Indian (motorcycle)

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Indian Motorcycle Manufacturing Company
Image:Indian motorcycle logo.jpg
Type L.L.C
Founded Springfield, Massachusetts (1901)
Headquarters Kings Mountain, North Carolina
Key people George M. Hendee and Carl Oscar Hedström Founders
Products Motorcycles
Website www.indianmotorcycle.com

The Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company was a motorcycle manufacturer in Springfield, Massachusetts.[1] Indian was America's oldest motorcycle brand and was once the largest manufacturer of motorcycles in the world. The most popular models were the Scout, released in 1920, and the Chief, manufactured from 1922 to 1953.

Contents

[edit] Early years - Hendee and Hedström

Carl Oscar Hedström with the first prototype of Indian
Carl Oscar Hedström with the first prototype of Indian

Indian was founded as the Hendee Manufacturing Company by George M. Hendee and Carl Oscar Hedström. Both Hendee and Hedström were former bicycle racers who teamed up to produce a motorcycle with a 1.75 bhp, single cylinder engine in Hendee's home town of Springfield. The bike was successful and sales increased dramatically during the next decade.

In 1904, the so-called diamond framed Indian Single, whose engine was built by the Aurora Firm in Illinois, was made available in the deep red color that would become Indian's trademark. By now, the production was up to over 500 bikes annually and would rise to its best ever 32,000 in 1913.

In 1907, Indian built its first V-twin, and in following years made a strong showing in racing and record-breaking. One of the firm's most famous riders was Erwin "Cannonball" Baker, who set many long-distance records. In 1914, he rode an Indian across America, from San Diego to New York, in a record 11 days, 12 hours and ten minutes. Baker's mount in subsequent years was the Powerplus, a side-valve V-Twin, which was introduced in 1916. Its 61ci (1000 cc), 42 degree V-twin engine was more powerful and quieter than previous designs, giving a top speed of 60 mph (96 km/h). The Powerplus was highly successful, both as a roadster and as the basis for racing bikes. It remained in production with few changes until 1924.

Competition success played a big part in Indian's rapid growth and spurred technical innovation, as well. One of the American firm's best early results came in the Isle of Man TT in 1911, when Indian riders Godfrey, Franklin and Moorehouse finished first, second and third. Indian star Jake De Rosier set several speed records both in America and at Brooklands in England, and won an estimated 900 races on dirt-tracks and boards. He left Indian for Excelsior and died in 1913, aged 33, of injuries sustained in a board-race crash with Charles "Fearless" Balke, who later became Indian's top rider. Work at the Indian factory was stopped while De Rosier's funeral procession passed.

Oscar Hedstrom left Indian in 1913 after disagreements with the Board of Directors regarding dubious practices to inflate the company's stock values. [2] George Hendee resigned in 1916. [3]

[edit] Inter-war era - Scouts, Chiefs, and Fours

The Scout and Chief V-twins, introduced in the early 1920s, became the Springfield firm's most successful models. Designed by Charles B. Franklin, the middleweight Scout and larger Chief shared a 42 degree V twin engine layout. Both models gained a reputation for strength and reliability, which led to the old Indian saying: "You can't wear out an Indian Scout, or its brother the Indian Chief. They are built like rocks to take hard knocks; it's the Harleys that cause grief."

In 1930 Indian merged with duPont Motors. [4] duPont Motors founder E. Paul DuPont ceased production of duPont automobiles and concentrated the company's resources on Indian.[4] duPont's paint industry connections resulted in no fewer than 24 color options being offered in 1934. Models of that era featured Indian's famous head-dress logo on the gas tank. Indian's huge Springfield factory was known as the Wigwam, and native American imagery was much used in advertising.

In 1940, Indian sold nearly as many motorcycles as its major rival, Harley-Davidson. At the time, Indian represented the only true American-made heavyweight cruiser alternative to Harley-Davidson.

During this time, the company also manufactured other products such as aircraft engines, bicycles, boat motors and air conditioners.

[edit] Indian Chief

1928 Indian Big Chief with sidecar
1928 Indian Big Chief with sidecar

The first 1922 model Chief had a 1000 cc (61ci) engine based on that of the Powerplus; a year later the engine was enlarged to 1200 cc (73ci). Numerous improvements were made over the years, including adoption of a front brake in 1928.

In 1940, all models were fitted with the large skirted fenders that became an Indian trademark, and the Chief gained a new sprung frame that was superior to rival Harley's unsprung rear end. The 1940s Chiefs were handsome and comfortable machines, capable of 85 mph(136 km/h) in standard form and over 100 mph (160 km/h) when tuned, although their increased weight hampered acceleration.

In 1950, the V-Twin engine was enlarged to 1300 cc (80ci) and telescopic forks were adopted. But Indian's financial problems meant that few bikes were built, and production of the Chief ended in 1953.

[edit] Indian Scout

1929 Indian 101 Scout
1929 Indian 101 Scout

The Indian Scout rivaled the Chief as Indian's most important model. The Scout was introduced in 1920 with a 596 cc (37ci) engine. The engine size was increased to 745 cc (45ci) in 1927 in response to the popularity of the Excelsior Super X.[3][5] The most famous version was the 101 Scout of 1928, which featured improved handling from a new, lower frame.[3][5]

In 1932, cost cutting led to the Scout's using the heavier Chief frame, which was less successful.[3][5] The negative reaction to this Scout led to the creation of the Sport Scout of 1934, with a light frame, Girder forks, improved carburation and alloy cylinder heads.[3] The Sport Scout won the first Daytona 200 in 1937.[3]

Many Scout-based 500cc 741's were used in the Second World War by various Allied forces (though not by the US military), but the Scout model was dropped when the civilian production restarted in 1946. In 1948, Indian built just 50 units of the Daytona Sports Scout, one of which took Floyd Emde to victory in that year's Daytona 200 mile (322 km) race.[6] Smaller 500 cc (30.5ci) Scouts were also built between 1932 and 1941, known as the Scout Pony, Junior Scout and Thirty-Fifty.[7]

[edit] Indian Four

See also: Ace Motor Corporation
1935 Indian Four
1935 Indian Four

Indian purchased the ownership of the name, rights, and production facilities of the Ace Motor Corporation in 1927. Production was moved to Springfield and the motorcycle was marketed as the Indian Ace for one year.[8][9].

In 1928, the Indian Ace was replaced by the Indian 401, a development of the Ace designed by Arthur O. Lemon, former Chief Engineer at Ace, who was employed by Indian when they bought Ace.[10] The Ace's leading-link forks and central coil spring were replaced by Indian's trailing-link forks and quarter-elliptic leaf spring.[9][11]

By 1929, the Indian 402 would have a stronger twin-downtube frame based on that of the 101 Scout and a sturdier five-bearing crankshaft than the Ace, which had a three-bearing crankshaft.[10][12]

Despite the low demand for luxury motorcycles during the Depression, Indian not only continued production of the Four, but continued to develop the motorcycle. One of the less popular versions of the Four was the "upside down" engine on the 1936-37 models. While earlier (and later) Fours had IOE (inlet over exhaust) cylinder heads with overhead inlet valves and side exhaust valves, the 1936-37 Indian Four had a unique EOI cylinder head, with the positions reversed. In theory, this would improve fuel vapourization. In practice, it made the cylinder head, and the rider's inseam, very hot. Dual carburetors, fitted in 1937, did not help. The design was returned to the original configuration in 1938.[10][13]

Like the Chief, the Four was given large, skirted fenders and plunger rear suspension in 1940. In 1941, the 18" wheels of previous models were replaced with 16" wheels with balloon tyres.[10]

The Indian Four was discontinued in 1943.[10][14]

1930 Indian Four
1930 Indian Four

[edit] Post-war - decline and demise

In 1945, a group headed by Ralph B. Rogers purchased a controlling interest of the company.[15] On November 1, 1945, duPont formally turned the operations of Indian over to Rogers.[4]

Under Rogers' control, Indian discontinued the Scout and began to manufacture lightweight motorcycles such as the 149 Arrow, the Super Scout 249, both introduced in 1949, and the 250 Warrior, introduced in 1950. [16] Rogers' marketing concept was the same as that successfully used in the US by Soichiro Honda only ten years later, however Rogers' bikes suffered from a lack of development and poor quality.

Production of traditional Indians was extremely limited in 1949, and no 1949 Chiefs are known to exist.

Manufacture of all products was halted in 1953. Brockhouse and Royal Enfield bikes were imported from England and badged and sold as Indians through the rest of the 1950s.[15]

Publisher Floyd Clymer eventually owned the Indian name and attached it to imported motorcycles, including a single-cylinder Velocette model in 1969. [17]

[edit] The new Indian (1999-2003)

A new company with facilities in Gilroy, California began manufacturing motorcycles badged under the famous "Indian" name in 1999 after purchase of the Indian trademark. The model was based around a newer version of the Chief. Scout and Spirit models were also manufactured starting in 2001. These bikes were made from off-the-shelf S&S engines, but nearing the completion of an all-new engine design, the 100ci Powerplus, the company succumbed to bankruptcy again in late 2003, after a major investor backed out.

[edit] Another new Indian?

There is hope that the production will resume in 2007. On July 20, 2006, the newly formed Indian Motorcycle Company, owned largely by Stellican Limited, a London-based private equity firm, announced its new home in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, where it hopes to resurrect the iconic Indian Motorcycle Brand (refer to the "July 20, 2006 - Press Release - Indian Motorcycle Company Announces New Home" on the official website). This new company has goals of producing a new Chief by mid-2007, and having an accessory line for the Indian Motorcycles built from 1999 to 2003.

[edit] Land records

Between 1962 and 1967, New Zealander Burt Munro used a modified 1920s Indian Scout to set a number of land speed records, as dramatised in the 2005 film The World's Fastest Indian.

[edit] References

  1. ^ About Motorcycles: Indian Motorcycles Part 1: The Early Years
  2. ^ Johnstone, G. "Classic Motorcycles" p. 44 Tiger Books Internationa PLC, 1993 ISBN 1-85501-731-8
  3. ^ a b c d e f Johnstone, G. "Classic Motorcycles" p. 46-47 Tiger Books Internationa PLC, 1993 ISBN 1-85501-731-8
  4. ^ a b c Motorcycle Hall of Fame: E. Paul DuPont
  5. ^ a b c Wilson, H. "The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle" p. 104-105 Dorling-Kindersley Limited, 1995 ISBN 0 7513 0206 6
  6. ^ Wilson, H. "The Ultimate Motorcycle Book" p. 37 Dorling-Kindersley Limited, 1993 ISBN 0 7513 0043 8
  7. ^ Wilson, H. "The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle" p. 107 Dorling-Kindersley Limited, 1995 ISBN 0 7513 0206 6
  8. ^ Wilson, H. The Ultimate Motorcycle Book p. 31 Dorling-Kindersley Limited, 1993 ISBN 0 7513 0043 8
  9. ^ a b Wilson, H. The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle p. 11 Dorling-Kindersley Limited, 1995 ISBN 0 7513 0206 6
  10. ^ a b c d e Wilson, H. The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle p. 106 Dorling-Kindersley Limited, 1995 ISBN 0 7513 0206 6
  11. ^ Classic Motorcycle Archive - Indian 401
  12. ^ Johnstone, G. Classic Motorcycles p. 106 Tiger Books International PLC, 1995 ISBN1-85501-731-8
  13. ^ Motorcycle Hall of Fame: The Classics: 1936 Indian "Upside-Down" Four
  14. ^ Wilson, H. The Ultimate Motorcycle Book p. 37 Dorling-Kindersley Limited, 1993 ISBN 0 7513 0043 8
  15. ^ a b Wilson, H. "The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle" p. 271 Dorling-Kindersley Limited, 1995 ISBN 0 7513 0206 6
  16. ^ Wilson, H. "The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle" p. 108-109 Dorling-Kindersley Limited, 1995 ISBN 0 7513 0206 6
  17. ^ Wilson, H. "The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle" p. 110 Dorling-Kindersley Limited, 1995 ISBN 0 7513 0206 6

[edit] See also

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[edit] External links

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Major and Notable motorcycle marques of the USA

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