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Do you want to invest in a motorcycle and love the Indian Scout design but want something different? Compare the selling points of bikes that are more economical if you are not ready to put money on a cruiser by Indian Motorcycle but still want the cruiser bobber style.
You’re going to consider whether you need room for a single rider on this model, or a passenger, too. See what else is entailed when you select a new motorcycle.
1. Incoming With an Indian Scout Bobber Sixty to Start Off This Short and Stout Motorcycle Style Series
Only on the market since 2021, the Indian Scout Bobber Sixty is a hard hitter for the customary bob-job style of motorcycle. This motorcycle features a low-slung profile and a heavy, stout body. The motorcycle rumbles along the asphalt with a 100 horsepower v-twin engine.
That’ll get your juices moving in the morning! With a fuel capacity of 3.3 gallons, this classic-looking motorcycle will certainly turn heads on the highway.
The Indian Scout also features a 6-speed transmission for the ultimate in performance and get up and go as you want in this shorter style of the stock bike. The MSRP cost starts out at $12,249 and it comes in seven different hues.
Choose from colors like Alumina Jade Smoke and Maroon Metallic Smoke. Other options include a passenger seat accessory that is an additional $350 to $450, as well as wind deflectors for $200 or less.
2. Kawasaki Vulcan S Kicks #$% Through the Use of a Star Trek Universe for Their Hotrod Name
Well, it started with a Ninja® engine and evolved into the Vulcan S, and is one of the coolest motorcycles by Kawasaki to compete with the Indian Scout. This is a cruiser style of bike that is much older than the Indian Scout, coming onto the market first in 1984.
However, age has only added to the character of this very sci-fi-sounding name for a motorcycle. One of the more economical motorcycles in the lineup, the Kawasaki Vulcan S has a more affordable price tag that features an MSRP starting at $7,349 to $7,899–respectively with or without ABS brakes.
The motorcycle by Kawasaki has a slightly bigger fuel tank with a capacity ranging from 3.7 gallons. The overall curb weight of the bike is 491.7 without ABS to 498.3 pounds with ABS.
As a sport cruiser-style motorcycle, the Vulcan S features a signature two-tone look. Pearl Matte Sage Green highlights a Metallic Flat Spark Black used for the majority of the machine.
3. Go for the Gold With a Victorious Sounding Motorcycle Called a Victory V92 Similar to the Indian Scout
According to legend, the Victory V92 was last seen with a rider who resembled–and I am not quite sure of what to make of this–but it was Sasquatch. Yes, an actual Yeti but with brown fur instead of white like a polar bear. If this is true, they are riding on the back of a motorcycle that is no longer in production.
The Victory V92 held a spot on the market from 1999 to 2003, after which the company was bought out or acquired rather by the same bikes that make the Indian Scout. Carole Nash explained, “In 2013, the first Polaris Indians left the showrooms, powered by an all-new V-twin engine, and marked the beginning of the end for the Victory brand.”
As further noted by Forbes, “Polaris is the Minneapolis-based parent company of Victory Motorcycles and Indian Motorcycle, along with Polaris brand side-by-side all-terrain off-road vehicles, snowmobiles, Slingshot three-wheeled on-road vehicles and several parts, garments and accessories brands.” So it is obvious where the connection is.
As for the cost, since you cannot find one of these bikes new, it varies–especially if you are talking about a vintage model in pristine condition or redone with a custom body. The bike holds a passenger with the rider and is a heavier bike compared to the Indian Scout, weighing nearly 640 pounds.
4. Yes to the Yamaha V Star, too! Five Stars, Indeed! See Why in this Motorcycle
Are you just beginning to get out there on the open roads on the back of a motorcycle? Opt for a great first cruiser with the Yamaha V Star. The motorcycle is built by a brand that is a heavy hitter in the motorcycle and dirt bike game. V-twin engines, as we see in all of these bikes, are paired with a low-slung seat for an easy slide onto this ride.
The bike is also the cheapest starting MSRP so far on this list of comparable motorcycles to the Indian Motorcycle Scout. Expect to pay around $5,000 once you pay for destination surcharges and fuel surcharges just to receive the bike.
The 2022 Yamaha V Star 250 Sport is the newest model of this motorcycle by Yamaha Motor Company out of Japan. Here you have a fuel tank that holds a 2.5 gallon capacity and a fuel economy of 78 miles to the gallon–much better than any automobile using gas. However, this is thanks to the lightweight of the bike, weighing less than 330 pounds.
The Yamaha V Star also has less power with 249 ccs, which is another reason why this is a great first motorcycle for someone who has never ridden or owned a bike. Also, a rear seat comes standard, but make sure it is not too much weight to slow you down since this is a less powerful motorcycle.
5. How Does the Honda Rebel 500 Compare to the Indian Motorcycle Called the Scout?
To be honest, when I look at the Honda Rebel 500 and compared it to an Indian Scout or any of the bikes on this list–they all look exactly the same! It is the bob-job, low-saddle style that is not quite a chopper for someone with Stretch Armstrong arms, but almost. Here you have another beefy but easy-to-manage motorcycle weighing about 410 pounds with its curb weight.
The MSRP is mid-range at approximately $7,000 new with delivery surcharges–quite less than that of the price of a stock Indian Scout. In fact, almost all of the motorcycles I have reviewed so far are half the price of the Scout, which makes these a more affordable option.
As for the Honda Rebel 500’s power, the bike has a fuel capacity of 3 gallons and 471 ccs for more power than the previous motorcycle. Two people, however, cannot comfortably fit on this bike, making it a solo rebel rider’s dream ride instead.
6. If You Love Watching “American Gods,” or Reading Neil Gaiman, Then You Will Fan-Girl for the Honda Shadow Aero
Add a grand to that MSRP and you can afford the next step up from the Honda Rebel 500–the Honda Shadow Aero. Here is a motorcycle with a bit more heft, too, with a curb weight of 560 pounds and a fuel tank capacity of 3.6 gallons.
The engine is a SOHC 2-cylinder with three valves per cylinder. The power comes from the 745 cc horsepower engine, which makes this bike best for moderately experienced riders.
If you have had a Honda Rebel 500 or a Yamaha V Star, but you want to upgrade and can’t quite afford the $13,000 Indian Scout, you should consider the Honda Shadow Aero. Holds two riders comfortably and comes in only one color combination–Ultra Blue Metallic with silver and chrome detailing.
The result is super specific and easily defines this bike. So, if you want a sports cruiser that is pushing towards the dovetail or even a big boy style, go with the Honda Shadow Aero.
7. Vroom, Vroom! Move Out, Honda, Here Comes the Big Boys Into the Room! Harley-Davidson Iron 883
The Harley-Davidson Iron 883 is another motorcycle that is sort of like the Indian Scout, but bigger in a few ways including the budget. The price for this bike is an MSRP that starts at $11,500, making the motorcycle closer in price to the Indian Scout.
Therefore, if you want to spend more money on a comparable motorcycle to the Scout, here is your solution. Color options include White Sand Pearl, Gunship Gray, and Black Denim.
The other bigger component is an 883 cc engine that puts the Iron 883 ahead of all the others here based on power. Another point to note–this is the motorcycle that features the iconic Dark Horse style. So if you are new to Harley-Davidson and want to go the whole hog on the OG bike model–here it is!
8. Test Your Strength and Stamina on a Yamaha Bolt R-Spec
The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec is a newer model of the motorcycle by Yamaha that was released in 2014. The bike is also related to the Bolt C-Spec model from the same year. Here, with the Bolt R-Spec, the specifications are going to surprise you.
First of all, move over to Iron 883, there’s an even more powerful cruiser on the roads. The Bolt C-Spec has a whopping 942 cc horsepower! If you are no longer a beginner who is fretting over 249 ccs of HP, it is time for the Bolt C-Spec.
A 58-inch cubic V-twin engine sits under the saddle of the Yamaha Bolt R-Spec, which has a starting MSRP of $8,600. It is a bobber style, too, which is more in tradition with the Indian Motorcycle models related to the Scout.
A 51-mile to the the-gallon tank is decent but not the best compared to other bikes in the cruiser category. But then again, check out that horsepower! You have to pay for the energy consumption somewhere–even if a motorcycle uses far less fuel than most personal, street-legal vehicles.
9. The Suzuki Boulevard M50 is Not a Street–I Promise! See What the Heck it Really is Compared to an Indian Motorcycle Scout
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Now I have a motorcycle that is verging away from the bobber cruiser style toward something more urban. The Suzuki Boulevard M50 screams, ‘I am street legal or a street, I am not sure!’ with a name like this.
With a price tag of approximately $9,000 MSRP and delivered from the factory, the 2022 model of the Boulevard M50 features Solid Iron Gray or Candy Daring Red. You also get a larger tank than most cruiser-style bikes with a 4.1-gallon capacity.
Sixteen-inch front tires and 15-inch rear tires suit this bike style quite well. These tires also hold the capacity of the rider along with a passenger. Buckhorn-style handlebars and a V-twin engine round out this machine ready for the windiest roads.
10. Hitting It Out of the Ball Park With Lisa Frank is the Royal Enfield Meteor 350
Rounding out this list of motorcycles you could compare to the Indian Motorcycle Scout style is the Royal Enfield Meteor 350. The cruiser-style motorcycle is the first to come from India–the country, not the motorcycle brand.
With a 349 cc horsepower engine, this motorcycle replaced the former model, Thunderbird 350, by the same brand. So how expensive is it to buy an Indian bike from India here in the US? The RE Meteor 350 is less than $5,000.
This motorcycle has room for an additional rider and it even comes with a backrest. That’s different from the rest of the cruiser-style bikes on this list. You also get a ton of color options, including Supernova Blue, Fireball Yellow, Fireball Red, Stellar Black, Stellar Blue, Stellar Red, and Supernova Brown.
The paint color is mainly showcased on the fuel tank, save for the matching colored stripe added to the wheel wall. The rest of the bike is a matte black tone that lends a sleek impression of this economical option to an Indian Scout motorcycle.
11. Triumph Bonneville Bobber Takes the Cake Walk Today, Though
Finally, the coolest bike, almost like an Indian Scout motorcycle is the Triumph Bonneville Bobber. This motorcycle is a bobber style that is similar to the Bobber Sixty in the Indian Scout lineup. The bike has not been on the market very long, being first sold in 2017.
The Bonneville Bobber is distinctly different from the rest of these motorcycles due to the large chrome exhaust pipe on the cycle. On the bike, painted all in matte black, a large C-shaped exhaust pipe with a long bottom piece extends throughout the body of the machine.
You do not have room for a second rider at all though, as a result of the way the tire is nearly uncovered. But you will have to pay a lot more for this option at an MSRP of $13,500. As a result, this is the most expensive option for something like an Indian Scout on this list.
That being said, if you want something similar to the Scout but with strikingly unique features, the chrome pipe and the tail end of the Triumph Bonneville Bobber will seal the deal.
How many styles of Indian Scout motorcycles are sold today?
Right now, Indian Motorcycle has six different styles of Scout model motorcycles. These include:
- Scout Bobber
- Scout Bobber Sixty
- Scout Bobber Twenty
- Scout Rogue Sixty
- Scout Rogue
- Scout
These motorcycles range in retail value from the lowest price cycle, which is the Scout Bobber Sixty starting at $10,749 MSRP, to the most expensive Indian Scouts. This includes both the Scout Bobber Twenty and Scout, which both start at $13,249 MSRP.
Related: What’s the Profit Margin on Motorcycles?
What is a bobber motorcycle, or a bob-job?
A bobber motorcycle features a completely stripped-down version of a commercially, mass-produced motorcycle. According to Berts Mega Mall, the bobber motorcycle originated when “Riders who wished to have a fast and unique bike would ‘bob’ their motorcycles and strip the excess bodywork from the motorcycle to make them much lighter and faster for the ultimate motorcycle experience.”
The bobber is a style of motorcycle, explains the site–rather than a type of motorcycle. Therefore, any motorcycle can be altered into the bob or bobber style.
The bobbing method of customizing bikes was started in the 1920s. This is following World War I when riders were stripped of metal and money. Bobbing a motorcycle was seen as a way to reduce metal for a shorter, squattier motorcycle that was less expensive to fuel and maintain.
Also, the motorcycles were customized with bobbing to make them personal to the rider. Those riders who are in groups or gangs use customization as a way to stand out from the pack.
Bike Sure provides an excellent explanation for bobbing motorcycles: “You know the score: returning soldiers looking for cheap transport, camaraderie and excitement, get motorcycles, form clubs and generally let their hair down after living through the horrors of war.
American aficionados had known about the superiority of European motorbikes since before the war – indeed, cut downs and bob-jobs had been an attempt to replicate their performance, and components of British motorcycles had been much sought after for early US customizers.”
Several companies, including Indian Motorcycle, have a bobber style. These include the Indian Scout Bobber Sixty, as well as the Triumph Bonneville Bobber.
What is a rogue motorcycle?
The rogue motorcycle style is strictly made and sold by Indian Motorcycle. Compared to the Scout motorcycle, the Rogue version is more aggressive in appearance.