Indian Motorcycles Launches "ARO," The Brand's First In-House Performance Product Line

This all-new performance division for Indian Motorcycle, called ARO, provides performance parts, accessories, and “future technologies.”

Photo by: Indian Motorcycle

By: Justin W Coffey

Jun 2, at 9:31am ET

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Cruiser folks love to farkle, as it’s not often you see a bone-stock bagger, one not adorned with a slip-on exhaust, new handlebars, chrome accoutrements, or an upgraded stereo system. And the new owners of Indian Motorcycle know this and are looking to capitalize on the upgrade craze with an in-house line of performance products and accessories under the name American Racing Operations, or ARO, which Mike Kennedy, CEO of Indian Motorcycle, calls a “race-inspired, factory-backed performance halo brand.”

The new product line launched last week with, you guessed it, a dual slip-on exhaust system for select bagger and touring models. But according to Kennedy, the new ARO GP Slip-On Exhaust is “the first in what we expect to be a long line of performance products we will develop.”

Designed by Vance & Hines Factory Indian Motorcycle race team principal, Terry Vance, the ARO GP Slip-On Exhaust (MSRP $799.99 ) pulled design inspiration from the team’s road racing efforts at the MotoAmerica King of the Baggers and delivers a “commanding sound.”

New pipes are nice, but there’s something more interesting happening here.

Not only is Indian Motorcycle offering a new line of products that are eerily similar to the Screamin' Eagle variety produced by its rival a few states over, but they are doubling down on the success they’ve seen in the MotoAmerica King of the Baggers series – the team has won all four races and collected 9 of 12 podium spots over the series’ first two rounds.

They’ve teamed up with Vance & Hines—a company that Kennedy was previously CEO of—and will be running an ARO two-into-one exhaust system developed exclusively for the factory racing program on the J&P Cycles/Motul/Vance & Hines Factory Indian machine for the remainder of the King of the Baggers season.

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On paper it looks like Indian Motorcycle is hoping that the adage of ‘Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday,’ works for the brand, and perhaps they can see a return on the investment they’ve made in both the development of the racing bagger and the cost to contest them throughout the year.

Harley-Davidson has a proven track record for selling parts and accessories, and it looks like Indian Motorcycle is hoping to tap into that revenue stream as well, whether it’s updating a bike fresh off the showroom floor, or adding some excitement to the used bagger someone just bought.