The Iron Redskin
|Indian Motocycles was a producer of fine motorcycles since 1901. The early Indian motorcycles were advanced and the famous Indian Power Plus had a large displacement, reliable engine. It even had front and rear springing, an unusual detail of their time. In the late teens the Indian Power Plus passed th Excelsior as the world's most produced model . The producing company changed hands a few times before it finally gave up in 1953. There has beeen some attempts at reviving the brand name but these struggles has mostly been to the benefit of American lawyers. Now for two years there has been an American company who produce a new Vee twin they claim will be in the true "Indian" Spirit. Most Indian afilliates look upon this newcomer with sceptisism. In adition there is production of "Indian" bikes in Germany, Sweden, England and Australia .|
|My history with Indians began when a
friend of mine sadly got divorced and had to move house. I was a
"Harley-man" at the time and was offered some Harley bits he had
to get rid of. In the storage he had, I also saw some strange
old two stroke parts, and I was offered the beginning of a couple of
exciting old Cleveland motorcycles. When we agreed
on these bits too, my friend decided I also had to take the rest of what was in this
storage, an Indian Scout.To get the deal settled I even had to take along the
storage itself , an old split screen greenVolkswagon van (loaf). I later
swapped the underpowered VW van for a rolling Zündapp chassis.|
This added aqiusition into the obscure world of red motorcycles has certainly evolved since then. Maybe my fascination of Harleys has been somewhat hampered by the tint the typcial Hd bikers has added to the image of The Milwaukee brand. Thus the Indian, "the other Vee-twin" has grown in my appreciation.
To restore or not to restore, that is the question.
|I have learnt a lot about the early Indian the very hard way
as I took on restoration of an Indian Power Plus from the time when
Indian was the largest motorcycle producer in the world.
The 1919 Indian power plus is a beautiful machine when restored to its former glory,
but I reckon there are few old bikes around that has so many parts.
Having done so much work on other peoples old Indians , tackling my own will be just fun. These old motorcycles were true works of art i at the same time as they provided comfortable transportation
The Indian Power Plus had leaf springing both front and rear, something that was abandoned on later Indians.
|And at last some major parts has arrived lately to make it possible to start looking into the ultimate Indian, the younger relative of the early Henderson and the Ace.|