Great Marques—The Indian Story

One of America’s finest motorcycling pioneers, Indian rapidly built a reputation for quality and performance second to none. Although the company survived the Depression, strong competition in the postwar years led to production ceasing in 1953. However, a recent takeover promises to revitalize a marque that has never lost its iconic status.

“You can’t wear out an Indian Scout.”

1920s ADVERTISING SLOGAN

Early Indian model photographed in 1910

GEORGE M. HENDEE originally set up The Hendee Manufacturing Company in Springfield, Massachusetts, to make pedal cycles. In 1901 he joined forces with technically minded Carl Oscar Hedstrom to build Indian motorcycles, first sold to the public in the following year.

Admired for their durability, early single-cylinder machines sold well, and the company enjoyed many successes in early American racing and endurance events, which hastened technical development. Factory riders included Canadian-born Jake de Rosier, winner of countless races on board tracks and dirt ovals, Charles B. Franklin, who covered 300 miles (438 km) in 300 minutes in 1912, and Erwin “Canonball” Baker, who rode across North America in 11 days, 12 hours, and 10 minutes in 1914. However, finishing first, second, and third in the gruelling Isle of Man Senior Tourist Trophy race of 1911 showed that Indian had arrived as a world-leading manufacturer.

Indian badge (introduced 1930)

In 1907 Indian developed a V-twin with the engine layout that became synonymous with American motorcycling. The 42-degree V angle became an Indian trademark, as did front suspension by a leaf spring with trailing fork links, adopted in 1913. On the 61 cu in (1,000 cc) Powerplus twin of 1915, side valves replaced the previous inlet-over-exhaust layout to create a quieter, cleaner engine. More than 40,000 twins were supplied to the US military during World War I.

In the early 1920s the 45 cu in (750 cc) Scout, the 61 cu in (1,000 cc) Chief, and the 74 cu in (1,200 cc) Big Chief were launched. Designed by Charles Franklin, they were noted for their strong performance, comfort, and reliability. Their popularity made Indian the world’s largest motorcycle-maker, producing 250,000 a year.

Having bought the failing Ace company, Indian launched a version of the factory’s four-cylinder bike, the Indian Ace, in 1927. Engineers then added two extra crankshaft bearings and strengthened the frame to create the first 77 cu in (1,265 cc) Four launched in 1928.

Sales brochure

As seen on this 1915 sales brochure. Native Americans featured heavily in early publicity for Indian motorcycles, stressing an image of ruggedness and adventure.

Indian’s achievements arguably peaked in 1928 with the 101 Scout, a sturdy and well-balanced machine still favoured for wall of death shows. However, affordable cars like the Ford Model T were beginning to erode America’s motorcycle industry, and despite Indian’s expertise and attempts to diversify, it made heavy losses. Fortunately the industrial giant Du Pont stepped in to buy Indian shortly before the 1929 Wall Street Crash and invested heavily in motorcycle production.

Indian in Australia

Photographed in Australia in 1921, a uniformed driver and sidecar passenger pose on a hard-worked Indian V-twin combination with covered-in wheels.

The design of the Four continued to be refined, although changing from an inlet-over-exhaust valve layout to an exhaust-over-inlet layout in 1936 proved to be an error. Indian reverted to the previous format after two seasons, but sales had been lost.

In 1940 W. Briggs Weaver, a former Du Pont Motors designer, applied his talents at Indian to create the streamlined range of motorbikes with full-skirted fenders that are now icons of Americana. In the same year the Chief’s and the Four’s frames were equipped with plunger-type rear suspension. When the US joined World War II, Indian made the innovative 841 V-twin with transverse cylinders and shaft drive for military use.

Entrepreneur Ralph B. Rogers took over the company in 1945 with finance from the Atlas Corporation. An all-new range of Weaver-designed overhead-valve (ohv) singles and vertical-twins was launched, eclipsing production of the V-twins. They were marketed without proper development, damaging the company’s reputation. Even the revival in 1951 of the revered Chief V-twin, with an enlarged 80cu in (1,300 cc) engine, failed to improve the company’s fortunes.

Rogers accepted the blame and resigned. Financiers split the company into a manufacturing operation and the Indian Sales Corporation (ISC). The latter was owned by the British Brockhouse Engineering, maker of the Indian Papoose mini-scooter, which imported British motorcycles badged as Indians. In 1960 another British company. Associated Motor Cycles (AMC), acquired ISC.

Fleet of Indians

The Los Angeles Motor Corporation displays a new fleet of Indian motorcycles in 1922. The police used theirs to enable them to enforce relatively new speed restrictions.

The end of production at Springfield, in 1953, began a 20-year period when machines manufactured outside the United States were marketed as Indian motorcycles. In 1968, after AMC’s demise, automotive publisher and Indian aficionado Floyd Clymer attempted a revival. His V-twin with European cycle parts proved abortive, but Indian-badged singles and vertical-twins built by Italjet in Italy with British Velocette and Royal Enfield engines were sold. The venture ended when Clymer died in 1970.

Despite everything, the marque’s iconic status endured, attracting operators seeking to make a profit from branded merchandise. In the 1990s there were rival claims to the trademark and more than one announcement that big twins would be produced again. Following a court decision, in 1999 the California-based Indian Motorcycle Company set up production using bought-in V-twin engines, but they suffered from technical problems and the venture proved unprofitable.

Five years later, British private equity companies acquired the rights to the trademark and set up Indian Motorcycle Limited (IML). A North Carolina factory made V-twins with proprietary engines from 2009 until 2011, when IML was sold to Polaris Industries of Minneapolis.

As the established manufacturer of Victory motorcycles, alongside all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles, Polaris has the resources to put the revered Indian marque firmly back on its feet after 50 turbulent years.

1901 The Indian company is founded; a prototype and two production units are successfully built and tested.

1902 The first Indian motorcycles featuring innovative belt-drives and streamlined styling go on sale.

1903 Indian co-founder and chief engineer Oscar Hedstrom sets a motorcycle speed record of 56 mph (90 km/h).

1904 Indian wins the Gold Medal for Mechanical Excellence at the 1904 St Louis Exposition.

1907 Indian releases the first American production V-twin after several years of development and testing; the New York Police Department selects Indians for the first motorcycle police unit.

1909 The Indian “loop frame” positions the petrol tank on the front horizontal frame member for the first time.

1911 Indian takes a 1-2-3 finish at the Isle of Man Senior TT race.

1914 Indian sells the world’s first motorcycle with electric lights and starter.

1920 The 45 cu in (750 cc) Scout is released. 1922 Launch of the 61 cu in (1,000 cc) Chief.

1928 The first all-Indian Four goes on sale.

1929 Indian is bought by Du Pont.

1937 The Indian rider Ed Kretz wins the inaugural Daytona 200 race.

1945 Ralph B. Rogers takes control of the company from Du Pont.

1947 Indian releases a new range of vertical-twin motorcycles.

1948 Floyd Emde takes Indian’s last Daytona 200 win.

1949 The Brockhouse-owned Indian Sales Corp is formed.

1953 Production ends at the Springfield plant.

1955 Royal Enfield motorcycles start to be badged as Indians for the US market.

1960 British Associated Motor Cycles group acguires Indian Sales Corp.

1968 Floyd Clymer markets Indian-badged European machines.

1999 The IMC starts production in California.

2004 New owner Stellican sets up a factory.

2011 Indian is acquired by Polaris Industries.

 

It is a quote. The Motorbike Book – The Definitive Visual History 2012