1929 Red Indian 101 Scout on 2040-motos

Indian Other description

1929 Indian 101 Scout Hill Climber Serial # DGP1842A During the late teens and early 1920s, flat-track motorcycle racing was immensely popular with stadiums across the country catering to sold-out crowds. The “Big Three,” Harley-Davidson, Excelsior and Indian, all sponsored riders that wowed the fans with lap speeds in excess of 100 mph. By the late 20s a number of classes had been added for a new breed of motorcycle: smaller, lighter and with smaller displacement engines. They were not an immediate hit. The fans preferred to see competitors on the same big V-twins that they rode themselves on the street. This, and the general deterioration of the board track stadiums, took a toll on attendance. Looking for a way to recapture the public's attention and stoke up interest in these smaller bikes, the manufactures turned to hill climbing. It provided the perfect venue for showcasing the performance and durability of their new machines. Excelsior and Indian had already developed potent, 45 cubic inch race motors, and their team riders, nick-named “slant artists,” quickly left the Harley-Davidsons in the dust. Excelsior won the National Hill Climbing Championships in 1929, and Indian took the “King of the Hill” title in 1930 and '31. But by then the Great Depression had wreaked havoc on motorcycle sales. Excelsior ceased production in 1931, and Indian and Harley were barely holding on. Some historians feel it was the hill climb that kept the 2 manufacturers in the public eye, helping to keep them afloat during the Depression's dark days. This 1929 Indian 101 Scout, Serial # DGP1842A, was set up for hill climbs with a springer front-end and period-correct tire chains. The “A” in the serial number designates that it's fitted with Indian's aluminum racing pistons. Originally part of a large Indian collection in Ohio, this Scout has been completely and accurately restored. In 1970 it was purchased by a Japanese collector w ...