Indian reveals ‘Chief Vintage’

Kicking off its 125th Anniversary in 2026, Indian Motorcycle has revealed a new addition to their Chief cruiser lineup in the form of the ‘Chief Vintage’. Leaning hard into historic Indian styling, the Chief Vintage features deeply valanced mudguards, a retro-look solo seat, drop-down handlebars, unique engine detailing and an exclusive colour option.

While the Chief Vintage is a new addition, the deletion of the Sport Chief means that the Chief family remains at six for 2026. All are powered by Indian’s 1,890cc (116ci) Thunderstroke v-twin, matched to a six-speed gearbox and belt final drive.

Retro Style

Design elements for the Chief Vintage were taken directly from Indian’s post-war Chief, which is one of the most important and collectable classic motorcycles.

“The Indian Chief from the 1940s remains one of the most recognisable and celebrated motorcycles in American history,” said Ola Steneg?rd, Design Director for Indian Motorcycle. “With its iconic V-Twin engine, valanced fenders, and unparalleled reliability, the Chief set a standard for performance and design that resonates today. It represents the spirit of Indian Motorcycle – bold, timeless, and always pushing forward.”

In translating those 1940s features to 2026, Indian have taken the existing Chief platform and added deeply valanced front and rear mudguards. The illuminated Indian headdress on the front mudguard is a direct nod to a feature first seen on 1947 Chiefs, while mudguard trims also echo the past.

Wire spoke wheels are of the same type as most of the other MY26 Chief models, although the Sport Chief RT and Chief Dark Horse do run alloys. What Indian describe as a narrow rear subframe keeps the vintage look going.

The handlebars and seat are unique to the Chief Vintage, with the former in the wide, drop-down style and the latter of the ‘floating’ type seen decades ago.

At 686mm high, the seat combines a retro look with modern comfort and support, plus upright ergonomics. Footboards (instead of pegs) are standard.

Cosmetic touches include a painted silver finish for the engine’s heads and pushrod tubes that echo the bare metal finish seen on Indian engines from the 1940s. The rest of the engine, along with the exhaust and frame, is painted black.

Available colours are Black Metallic and Indian Motorcycle Red; the latter being exclusive to the Chief Vintage.

Thunder Power

Power for the Chief Vintage comes from the same Thunderstroke v-twin that’s used in the other current Chief models. Producing 156Nm at 3,000rpm, this 1,809cc air-cooled twin features rear cylinder deactivation to reduce heat and improve fuel economy. The engine is matched to a six-speed transmission with belt final drive.

The Chief Vintage’s steel tube frame is of the conventional type, and like the geometry, is essentially identical to the other MY26 Chief models, with only fractional variations in rake and trail. Telescopic forks and dual rear shocks are also similar to the rest of the Chief range, but the low seat height means rear suspension travel on the Chief Vintage is just 75mm. Front travel is 132mm.

For braking, the Chief Vintage uses single 298mm floating rotors front and rear, with a four-piston caliper at the front and two-piston at the rear. ABS is standard. Wheels are 16-inch at each end, fitted with Metzeler Cruisetec tyres.

Modern Tech

Along with selectable riding modes – Tour, Standard and Sport – the Chief Vintage comes with Indian’s RIDE COMMAND system for the 101mm (4-inch) round touchscreen instrumentation. Indian says all-new software for this system improves startup and loading times by a claimed 25 per cent.

Along with presenting the usual instrumentation information, RIDE COMMAND allows app-enhanced navigation, pairing the rider’s phone to allow access to Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps. Ride stats and other data are available, too, with display information adjustable via the touchscreen or switchgear.

USB and 12V charge ports are standard, along with keyless ignition and all-LED lighting.

Coming Soon

Chief Vintage pricing of $31,995 ride away matches the Chief Bobber Dark Horse. The Sport Chief RT is the most expensive MY26 offering at $35,995 ride away, while the entry point to the Chief range is the Chief Dark Horse at $29,995 ride away.

A range of accessories available for the Chief Vintage upon its local arrival include a quick-release windshield, 19-litre saddlebags, footboard and grip options, a pillion seat and crash bars.

Australian arrival of the 2026 Indian Chief Vintage is expected by Q3, 2026. Contact your Indian Motorcycle dealer for further details and to confirm availability.