If you have read several paragraphs in any book or article covering the history of motorcycles, you have probably come across the name Indian Motorcycle. The American motorcycle manufacturer dates back a hundred and twenty years. It was initially known as Hendee Manufacturing Company, named after its founder, George M. Hendee. But what happened to the Indian Motorcycle Co.? Why isn't the name advertised on television and headlining newspapers? Does the company still exist? If so, who owns it today?
The story of the Indian Motorcycle is a pure epitome of a rollercoaster, from humble beginnings to amazing breakthroughs that pioneered innovation, failures, and many attempts at revival. The company has now been silent, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they are out of the motorcycle manufacturing game. Certainly not! Indian Motorcycle is still well-recognized by motorcycle enthusiasts today, with some of its models becoming an extremely rare treasure in the motoring world. To understand the story of the Indian Motorcycle clearly, let us break it down as follows:
This legendary tale dates back to 1897 when George Hendee founded Hendee Manufacturing Company while manufacturing bicycles such as the “Silver King” that was quickly rebranded “American Indian” and finally “Indian” as it was more commonly recognized as in foreign markets. Production went on as usual until Oscar Hedstrom joined the company in 1900. Hendee and Hedstrom were both experienced bicycle riders and manufacturers but decided to reinvent completely how these two-wheeled machines worked. The three previous prototypes resulted in a 1.75bhp, single-cylinder engine motorcycle. Their creation was an immediate hit, and sales skyrocketed during the next decade.
The next few years brought nothing but success. With two new diamond-framed Indian single units successfully designed, chief engineer and co-founder Oscar Hedstrom set the world record for the fastest speed on a motorcycle which was 56 mph to be exact. The Indian Motorcycle company also saw the introduction of the iconic deep-red paint color that would become a trademark of the company. From there, it was all smooth sailing for Indian.
Motorcycle racing kicked off during the second half of the decade when Indian built its first V-twin racer to make a statement. Indeed, it made and created a well-respected name in the racing circle and record-breaking history. Indian's capabilities continued to gain recognition, notably when one of the company's most world-renowned riders, Erwin "Cannon Ball" Baker, set multiple long-distance records, most notably the ride on an Indian from San Diego to New York. The journey took a total of eleven days, twelve hours, and ten minutes. Success in Motorsports played a considerable role in Indian’s growth and popularity over the years, with several riders such as Jake DeRosier winning over 900 hundred races on an Indian.
Some other notable drivers include:
Unfortunately, co-founder Oscar Hedstrom left the company in 1913 over disputes with the board of directors regarding unethical practices to inflate Indian stock value. Three years later, the founder George Hendee also left the company.
Indian focused almost entirely on producing its Powerplus line for the US army during World War I, without supplying their domestic dealers. This was one of the first significant decisions to affect Indian Motorcycle in the long run, as their lack of focus on domestic distribution incentivized dealers to prioritize other manufacturers. The company eventually lost its number one spot to its rapidly growing competitor, Harley-Davidson. Indian continued to produce new motorcycles such as the “Chief” and “Scout,” with the latter considered Indian's most important model.
Indian were losing popularity during the Second World War. Their flagship bikes, such as the Chief and Scout, were produced in small numbers, mainly because the US army had almost entirely replaced them with Harleys. In 1945, a group led by Ralph B. Rogers took over the operations of Indian. Rogers decided to resume production of a single model, the Chief, which was also discontinued three years later.
Under Rogers, the company continued to experiment, producing lightweight models such as the Arrow and the 249 Scout. They even brought back the Chief in 1950, but Rogers stepped down as CEO of Indian, leaving John Brockhouse to take his place. Unfortunately, the company didn’t achieve success, and all product manufacturing came to a complete halt in 1953.
The “Indian Co.” brand spent the rest of the 19th century tossed around from company to company finding little to no success. Indians were unrefined, selling anything between mopeds and modified Royal Enfields. Below is a timeline of acquisitions of the Indian trademark:
Indian Motorcycle Company was brought back in 2006, with majority ownership held by Stellican Limited. The Indian Chief was reintroduced in limited numbers, making it an exclusive purchase.
In April of 2011, Indian Motorcycle breathed new life after the acquisition of Polaris Industries. The company moved Indian Motorcycle production to Spirit Lake, Iowa. And the new and improved Indian Models hit the market in August 2013. The brand currently caters to a luxury and high-performance niche, and it has over sixteen models since the Polaris acquisition.
Currently owned by Polaris Industries, the American brand has a new lease on life. It continues to produce models today, and the names such as the Scout and Chief have their own modern-day interpretations.