History of the Indian Motorcycle Company

The Indian Motorcycle Company was founded byFrom the 1960s entrepreneur Floyd Clymer began
George Hendee and Carl Hedstrom, who produced ausing the Indian name, apparently without purchasing it
1.75 bhp, single cyclinder engine bike which provedfrom the last known legitimate trademark holder. He
successful and sales increased over the next fewattached it to imported motorcycles, commissioned to
years.Italian ex-pilot and engineer Leopoldo Tartarini, owner
In 1904, the diamond framed Indian was made availableof Italjet Moto, to manufacture Minarelli-engined 50 cc
in the deep red colour that became the company’smini bikes under the Indian Papoose name. These
most famous trademark. The first V twin waswere so successful that Clymer also commissioned
produced in 1907.Tartarini to build full-size Indian motorcycles based on
One of the firm’s most famous riders was Erwinthe Italjet Grifon design, but fitted firstly with Royal
“cannonball” Baker, who set many long distanceEnfield Interceptor 750 cc parallel-twin engines, then
records, and in 1914, he rode an Indian across America,with Velocette 500 cc single-cylinder engines.
from San Diego to New York in a record 11 days, 12After Clymer's death in 1970 his widow sold the
hours and 10 minutes.alleged Indian trademark to Los Angeles attorney Alan
Success in competitions played a huge part in theNewman, who continued to import minicycles made by
growth of the company. One of the best results cameItalJet, and later manufactured in a wholly owned
in the 1911 Isle of Man TT, when riders Godfrey, Franklinassembly plant located in Taipei (Taiwan). By 1975
and Moorehouse finished 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Also, Jakesales were dwindling, and in January 1977 the
De Rosier set several speed records both in Americacompany was declared bankrupt. The right to the
and in the UK and won an estimated 900 races on anbrand name passed through a succession of owners
Indian motorcycle. He left the company to work forand became a subject of competing claims in the
Excelsior, but died in 1913 aged just 33.1980s, finally decided in December 1998 by a Federal
The Scout and Chief V twins were introduced in thebankruptcy court in Denver, Colorado.
early 20s, and became the company’s mostThe Indian Motorcycle Company of America was
successful models.formed from the merger of nine companies, including
Another milestone in the company history was theIMCOA Licensing America Inc., which had been
introduction of the Indian Four in 1927. It featured anawarded the Indian trademark by the Federal District
inline four-cylinder engine derived from a design thatCourt of Colorado. The new company began
Indian acquired in a buyout of the Ace Motorcyclemanufacturing motorcycles badged under the famous
Company.Indian name in 1999 at its facilities in Gilroy, California.
In late 1929, Indian merged with DuPont Motors.These motorcycles are often referred to as "Gilroy
DuPont’s paint industry connections resulted in noIndian" motorcycles. These bikes were made from
fewer than 24 colour options being offered, and inoff-the-shelf S&S engines, after the completion of an
1934, the models featured the Indian’s famous headall-new engine design that ran from 2002 to 2003, the
dress logo on the gas tank.100ci Powerplus, the company went into bankruptcy
The company then began to produce the advancedagain in late 2003, after a major investor backed out.
shaft drive, four-speed military motorcycle in 1941, andOn 20 July 2006, the newly formed Indian Motorcycle
in 1943 won the Army-Navy Production Award. DuringCompany, owned largely by Stellican Limited, a
the Second World War, many Scouts were used byLondon-based private equity firm, announced its new
the military.home in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, where it is
Manufacture of all products halted in 1953. Brockhouseresurrecting the iconic Indian Motorcycle Brand. The
Engineering and Royal Enfield bikes were importednew Indian Chief motorcycles are produced in limited
from England, and these were badged and sold asnumbers, focussing on quality, performance, and
Indians through the rest of the 1950s. After this theexclusivity. The limited production 2009 Indian Chief
Indian name passed to the company that importedfeatures a redesigned 105 cubic inch Powerplus
Matchless motorcycles into the US, however it did notV-Twin powertrain with electronic closed loop
attach the name to any motorcycles, and that too,sequential port fuel injection.
went into liquidation in 1962.