2019 Indian FTR 1200 S | First Look Review

2019 Indian FTR 1200 S
Powered by a 120-horsepower V-twin and weighing less than 500 pounds, the all-new 2019 Indian FTR 1200 S is equipped with high-performance components and a full suite of electronics.

Inspired by the FTR750, its American Flat Track championship-winning race bike, and the FTR1200 Custom shown at EICMA last year, Indian Motorcycle has unveiled two new production models, the FTR 1200 and FTR 1200 S.

After sweeping the AFT Twins championship podium in 2017, FTR750 riders now occupy the top 10 positions near the end of the 2018 season, and Jared Mees will soon lock up his second consecutive AFT Twins title. With a long history in racing and its recent success in flat track, Indian is bringing race-inspired design and performance to the street.

Read our 2019 Indian Chieftain lineup first look review

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2019 Indian FTR 1200 S
The liquid-cooled, 1,203cc V-twin is held in place by a tubular-steel trellis frame.

“Our vision from the beginning was to be more than a traditional American V-twin brand. We continually seek to broaden Indian Motorcycle’s reach to a wider range of riders, and FTR 1200 represents a significant step forward in that strategy,” said Steve Menneto, President, Indian Motorcycle. “Indian Motorcycle was founded on performance and innovation, and we remain grounded by our founder’s mindset of constantly pushing forward. In light of that history, the FTR 1200 is a natural extension for the brand that we couldn’t be more excited about.”

2019 Indian FTR 1200 S headlight
Full LED lighting on the FTR 1200/S includes a distinctive race-inspired headlight.

Powered by a new liquid-cooled, 1,203cc, 60-degree V-twin held within a tubular-steel trellis frame, Indian says the FTR 1200 and FTR 1200 S make 120 horsepower and 85 lb-ft of torque and have a 12.5:1 compression ratio, high-flow cylinder heads, dual throttle bodies and a 6-speed transmission with a power-assist slipper clutch. Like the FTR750, the airbox is positioned directly above the engine to optimize airflow and maximize power. Generous use of magnesium reduces weight and a low-inertia crankshaft allows the engine to rev up quickly.

Read our 2019 Indian heavyweight models first look review

2019 Indian FTR 1200
The base-model Indian FTR 1200 is available only in Thunder Black for an MSRP of $12,999.

Said to have nimble handling and a sporty upright riding position, both models have a 43mm upside-down cartridge fork, a side-mounted lay-down rear shock, 5.9 inches of front/rear suspension travel, dual radial-mount Brembo Monobloc 4.32 front calipers and a 3.4-gallon fuel tank located under the seat to keep the center of gravity low and mass centralized. Cast aluminum wheels (19-inch front, 18-inch rear) have street-legal Dunlop tires with a flat track-inspired tread, and chain final drive and a ProTaper flat tracker aluminum handlebar round out the racy look. Claimed dry weight is 488 pounds.

“This is an extremely exciting platform for us, and after investing such a significant amount of time, expertise and energy in the design process, it’s an incredible feeling to finally show the world these motorcycles,” said Rich Christoph, the Indian Motorcycle Senior Designer who was also instrumental in the design of the FTR750 and FTR1200 Custom. “Our primary focus was to ensure these motorcycles carried the same lines and form language as the FTR750 and 1200 Custom. We knew that’s what riders around the world fell in love with. I couldn’t be more proud to turn the FTR750 into a flat tracker for the street and help launch Indian into a new era.”

2019 Indian FTR 1200 S Ride Command
The higher-spec Indian FTR 1200 S includes a Ride Command touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth as well as fully adjustable suspension and rider electronics.

Both models feature full LED lighting, a fast-charge USB port to easily charge mobile devices, anti-lock brakes (ABS) and cruise control.

The higher-spec FTR 1200 S features fully adjustable front and rear suspension, a             4.3-inch customizable Ride Command LCD touchscreen with Bluetooth, lean-angle sensitive stability control, switchable ABS, traction control and wheelie mitigation control, and three ride modes (Sport, Standard, Rain).

2019 Indian FTR 1200 S
The 2019 Indian FTR 1200 S is available in three color schemes.

“These bikes have gone through a rigorous, multi-year design and testing process to ensure that they perform as good as they look,” explains Ben Lindaman, Indian Motorcycle Senior International Product Manager. “The process was incredibly robust, including over one million miles logged through simulated rides. We also accumulated tens of thousands of test miles on the street with input from racers, including our championship winning Wrecking Crew flat track team and former Grand Prix racers.”

The FTR 1200 starts at $13,499 and is available in Thunder Black, while the FTR 1200 S starts at $15,499 and is available in Indian Motorcycle Red over Steel Gray, Titanium Metallic over Thunder Black Pearl and a Race Replica paint scheme matching the iconic FTR750 race bike (MSRP for the Race Replica, which includes an Akrapovic slip-on exhaust, is $16,999). Both models will begin shipping to dealers in spring 2019.

Check out Rider’s Guide to New/Updated Street Motorcycles for 2019

21 COMMENTS

  1. Congratulations Indian, Youve just built a Ducati Monster, if the Ducati had less power and more weight!
    and what is up with those pipes!! I guess just so you can charge an arm and a leg for flat track style pipes!
    Why copy Yamaha with that awful rear plate holder over the rear wheel, I guess just so you can charge more for a tail tidy!
    10 out of 10 for listening to you customers 1 out of 10 for delivering a machine that even comes close to the look of the FTR 1200 custom!

  2. Oh dear. That is really quite disappointing. Last year we were treated to a fabulous looking prototype/special that hit the spot perfectly. Sadly this is nothing like it and looks like it was designed by a committee who have attempted to include so many cool features that they have missed the point. What happened to the high level pipes, the wide FT bars, or the neat number plate headlamp? These seem to have been replaced by the worlds most hideous attempt to ape the Ducati scrambler exhaust (a version with middle age spread?!!), bars that are too narrow and a headlamp that looks like it belongs on a cafe racer. I’m gutted. I really wanted to buy that prototype, but this thing? Sorry Indian but you need to improve this before it goes into production or my wallet will stay firmly in my pocket. Gutted!

  3. Yeah, I can see that something as cool as this bike is a bit of a radical departure for some of the more traditional American biker crowd. Personally, I love what Indian are doing. After years and years of the Indian brand being used to wallow in nostalgia, now Polaris are taking it to where it should have gone all along. It’s like Victory’s touch of modern American muscle lined up beautifully with the Indian brand’s connection too the past. This bike is frikkin’ awesome, and it’s just what the American bike industry needs to take us away from the V-Twin cruisers. Go Indian!

  4. I have to agree this is a miss. I loved the prototype version and was hoping for a close production version. I MUST have laced rims on a bike like this flat tracker, scrambler etc. Are you LISTENING Indian? I have a 2016 Scout and love it. I spent $1000 to put laced rims on it and junked the junk handlebars. I wanted to see upright riding position not as relaxed as the clamshell pegs forward or rearsets. I love the performance numbers suggested by the intro, but 120HP or so at the crank is doable with just the overbore. Euro 4 specifications? We are not in Europe are we? That cat can under the frame raises the seat height and leads to the ridiculous upright trumpet exhaust. The weight loss appears to be mostly the lighter crank which I applaud, but the factory “fender eliminator kit” and Yamaha tire scrubber license plate tail light leave me hoping for and wanting a “fender put it back on” kit. Come on man. Did Ducati infiltrate your scout design?

  5. Function is probably great. Form is pretty ugly. Why would you go back to a chain when you have already perfected the belt? Hydraulic lifters please. I know I’m out of step with the new look that seems to be so popular today, but what’s wrong with a plain old rear fender? I’ll pass, but they aren’t aiming for my age group anyway. I wish the Company nothing but good luck.

    • So exactly what they showed as the FTR 1200 Custom when they announced this bike would go into production. They unfortunately lost the styling essence of the concept bike.

  6. Indian has done what Harley should have done years ago. This is a bold new move into a younger market at a great price. Congratulations to all those at Indian. Everyone is going to want to test ride one. Keep em coming!

  7. Personally, I think it’s a good looking bike but the specs don’t line up with the competition. I ride an Indian Springfield so I’m partial to the brand but I also have an Aprilia Tuono 1100 V4 that has 175HP, weighs 460 lbs wet, and has all the electronics you would ever want (Leaning ABS, TCS, Wheelie Control, Rear lift mitigation, etc.) along with three ride modes. All this, a great TFT dash also showing Lean angle, and a Pit Speed Limiter. In Canada, the Aprilia sells for $2000 less than the FTR1200S and has a 32.5″ seat height (I have a 30″ inseam). There is also the Factory model with a fully adjustable Ohlins suspension for the same price as the FTR. The Tuono is also the best sounding engine on the market.
    There are also Ducatis, Honda’s CB1000R, and Yamaha’s MT10, all of which have more HP and much lighter weight, and in this country, sell for less money.

  8. To the nay sayers: All I can say is; I’ll bet you don’t like Apple pie with cheddar cheese either. So in other words, I put my money where my mouth is and purchased a spot on the waiting list at Indian of Springfield this morning. Now all I have to do is hold my breath until Spring …… or whenever …whatever…….. it will be worth the wait ! For another thirty something thousand dollars I could have had the real race bike 750 but at seventy six years young the 1200 S will do JUST FINE. Good job Indian ! Thank you Indian. I heard one run at the Meadowlands and praise be; it did NOT go Potato Potato Potato slowly backwards in time ..

    • I turned 75 in October and like you, Howard, I think the 1200 S is a praise-worthy achievement for Indian. I am on the waiting list at Krazy Horse in the UK, who assure me that the 1200 FTR is easily customised and that high-level exhausts a la the FTR Custom will be available. In the meantime, I console myself with my Morgan 3-Wheeler. All the best to you.

  9. I love all the features of the S model but want it in the Scout frame. The FTR’s rear fender is so high its difficult to get your leg over and back and the over all height had me on my tip-tows when stopped at a light. Also it is disappointingly heavy 489lbs vs 540lbs for the scout. I love my scout, it handles great and the seat is low to the ground, so Indian company: put the 120hp engine and all the trick electronics in the scout frame and I will buy it.

  10. Looks like the Victory Octane to me, or at least that was what it used to be, as far as the comparing it to the Ducati or the KTM I cant see it, both are far more advanced than the Scout .

  11. I’m and old flattracker from the 70’s and have been waiting for this bike for a long time. I put money down on a 1200s red over steel gray, once you put optional seat cowl and different pipes on it realy looks like a flattracker. As for the license plate holder location, flattrack ice racing bikes have similar setup that sure keeps the rooster tail off your back, hence back of bike cleaner. All in all great job Indian Motorcycle.

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