Listen to the new Indian FTR 1200 growl

Listen to the growl of the new Indian FTR 1200 in this entertaining video starring American flat track racing champ Jared Mees.

Indian Motorcycle will unveil the highly anticipated FTR 1200 at the Intermot show in Cologne on October 2.

Growl

While the video now lets us hear what the FTR 1200 sounds like at idle – a low and mean growl – we are still not totally sure what it will look like.

However, the recent spy photo (above) and patent drawings (below) reveal that the bike will be slightly different to the Scout FTR1200 custom prototype unveiled last year.

It’s also different to the FTR750 flat track competition bike ridden by Jared in the video.

The major differences are the re-routed exhaust pipe, side-mounted rear shock, gold forks, headlight cowl and fatter seat.

The spy photo and patent drawings have been met with mixed feelings by our readers.

Most seem to want it to look more like the lean flat tracker Scout FTR 1200 Custom prototype.

Indian Motorcycle confirmed in June that it would build the FTR 1200 next year and dealers tell us they are already taking orders from eager riders.

One of our readers was so disappointed with the production version he said he would ask for his deposit back.

When the company confirmed production their official press release said: “The production FTR 1200 will carry lines and styling that were inspired by the FTR750 (race bike) and FTR1200 Custom.”

“Those are the bikes people fell in love with and we want to bring those race-inspired design characteristics to the street in a way that only Indian Motorcycle can.

“We’ve leaned heavily on those characteristics to give the production FTR 1200 its own unique look and style.”

We won’t have long to wait to find out what it looks like.

The Intermot schedule tells us that Indian Motorcycle will present the bike on October 2 at 3.30pm CET (11.30pm AEST, or 9.30am EDT).

Indian no longer calls it a Scout FTR1200, but we expect the price will be similar to the 1133cc Scout which is currently $A19,495 and $A18,995 for the Bobber version.

Indian Motorcycle Australia and New Zealand has also announced a competition to win one of the first bikes to come off the assembly line.

To win, riders only need enter their name, country and email address online. Click here to enter. It ends on September 30.

‘Style of its own’

Indian says the new bike will “take inspiration, design and performance cues” from the FTR750 and FTR1200 Custom, but will “maintain a look and style all its own” says Senior Designer Rich Christoph.

“We wanted to make sure that the FTR 1200 wasn’t merely a regurgitation of the FTR1200 Custom, but something uniquely ‘street,’ albeit flat track inspired,” he says.

“We’re thrilled about the character this bike possesses, and its ability to take American V-twin motorcycles into new territory.”