbon, which remains $17,000.

Previously all FTRs except the Rally came with proprietary Dunlop tires. An 18-inch rear and 19-inch front tire were designed with a tread pattern mimicking the race-only DT3s used on FTR750s. Now the FTR, FTR S, and FTR R Carbon are each fitted with cast-aluminum 17-inch wheels and Metzeler Sportec tires in order to deliver more nimble and precise handling. The Rally will continue to equip Pirelli Scorpion Rally STRs in original 18/19 sizes.

As in previous models, the 2022 FTR and FTR Rally come with analog gauges rather than the 4.3-inch touchscreen seen on the R Carbon and S models. Wheelie control, stability control, traction control, cornering ABS, and a USB charging port are exclusive to the S and R Carbon models.

The FTR, S, and R Carbon models are equipped with fully adjustable suspension, a major upgrade for the base model despite the price decrease. As in previous years, the top-shelf R Carbon comes with fully adjustable Öhlins suspension. We now see a lowered seat height on the FTR, S, and R Carbon models, moving from our measured 33.46 inches to 32 inches, likely thanks to the new suspension tune, which drops 1.2 inches of travel from the previous 5.9 inches to 4.7 inches on each model. The Rally sees no suspension upgrades and is now the only model with nonadjustable suspension.

Indian says the updated engine tune applied to each model is intended to improve cold-start performance and deliver a smoother, more predictable throttle response. We would have loved to see some improvements in fuel economy, as well as a little less vibration at speed, but we’re happy to see some refinement nonetheless. In an effort to mitigate heat at idle, rear-cylinder deactivation is now standard on every model.

In previous years, Indian’s lineup offered FTRs with similar dirt and street capability. Now the company is improving on-road function while keeping the primary scrambler model, the Rally, to add some diversity. As we had hoped, the FTR1200 was just the beginning. We can’t wait to test these newly updated bikes ourselves, so stay tuned for our in-depth review.