The “Indian Motorcycle Summit” press conference was filmed in New York City on January 18, 2013. Are featured Mike Wolfe, creator of “American Pickers” and “Antique Archaeology” with Indian Motorcycle Steve Menneto, Gary Gray and designer Michael Song. A little bit long but with interesting information: full engine unveiled in Daytona during Bike Week, a range of models to be launched later this year, etc. Watch…
New Indian Motorcycle Summit Press Conference
Published by January 29th, 2013 in Builders, Editorial and Videos.34 Responses to “New Indian Motorcycle Summit Press Conference”
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Very informative, looking forward to see what the next chapter brings. thanks for posting!
Teasing, teasing.
Ya know,
There is alot of disrespect towards Victory from alot of people. I just can’t understand the crappy attitude towards an American company that has done so much for motorcycling in just a short 15 years and has such a powerful chance at getting Indian back on the road.
I personally think Indian should have been left to the pages of yesteryear, but since it seems everyone wants to relive the past, then Victory deserves the chance at putting Indian back into the wind.
I did my part to help out this American company, my fellow Americans, my neighbors, and my country, by buying an American made product.
Go, Victory, Go!
Show all the doubters how we do it here in The Land of the Free! Lets move forward, together, into a whole new era of motorcycles.
This is the golden age.
Mike Wolfe repeating the same thing over and over is really annoying. He has nothing to bring to the launch of the new Indian. He doesn’t belong to the brand past or history. Let him be a picker instead of being a paid talking head.
Cyril, thank you for posting. For those of you with a true interest in the brand, we discuss many topics that have come up not only in this forum but others. For those who are truly interested in what Indian Motorcycle in the Spirit Lake Era will be all about, this is good watching. For those who want convenience store answers and thrive on pointless speculation, this may be too much of a reality check.
Hamilton, we can either start the discussion in public, as we have clearly chosen to do, or say nothing until we launch. Both have their advantages, so we have chosen to be more public only because of the interest in the brand. It is the easier course to hide behind a wall until there are motorcycles to show off – but easy is not always the right choice.
Everyone have a cool week –
Robert Pandya
External Relations Manager
Indian Motorcycle
For now, the best spokesperson is Cyril as long as he believes in and he likes what Polaris is doing. Let’s see what will happen when he takes position in favor or against the new model design.
Can’t wait to see the new engine in Daytona. It’s when people are going to love or bitch.
Josh – Mike has 40 vintage motorcycles at home – many Indians including a 1913 and others in his house. The man is a fan and came to us last year in Sturgis. That is how the relationship started. About as authentic an Indian Motorcycle fan as I have ever met.
Michael Song has nothing to say because he can’t say anything. Should stay in his studio.
Cyril, do you know what the execs of Harley think of this Indian re-launch? Just curious.
Truly can’t wait to see the new Motor!
Will it be bigger, more HP.. more Torque than the Twin Cam 110?
The only question is will it look more like the Kawasaki or Gilroy interpretation ?
Excited. Continue to update us, Cyril.
Robert, I appreciate you coming on this blog and the candor you have shown. Most of us understand the need to keep some things under wraps. But the way your company is going about this is the right course. Keep it in the news, connect the Polaris and Indian names, build anticipation and brand awareness. That ladies and gentlemen is how its done!
@Robert Pandya’s reply to Josh…
Indian Motocycles were not just about “vintage”, “heritage”, or “cruisers”. They were about racing & innovation so I hope Michael Song is heard in product planning b/c Polaris has already built plenty of cruisers. Grab the market share with a Chief & Scout but then quickly move into sport touring, racing, & off road.
Check out the racing while you’re in Daytona, specifically what Triumph & EBR have done with the 675 & 1190, respectively. I hope that part of Indian’s history is not lost on Polaris.
Not long to wait now! Very excited to see this new engine.
Check out the R1 cross plane racebike, too.
“Scout Sport” would be a great Sport Tourer name
Thanks for coming on here Mr. Pandya, As a true blue Victory lover I know who Michael Song is and what he has done. Wish I could see you interview just him for 30 min! As for Michael Wolfe… I enjoy his show and understand how important this type of spokesperson can be to a relaunch, nice job getting him onboard. My only concern is that the ID departments work has been shifted from Victory to Indian. As someone who came onboard early I’m hoping that I as a consumer have participated in an early chapter of a great American story and not just a footnote on the road to Indian.
I don’t think INDIAN would go for this but here goes. If their new motor has the look and the power, the bobber and chopper boys are going to want to do their thing too. It would be GREAT if INDIAN created a CUSTOM DIVISION which built custom frames, gas tanks, billet wheels, exhaust pipes, bars, front ends and accessories etc., and sold them in bike kit form for the home builder and custom shops to paint and put together. I wonder if this would attract more women and the younger crowd into motorcycling since a lot of people are getting into home building their bikes these days ? Just a thought !
If you are looking for some one in Quebec ,I know the perfect candidate
BobS – It is true that Indian Motorcycle is drawing focus from all of PII including ID. As Gary Gray states in the video, we have highly compressed the timeline from white sheet to production creating a significant focus on the Indian brand – however as you are likely aware, we announced an expansion of our Wyoming MN R&D facility more than doubling its size – a move that does not happen with designed products in the pipeline. Not only is ID being bolstered through staffing, but so is engineering, each brands staff and ultimately production.
You are right in that Polaris is on a roll, and the investments should make any savvy businessman feel the same way.
Tom – I do appreciate where you are coming from in an Indian custom division -however that’s not really the company forte’. There are many great custom builders and suppliers who are already doing what you are asking for – though of course not with the new engine. We feel confident that there will be demand enough for what we are producing that all the efforts will go into production machines. Perhaps over time as our facilities grow and if the custom bike culture demands it in high enough numbers that conversation can continue, but in building a proprietary all original design, we would not be inclined to give that out to builders who do not have the level of testing, scrutiny and engineering that Polaris Industries is capable of.
We are excited to see what custom builders choose to do with our production motorcycles – but we are honestly more excited to simply bring Indian Motorcycle back with the highest quality product, delivering on what the brand means to people. That is a process that will take years to fully realize, but Polaris Industries has the patience, dollars and capability to do so.
Robert Pandya
External Relations Manager
Indian Motorcycle
For me it will be interesting (or not) to see how Indian distinguishes itself from the rest of the cruisers, of which, there are all ready plenty: H-D, Victory, Japanese metrics, Triumph, Moto Guzzi, and even Ducati. Hopefully, Indian will not turn out to be simply a Harley clone with full fenders. I’m hoping for so much more because of the brand’s heritage with industry firsts and racing.
Stop the hype,show the bike(s)………………………
Robert Pandya – When I brought up the INDIAN CUSTOM DIVISION I was thinking MICHAEL SONG and the guy’s in your design department could have so much fun by letting their their creativity run wild with wicked new bobber/chopper concepts and ideas for the public. Right now, I was just thinking of these bobbers/choppers with custom billet girder styles etc.
Whatever happens, GOOD LUCK !
These Indians will be another Bike to bite the Dust, if it wasn’t for a great Company like Polaris writing the Checks. What a waiste of Hard Earned Dollars paying Mike Wolfe for anything but, cralling on top of a Pile of Rusty Junk. Mr. Indian and Mr. Polaris you are not doing yourself any Justice Building your Product with a Scrap Dealer, believe me, I am giving your Motorcycle Line a good piece of Public Opinion for Free!! If Iclose my eyes and think of owning an Indian, it wont be bbecause of a Picker, name Mike Wolfe it might be with Billy Lane riding the Bile on Private Property somewhere!
Here’s proof, if you forgot that “life continues to get harder and then you die”….
These guys got plenty of sand in their shorts working on vintage iron in 1953, on a top-end rebuild in blowing sand.
Esquire Magazine wrote: “Tab Hunter might’a been gay…. but he weren’t no sissy.”
http://www.amazon.com/Steel-Lady-Rod-Cameron/dp/B005E7SFHE/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1359579737&sr=1-1&keywords=the+steel+lady
Ryder ordered the dvd that he’s passing to me.
A horrifying excavation. Don’t read the reviews. Stay surprised. 🙂
Just another vtwin…where is the four ????
@ Robert… Thank you for bringing us a much needed point of view from a manufacturer’s perspective. Too many manufacturers hide behind their corporate walls never caring to jump into the fray and communicate with the end user. Please tell Polaris that we need this. We all know you can’t tip your hand until it’s time, and we appreciate your efforts. It’s one of the reasons we ride Victorys.
I appreciate what they are doing to revive the Indian brand and hope it works out for them this time… The “proof will be in the pudding” as they say.
Unfortunately the Indian brand has been kicked around for so long now, I find it difficult to take them seriously… They have a lot of catching up to do with the iconic Indian.
“Josh – Mike has 40 vintage motorcycles at home – many Indians including a 1913 and others in his house.”
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
So that’s who buys those multi-tentacled Battery Tenders.
I knew that no one shop would ever be charging 10 (6V) batteries at the same time.
there are only 2 ways to go on this & think Robert & the Indian team at Polaris are doing the right thing . Instead of NO info & showing up with a full blown product, give a bit here & there.
It really does not matter, as 1/2 of us will hate it & 1/2 of us will love it ….
i do hope they bring out multiple models with one insode the working man’s budget
Blah blah,new motor no idea about style,no idea on frame..new new new? What about this is Indian? Oh yeah,we still the name a badge a Victory. Oh wait,we did that with Victory.
Steal..Sorry..
Well, at least this episode wasn’t filmed within the weeds just outside an old rustic barn that’s been leaning ever so slightly to the right for the past 85 years, complete with 75 year old Indian motorcycles carefully positioned in the background and serving as shameless props for what amounts to a new Victory cousin.
Sorry to be so negative, but in my book, and with all of the above being said, this 30 minute waste of time was just that: a waste of time….