How The Indian FTR 1200 Shows Off Insane Engineering Through Its Design

This flat tracker for the street is a great example of how Indian incorporate engineering excellence into their designs

Determining the most beautiful motorcycle ever might make politics look like a cakewalk. Since time immemorial, enthusiasts and diehards have fought tooth and nail to crown the most beautiful motorcycle in the world. For categories such as power and speed, it's easy to determine who the king of the hill is, but when it comes to beauty, how exactly do we measure it?

Over the years, there have been a lot of contenders for the most beautiful motorcycle in the world. Some are undeniably stunning, while some designs feel like they are acquired tastes. While there is an overall agreement that the Ducati 916 is the strongest contender for the title, we’d argue the engineering perfection of the Indian FTR 1200 makes it the most beautiful motorcycle to ever grace the streets.

With a complete suite of engineering marvels, the FTR 1200 can easily be labeled as both art on two wheels and as an exercise of Indian's engineering capabilities. Let's take a look at how the FTR 1200 screams engineering perfection.

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Indian first started making motorcycles back in 1901, and while the company didn't exactly have the smoothest history, it was a colorful one riddled with accolades and recognition. During the early years of the company, board track racing dominated America's competitive motorcycling scene. But after a combination of the high facility maintenance costs and a significantly high casualty rate, board track racing was replaced by flat track racing in the eyes of the public.

Unlike the banked wooden boards that board racing was known for, flat track racing involved an unpaved oval that has no bank or camber. While there are many variations to the track, the one most famously associated with Indian's success are the dirt and gravel ovals. Ever since the first races, it was always Indian and Harley-Davidson battling each other out for the title.

After a long hiatus in flat track racing, Indian returned to the sport back in 2016 with the FTR 750, Indian's first flat tracker since 1953. After a season of action, the FTR 750 became the basis for the development of its street-legal version, the FTR 1200. As the newest member of Indian's "wrecking crew", the FTR 1200 is the standard-bearer for the company's storied legacy in flat trackers. All of its elements take inspiration from the sport, while translating it into riding perfection for the street.

Taking a quick look from the side, the FTR1200 carries a design that can rival the Ducati Monster, Triumph Street Triple, and even BMW's R NineT, all while still carrying a distinct flat tracker identity.

When it comes to beauty in motorcycles, a standard form has stuck for most of motorcycling history. A continuous line from the tank to the tail forms the bone line, something that has been present in one way or another in all motorcycles. Based on the line present in bicycles and motorized bicycles, the bone line has been a strong platform for features for many manufacturers.

In the case of the FTR 1200, Indian engineers made the bone line pop out with the components of the bike rather than superimposing it like in the case of the Ducati 916's aero bodywork. The FTR 1200's gas tank is relocated under the seat, with the faux-tank houses an airbox. The faux-tank sits at the same height as the pillion seat, and the under-seat tank allows for a lower center of gravity that gives riders more control in turns.

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Such a configuration on the bike gives it the same characteristics as prototype motorcycles raced in MotoGP. From faux tank to tail light, a single line can be drawn on the FTR 1200 which emphasizes the enormous efforts engineers put into the bike to make it as balanced and beautiful as possible.

With every element on the bike making it a perfect flat tracker, riders are confused as to how well it will perform on the road. The bike has 120/70 R19 front tires and 150/80 R18 tires that may be a bit narrow for a bike with an engine that puts out 120 horses and 85 pound-feet of torque. For 2023, Indian decided to rework the wheels and tires, ending up with 120/70ZR17 at the front and 180/55ZR17 at the rear.

The sharpness of the chassis construction and overall geometry makes it a joy to handle, and Indian's choice of suspension parts in the form of ZF Sachs Fully Adjustable shocks makes the off-road ride as comfortable as the ride on asphalt. With both shocks having around 4.7 inches of travel, any bump will be eaten up before the rider even feels it. The trellis swingarm flexes as well, but just enough to absorb bumps without compromising stability.

An assortment of rider aids and electronics certainly do their job in keeping the bike upright. A TFT display with touch screen capabilities allows riders to easily navigate through the options, such as lean-angle sensitive stability control, ABS, traction control, wheelie mitigation control and three ride modes. It even has cruise control if you get tired of holding the throttle on longer rides.

In art, the golden ratio is considered as the objective standard of beauty. For motorcycles, extremely precise and reliable build quality makes a bike beautiful. In the Indian FTR 1200, every element feels balanced and symmetrical, it only makes sense to appreciate the finer details that the engineers put into it.

As said before, the bone line hits the top of the faux-tank air box and the tip of the tail light. This line also bisects the headlight down the middle. From the center of the rear wheel, drawing a line that goes through the suspension link ends at the top of the gold stanchion. The alignment is so accurate that it even goes through the tip of the Indian name on the tank.

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Sure, riders may fight about what the most beautiful bike really is until kingdom come, but there's no denying that the engineering and thought put into the Indian FTR 1200 makes it a beautiful motorcycle in its own right. The flat tracker roots shine like never before, and you can pick up this beauty for $13,499, which isn't a bad price for the amount of motorcycle you’d get.

A part-time writer and a full-time automotive enthusiast. If it has wheels and looks pretty, he's all over it.While he loves European cars more than other cars, nothing can match his love for motorcycles, especially the classic ones. You can find him parked in a café or shredding chicken strips around the twisties.