This Modified Indian Super Chief Dials the Old-School Charm to Eleven

We’ve thus far seen a steady stream of projects based on models like the Scout and FTR, so the bike-modding community appears to be welcoming Indian’s comeback with open arms. This article’s photo gallery showcases one of the more recent additions to the list of tasty custom Indians. Based on a Super Scout from the model-year 2022, the specimen in question attained its current form over in Australia.

It is the work of Andy Dorr and Giles Colliver, who operate as Sabotage Motorcycles out of Sydney, New South Wales. This isn’t the first time we bring up one of their builds here on autoevolution, so we’re confident in saying these Aussies know what they’re doing. When approached by a customer who wanted her Super Chief transformed into something unique, the guys were admittedly a bit reluctant at first.

Andy and his teammate specialize in classic motorcycles, and a 2022 model clearly doesn’t fit into that area of expertise. Nonetheless, the Sabotage duo decided to step out of the comfort zone and embrace the challenge, as the client was happy to let them customize the modern Indian however they saw fit. Looking to the past for inspiration, the lads dug straight in.

First things first, they took the donor apart and proceeded to ditch a sizeable chunk of its OEM paraphernalia. That included items like the saddlebags, rear subframe, and chunky fenders, as well as the exhaust pipework and touring windshield. The removal of all these parts brought about a considerable weight reduction, while leaving our protagonists with a blank canvas awaiting their custom wizardry.

They started by converting the motorcycle’s rear framework to a rigid hardtail structure, on top of which we see a sprung bobber-style seat. It features premium brown leather upholstery that looks incredibly elegant, and those springs provide the only bit of damping to take place at the back. A handmade rear fender is also present nearby, with its accompanying struts doing double duty as a sissy bar of sorts.

Attached to the mudguard’s southernmost tip is an LED taillight and a custom license plate holder to keep things road-legal. Things aren’t quite as wild at the front, but that’s not to say the folks at Sabotage have overlooked this area entirely. After polishing the forks to really make them shine, Giles and Andy came up with a new front fender whose design matches that of its rear counterpart.

There is a 5.5-inch headlight from Posh perched atop the lower triple clamp, and the cockpit area is now occupied by a bespoke stainless-steel handlebar built from scratch. Although the Super Chief’s stock dial was retained, it’s been relocated to the left side of the fuel tank in between the engine’s cylinders. This modification keeps the clutter in the cockpit at a bare minimum, but so does the lack of any mirrors.

Yet another nice touch is the new retro-style rubber, which was supplied by Firestone and is an excellent fit for the overall look that Sabotage was after. These tires are definitely not as controversial as the brand’s Deluxe Champions, and they still score maximum points on the stylistic front. Now, let’s see what has changed about the motorcycle’s V-twin powerplant.

With a whopping 108 pound-feet (146 Nm) of low-end torque at its disposal, the 1,811cc colossus is no slouch. The custom bike connoisseurs at Sabotage still wanted to give it a teeny bit of extra grunt just for good measure, so they installed a high-grade intake kit from Arlen Ness. As we’ve mentioned earlier on, the bulky OEM exhaust wouldn’t make the cut.

It was therefore replaced with a much leaner stainless-steel alternative, which is likely to also improve the engine’s soundtrack. Last but not least, the chosen livery is what really brings the whole package together, clearly influenced by the iconic Indian models of yore. The fuel tank and fenders were wrapped in a stunning coat of red paint, complemented by gold pinstripes.

One may also find some very stylish graphics on each side of the gas tank, and credit for the whole paint job goes to Pablo over at Cutting Edge. All things considered, we bet the Super Chief’s owner is glad to have given Sabotage Motorcycles free rein over the customization process, because the fruit of their labor is absolutely delicious in so many ways! Andy and Giles may be all about vintage bikes, but they obviously have what it takes to go modern.