The History of Indian® Motorcycles
Few motorcycle manufacturers are as iconic as Indian®. From their classic, sweeping lines to their scarlet and silver color schemes, these bikes never fail to turn heads. They’ve been featured in pop culture, from movies to books to music, and models such as the Scout® and the Chief® continue to be some of the most beloved American motorcycles ever produced. And thanks to a formidable racing heritage, these bikes can be found throughout the history books.
Read on to learn the history of Indian® Motorcycles. If you’re looking for a new take on a classic cruiser, stop by Indian® Motorcycle of Orange County. We proudly carry the best from this legendary brand. We’re located in Westminster, California, and we proudly serve the areas of Orange County, Santa Ana, Long Beach, Los Angeles, and the Inland Empire.
Founding Years
Before the company was known as Indian®, it was Hendee Manufacturing Company. Named after its founder George M. Hendee, a former competitive cyclist, the company originally built standard bicycles. Before long, Hendee decided to make the switch towards motorized cycling, so Hendee started devising engines that could be strapped to his bikes. These early iterations lacked power, but the design process sparked an interest in real motorcycles for Hendee. With the help of another former cyclist named Oscar Hedstrom, the company released a full motorcycle prototype in 1902. Three years later, their first true motorcycles were rolling off the factory line. They feature a powerful V-Twin engine and would set the bar for early factory motorcycles.
Racing Pedigree
As former pro cyclists, Hendee and Hedstrom carried that competitiveness over to motorcycle racing. In 1903, after releasing their prototype a year prior and still two years away from releasing their first factory bike, Hedstrom set the motorcycle land speed record, clocking in at 56 mph. As the company developed better bikes, they won more and more races and competitions. This in turn led to greater commercial success. In 1911, Indian® bikes swept the top three spots in the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy. This prestigious award set the tone for Indian® to become one of the most successful racing teams in the early days of motorcycle racing. It also allowed the company to become the most popular motorcycle brand in the United States, and throughout the 1910s, the company was the largest producer of bikes in America.
The War and Mass Production
The war years proved to be a crucible for many motorcycle manufacturers in ways no one could have foreseen. Motorcycles had come into great demand to replace horses in the armed ranks. And yet for Indian®, which already had a substantial manufacturing base before the war, the fact that the government was buying up all their motorcycles led to a shortage of commercially available bikes for the public. So even though Indian® was providing a great service to the country by providing reliable motorcycles to the war effort, they were taking a hit to their bottom line by not having anything to sell. Dealerships stopped carrying Indian bikes and the company watched profits wain. While the company would go on to be one of only two motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression (out of hundreds that existed before) it never fully regained its pre-war market dominance.
Modern Indian Motorcycles
Today, Indian® motorcycles are back with a vengeance. Their current line features ten modern bikes that pair classic styling with modern performance. Bikes like the Scout® and the Chief® return with all of their iconic styles, while new bikes such as the Springfield® blaze new territory. These bikes feature powerful engines and offer amazing performance. Whether you’re looking for a stylish cruiser or a comfortable but powerful touring bike, you won’t want to miss the complete line from Indian®.
Stop by Indian® Motorcycle of Orange County when you’re ready to look at the latest bikes from Indian®. We’re located in Westminster, California, and we proudly serve the areas of Orange County, Santa Ana, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Inland Empire, and Riverside County, California.