One of the US’ historic motorcycle brands, Indian, was ready to disappear from the market recently before being bought by Polaris Industries last April. Polaris bought the Indian brand clearly with the Chief model in mind as it was definitely one of the more interesting prospects at the time.

As such, Polaris decided to continue with the Indian Chief project and simply moved the production to Spirit Lake facilities in Iowa, with the Victory line as well, and has now released these images of the first Indian Chief produced by Polaris Industries. The model is highly similar to the pre-Polaris one and no revolutions are planned until at least 2013.

That year marks the start of a new business plan for Polaris and Indian brand motorcycles, which should also see some new product revealed. The only touch-ups on the current Indian Chief involve additional chrome accents and a new colour scheme. Dealership distribution is expected to occur for October this year.

First Indian Chief by Polaris

Source | Motorcycle USA

This video is the trailer to a documentary of the Old Indians Never Ever Day motorcycle rally held in the UK. This year, 400 vintage Indians turned up for the meet held at Pebbleshire in Scotland. It was held in July but it still looks cold. The documentary has been put together by the organisers of the event and shows plenty of lovely, vintage Indians in various states of restoration.

Source | TopSpeed

These kind of bikes might not be your cup of tea, but there’s no denying that the Indian Chief Roadmaster is a beautiful machine. Brown leather, retro style, and comfortable seating position make it look very legitimate and true to the Indian icon. According to the video, transmission is top-notch and the chassis handles well at low speeds. See the video from Motorcycle USA for the all the details.

Indian Motorcycle Company revealed their two new models, the Chief Dark Horse and the Chief Bomber, for its 2010 line-up.

The Bomber, named after WWII aircraft, and is a limited edition Chief model and comes with leather seats and saddlebags inspired by the old bomber jacket. The pin-up girl design on the tank is typical of the designs that could be found on the aircraft’s nose. The Bomber is being sold at $30,999 and is available in Military Green and Silver Smoke finishes.

The Chief Dark Horse is priced at $ 27,999 has a smoke “matte” finish and is available in Thunder Black, Indian Red and Deep Water Blue. The colored headdress on the tank is a new twist on the colored versions of the past. The chrome components are highlighted by the bike’s dark components, such as the blacked out headlight, tappet blocks, suspension, engine components, exhaust system and hand controls.

Both models feature a 105 cubic inch PowerPlus V-Twin powertrain with electronic closed loop sequential port fuel injection

Source | indianmotorcycles

Have a look at this fantastic vintage motorcycle pic of Carriker and Crowl Motorcycles shop back in 1916. The photographer has taken a guess at the motorcycle types, saying they’re an Indian Powerplus Model F. He says:

The three motorcycles in the photo are definitely Indians. My guess is that they are the 1916 Indian Powerplus Model F. (Note the springs hanging down under the seats.) These motorcycles would have been painted dark red. 1916 was the first year the Powerplus was made. It had a 61-cubic-inch (998 cc) flat-head, side-valve, v-twin engine. They had three-speed, hand-shifted transmissions with foot-operated clutches (suicide clutch) and were chain driven. (Most motorcycles were belt-driven then.) They had acetylene lighting. (I’m not sure when electric lighting became an option. The headlight housings don’t look like other acetylene housings I’ve seen.) Production ran for 9 years.

Send your funny, bizarre or surprising pics to us and we’ll post them, with your name. We’d love to share what you guys find in the world of motorcycling! Send to: pics@twowheelsblog.com.

Source | Caveman 92223 on Flickr

The “Captain” of Royal McQueen, Bologna (the first single-brand Royal Enfield dealer in Italy), Andrea Fontana, is presenting the “Indian”: his new Special Edition Royal Enfield. The single edition motorcycle is a homage to the 1950’s partnership between Indian Motorcycles and Royal Enfield.

Created using the Sixty-5 Royal Enfield as a base, the Indian has been designed with ochre colour, apart from some components in opaque black. The Special also has some other modifications compared to the orginal, including stiff forks, mudguards, headlights, the seat and more.

You know you’re riding a single edition special when you’ve got “Indian/Royal Enfield 1950s Royal McQueen 2009” written on the air filter. As with all models built by the “Capitano” this has the brand registered on the tank “Built with Aloha”.

Andrea Fontana recalls, on building this bike: “When the lucky customer of this bike came into the workshop, he said to me ‘I’m going to ask you something, but don’t laugh… I want a Royal Enfield that looks like an Indian’. And I said to him ‘That’s bike I wanted for myself!’”.

A little history reveals that in 1954, Indian Motorcycles signed a five year contract with Royal Enfield to import some of the English company’s models. The motorcycles were slightly modified to suit the taste of the US market, and they took on the Indian brand. The first examples arrived in America in 1955 and in the following years, Enfield imports increased.

When the contract ended, Indian sold models until stocks had finished, while Royal Enfield started selling motorcycles in the US under its own brand, starting from the mid 1960’s. The Royal McQueen Indian retells this story, and revives the synergy between Springfield motorcycles and those “made like a gun” from the old continent.

For more information on the Royal McQueen from Bologna, check out www.royalmcqueen.it.

A piece of motorcycle history was sold yesterday at Webb’s classic motorcycle auction in New Zealand. It was a 1936 Velocette Drag Bike modified by Burt Munro and his friend Duncan Meikle.

Munro is usually identified with Indians, but before he built the world’s fastest Indian, he spent more time racing Velocettes, infact the Velocette was used by Burt Munro at Invercargill’s Teretonga race circuit.

The motorcycle was able to speed up to 250 kph, and Neil Neilson used it to break the land-speed record for 500 cc bikes in 1964.

The bike sold for NZ$71,000 (US$37,500), a new record for a New Zealand motorcycle auction.

Source | hellforleather

Here is the second part of the History of Motorcycles series.

This is the first part of a series that explores the history and popularity of the two-wheeled wonder known as the motorcycle.

From the steam velocipede to the early 20th century, more than 100 years of motorcycle technology and the machine’s effect on society, when they were a low-cost alternative to automobiles; from Harley-Davidsons preferred by Hell’s Angels and police to motocross riders who take bikes into the air and onto the dirt. You can also see the motorcycle’s future, with interviews with manufacturers and enthusiasts such as Jay Leno with his jet-propelled Y2K sportbike and Erik Buell’s bike without a gas tank creation.

America’s oldest motorcycle manufacturer is back in style, presenting its new Chief models, for 2009. The company, founded more than 100 years ago, will have four models available this year.

The new Indian Chief bike series will be a mix of nostalgia and technology, with an exclusive product that should have plenty of retro charm. The engine on all bikes will be a twin cylinder at 1,700 cc with electronic ignition and three way exhaust.

Other features include six-speed transmission, 16-inch wheels, and four piston Brembo calipers. The seat will be in leather and the metal parts will include special anti-rust steel. It is currently only available in the US in four versions: Standard, Vintage, Deluxe and Roadmaster with prices ranging from 32,000 to 35,500 USD.

Source | Bikeholic

If you’re an Indian motorcyle fan, this video slide show of vintage photographs is a must see.

We haven’t yet figured out where you actually sit on this motorcycle, but it’s got an impressive look. This Speed Racer bike has been designed by Dan Bailey, using specs from the Kawasaki Ninja and a lot of imagination. Sleek and rugged, was apparently the look aimed for with this concept.

Via | Gizmodo