1897: A legend is born Creating a company
In 1897, George M. Hendee founded a bicycle production company called the Hendee Manufacturing Company. The bikes had names like "Silver King", "Silver Queen" and "American Indian", which was shortened to simply "Indian" and became Hendee's main brand name.
1900s: The first motorcycle becomes America's first motorcycle company.
In 1901, bicycle manufacturer, race promoter and former bicycle racing champion George Hendee hired Oscar Hedstrom to build gasoline-powered motorcycles to exceed the pace of bicycle racing. The machine he created proved to be powerful and reliable, establishing the company's reputation for outstanding performance. Later that year, the company's first factory was established in downtown Springfield.
The first Indian Motorcycle was sold to a retail customer in 1902, and later that year an Indian Motorcycle won an endurance race from Boston to New York in its public racing debut. Racers went on to win events and set records riding Indian motorcycles:
1903: Company co-founder and chief engineer Oscar Hedstrom rode one of these motorcycles and set a new speed record of 90 km/h (56 mph) and won a round-trip endurance race between New York City and Springfield.
1906: George Holden and Louis J. Mueller rode an Indian Motorcycle from San Francisco to New York in a record time of 31 1/2 days without any mechanical problems.
1907: American T.K. Hastings rode an Indian Motorcycle to victory in a 1,000-mile reliability test in England.
In 1906, the first V-twin racing motorcycle was built in the factory. A version of the racing engine was introduced in consumer models for the 1907 model year, making the 39-ci 42-degree V-twin (633 cm3) the first American-production motorcycle V-twin engine.
Years 10: Records and innovations Advances in motorcycle technology
The 1910s were an era of innovations and technological advances for Indian Motorcycle, including a leaf-sprung front fork, automatic oil pump, 2-speed transmission, foot peg, crank shiftercrank shifter, swingarm rear suspension design, the first electric start on a motorcycle, electric headlights, the legendary 1000 cm3 Powerplus engine and the calligraphic Indian Motorcycle logo.
These advances led to new heights and broke company records:
1913: 32,000 units were sold, a new record.
1914: Erwin "Cannonball" Baker rode from San Diego to the East Coast in a new record time of 11 days, 12 hours and 10 minutes.
1915: Erwin "Cannonball" Baker recorded the fastest time in a Three-Flag race from Canada to Mexico via California, which he completed in three and a half days.
In 1916, co-founder George Hendee resigned as company president, and in 1917 the United States entered the First World War. Indian Motorcycle dedicated most of its production to the war effort. As a result, dealers had limited inventory and retail sales dropped significantly. Between 1917 and 1919, the company supplied almost 50,000 motorcycles to the U.S. Army, most of them based on the Indian Powerplus model.
The 20s: Becoming a legend Here's the Indian Motocycle Company
The early '20s were important for the rise of Indian Motorcycle as several iconic motorcycles were introduced to the public. In 1920, the company launched the first Indian Scout. This fast, reliable and maneuverable motorcycle inspired many people to start riding. It was followed by the Chief (1922), the best-selling Big Chief motorcycle (1923), the Prince motorcycle (1925) and, following the acquisition of Ace Motor Corporation, the Ace motorcycle (1927).
In 1923, the company changed its name from the Hendee Manufacturing Company to the Indian Motocycle Company (no "r" in motocycle when the word was used with the name Indian.
Indian Motorcycle introduced its legendary 45 ci 750 cm3 V-twin engine in 1927. This larger version of the Scout engine would later be known as one of the finest engines ever built by Indian Motorcycle.
1930s: The Depression years Continued growth in a weak economy
In 1930, E. Paul Du Pont sold his shares in DuPont Automobile to Indian Motorcycle and bought a large part of Indian Motorcycle's stock. E. Paul forced the departure of the existing company management team and appointed Loring F. "Joe" Hosley in charge of day-to-day operations. Under the Hosley's direction, Indian Motorcycle resumed launching annual model ranges, starting with the 203 Scout and Scout Pony in 1932 and the Scout Sport in 1934.
In the early '30s, the country's weak economy caused motorcycle sales, including those of Indian Motorcycle, to plummet. Still, the company continued its quest for perfection, introducing the 1936 "upside-down" fours, which featured a design with the exhaust over the intake, as well as models with instrument panels on their fuel tanks.
Ed Kretz won the first Daytona 200 on a bike built for the Indian Scout Sport race in 1937. In 1938, an Indian Motorcycle club in Sturgis, known as the Jackpine Gypsies, organized a race called the Black Hills Classic. This race evolved into the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
40s: A world at war Indian Motorcycle serves its country
From 1940 to 1945, Indian Motorcycle concentrated its efforts on contributing to the cause of the Allied forces in the Second World War, first building motorcycles for the French government and, from 1941, producing the Model 841 for the US Army. Very few motorcycles were designed for consumers during this time.
In 1945, the Du Pont brothers sold the company to Ralph B. Rogers. Rogers also bought the Torque Manufacturing Co. in part to utilize the talents of former Indian Motorcycle engineer G. Briggs Weaver, who worked for Torque and designed several models that Rogers hoped Indian Motorcycle would produce.
After the war, the first range consisted solely of the Indian Chief motorcycle, while design and production increased for consumer models. In 1948, new models of the 440 cm3 twin-cylinder vertical Indian Scout motorcycle and the 220 cm3 single-cylinder vertical Indian Arrow motorcycle were launched to compete with the growing number of light imports from abroad.
50s: The rise of the Wrecking Crew dominating the world of motorcycle racing
The Indian Motorcycle Wrecking CrewTM , made up of legendary racers Bobby Hill, Bill Tuman and Ernie Beckman, was formed in the late '40s and, by the early '50s, was dominating on both dirt and road courses. Among their famous victories were three consecutive wins of the Springfield Mile race. Hill won the Springfield Mile in 1951 and 1952, and Tuman won in 1953. All three also won seasonal titles and major events from coast to coast.
John Brockhouse replaced Ralph B. Rogers as president of Indian Motorcycle in 1950. Unfortunately, Indian Motorcycle Manufacturing Company ceased operations and production of all models in 1953. In 1955, Brockhouse Engineering bought the rights on behalf of Indian Motorcycle and sold imported Royal Enfield models as Indian Motorcycle brand models until 1960.
The 60s: The pursuit of a record Historic ride by Burt Munro
In 1967, Burt Munro, a 68-year-old native of New Zealand, made motorcycling history by setting a new official record.tablished a new official land speed record, 296.119 km/h (184.087 mph) with an unofficial top speed of 329.916 km/h (205.67 mph), when he rode his streamlined and heavily modified 1920 Indian Scout motorcycle on the sandy plains of Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah.
Munro began claiming a number of New Zealand land-speed records in the '40s, and by the '50s his Scout motorcycle was too fast for New Zealand speedway racing. So he created a new goal: racing on the great Bonneville Salt Flats. Over the years, Munro and his Scout motorcycle raced on the Bonneville Salt Flats nine times and set world records in three of these races, culminating in his last record-breaking trip and ride in 1967. Burt Munro was inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame in 2006, a tribute to the quest begun eight decades earlier.
The 70s: The end of an era The death of two legends
Legendary motorcycle racer, dealer, distributor, magazine publisher, race promoter, author and builder Floyd Clymer had been working to revive the old Indian Motorcycle brand since 1963.
Clymer died of a heart attack in 1970, and his lawyer, Alan Newman, acquired the Indian Motorcycle trademark. Newman continued to sell small Indian brand motorcycles. Most of these bikes were produced in Taiwan and had displacements between 50 cm3 and 175 cm3. Other units were renamed Italian mini-bikes. Sales declined throughout the 70s and operations ceased in 1977.
90s: Resurrecting the brand A legend returned to its former glory
Production of Indian Motorcycle models exclusive to the brand resumed in 1998. The merger of nine companies formed the Indian Motorcycle Company of America (IMCA), which opened a production facility in Gilroy, California. IMCA produces the Chief, Scout and Spirit models with engines acquired from S&S Cycle, Inc.
2000s: An uncertain future
Tumultuous times for America's First Motorcycle Company
In 2003, Indian Motorcycle Company of America went bankrupt and ceased production. The future of America's first motorcycle company was uncertain.
Things began to turn around for Indian Motorcycle in 2008, when London-based private equity firm Stellican Ltd. acquired Indian Motorcycle's assets and set up an Indian Motorcycle Company manufacturing facility in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. A limited number of Indian Chief motorcycles with 105-ci V-twin engines were manufactured between 2008 and 2011. In 2011, Stellican sold Indian Motorcycle to Polaris Industries.
2010s: The legend lives on Indian Motorcycle returns, better than ever
The 2010s were a decade of exciting development and growth for Indian Motorcycle. We've built a bright future based on our legendary history through technological innovation, rewarding partnerships and an ever-growing range of authentic, iconic motorcycles.
2011: Polaris Industries announces the acquisition of Indian Motorcycle.
2013 : The all-new Chief Classic, Chief Vintage and Chieftain motorcycles are introduced.
2013: Indian Motorcycle introduces the powerful new Thunder Stroke 111 V-twin engine.
2014: Indian Motorcycle adds the Roadmaster motorcycle and the all-new iconic Scout motorcycle to the range.
2014: Motorcycle.com names the Indian Chief motorcycle its 2014 Cruiser of the Year, also honoring the Chief Classic and Chief Vintage.
2015: Indian Motorcycle launches multi-year partnership with Veteran's Charity Ride to SturgisTM.
2015: Indian Motorcycle introduces the Chief Dark Horse and Scout Sixty motorcycles.
2016: Indian Motorcycle accelerates its historic journey toward an official return to professional flat track racing with the public launch of the Indian Scout FTR750.
2016: Indian Motorcycle collaborates with Jack Daniel's and Klock Werks Kustom Cycles to create the Jack Daniel's Indian Springfield limited edition and Chief Vintage motorcycles.
2016: Indian Motorcycle introduces two new motorcycles - the Indian Springfield and the Chieftain Dark Horse, as well as Ride Command , the industry's most advanced infotainment system.
2017: Indian Motorcycle launches the Scout Bobber motorcycle.
2017 : Lee Munro pays tribute to his Uncle Burt's 1967 record by riding a modern "Spirit of Munro" Scout motorcycle in a 305 km/h (190 mph) race on the Bonneville Sand Plains.
2017: Indian Wrecking Crew member Jared Mees wins the American flat track championship in the brand's first race of the year in over 60 years.
News credits: Indian Motorcycle