Picture Of The Week. Model T Era Indian Motorcycle Store Front Gathering

IndianGathering

22 Responses to “Picture Of The Week. Model T Era Indian Motorcycle Store Front Gathering”


  1. 1 A 1 MIKE Jun 7th, 2013 at 8:23 am

    would love to have one of those “police machines” that are on sale…cash talks 185 dollars..holy cow

  2. 2 Matt W. Jun 7th, 2013 at 8:42 am

    Beautiful machine.

  3. 3 Toby Jun 7th, 2013 at 11:19 am

    I’m guessing that this is from the mid teens. That $185 is worth about $4,400 today. You could probably buy a mass reproduction bike like that for this price if they were to make them. Assuming they did not have to meet any government regulations.

  4. 4 Terence Tory Jun 7th, 2013 at 11:45 am

    “The more things change,department.” If bikers are all “individuals”,how come they always look like the same individual? (This is not a reference to the forthcoming “new Indian” riders being called “Indie-viduals”,by the way).But then again,that name may stick!

  5. 5 Greeko Jun 7th, 2013 at 11:47 am

    Terence. Your comment is quite dumb.

  6. 6 sunnymeadcycles Jun 7th, 2013 at 12:18 pm

    Was at 924 So. Main St., Los Angeles, CA. The building is no longer there.

  7. 7 Kirk Perry Jun 7th, 2013 at 3:14 pm

    ~ Latest News ~
    Riders returning to their roots demand “all motor” and less “motorcycle”.

    Fair warning:
    • Indian had best develop a 1200cc “Sportster” contender….. and soon.
    • Called it the “Scout” and go name-to-name with “Sportster”.
    • The “modern road barge” Big Twin’s interest is declining daily, as “free-spending” Boomers now desire “contact with the road”, and will strive for a ride to be narrow and nimble that will easily pull two-up. All motor.
    The 2013, 1200 Sportster is so “just that” – the engineers were forced to include fat tires front and back. There are no narrow-glide Sportster’s with a skinny front tire. Why? Too much juice. 🙂 or what?

  8. 8 BobS Jun 7th, 2013 at 3:30 pm

    Toby I’m pretty sure 4400 will get you about two government regulation meeting bikes built like that today. I know I saw Whizzers going for about two grand a few years ago.

  9. 9 Dave Blevins Jun 7th, 2013 at 7:39 pm

    My wife’s great grandfather had one of these mid-to late-teen Indians, We have only one photo with him standing beside it… I keep it on my Facebook page. Just wonderful old machines.

  10. 10 Zipper Jun 8th, 2013 at 7:43 am

    Hey Kirk, I never heard the term ” Road Barge.” A very accurate description of the modern HD. Being a Boomer and a Sportster guy there is not much to choose from since HD changed the XL in 03. It would be nice to see an Indian contender. ..Z

  11. 11 Kirk Perry Jun 8th, 2013 at 9:38 am

    Yea Zipper….. I test rode a 2013 FXDC and felt about as significant as a deck chair on an ocean liner.
    I wear a size 9 boot. Lotsa people do, but the width-span between the front shifter and the rear shifter peg is for like a size-15 boot, so just sitting on an FX I feel like I’ve shrunk.
    ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
    If Indian is reading this, then they’re listening in on two Boomers going-off – and our group is holding the cash. The generation behind us is going to have even more money in another 15-yrs. or less.
    So here’s the thing:
    If your going to build a Scout, make it 1200cc like the Sportster, because “cc’s” run evenly as a pack. In “otherwords” (an HD service manual much used line), a Sportster and a modern Big Twin won’t pair-up evenly on the road. The Big Twin guy is going to be waiting on the Sportster guy, because 65 mph on a Big Twin is not the same as 65 mph on a Sportster.
    However, if you pair the new Scout with the Sportster, then you’ll create a complete new society of 1200cc Indians and Harleys totally separate from the Big Twin group.
    Does this make any sense at all?

  12. 12 Bud Jun 8th, 2013 at 10:36 am

    Kirk, the 2013 “Seventy-Two” model is a 1200 with a skinny front tire.

  13. 13 Kirk Perry Jun 8th, 2013 at 12:16 pm

    Indeed it does. The variable Sportster’s been around since 1957, with the Harley-Davidson KHK. With that kind of record, it’s certainly earned it’s T-shirt.

    Indian should jump in and make a companion machine of the same cubic inch.

  14. 14 Kirk Perry Jun 8th, 2013 at 5:46 pm

    The seat height on an XL 1200c is 26.5″.
    Keeping the height 26″ on a Scout will attract more women riders.

    Figure-out something art-deco for the rear fender of the Scout, to go with the eye-appealing, basket-weave pattern of it’s OHV cylinder heads. A front fender with a little more coverage than the 1200c.
    Ask current owners what they don’t like, and then make a “better Sportster” Scout… win in that-way, as well. 🙂

  15. 15 Zipper Jun 8th, 2013 at 6:47 pm

    Kirk, I ride my 67 T120R around town updated with a Buell front end and Brembo brake. For short trips I take one of my two 883’s, up to 40 mi. each way, and beyond that a FXDX with a Screaming Eagle kit, which is basically a Sportster with a1550 motor. When I ride with my friends any distance, (they all ride Road Barges) I ask them to please not ride at 50 MPH (and they always do) because the FXDX vibrates at 50 in fifth gear. 45 or 55 is good or faster. “But anyway” when I look over at these guys with an empty deck chair and steamer trunk behind I say to myself “next time I’ll take the Sportster.” ..Z

  16. 16 Kirk Perry Jun 8th, 2013 at 7:35 pm

    I think Big Twins grew exponentially over the years…. like sideburns that creep slowly and go unnoticed. 🙂

  17. 17 Terence Tory Jun 8th, 2013 at 7:42 pm

    A modern “Scout” does not need to be bigger than 650-800cc.The original scout was light and fast and quite similar to the later import Triumph and BSA twins in real riding conditions.Fat boys can ride the Chief,the skinny hipsters with phat plastic credit can maybe choose to ride a real sporty Scout.

  18. 18 Kirk Perry Jun 9th, 2013 at 11:08 am

    Releasing an 650-800 cc Scout would be in keeping with the original Scout, except now-days there’s no market-competition in the 650-800cc class.

    I don’t think we’d want to waste the name Scout up against other 650-800cc Royal Enfield’s, or Triumphs, because we’re not going to see many of those small bore bikes on the freeway.

    If we build a 1200 Scout, it will create a daily buzz about who’s building the best Boomer-Bike on the entire planet. There will be treachery, and idea stealing, one-up-manship, and all the drama no one wants to miss out on.

    Imo, the Scout should have a factory gearing option for freeway cruising – standard, instead of forcing the customer to change-out the stock 29-T transmission pulley for a 30-T.

    Train the eagle-eyed Scout to focus on the weak-point of Sportsters [that they’ve been low-geared for the last fifty-six (56) years] and work a couple of Scout models against Harley-Davidson’s low-gearing mediocrity.

    Renew the historic competition and start a new chapter. There’s already an audience.

  19. 19 Terence Tory Jun 9th, 2013 at 7:10 pm

    An 800cc bike is not a small bore bike.The closest modern equivalent of an old Scout is an XL 883,not a 1200cc bike.Low gearing on many bikes mean the motors last and don’t wear out prematurely from running rich and thrust-loading up cranks and pistons.If you want to enjoy low revs under load,buy a modern turbo diesel farm tractor and enjoy the pull @ 1.5K Rpm.A 1200 Scout would always be a XL wannabee,without the amazing XL range of aftermarket parts.The competition for a mid range Scout is the XL 883 and the Star Bolt 950 in price and bike size.There are plenty of people who don’t want a bike much bigger than a 650 Bonneville,SR500 or a bare bones XL.Boomers are about ready for Zimmer-Glides,GoldWings and lead-lined caskets.The young women and hipsters with no-ass jeans and jobs are the breaking market,not old dudes fooling themselves twenty years too late.

  20. 20 Kirk Perry Jun 9th, 2013 at 11:44 pm

    Foot boards.
    Those guys had them on the Motocycles above. It’s a civilized way to ride. That’s the appurtenance I miss the most on my 2013 Sportster 1200, and I haven’t even picked it up from the dealer yet.
    Forward controls offer your foot a peg, but even that is slanted downwards a little, like the whole assembly was an afterthought.
    I’ll tell you something else that stinks about the new Sportsters, and that’s the dual-cable throttle. The 1200’s I test rode all had alot of slack in the twist-grip – like an 1/8 turn of nothing but jiggle, before your wrist felt any resistance.

    Boy Howdy, I miss my foot boards and push-wire throttle already, and I haven’t even paid for the bike…. down at NY Mykes.. 🙂

  21. 21 Blackmax Jun 10th, 2013 at 3:35 pm

    Like-minded indiviuals gather to (Wait for it…) RIDE !!!!!!
    Very Cool !!!

  22. 22 Roadking Jun 14th, 2013 at 6:20 am

    My brother just sold his 1912 Indian all original in running condition for $47K, I guess they held their value!

Comments are currently closed.
Cyril Huze