FIRST LOOK: 2016 Indian Scout Sixty

As startling as Indian Motorcycle's rapid development from nothing to a brace of capable, flexible platforms has been, it's also a little surprising to see a somewhat expected move with the 2016 Scout Sixty. Every manufacturer of note offers a tiered lineup, with entry-level spinoffs for new riders and the budget conscious, and now so does Indian with the $8,999 Scout Sixty.

Literally a small-bore version of the Scout , the Sixty trades 96mm pistons for 93mm slugs, taking displacement from 1,133cc (or 69ci) down to 999cc (or 60ci, hence the name). Power drops from 100 to 78 hp despite a slight increase in compression ratio (from 10.7:1 to an even 11:1), but torque stays close, at a rated 65 pound-feet for the Sixty against 72 pound-feet on the bigger Scout. To further cut costs, Acme Gear Company sends only five sets of cogs for each Sixty where the bigger Scout has six speeds.

Good news on the chassis front, as the Sixty picks up the same components—including cast-aluminum frame—from the big-bro Scout. So you get a 25.3-inch seat height, modest running weight (claimed 542 pounds dry, just four more than the bigger Scout), and a pair of 298mm discs. No ABS is offered on the Sixty.

Back to pricing: The Sixty’s base price of $8,999 is two grand under a big-inch Scout’s. That’s for the Thunder Black model. Choose Indian Motorcycle Red or Pearl White and you’ll spend $9,299. If you’re shopping American-made cruisers you’ll surely note that the Scout is closer in price to an 883 Harley than a 1200.

The Scout Sixty underpins a six-bike lineup that’s rumored to grow once again in 2016.