Indian Motorcycle’s 2025 FORGED custom build series continues to push boundaries, blending innovative engineering with gritty, homegrown craftsmanship. The customizing platform chosen for this year’s campaign is the 2025 Indian Chieftain, equipped with the liquid-cooled PowerPlus engine—a motor that’s quickly becoming a favorite for performance-minded builders. The third and final builder for this year’s FORGED program is none other than Satya Kraus, founder of Kraus Motor Co., a name synonymous with precision, performance, and elite bagger builds.

Hosted by Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg, the 2025 FORGED program has attracted some of the most authentic and respected names in the V-twin and custom motorcycle world. Kyle Bertsch from Forever Rad was also selected to take part in this year’s program and we can’t wait to see what his unique eye does with the Chieftain PowerPlus platform. And now that Kraus has entered the ring, he brings a legacy of American manufacturing and a deep-rooted obsession with rider-focused design.

For Kraus, the love for motorcycles started early—before he could even draw, he was trying to sketch bikes. That passion led him through the early 2000s chopper scene and eventually into founding Kraus Motor Co., a company now known globally for manufacturing premium V-twin components. Kraus was never content with surface-level styling; for him, it was always about function and diving deeper to improve rider ergonomics, enhanced handling, and offering high-quality American-made components for V-twins.

“I loved the rigid choppers, the craftsmanship, and the energy of that scene,” Kraus explains. “But what we’re doing now is evolving that same spirit and applying it to high-performance baggers and touring bikes. FORGED is a chance to tap into that creative mindset again—get dirty, innovate, and build something badass.”

This year’s FORGED program hands builders a serious canvas—the new Indian Chieftain powered by the PowerPlus engine, a liquid-cooled, high-revving 112ci beast that rewrote the rulebook for American V-twin performance. Kraus has spent years refining risers, triple trees, and suspension components for bikes like this—and now, he’s going all-in.

“I like the Chieftain’s new fairing,” Kraus says. “It’s tighter, more tucked-in around the forks and bars. It gives the bike a sleeker, more aggressive silhouette. And we’re going to tighten it up even more.”

Using CAD, 3D scanning, and custom 3D-printed bodywork, Kraus and his team are chopping bags, shortening fenders, and reworking the entire rear end for a compact, wheelie-ready stance—something you rarely see in the bagger world. But that’s not all. The team is also prototyping an adjustable handlebar setup, using their own knuckle system and bend variations to give riders the ability to fine-tune their cockpit to perfection.

Kraus Motor Co.’s commitment to American-manufactured, precision-machined parts is on full display in this build. Inside their state-of-the-art facility, billet stock becomes isolated risers, triple trees, and foot controls—all cut, finished, and anodized in-house.

“We’re competing with cheap overseas parts, but what we make here in America is built to a different standard,” Kraus states. “That’s what FORGED is about—showing what happens when you pour passion, talent, and purpose into one motorcycle.”

This FORGED Chieftain PowerPlus isn’t just a showpiece; it’s a rolling R&D platform. Every Kraus part developed for this build will eventually be available to riders across the globe—meaning if you see it on this bike, you’ll be able to bolt it onto yours.

The 2025 FORGED program is hitting all the right notes for custom build and V-twin fans. Kraus, renowned for crafting high-performance parts, is now fully embracing the Indian Motorcycle PowerPlus platform. Why? Because it simply works.

“The PowerPlus motor changed the game,” says Kraus. “Overhead cam, liquid-cooled, smooth throttle—it’s performance you can feel. You can ride this thing stock and have an incredible experience. But when we dial it in to fit you ergonomically, when we give it that Kraus edge—man, it’s a whole new level.”

Stay tuned to HotBike.com and Indian Motorcycle’s social channels for the full reveal of Kraus Motor Co.’s FORGED build. Whether you’re into custom builds, performance baggers, or are just V-twin-curious, this is one bike you won’t want to miss.