Faults:

The rear suspension design harshly transmits road impacts to the spine.

Reduced ABS braking performance. This is caused by air trapped in the brake circuit during assembly, resulting in a "spongy" feel at the lever.

Oil leaks from the stator cables.

Intermittent faults in the O2 sensor and the kickstand kill switch.

General Comments:

The Scout ticks a lot of boxes. It’s fairly comfortable and easy to ride, has great performance and handling, and looks great.

Ergonomics were pretty spot on. The seat was wide and scooped, kind of like a tractor seat. It positioned me nice and upright and distributed my weight evenly across the seat. It felt great while I was on it, and would probably do well for longer rides.

Handlebar position is just about perfect. Not too high, not too low, not too narrow, or too wide. My hands were placed in a comfortable, relaxed, neutral position, and leverage was good for both low speed maneuvering as well as countersteering at higher speeds.

There’s no wind protection to speak of, and the overall aerodynamics are pretty poor (the bike is essentially a long thin rectangle shape), especially with the upright and feet forward riding position that essentially turns your body into a sail and makes it harder to get into a tuck to better cut through the wind. That could be remedied somewhat by adding a windshield or fairing of some sort.

Performance is also admirable. The Scout’s 69ci (1133cc) liquid-cooled, double-overhead cam engine makes great power (about 65lb-ft of torque and 85hp to the wheel), especially compared to the utterly anemic competitors in its class. The six speed transmission shifts smoothly and is geared well. It handles both short-shifting or being rung out to the top end of its 8300 rpm redline well.

Handling and maneuverability is great, especially for a low-slung cruiser with a fairly long 62″ wheelbase. For reference, that’s about 3″ longer than an Sportster Iron 883.

Despite having fairly short-traveling suspension, especially in the rear, the suspension keeps up with even more aggressive riding on less-than-perfect roads. The suspension components are excellent, and spring rates are totally dialed in, making for a great ride.

The aluminum chassis is tight and light, utilizing the engine as a stressed member. The Scout is nimble and agile on its own merits, and dominates everything else in its class in regards to handling. It goes where you point it without too much effort.

It’s also an attractive motorcycle, with a great old-meets-new aesthetic that seamlessly mixes the lines, curves, fleet-sided fenders, and other details of Indian Scouts from the 20’s-40’s with a modern cast aluminum frame, a radiator for its liquid-cooled engine, and cast wheels. Paint is immaculate and the color and clear coat are rich and deep. The details are all well sorted out, and the Scout’s good looks make a great first impression.

Servicing the air filter, for instance, is a much more complicated job than it would be on a traditional cruiser, requiring the removal of the seat and gas tank. Other things, like having shared transmission and engine oil, actually simplify things.

As long as you go into it understanding that the Scout is a more modern design, and seems to have more in common with a modern Japanese or European motorcycle, you’ll be fine.

Faults:

Clutch safety switch kept faulting til replaced.

General Comments:

Love this bike. It's so comfortable, balanced, not too loud, not quiet. Feels like a bike should, natural.