Tomboy A Bit & the Chieftain PowerPlus Bagger
After seeing her excitement for the new Chieftain PowerPlus when covering the 2025 Indian Motorcycle lineup launch at the Motor Bike Expo (MBE) in Verona, Italy, Tomboy A Bit was invited out to Nevada for the PowerPlus press ride, where the new models were put through their paces by international journalists and content creators.
This is Tomboy A Bit's story, in her own words (and videos), on what it was like to get to grips with the new PowerPlus baggers from first sight, to first ride, to living with a Chieftain PowerPlus in the UK, including a huge solo trip into Europe for the Indian Riders Fest.
"When I was first invited to the launch in Las Vegas of Indian Motorcycle’s PowerPlus models, I was genuinely excited. Yet, I also felt a twinge of apprehension; I’d never ridden a bike of this size before, and being in an unfamiliar location, with jet lag in tow, added to the challenge."
"However, those initial concerns quickly faded the moment I started riding. Within just an hour or two, I found myself falling deeply in love with the New Chieftain PowerPlus. Its presence on the road, its power, and its refined handling all combined to create a riding experience unlike any other."
"When Indian Motorcycle UK offered me the opportunity to ride the Chieftain PowerPlus long-term, to truly experience what it’s like to live with this performance bagger across an entire season, I eagerly accepted."
"Riding a heavyweight bike like this in Europe and the UK presents unique demands. Narrow streets, uneven surfaces, frequent roundabouts, tight corners, and elevation changes mean you feel the weight of the bike far more than on the wide, open roads the bike was originally designed for."
"After receiving the bike, I quickly embarked on a solo journey to the Indian Rider Fest in the Czech Republic. This trip took me through a remarkable variety of landscapes: fast motorways, the twisting roads of the Black Forest, the serene French countryside, and the scenic routes of Bavaria and the Czech Republic."
"Confidence grew with every mile, whether I was navigating mountain hairpins, gravel lanes to my accommodation, or filtering through busy city traffic."
"By the time I had covered over 3,000 miles, the Chieftain PowerPlus no longer felt like a new bike; it felt like my bike. There’s a special moment with every new motorcycle you ride, when you find your rhythm together, and that connection happened quickly with Chieftain."
"Back home in the UK, the bike has become part of my daily life. With the summer weather in full bloom, I find every opportunity to take it out. Whether for quick errands, workshop visits, photo shoots or wind therapy."
"What I didn’t fully anticipate when I first saw the Chieftain PowerPlus at its global launch, or when I tested it in Nevada’s desert, was just how well it would adapt to European roads. This bike is more than capable of handling the unique challenges of the UK and Europe; it’s a true all-rounder, combining performance, comfort, and style in one powerful package."