Blood red Indian motorcycles are American as the twentieth century. The company started making motorcycles in 1901, and were successful immediately. The first Indian V-twin was sold in 1907, and 7 years later, 100,000 twins had been built: customers would clamor for the powerful V twins for fifty years.
Racing success came early, with wins on the board tracks and oval horse tracks of the day, and an overwhelming 1-2-3 finish in the 1911 Isle of Man TT, the world's most prestigious motorcycle race. Indians were blooded in battle in 1914-18, in the first World War, when motorcycles and horses were all that could get through the mud of Flanders.
Competition with Henry Ford's Model T about killed off the motorcycle industry in the twenties, but the success of Indian's Scout twin, and the later Indian Chief, ensured their survival through the depression, into the golden era of the Indian. Brand loyalty was strong, as this popular poem shows:
"You'll never wear out an Indian Scout,
Or its brother, the Indian Chief:
No, you'll never wear out an Indian Scout,
It's the H*****s that give all the grief!"
Forties Indians are most loved: the huge, red, streamlined Chiefs and Fours with skirted fenders and balloon tires. On the racetrack, Indian heroes Ed Kretz, Floyd Emde, Bobby Hill and Bill Tuman won races galore. But early in the fifties, Indian was gone, sunk by bad management and the introduction of a range of poorly-designed singles and parallel twins.
For nearly half a century since, a legion of enthusiasts and specialist companies has kept the Indian name alive on the roads of the world, by constantly restoring the products of the old Springfield, MA, company. Today, thanks to their efforts, the motorcycles are more sought after than ever and the Indian name is still alive.
blogged by Simbah_je @ 12:38 AM
