Lot 105: 2004 Indian 100ci Chief

Following the demise of the original Indian company in 1953, there were sporadic attempts to revive what had been one of America’s foremost motorcycle marques. Royal Enfields were badged as Indians for sale in the USA up to 1959 and there was a succession of mini-bikes and ultra lightweights in the late 1960s/early 1970s, but undeniably the most stylish and worthy effort was Floyd Clymer’s Italian-framed, Velocette-engined Indian of 1969. The original company had been split in the early 1950s, resulting in a legal tangle that frustrated efforts to revive production and would not be resolved until 1999 with the formation of the Indian Motorcycle Corporation. The latter resumed production with, naturally enough, a v-twin, though in order to meet modern-day power and emissions requirements an overhead-valve engine was used instead Indian’s traditional ‘flat-head’ motor. The new Chief’s air-cooled power unit displaced 87.99ci (1,442cc) and produced 75bhp at 5,200rpm. There was a five-speed transmission, belt final drive and disc brakes on both wheels. While the engineering was up-to-the-minute, the styling was unashamedly ‘retro’, the distinctive gas tank and ‘Art Deco’ fenders recalling the classic Indian models of the 1940s. Sadly, although the bikes were good, the company’s financial foundations were less secure and production ceased in 2003 after only 40 examples of the 2004 model had been built.

This particular Chief was used in the development of the T3 Limited Edition model that was released to celebrate Indian’s involvement with the 2003 motion picture, Terminator III: The Rise of the Machines, in which Chiefs featured as police motorcycles. (Artisan Entertainment, owner of the Terminator series rights, was at that time owned by the same company that owned Indian Motorcycles, hence the tie-up). The Indian Motorcycle Corporation gave the bike, which is unregistered, to Mike Corbin in 2004. It has the later 100ci (1,638cc) Powerplus ‘bottle cap’ engine (so called because of its serrated rocker boxes), reported to be the second of its type manufactured. Sold on a Bill of Sale.

Without reserve