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2021 · Cruiser · A variant of the Challenger
Differences between the standard Challenger and the Dark Horse
The Blacked-Out Power Bagger
The Challenger Dark Horse is Indian's performance bagger in its blacked-out trim. At its center sits the liquid-cooled PowerPlus, a 60° V-twin with 1768 cc that makes 122 hp and 128 lb-ft at 3,800 rpm. The chassis reads more sport than tradition: an aluminum twin-spar frame, an upside-down fork and a 19-inch front wheel. Cornering ABS, traction control and ride modes are standard, and the 7-inch Ride Command touchscreen brings Apple CarPlay into the cockpit. The Dark Horse builds on the standard Challenger's equipment with navigation and tire pressure monitoring. That's a lot of motorcycle!
Read the spec sheet and the purpose is clear: this hardware is built for long, fast highway miles with attitude. A wet weight of 831 lb (377 kg) and a 65.7 in (1668 mm) wheelbase point to straight-line calm rather than city agility, and on paper the 26.5 in (673 mm) seat keeps that mass low and within reach. Cruise control, an electrically adjustable windscreen, a 6.0 gal (22.7 L) tank and belt final drive are touring tools, not decoration. The fork takes no adjustment; the rear shock offers preload. It points to you if you want American V-twin presence with modern electronics. Heritage, but no museum piece.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 122 hp (91 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 128 lb-ft (174 Nm) @ 3,800 rpm |
| Displacement | 1768 cc |
| Engine | 60° V-twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Belt |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 130/60-19 |
| Rear tire | 180/60-16 |
| Wheelbase | 65.7 in (1668 mm) |
| Seat height | 26.5 in (673 mm) |
| Wet weight | 831 lb (377 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 6.0 gal (22.7 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Lighting
Safety
The named systems that set this bike apart — and what each one does for you.
Connectivity
The Challenger Dark Horse (MY2020-DarkHorse) builds on the standard Challenger: the upgraded hardware, the key spec changes and where its character shifts. The full ride, specs, scoring and verdict are all right here on this page.
Equipment the Dark Horse adds vs the standard Challenger
None of this comes from my own seat time. It's what has come back to me over years of listening: talk in paddocks and parking lots, owners comparing notes at club nights, and the messages and emails riders send in once they've lived with a bike for a while. On the Challenger the chatter runs in one direction. Riders keep describing a big machine that stops behaving like one the moment it's rolling, and they keep putting their reservations at walking pace.
The engine dominates every conversation. Riders describe thrust arriving from just off idle and building without a flat spot, and the line that comes up again and again is that a highway pass asks for nothing but a twist of the throttle. No downshift, no planning, no waiting for the motor to wake up. The brakes get the same kind of talk, if less of it. Owners report that the bike comes down from speed with authority and real feel at the lever, and that the ABS stays in the background rather than cutting in on top of the chassis.
The second thing riders volunteer, usually with some surprise in the telling, is how it changes direction. For all its bulk they report it feeling lighter and more planted through corners than the size suggests, holding a line without protest when the road gets bent. Comfort draws steady mentions too: long days that don't leave you wrung out, buffeting kept down to almost nothing, and a quiet pocket the passenger appreciates as much as the rider. The electronics come up in passing, mostly the ride modes and traction control.
The complaints are narrow, and they cluster in one spot. Once the bike stops rolling, riders say the mass is right there in your hands, balance takes care, and paddling it around for any length of time gets tiring. There's no reverse gear to lean on, so a sloped parking space is something you sort out before you roll into it. Past that, the styling splits the room. Some riders find the sharply creased fairing and the muscular lines more aggressive than they want, though that comes up far less often than the praise does.
ABS module software error causing unintended brake light illumination
A manufacturing defect in the Bosch ABS module can cause the brake lights to flash or stay on when no braking occurs, potentially confusing other road users. Indian issued recall 24V-069/I-24-03 to reflash the ABS module.
Cold start cylinder misfire and engine code
During cold starts in cooler ambient temperatures, extended idling can cause erratic engine speed, triggering a cylinder misfire diagnostic trouble code and temporary cylinder deactivation. Restarting the motorcycle clears the fault code.
Clutch cable sleeve deterioration causing sticking
The clutch cable's plastic outer sleeve can crack and jam, preventing full clutch disengagement and leading to slipping under hard acceleration. Replacement of cable and clutch plates is the remedy.
Radiator weld defects causing slow coolant leak
A documented case of the radiator seeping from a bottom seam due to poor welds. Replaced under warranty. Limited reports, but noteworthy for a new model.
ECU/wiring harness limp mode
Low voltage codes (P16AD, P1227, P0916) can cause the bike to enter limp mode. An initial ECU replacement did not fix the issue, pointing to a possible wiring harness or connector problem.
Premature battery failure
The OEM battery may develop a dead cell after the first full season, even when kept on a tender. The bike also struggles to start in very cold weather.
Display freezing and random glitches
The digital display may freeze, enter a loading loop, reset ride data, or switch between day/night mode erratically. A restart usually resolves the issue.
Where this Indian Challenger pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Challenger is actually built for.
This is the best fit of the three: a 1768 cc V-twin, blacked-out bagger looks and real presence for the ride to Sturgis or Daytona. You get brand identity with modern electronics on top.
Made for Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
A solid match on paper: cruise control, an electric windscreen, navigation and a 6.0 gal (22.7 L) tank are built for long days between parks. The hardware is aimed at distance.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
Only a partial fit. You get heritage and a V-twin, but this is a blacked-out 831 lb (377 kg) bagger with a touchscreen, not a simple classic for a quiet rhythm through small towns.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Indian Challenger. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Competitor · 2021
Germany's Take on Bagger
Roughly $5,600 cheaper used than this bike at 5 yr
Competitor · 2021–2023
Factory Custom, Highway Ready
~$6,300 pricier used than this bike at 5 yr
Competitor · 2021–2023
The Bagger That Knows Everything
~$6,000 pricier used than this bike at 5 yr
Competitor · 2022–2023
Factory Hot Rod, Connected
Competitor · 2022
Silk-Smooth Six in Bagger Skin
