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A history of the Indian Motorcycle company, which for a time was the dominant American motorcycle manufacturer.
A Brief History ofA Brief History of
IndianIndian
MotocyclesMotocycles
Will Will BoutelleBoutelle,,
M.D.M.D.
SpringfieldSpringfield
MuseumsMuseums
May 8, 2008May 8, 2008
ReferencesReferences! A Century of Indian. Youngblood, Ed (2001).
! Indian Motorcycle Photo History. Hatfield,Jerry (1993).
! Golden Age of the Fours. Hodgdon, Ted(1974).
! Classic Indian Motorcycle Carroll, John
(no date)
! Hendersons, Those Elegant Machines.Schultz, Richard (1994).
! Manufacturing hub from mid-19th century
! Large pool of skilled labor,plentiful power, and availablecapital
! At least three cars (Duryea,Knox and Rolls Royce), bicyclesand motorcycles
Springfield, MassachusettsSpringfield, Massachusetts
1893 Duryea, Springfield Mass.1893 Duryea, Springfield Mass.
DURYEADURYEA
1893 - Brothers Charles & Frank built first car
1895 - Second car, won 1st auto race in USA (50 miles roundtrip Chicago-Evanston)
1896 - First production run (13 units) - First auto accident (NYC, Henry Wells hit bicyclist in his Duryea, went to jail overnight)
Manufactured at least until
1913 in IL, NJ, and PA
Late-Model DuryeaLate-Model Duryea
Knox Automobile 1900-1914Knox Automobile 1900-1914
KNOX AUTOMOBILEKNOX AUTOMOBILE
Built:! Cars
! Trucks
! Tractors
! Fire engines
" Using Knox engines, Springfieldbecame first mechanized fire dept. inthe United States
Springfield Rolls RoyceSpringfield Rolls Royce
George Hendee, 1884George Hendee, 1884
Oscar Hedstrom Pacer, 1899Oscar Hedstrom Pacer, 1899
1901 31902 1431903 3761904 ?1905 1000+1908 3000+1910 6000+1913 32000+1914 250001915 21000
INDIAN PRODUCTION FIGURESINDIAN PRODUCTION FIGURES
Indian #268 (early 1903).Indian #268 (early 1903).With engine and gas tank, itWith engine and gas tank, it’’s a bicycle!s a bicycle!
From 1906 Indian catalogue, showing variousFrom 1906 Indian catalogue, showing variousproducts: Tandem, triplet, tri-car, tricycle and vanproducts: Tandem, triplet, tri-car, tricycle and van
19071907: : First cataloged twin cylinder IndianFirst cataloged twin cylinder Indian..42 degree angle between front and rear42 degree angle between front and rear cylinder. cylinder. All Indian twins through the endAll Indian twins through the endretained this angleretained this angle
19091909 Loop FrameLoop Frame- - No longer a bicycle with a motorNo longer a bicycle with a motor
Steering head of 1909 Indian single.Steering head of 1909 Indian single.Note U-joint controls for gas and spark.Note U-joint controls for gas and spark.
•• Indian always concentrated on police business. Indian always concentrated on police business.Pictured below is a 1910 two-man patrol V-twinPictured below is a 1910 two-man patrol V-twinin in Cincinnati.Cincinnati.•• NYPD placed their first order in NYPD placed their first order in 1903.1903.
Indian Factories
1911 Isle of Man1911 Isle of ManTT Race (Britain)TT Race (Britain)
!! Indian came inIndian came in
1st, 2nd, and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd3rdplaceplace
Board track racingBoard track racing
Los AngelesLos Angeles 19121912
1/3 mile tack, 90 mph1/3 mile tack, 90 mph
Eddie Hasha with Eddie Hasha with ““big basebig base”” 8-valve twin, Sept. 8-valve twin, Sept.1912, on steeply banked board track.1912, on steeply banked board track.Photo taken just before an accident killed him,Photo taken just before an accident killed him,another racer and six spectators in Newark, NJanother racer and six spectators in Newark, NJ
This was the onlyThis was the only
time thattime that
Motorcycle racingMotorcycle racing
ever made the frontever made the front
page of the NYpage of the NY
TimesTimes
1912 Indian with 1912 Indian with ““Colonial sidecarColonial sidecar””
made of wickermade of wicker
1914 Indian with Indian sidecar1914 Indian with Indian sidecar
1913 Indian twin with spring frame1913 Indian twin with spring frameMajor Innovation, but nobody else followedMajor Innovation, but nobody else followedNote early Note early ““buddy seatbuddy seat”” hanging off the back hanging off the back
Ford Model TFord Model T:: •• Hauled five peopleHauled five people •• Kept you dry with top upKept you dry with top up •• Got cheaper to buyGot cheaper to buy every yearevery year •• Killed market for motorcycle as cheap transportation Killed market for motorcycle as cheap transportation
Oscar Hedstrom, IndianOscar Hedstrom, Indian’’s engineering father,s engineering father,retires at age 42 in 1913retires at age 42 in 1913
Oscar Hedstrom, circa 1913Oscar Hedstrom, circa 1913
Hendee SpecialHendee Special•• Electric Starting, but no generator Electric Starting, but no generator
•• ItIt’’s hard tos hard tounderstand why heunderstand why heneeded electricneeded electricstarting, with nostarting, with noplace to charge hisplace to charge hisbatteries for milesbatteries for milesaround.around.
•• Two years later, Two years later,he was beinghe was beingchased by Generalchased by GeneralJohn J. PershingJohn J. Pershing
Pancho VillaPancho Villa
George Hendee Leaves Indian in 1915.George Hendee Leaves Indian in 1915.Now both the founders are gone.Now both the founders are gone.
Gun Car, 1915Gun Car, 1915marketed to British armymarketed to British army
1919 spring-frame military Indian.1919 spring-frame military Indian.Note gas lamp and brass levers.Note gas lamp and brass levers.
1917 Model O1917 Model O •• First Indian Attempt at a lightweight twinFirst Indian Attempt at a lightweight twin Cylinders opposed, front and aftCylinders opposed, front and aft •• Harley riders called it the Harley riders called it the ““Model ZeroModel Zero”” due to its low powerdue to its low power
Erwin Erwin ““CannonballCannonball”” Baker Baker•• Not toNot tooo bright, but he could stay awake for days bright, but he could stay awake for days
May 1914: San Diego/New YorkMay 1914: San Diego/New York
11 days, 12 hrs, 10 min 11 days, 12 hrs, 10 min
August 1915: Canada/MexicoAugust 1915: Canada/Mexico
3 days, 9 hrs, 15 min 3 days, 9 hrs, 15 min
1917: 24-hr. record:1534.25 miles1917: 24-hr. record:1534.25 miles
All on IndiansAll on Indians
Publicity photo of Baker on IndianPublicity photo of Baker on Indian
Great Motorcycles,Great Motorcycles,bad businessbad business
Scout, 1921Scout, 1921Starting to look like modern motorcycleStarting to look like modern motorcycle
Scout primary drive -- helical gears in oil bath.Scout primary drive -- helical gears in oil bath.
Led to the chant,Led to the chant,““You canYou can’’tt
wear out an Indian Scoutwear out an Indian Scout””
1923 Chief1923 Chief•• First 74 cubic inch motorFirst 74 cubic inch motor
1922 Chief with sidecar1922 Chief with sidecar
OrieOrie Steele Steele•• Pre-eminent hill climber Pre-eminent hill climber with trophies, on 1924with trophies, on 1924ScoutScout
1925 Indian Prince1925 Indian Prince•• 22ndnd attempt at lightweight motorcycle attempt at lightweight motorcycle
1926 1926 soupedsouped up overhead valve Prince up overhead valve Prince(Still didn(Still didn’’t sell)t sell)
Typical small-town Indian agency of 1920Typical small-town Indian agency of 1920’’ss•• Dealer and wife in front of showroom
Lineage of the future Indian Four Lineage of the future Indian Four MotocycleMotocycle
Will Henderson, designer of:
• Henderson, 1912-1917
• Ace 1922-1926
• Indian bought out Ace afterbankruptcy
1912 Henderson1912 Henderson•• First year of manufacturingFirst year of manufacturing•• First motorcycle to drive around the worldFirst motorcycle to drive around the world(driven by C.S. Clancy)(driven by C.S. Clancy)
Mr. & Mrs. Will Henderson on 1912 HendersonMr. & Mrs. Will Henderson on 1912 Henderson
1917 Henderson• Company sold to Schwinn Dec, 1917• Will and Tom Henderson kept on asconsultants, but Will soon left to start AceMotorcycle Company
AceAce Designed by W. Henderson
Sept. 1922: Cannonball
Baker rode Ace LA-NY (3332miles) in 6 days, 22 hoursand 52 minutes
“World’s Fastest Motorcycle”129 mph solo, 106 mphwith sidecar
Will Henderson Killed Dec.1922, while testing the newAce on city streets
1927 Indian Ace1927 Indian Ace
Indian CarIndian Car
SilverSilverArrowArrow
OutboardOutboardMotorMotor
Non-motorcycle products failNon-motorcycle products fail
1930-19391930-1939Du Pont to the RescueDu Pont to the Rescue
Du Pont Letter, 1930Du Pont Letter, 1930
1930 1930 HillclimberHillclimber
1932 Scout Pony1932 Scout Pony
1936 Chief (restored 2005)1936 Chief (restored 2005)
1936 Chief1936 Chief
view fromview fromsaddlesaddle
1938 Four Cylinder1938 Four Cylinder•• restored 1999 restored 1999
1938 Four Cylinder1938 Four Cylinder
1939 1939 Traffic Traffic carcar
1941 Military Model 8411941 Military Model 841
Sport Scout, 1941Sport Scout, 1941
1941 Chief1941 Chief
1941 Four Cylinder1941 Four Cylinder
1947 Chief and Sidecar1947 Chief and Sidecar
!! Owned by JimOwned by JimSeidellSeidell
!! 3 miles from3 miles fromChesterfieldChesterfieldCenterCenter
!! Jim ownsJim ownsseveral otherseveral otherIndiansIndians
1947 Chief and wife1947 Chief and wife•• chief restored 1998 chief restored 1998•• wife in original wife in original unrestored unrestored condition)condition)
IndianIndian’’ss
LastLast
MistakeMistake
1949 Scout1949 Scout
1949 Scout engine1949 Scout engine
•• Poorly engineered Poorly engineered
•• Poorly tested Poorly tested
•• Bad electrics Bad electrics
•• Not a V-twin Not a V-twin
•• Dealers can Dealers can’’t sell themt sell them
•• Dealers give up and Dealers give up andturn to Harleyturn to Harley
When engineering fails, turn to PRWhen engineering fails, turn to PR
•• Erwin Erwin ““CannonballCannonball””Baker (who won hisBaker (who won hisfirst race in 1909),first race in 1909),pulled out ofpulled out ofretirement to tout theretirement to tout thevertical twin Indian.vertical twin Indian.
19481948
•• We don We don’’t know whot know whothe the ““MotorcycleMotorcycleQueenQueen”” was was
When engineering fails, turn to PR (Part 2)When engineering fails, turn to PR (Part 2)
!! Jane RussellJane Russellpresented with herpresented with herown Indian Verticalown Indian VerticalTwin, 1948Twin, 1948
!! No one knowsNo one knowswhether she everwhether she everrode itrode it
When engineering fails, turn to PR (Part 3)When engineering fails, turn to PR (Part 3)
!! Vaughn MonroeVaughn Monroe(who actually(who actuallyrode motorcycles)rode motorcycles)brought in forbrought in forphoto on Indianphoto on Indian
!! Not recorded asNot recorded asto how manyto how manyIndians he wasIndians he wasgivengiven
1950 Chief1950 Chief
•• Same stroke, but bored Same stroke, but boredout to 80 cubic inchesout to 80 cubic inches
•• Plunger fork 1950- Plunger fork 1950-’’5353
•• Except for fork, bored Except for fork, boredcylinder and minor enginecylinder and minor engine& body changes, basically& body changes, basicallythe same as 1948 Chiefthe same as 1948 Chief
•• The dealers had all gone The dealers had all goneover to Harleyover to Harley
Indian Factory 1952-53Indian Factory 1952-53
!! Assembling the last IndiansAssembling the last Indians
!! Indian name about to be sold to distributors of EnglishIndian name about to be sold to distributors of Englishmotorcyclesmotorcycles
!! Dealers not told of production terminationDealers not told of production termination
1947 and 1905 Indians1947 and 1905 Indians
Not the first and not the last, Not the first and not the last,
but quite a transition over 42 years but quite a transition over 42 years
Last of the BreedLast of the Breed! Indian Factory
1953
! Last non-policebikes built
! The very last of1953 productionwent to theNYPD who hadplaced their firstorder forIndians in 1903
19531953
Indian Factory (1981)Indian Factory (1981)
!! Indian long goneIndian long gone
!! Crime-riddenCrime-riddenneighborhoodneighborhood
!! George George HendeeHendee’’ssoffice windows inoffice windows inlarge arch onlarge arch oncornercorner
Interior of Indian Factory, 1981Interior of Indian Factory, 1981
Building is now used as an apartment buildingBuilding is now used as an apartment building
Indian Factory, 1984Indian Factory, 1984
! Large parts of the original factory were demolished
! What remains has been renovated for housing
Now What ???Now What ???
European Indian RallyEuropean Indian RallyScotland, 1994Scotland, 1994
Indian Racing TeamIndian Racing TeamDaytona Beach, FloridaDaytona Beach, Florida
EstaEsta ManthosManthos Collection of Antique Motorcycles Collection of Antique Motorcyclesgiven to given to Springfield Springfield Museums in June 2007
EstaEsta ManthosManthos presenting Oscar Hedstrom presenting Oscar Hedstrom
““Best of ShowBest of Show”” trophy to Will trophy to Will BoutelleBoutelle, MD, MD
for 1938 Indian Four Cylinderfor 1938 Indian Four Cylinder
Last Last ““Indian DayIndian Day”” July 2005July 2005
Proposed Museum of Springfield HistoryProposed Museum of Springfield History
QuestionsQuestions