2025-on Indian Chieftain Powerplus Limited review: A step up for performance baggers

As you might expect for a big bagger, the Chieftain Powerplus is spacious and comfortable place to be perched. The seat is soft and well-shaped, the boards are placed nicely as to not be too far of a reach and the ‘bars sit pleasantly neutral, making it a doddle to ride for hours on end. The only issues in terms of comfort come in the form of relatively vibey bars (but that’s only over 80mph) and the heat that comes of the exhaust on the right-hand side, which does get a bit toasty on a warm ride.

For a machine that isn’t far off 400kg it handles well too, with a stable and confidence inspiring cast-ali chassis and suspension set-up that is not only plush enough to soak up bumps and undulations but also allows for a good level of control when riding in a more spirited manner. The OE Metzeler Cruisetec rubber also do a cracking job of keeping everything in check without any qualms whatsoever.

In terms of its stopping power, the Brembo Brakes aren’t the most powerful units in terms of their bite and feel, but the linked braking system that comes as standard (when using just the front brake, it engages the rear and vice-versa, over 13.4mph) does mask the fact an assist in slowing the big Indian down.

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Replacing the old air-cooled 108, the water-cooled 112 motor has a 2mm bigger bore, new pistons and some electronic alterations too – and the result is a seriously effective unit. Although the torque pulls like a train from minimal rpm, it goes all the way to beyond 6000rpm and still delivers an impressive amount of thrust. Every gear offers a good level of go, and on the motorway, it will happily sit in sixth at low revs with minimal noise, or effort.

In sport mode the throttle response is seriously fruity, while touring softens it up perfectly, yet still retaining a good level of excitement. Rain mode cuts the power too, and makes everything far softer. For motorway riding, the PowerPlus motor sits happily under 3000rpm at 70mph and is smooth and quiet, with an impressive level of eagerness if you wish to overtake.

There are some neat touches too, like rear cylinder deactivation at a standstill which is handy to try and contain a bit of heat. Even the fact that it’s a 60-degree V-twin, rather than 45 degree means that the vibration is reduced slightly, and it can be mounted lower and in the frame for a more effective centre of gravity.

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The Chieftain PowerPlus is a good-looking machine with a quality finish, from the detailing on the tank to the chrome casing on that big motor. For the most part, previous Chieftain owners have been happy with the quality and reliability of their machinery, although one gripe does come in the form of the paint quality, which does tend to need a touch up after years of use.

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At £27,575 the Chieftan PowerPlus isn’t a cheap motorcycle, it sits around the same ballpark as one of its closest rivals in Harley Davidson’s Street Glide, which starts at £27,495. However, back-to-back the Harley comes with less tech, less torque and considerably less power, although its weight is slightly lower.

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The 2025 model Chieftain PowerPlus 112 does have a solid level of tech and equipment, especially for the sector that it sits in. The interface and dash are both also incredibly effective, and one of the best on offer in the segment.

As standard, you get 38-litres of storage, a 6-axis Bosch IMU, an electronically adjustable windshield, keyless ignition, charging sockets, rear blind spot detection, a tailgate warning, hill hold control and combined brakes. If that isn’t enough, there’s over 90 official Indian accessories too, which means you can really go to town where equipment is concerned. Our test bike was equipped with the optional £650.44 PowerBand speaker system too, which was impressively loud and clear, even at motorway speeds.