You know the story and you saw the pictures in my website at the exact same time it was introduced. But if you were not present in Daytona on March 9, 2013, you will enjoy watching the video of the Thunder Stroke 111 ™ reveal. On stage, Robert Pandya, Indian Motorcycle PR, introduces Steve Menneto, VP of Indian Motorcycle and Mike Wolf from TV series “American Picker) to unveil the new engine to a crowd of press and motorcycle fans excited at the idea of having very soon a new American motorcycle choice. Watch. (8’12)
Indian Motorcycle New Thunder Stroke 111™ Engine. The Reveal In Daytona Beach March 9, 2013
Published by April 11th, 2013 in Builders, Editorial, Events and Videos.14 Responses to “Indian Motorcycle New Thunder Stroke 111™ Engine. The Reveal In Daytona Beach March 9, 2013”
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See Cyril Huze & Michael Lichter on stage in the background doing their job…
I must say that a couple of months ago I was still a little bit skeptical on the new Indian. Now, I think I believe in a successful return for good.
I was there! A lot of expectations and an excited crowd ready and willing to choose another American brand.
One thing I’m certain of, this company wants a lot more than to just cash in on the history of their trophy marque. From a corporate short term profit interest it’d be awfully tempting to put a really nice paint job on a clone , a kit, or even a rebadged Victory and laugh all the way to the bank. These guys clearly are aiming higher. Kudos.
Excited to see what the bikes look like. Solid start with that engine.
I just heard from an industry big wig insider that S&S helped develop the engine for Indian so thats why its compared to an X Wedge.
Rodent. Fire your insider. It was conceived by Swiss Auto, a company belonging to Polaris already having worked on the Victory engine. Not S&S, for sure. Ask Cyril. He must know.
Too funny ….. so many want’ to dis’ the baby someway, somehow…. the fun is about to begin…..
Next Up .. Sturgis!
THAT engine is desperately compared to every other manufacturer out there and there is a single reason: fear. S&S? Nope. Stronger, better. Parallel lifters? Oh, come on.
The biggest fear that detractors to Indian have is: What happens when they are actually successful?
It’s interesting that so many people think this new motor looks like the S&S X-Wedge, when in fact, if you look at the older Chief engines, THAT’S what the motor looks like. So in reality, the S&S X-Wedge actually looks like the old Indian Chief motor.
What happens when they are successful?
People like rodent will have to change their login name.
Tooj, I don’t think anyone is “desperate” to compare the new Polaris version of an Indian motorcycle engine to “every other manufacturer out there.”
It’s not desperation or else “fear.” It’s history. About 15 years of history to be frank. The fact is, the current engine (Bottlecap) on the latest available Indian is an S&S clone, according to those folks who own the engine rights to it right now, and who have posted here before — despite claims by previous “Indian” manufacturers to the contrary. The consumer, apparently, has been straight up lied to up to this point — not to mention bilked out of tens of thousands of $$’s each on account of being sold a half-arsed bike for quadruple the worth, all account of the brand name “Indian.”
Now, Polaris is running around with this “new” tired trophy as if its the next best thing to sliced bread.
Well, I’m not excited, and that’s that.
i hear ya courtney. why is it that polaris is being saddled with the failed decisions of other attempts at manufacture and the consumers who made the requisite bad decisions of buying those said failures?
and let’s not call those “bottlecaps” anything of polaris design. the topic is a 111″ thunderstroke engine. folks can bring up the stuff that others have designed, but it is merely off topic.
“no reason to get excited. they are many here among us, who feel that life is but a joke…”
the only comparison that sounds familiar would be “amf”. ring a bell? my memory is quite good for my age and i recall claims of “i would never purchase/ride/lookat/spit on one of those things”. shovelheads… given that history which is continuing to span a good deal more time than the bad design should have.
instead of fear, perhaps i should have called it a pavlovian expectation of eeyore proportions?
As I understand it that new motor runs with an oil cooler radiator mounted out front which I notice they went out of their way to play down/cover up in the clip and in all their other advertising thus far. Its a beautiful looking motor but if it requires an oil cooler rad hanging out front then all bets are off…I won’t be buying one…..rads belong on cars not American Air Cooled Motorcycles.