Voting has concluded for the Indian Motorcycle First 6 custom build competition, in which six European dealers were given a new Indian Sport Chief RT to customize before presenting their builds to the public. The winner of the competition was “Bastard,” built by MotoStrada Porto in Portugal.
The First 6 competition highlighted the customization potential of the Indian Sport Chief RT, which is new to the lineup for 2025 and is a club-style performance cruiser to rival Harley-Davidson’s popular Low Rider ST. It’s powered by Indian’s 116ci Thunderstroke motor. Compared to the standard Sport Chief, the RT receives hardshell saddlebags, a 90-watt Bluetooth PowerBand audio system tucked behind the fairing, a two-up seat, forward foot controls, and color-matching side panels. Read more about the Sport Chief RT and other 2025 Indian models here.
The dealers selected to compete in the First 6 were given only six weeks from the time of delivery of their stock Sport Chief RTs to the reveal of the finished builds at the Moto Bike Expo in Italy. After that, Indian Motorcycle invited fans to cast their votes on their favorite of the six. The winner was crowned on Feb. 13 at the Salon Du 2 Roues show in Lyon, France.
“Bastard” was built with a focus on Indian’s racing pedigree and used as many genuine parts and accessories as possible. MotoStrada Porto in Portugal, an exclusive Indian dealer since 2015, fitted “Bastard” with an Öhlins fork and remote-reservoir shocks, modifying the fender to fit the new front end. It used the standard Brembo front calipers and added a matching Brembo master cylinder. Also used was an air filter by Performance Machine, an exhaust system by Dr. Jekill and Mr. Hyde, and spoked wheels by Kineo of Italy. Indian Motorcycle accessories that were added include handlebar risers, FTR brake and clutch levers, a taller windshield, and a PowerBand Audio Bluetooth speaker.
The paint job was an intricate three-step process, featuring a carbon/gray mix and a checkered fade with gold lines. First, the carbon hydro paint was applied, followed by a gray layer, and finished with gold pinstriping.
The two runner-ups were “No Comply Society” by Krazy Horse in the U.K. featuring a skate-culture-inspired style and “Top Fuel” by Indian Motorcycle Metz of France with a drag-racing inspiration.
“Bastard” will be displayed at the upcoming Motocykl Exhibition in Prague, Czechia, March 6-9, where fans can see the winning build and the other First 6 entries in person.
Visit the Indian Motorcycle website for more information.
