Jay,Thanks for the photo. The first time I was ever on a motorcycle, even as a passenger, was when I took a 1948 Indian Chief for a test drive. I scarred the life out of myself and bought the Indian anyway. It was a great bike and I wish I had it today.
Happy motoring, Warren
So Warren was that Indian a Henderson?
One little, two little, three little Indians................
I like what it says on the sign above, "Cash Talks".
Henderson was long gone by 48. Indian made the famous Chief, which was the king of the road in those days, two or three versions of the Scout and all were V Twins. My older brother bought a 46 Chief in 1955, when I was 13. I rode it and several later Indians for years, finally sold my Chief and both Scouts when I moved to Helena in 72 to teach school and "Settle down and make something out of yourself instead of running around the country playing music and raising Hell on that Motorcycle." Wish I had it today. I bought a new Suzuki Boulevard CT50 Classic last summer. It is the closest thing to my Chiefs I have found. Rides about the same, about the same size, seat is about the same, etc. But it's water cooled, electric start, doesn't vibrate, etc. Still wish I had an old Chief.
Herb, I sure wish it was a Henderson, maybe then I would have never sold it. Motorcycle ratings: 1 Henderson KJ, 2 Indian Four & 3 Harley Davidson, now don't all you Harley owners get mad at me, because I am a life member of HOG. Mike I ended up owning two more Indian Chiefs. a 1945 & 1947. Stan, you forgot to mention your CT50 has that new fan-dangle hand clutch and not the ole tried an true suicide shift. Dave I "know your right."
Happy motoring, Warren
Among the few points of pride I have, one is that I have never owned a Harley Davidson. I asked some guy about my age yesterday at the gas station who was riding some kind of imitation chopper with Harley all over it, "Why have they never been able to make them idle?" "My 46 Chief would set and idle all day, why do you guys have to blip the throttle every few seconds?" "Is it because they won't idle or do you just do it to annoy people close to you?" "It's not a carbureted engine so it shouldn't be loading up." "And why do you cut the damn muffler off so everybody in the neighborhood can hear you every time you start that damn thing?" I also felt like telling him to cut his stupid looking pony tail off, he's 60+ years old and bald except for the pony tail but thought I should be nice and not offend him. Typical "Biker" guy, works at the state in some office job, probably couldn't change a spark plug.
I went and looked at Harleys before I bought the Suzuki, decided at 70 I didn't need to own a Harley since I never have needed to own one. I've been riding since 1954, went to Sturgis the first time in 1962. I'd still like to have a springer Chief. Can't have every toy I want.
The photo is circa 1922 and is of California’s finest taking delivery of their new rides.
If you look closely you can see their badges.
Regards
Art
Sure wish I could buy a used Indian cop bike for $185 today.
I wish I could buy back my 1932 Harley VL 74 for $185 today too. I don't even remember what I did with it, I think I traded it for a car something? That was 40+ years ago.
Michael,
In this day and age, is it still OK to sing that song? The "Politically Correct Police" might object.
Henry does have a point, However One little, two little, three little Native American's just doesn't have the same ring.
I have a couple Indians and a Henderson - 27 Deluxe, they are grand machines. Indians are my favorite, but I sure like model T prices allot better ! :-)
oh yes, thanks for posting Jay.
1913 was Indian's best sales year ever, Mr. Ford offered a better product at a more reasonable price, motorcycles never had a chance.
Dennis, I can't remember why or for what reason I got rid of all my Indians. Tom, please, please post photos of your Indians and the Henderson.
Happy motoring, Warren
trying this for Warren.
Here you go Warren - 1927 Henderson as I bought it, after a day assembling it for a photo :-)Took me 5 years to git done and would of never got it done with out a lot of help.
Here it is all done :-)
Heres some of my Indians - and thanks Warren for talking me through doing pictures, suddenly its easy, as you said :-) This is my 39 Sport Scout, its a mix of parts - not correct, but I love it and it has been a very good machine. Been riding it 23 years and have just about 60,000 miles on it so far.
Heres my 1925 Indian Scout on the Pasadena HCCA run a couple years ago. 37 cu inches a very fun and light well handling machine.
one more of my 25 Scout
Here's my dear late Dad on one of my current projects. 1914 Indian twin, 61 cu inches. That's my Runabout in the back ground. Engine and trans are done now, but still along way to go. Also have a bit of a Hot Rod bobber cut down Chief I am trying to make some headway on :-)as I said I am an Indian fan :-) I got to add a picture to my profile now that I know how to do it, thanks again Warren.
That stuff on the computer screen is my drooling over your Indian collection. I'm jealous. I sold my Indians when I moved to Helena in 1972, pretty much gave them away. I've had a couple since but nothing as nice or rare as these. Glad you figured out how to post pictures. What a great collection.
I had a 30:50 Scout almost all restored, a guy from a museum kept after me to donate it to them, he finally came up with some money so I sold it to him, he immediately traded it for some stuff he wanted, he had no intention of ever putting it in the museum. I really liked that little Indian and have kicked myself for 40 years for letting it go. There weren't many of those little ones that survived. Most in this part of the country were Chiefs, there are still a couple around Helena.
I also drool over those cool bikes. They are just too expensive for us little guys these days. My Simplex is my only hope of having a connection to these great machines. I'd also like to have a horseless carriage, but a model T is as close as I can come.
My Harley was a '63 DuoGlide. I paid 1800 for it, rode it 2 years & had a chance to sell it for 1800....I thought to myself at the time that "what a clever guy I am to ride a bike for 2 years for free".....what a goof I was....
Mike Sa
Tom, many, many thanks for posting your bikes! I'm dreaming and drooling just like Stan (I know you live in beautiful country up there in Helena. I used to truck out that way on US 287 & 12, I think it was called MacDonald Pass that I went over.) Back to what I was talking about. Tom I love all your bikes, however me thinks the Henderson is the best. I am coming to Sun City to visit my twin brother in August, maybe we can visit for a while.
Happy motoring, Warren
Hey Warren, I went over MacDonald Pass this morning on my way to breakfast and again on my way back. Went over to the Avon Cafe and had steak and eggs. Rode the Suzuki. 80 MPH up this side and pulling but I backed out of it. Too old and too many Deer and Elk along the road. That's me that's too old, not the bike. When I first moved to Helena in 72 I drove tanker for H F Johnson out of the terminal here, later for Rice after H F lost the haul to Butte. We hauled the B A P yards in Anaconda over the pass as it was the short way, Second and direct all the way from the Rimini turnoff to the Summit, second and under down the west side to Elliston -- it was steeper. My first truck out for them was an old bull nose Kenworth but I only had to make one or two trips in it and I got a Kenworth conventional with a 330 in it. Big power!! 3 1/2 hours the 90 miles to Anaconda.
Have you seen the new Indians that Polaris is coming out with this summer?? I WANT one!!!! I'm getting too old to wait until later to buy another Indian. More payments. More payments.
Mike, nice Simplex! don't feel bad, I can no longer afford them either, thank heavens for Model T's :-) Anytime Warren, be nice to meet ya. Hey Stan, I really enjoy your post and have taken some of your advice from here. Fixing up an old Black and Decker valve grinder I just picked up for 50 bucks. Decided to try and fix my own after checking with this forum, thanks guys! oh yes and though I will probably not git a new one. I am impressed with and like the new Polaris Indians.
In 1912 Carl Stearns Clancy and his riding partner Walter Storey set out to become the first motorcyclists to “girdle the globe.” Using two of only five Henderson motorcycles produced by the famed Henderson Motorcycle Company in 1912, the duo left Philadelphia and started their land trip from Dublin, Ireland.
One more from left field....
Just to bring it back into line a bit....