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