Named after the firm’s birthplace, Springfield in Massachusetts, the bike is based around the firm’s air-cooled, 1811cc ‘Thunder Stroke’ V-twin and looks like a straightforward extension of the Chief line-up. However, it’s been designed to be able to convert from a bagger – complete with screen and hard luggage – to a naked cruiser in a matter of minutes with no need for tools.
The screen and lockable hard panniers simply clip in place and can be left at home when they’re not needed. The passenger seat can also be removed when you’re riding one-up.
The chassis has the steeper 25 degree rake of the Chieftain, compared to 29 degrees for the Chief, and it’s designed to be able to cope with a heavier load of up to 243kg. To make the most of that, there’s an optional top case that adds another 64 litres of capacity while doubling as a back rest for the pillion.
Of course it doesn’t come cheap, with prices starting at AUD $33,995 before you even think about dipping into the extras catalogue. For that money, you do get a lot of kit including cruise control and ABS as well as a tyre pressure monitoring system.
