Indian Motorcycle already hit us with its 2022 Scout lineup in November, 2021. While the range already includes the Scout, Scout Bobber, Scout Sixty, Scout Bobber Sixty, and Scout Bobber Twenty, it looks like the brand is prepping to release an all-new Scout variant later this year.
On April 1, 2021, Indian submitted a trademark application for the Rogue moniker, but new information obtained from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives us a few more details behind the new cruiser. Based on VIN number information, the Rogue will ride on the Scout Bobber chassis.
Compared to the standard Scout, the Bobber trim delivers the same 4.7 inches of travel at the front end but reduces the rear-wheel travel to 2 inches. As a result, ground clearance decreases from 5.7 inches to 5.1 inches, and lean angle drops from 31 degrees to 29 degrees. Despite the shallower rear suspension stroke, the Bobber still has the same 25.6-inch seat height as the base model.
The Rogue may replicate the slammed stance of the Scout Bobber, but Indian will also offer the new variant with the standard 100-horsepower, 1133cc V-twin or the Sixty-spec 78-horsepower, 1000cc engine. Regardless of the powerplant, ABS will be an option on both models. Lastly, the VIN numbers also reveal that not only will Polaris’ Spirit Lake, Iowa, and Opole, Poland, factories will produce the new bike, but Rogues will also be built in Vietnam.
Polaris currently has a joint venture with a components supplier in the country and the connection could be an excellent opportunity to sell the Rogue in Asian markets. Of course, Indian will have to confirm those details with an official announcement, but the prospects are exciting in the meantime.
While the technical information certainly whets our palette, the most important detail will be the Rogue’s aesthetics. With the new model sharing the Bobber’s chassis and both Scout engines, the Indian design department will have to deliver a style that stands apart from the rest of the cruiser range.
