| Manufacturer | Indian |
|---|---|
| Production | 1919–1949 |
| Engine | 500–745 cc V-twin |
The Indian Scout was a motorcycle built by the Indian Motocycle Company from 1920 to 1949. It rivaled the Chief as Indian's most important model.
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The Scout was introduced in October 1919 as a 1920 model, with a 606 cc (37 cu in) engine. The engine size was increased to 745 cc (45 cu in) in 1927 in response to the popularity of the Excelsior Super X.[1][2]
The original Scout was replaced in mid 1928 by the Scout Series 101. Designed by Charles B. Franklin, who had designed the original Scout, the 101 Scout had a new frame with more fork rake, a longer wheelbase, and a lower seat height.[2][3] The geometry of the 101 Scout wheelbase, steering head angle and rear sub-frame were all adopted from the new Indian 401 model which was under development at the same time.[4] The Scout had started the 1928 model year as a short-frame model whose main change from 1920-27 Scouts was the addition of a front brake[5]
Cost cutting led to Indian designing a new basic frame for 1932 that would form the basis for the Scout, Chief, and Four frames.[4] The 1932 Standard Scout that was based on this new frame[4] was heavier and bulkier than the 101 frame, and was less successful as a result.[1][2] 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.[1] The Sport Scout won the first Daytona 200 in 1937.[1] Despite the introduction of the Sport Scout, the Standard Scout remained in production until 1937.[4]
Many Scouts were used in the Second World War. The most common military version was known as the 741, which was its VIN designation. Despite this the Scout was dropped when the civilian production restarted in 1946 because, although engineering work was done on a Model 647 Scout, this was abandoned in favor of developing a completely new line of lightweight single-cylinder and vertical-twin motorcycles (of which the latter initially bore the name "Scout").[5] In 1948, Indian built just 50 units of the Daytona Sports Scout, (The "Big Base" Scout), one of which took Floyd Emde to victory in that year's Daytona 200 mile (322 km) race.[6]
Smaller 500 cc (31 cu in) Scouts were also built between 1932 and 1941, known as the Scout Pony, Junior Scout and Thirty-Fifty.[7]
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.
| Manufacturer | Indian Motorcycle Company of America |
|---|---|
| Model year | 2001-2003 |
| Assembly | Gilroy, California |
| Engine | 88 cu in (1,440 cm3) 45° S&S V-twin engine |
| Bore / Stroke | 3.625 × 4.25 in (92.1 × 108 mm) |
| Ignition type | computer-controlled electronic |
| Transmission | 5-speed foot shift |
| Suspension | Front: 41 mm telescopic forks Rear: |
| Rake, Trail | 32°, 5.25 in (133 mm) |
| Wheelbase | 67 in (1,700 mm) |
| Seat height | 26.5 in (670 mm) |
| Related | Indian Chief, Indian Spirit |
The Indian Motorcycle Company of America, based in Gilroy, California, built a Scout model from 2001 up to their bankruptcy in 2003.[10][11]