Indian Motorcycle Co. on Tuesday released its 2017 bike lineup that carries over the 2016 model-year bikes and features a new touch-screen audio and information system.
Indian, a subsidiary of Medina, Minn.-based Polaris Industries, is one of the biggest rivals of Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson Inc.
Indian’s new product announcement comes as Harley is scheduled on Thursday to release its earnings for the second quarter.
Indian says its 2017 lineup includes the recently released Scout Sixty, Indian Springfield and Chief Dark Horse models with new color choices.
A new touch-screen information and entertainment system has a 7-inch display with turn-by-turn navigation, Bluetooth audio and USB flash-drive support. The Chieftain bikes come with 100 watts of audio, while the more expensive Indian Roadmaster has 200 watts.
Indian says its new system has the motorcycle industry’s largest and brightest touch-screen display, with the highest resolution and fastest response time. The screen is glove compatible with two-finger touch capabilities, according to the company.
Indian was founded in 1901, two years before Harley-Davidson. The original Indian Motorcycle Co. went out of business in 1953, and its Indian-head logos became collectors’ items.
Polaris Industries, a manufacturer of snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, and Indian and Victory motorcycles, acquired the brand in 2011. It redesigned the bikes from scratch after numerous attempts by others to revive the brand failed.
Harley-Davidson still has the largest share of the heavyweight motorcycle market, although Indian has taken some customers away from Harley.
Indian and Victory motorcycles have been aimed squarely at Harley’s cruiser and touring bike lineup.
“Polaris continues to steal market share from its larger rival, and there doesn’t seem to be anything on the horizon that should impede its ability to grow sales at double-digit rates,” analyst Rich Duprey with The Motley Fool wrote in a recent column.
“Still, Harley continues to sell far more motorcycles than Polaris does,” Duprey wrote.
Both Polaris and Harley have struggled this year.
Harley has seen its U.S. sales slip as the economy has faltered in some states, such as Texas, where oil and gas production is down. Also, the company has faced more pressure from Japanese motorcycle manufacturers, as well as Indian.
This year, Harley has said it plans to increase spending in marketing by about 65% and spending in product development by 35% — both areas aimed at boosting sales for years to come.
The change represents an approximate $70 million increase in spending on marketing and product development.
