Indian Motorcycles

About Indian

Indian is an American brand of motorcycles.

The "Indian Motocycle Co." was originally founded as the Hendee Manufacturing Company by George M. Hendee in 1897 to manufacture bicycles. These were initially badged as "Silver King" and "Silver Queen" brands but the name "American Indian", very quickly reduced to simply "Indian", was adopted by Hendee from 1898 onwards because it gave better product recognition in export markets.

Indian motorcycles were manufactured from 1901 to 1953 by a company in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA, initially known as the Hendee Manufacturing Company but which was renamed the Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company in 1928.

In 1901, a prototype and two production units of the diamond framed Indian Single were successfully designed, built and tested. The first Indian motorcycles, featuring chain drives and streamlined styling, were sold to the public in 1902. In 1903, Indian's co-founder and chief engineer Oscar Hedstrom set the world motorcycle speed record (56 mph).

The Indian factory team took the first three places in the 1911 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy. During the 1910s Indian became the largest manufacturer of motorcycles in the world.

Indian introduced the 221 cc single cylinder two-stroke Model K "Featherweight" in 1916. The Model K had an open cradle frame with the engine as a stressed member and a pivoting front fork that had been used earlier on single-cylinder motorcycles but had mostly been replaced on other Indian motorcycles by a leaf-sprung trailing link fork.

The Model K was manufactured for one year and was replaced in 1917 by the Model O. The Model O had a four-stroke flat-twin engine and a new frame, but retained the pivoting fork at the front. The Model O was manufactured until 1919.

Indian's most popular models were the Scout, made from 1920 to 1946, and the Chief, made from 1922 to 1953.

The Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company went bankrupt in 1953. A number of successor organizations have perpetuated the name in subsequent years, with limited success. In 2011 Polaris Industries purchased Indian Motorcycles and relocated operations from North Carolina, merging them into existing facilities in Minnesota and Iowa. Since August of 2013, three motorcycle models that capitalize on Indian's traditional styling have been built under the Indian name.

Moto blog

Florida’s Panama City Beach Motorcycle Rally Coming April 30th

That other big spring motorcycle gathering in Florida may get all the press, but that doesn’t mean that other rallies aren’t going on there. Case in point, Panama City Beach Motorcycle Rally gets under way just about three weeks from today. The April 30th – May 4th, 2014 event kicks off with a party at the Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort and Tiki Bar, featuring the bands Mustang Sally and Big Engine.

BikeBandit.com Returns As Title Sponsor Of 2014 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days

BikeBandit.com will once again be the title sponsor for this year’s AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days. The 2014 event features Indian Motorcycle as marque of the year, and is scheduled for July 11-13 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days  is the country’s premier gathering of vintage bikes and the people who love them, attracting tens of thousands every year.

Help Metzeler Design A Bike, Then Ride It

Metzeler is partnering with custom bike shop Indian Larry Motorcycles to build a priceless custom motorcycle, uniquely built with input from motorcycle fans via the Metzeler USA Facebook page. The entire event will be documented on Facebook in a web series starting March 17 and ending with a lucky fan taking off on a “Follow Your Dream” ride vacation on the custom bike. Fans get the chance to win by sharing why they deserve the “Dream Ride” at facebook.com/metzelerUSA from March 10 through June 6, 2014.

Indian Employee Inks His Love For The Brand – Video

Lonnie Hannah is more than just a rider, he’s the Sr. Layout Designer for Indian Motorcycle. A lifelong motorcyclist, he currently calls his — wait for it — 2005 H-D Heritage Classic his pride and joy.

Indian Motorcycle Owner’s Events for Daytona Bike Week

Indian Motorcycle has announced an events schedule for Daytona Bike Week for Indian owners to enjoy. Owners of all Indian models – from the current era to the marque’s historic past – are welcome to attend and be lavished with the special attention the manufacturer feels they deserve. Indian Motorcycle Daytona Beach Kick-start Party: On Saturday March 8th, beginning at 7:30 p.m., Indian hosts a party at the Full Moon Saloon on Main Street.

Indian Motorcycles Marque Of The Year For 2014 Vintage Motorcycle Days

Riding the wave of momentum from Indian’s long-awaited revival, for 2014, Indian Motorcycles will be the marque of the year at this year’s Vintage Motorcycle Days (VMD), held at the historic Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, July 11-13. As this year’s celebrated marque, VMD will include special recognition, displays and race classes for historic Indian-brand motorcycles (including Indian “Motocycles” from the early days), as well as participation from the new Indian Motorcycle. VMD is open to all riders, regardless of what bike they ride.

All 50 States Ranked For Highest Motorcycle Ownership Per Capita

In a recent study done ranking each of the 50 states (and the District of Columbia) by motorcycle ownership per capita, South Dakota ranked the best. There are a total of 69,284 motorcycles registered in the state, according to the Department of Transportation, and with a total population of 816,598, when you do the math, there’s roughly 12 people in South Dakota for every motorcycle. Considering South Dakota is the home of the Sturgis rally, its ranking on this list may not be much of a surprise.

Rockerbox Motofest Moves To Road America

Wisconsin’s premier motorcycle show, The Rockerbox Motofest, featuring an eclectic mix of Euro, Japanese and American vintage café racers, choppers, sport bikes, racing machines, super motos, scooters, and sidecars is making an official move for the future. Instead of its usual Milwaukee home, the event is making the trek 60 miles north to America’s national park of speed as part of  Road America’s American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) Vintage Motorcycle Classic, June 6-8. The Rockerbox Motofest includes a ride-in bike show and competition showcasing the greatest in classic style, fresh customization, plus all that is unusual and incredible.

2014 Indian Motorcycle Demo Tour

If you’re considering purchasing a new Indian Chief or Chieftain, or are just curious about the bike’s performance, here’s your chance to take one for a spin. The Indian Motorcycle Demo Tour has 40 dates and cities on its calendar beginning this month with more events to be added. Check out the list below for a Demo Tour stop near you or go to the Tour’s website for updated information: www.indianmotorcycle.com.

Hero iON Hydrogen Fuel Cell Concept – Video

Hero MotoCorp may fly a bit below the radar of most American motorcycle enthusiasts, but the Indian manufacturer has emerged as a leader in alternative fuel technologies for two-wheeled vehicle. First came the Hero Leap hybrid scooter (which is now ready to enter serial production), then came the RNT 150 diesel hybrid concept revealed last week. Today, Hero revealed another new concept, this one an electric motorcycle with a hydrogen fuel cell extender at the 2014 India Auto Expo.