Indian Motorcycle: 120 Years of America's First Motorcycle Company

Description

This officially licensed 120th anniversary edition of Indian Motorcycle tells the complete story of Indian, Americas first mass-produced motorcycle maker, from its start as a bicycle manufacturer to the purchase of the brand by Polaris Industries in 2011 and the subsequent new Indian motorcycles-updated to include new photography, the story of the latest models, including the FTR1200, Chieftain, Challenger, and Roadmaster, and Indians return to racing. In the early years of the 20th century, Indian dominated the worlds racetracks and showrooms, earning the brand a worldwide reputation for quality, performance, reliability, and technical innovation with such classic machines as the Chief, Scout and Four. But the once-mighty company fell on hard times and in 1953 was forced to file bankruptcy. The Indian brand never quite died, however, thanks in large part to fanatically devoted enthusiasts, who tried to resurrect it for over half a century. Finally, Polaris, maker of the highly regarded Victory brand of motorcycles, purchased the brand and released the Chief and Scout, models that once again restored Indian to its rightful place in the motorcycle pantheon.Indian Motorcycle is the most complete and up-to-date history of this classic American motorcycle.

Darwin Holmstrom has written, co-written, or contributed to more than thirty books on subjects ranging from motorcycles and muscle cars to Gibson Les Paul guitars, including Indian Motorcycles, GTO: Fifty Years, Lets Ride: Sonny Bargers Guide to Motorcyclying, Top Muscle: The Rarest Cars from Americas Fastest Decade, BMW Motorcycles, The Life Harley-Davidson, and The Complete Idiots Guide to Motorcycles. Darwin is a former senior editor at Motorbooks and former Midwestern editor for Motorcyclist magazine.