Indian and Jack Daniel's Are Back Together: The History, the Bikes, What's Next
Three years after the last limited edition rolled out, Indian Motorcycle and Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey announced a new multi-year partnership on October 1, 2026. Here is every bike the two brands built between 2016 and 2023, the rally that just wrapped in Tennessee, and what the revival could bring.
Image: Property of Indian Motorcycle
In this article
The announcement
On October 1, 2026, Indian Motorcycle and Jack Daniel's announced a new multi-year partnership, reviving the limited-edition V-twin series that ran from 2016 to 2023. The first tangible piece, a co-branded merchandise collection, went on sale October 2 at the Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, and at authorized Indian dealerships nationwide.
"Indian Motorcycle and Jack Daniel's share deep-rooted American heritage and unwavering commitment to quality, craftsmanship and authenticity," Indian Motorcycle CEO Mike Kennedy said in the announcement. "We're excited to reunite with Jack Daniel's and build on what we've previously created together."
What is confirmed: a multi-year partnership, a returning limited-edition motorcycle series, the merchandise, and events and activations tied to the collab. What is not confirmed yet: the specific models, specs, pricing, production numbers, and a release window. If history is any guide, those details will drop with plenty of anticipation and very little stock.
Seven years of Jack Daniel's Indians
The original partnership — which also brought in Klock Werks Kustom Cycles of Mitchell, South Dakota — produced one custom-inspired machine per year, and each one sold out fast. Here is the full lineage.
2016: Chief Vintage and Springfield
It started with a bang: two models, the Jack Daniel's Limited Edition Indian Chief Vintage and the Springfield, built to commemorate the distillery's 150th anniversary. Both sold out in a single day. The Chief Vintage carried a $29,999 USD MSRP. Collectors still chase these first-year bikes hardest, and an early Chief Vintage once crossed the block at auction for $150,000 USD.
Image: Property of Indian Motorcycle
2017: Chieftain
The second year brought the Jack Daniel's Limited Edition Chieftain, a custom-inspired bagger designed with Klock Werks. All 100 units reportedly sold out within 10 minutes of pre-orders opening. That sellout speed became the series' calling card.
Image: Property of Indian Motorcycle
2018: Scout Bobber
The 2018 Jack Daniel's Limited Edition Scout Bobber — 177 units in gold and black — is the bike most collectors cite as the legend of the series, reportedly gone in under 10 minutes. If the new bikes sell anything like this one did, set an alarm for the pre-order window.
2019: Springfield Dark Horse
The 2019 edition moved to the Springfield Dark Horse, pairing the stripped-down Dark Horse treatment with the Thunder Stroke 116 engine, at a $36,999 USD MSRP. It is the edition bagger fans point to as the best rider of the bunch.
2020: Roadmaster Dark Horse
The fifth anniversary edition took the platform furthest from its cruiser roots: a full-dress Roadmaster Dark Horse. Blacked-out, whiskey-barrel-inspired styling on Indian's flagship tourer.
Image: Property of Indian Motorcycle
2022: Challenger Dark Horse
Unveiled in October 2021, the 2022 Jack Daniel's Limited Edition Challenger Dark Horse put the collab on the PowerPlus platform for the first time — a whiskey-themed take on Indian's fixed-fairing bagger, again with Klock Werks input.
2023: Chief Bobber Dark Horse
The final edition of the first run: 177 units of the Chief Bobber Dark Horse, finished with paint the company described as inspired by whiskey barrels and the distillery's charcoal mellowing process. Then the series went quiet — until now.
Image: Property of Indian Motorcycle
The Jack Daniel's Ride just wrapped
The revival news landed the same week as the 12th Annual Indian Motorcycle Rider Series: Jack Daniel's Ride, held October 1-3, 2026. The event is based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with organized rides running to the Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg — about two hours of Tennessee pavement each way, spread across three days of riding, music, giveaways, and bike games. Ride routes were published for download straight to Ride Command, and IMRG chapters supported the route downloads.
Next year's dates were announced at the event: the Indian Motorcycle Rider Series: Jack Daniel's Ride returns September 30 to October 2, 2027, according to the official save-the-date card shared by Indian Motorcycle Riders Group chapters. Registration details will come through Indian Motorcycle Riders channels. If you have never done this one, it belongs on the list. Chattanooga to Lynchburg is genuinely good motorcycle country.
What we could see next
The pattern from 2016 to 2023 was one model per year, designed with Klock Werks, each themed after an expression from the Jack Daniel's lineup — Gentleman Jack, Single Barrel, Rye, and the classic Old No. 7 have all been represented. The safest bets for the revival:
- A Pursuit or Pursuit Dark Horse edition. The Pursuit launched after the original series ended, and it is Indian's newest big American bagger. A whiskey-themed Pursuit Dark Horse would be the obvious headline bike, and as a Pursuit owner I would love to see it.
- A Scout or Sport Chief based edition. The Chief Bobber Dark Horse closed the first run on the cruiser side; the modern Scout Sixty and Sport Chief RT lines give the designers fresh canvas.
- Continued Klock Werks involvement. Every previous edition carried Klock Werks design DNA, and the shop's cachet is part of why the bikes hold value.
- Small production numbers. 100 to 177 units was the historical range. Expect the same scarcity economics: pre-order windows that last minutes, not days.
Given that merch went on sale October 2 and the partnership announcement calls it multi-year, a first bike reveal in the first half of 2027 would mirror the original series' spring cadence — but that is speculation, not a confirmed date.
Canadian buyers, read this
The Jack Daniel's editions have historically been sold through authorized Indian dealers with limited allocations, and Canadian riders have typically needed to move fast or shop cross-border to land one. If a new bike matters to you, talk to your local dealer about allocation before the reveal happens, not after. The used market on past editions skews high precisely because production was so small — a 2018 Scout Bobber in good condition commands serious money south of the border.
Frequently asked questions
Did Indian and Jack Daniel's get back together?
Yes. On October 1, 2026, the two brands announced a new multi-year partnership reviving the limited-edition series that ran from 2016 to 2023.
What was the fastest Jack Daniel's Indian sellout?
The 2017 Chieftain (100 units) and the 2018 Scout Bobber (177 units) both reportedly sold out in about 10 minutes. The first-year 2016 bikes sold out in one day.
When is the Jack Daniel's Ride in 2027?
The next Indian Motorcycle Rider Series: Jack Daniel's Ride is set for September 30 to October 2, 2027, per the save-the-date announced at the October 2026 event. Registration details will come through Indian Motorcycle Riders channels.