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New Indians

The Big Chief
Posted August 8 2008 02:32 PM by Mr. Ernie Lopez 
Filed under: Editorials, Custom Motorcycles, Indian

Good times--bad times no matter how you look at it, making a run at putting a new motor company in today’s market….brave.


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Indian Motorcycle Co making a new run for it.


Good times--bad times no matter how you look at it, making a run at putting a new motor company in today’s market….brave.

Ok, Indian may not be a new company but has been out of the loop for a while and now has a full line of bikes ready for sell this winter, they hope to have them out by Christmas. Not to sure how you feel about bring back the dead, but a lot of the guys I ride with don’t feel safe dropping a load of money into a bike that has had a swinging door at the factory. We have a few photos of what the bike will look like and be released this winter. We do hope that it works out for then ---this time---there is a lot of time and effort that goes into something this big. We are not talking about some home garage here this is the Indian Motorcycle Co. good luck and we can’t wait to test ride one. As a consumer in the market to buy a new bike what do you think?       
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Reader Comments:
1. What do I think?
They sold me.
Last month a group of us had the chance to tour the factory, and see some of the first production bikes off the line.
This is not your (or my) typical Gilroy Indian. The fit and finish is incredible. The attention to detail is amazing. When you get a chance, you need to check one out.
The engine is 105", and even though it resembles the GIlroy PP100", it's essentially completely re-engineered for power and reliability. It has EFI, Nikasil cylinders, and an OBD-II onboard computer for engine managment and diagnostics. It meets or exceeds ALL future EPA and CARB regs. although it runs exhaust through a catalytic converter to do it. Still, the exhaust note is good, and the thing makes over 100hp and over 105 ft./lbs of torque. Not bad.

The suspension is NOT a softtail..it's a monoshock swingarm suspension, similar to the *** superbikes, and is way beefier than my 2002 Chief.
The bikes are not assembled on an assembly line...no robots here. Each of them is made by a small team of craftsmen who move the bike through 26 assembly stations...the same way Rolls-Royce and Bentley build their cars...which is exactly where they took the idea from.
When you buy a new Indian, you also will have the opportunity to pick the bike up at the factory, and meet the men who built your ride. And they will only be making 750 (or less) of them a year.
This kind of quality is NOT cheap. But is it worth it? I think so.
Already put my deposit down.
I'm buying one.
They really ARE that impressive.

Mark1957    - Posted August 9 2008 05:32 AM

 
2. Sound like you really are sold (even with out a test ride), or you work for the company. I may want to get up there soon for a look around and see how things are going. We have talked with a few of the guys that have been though the place and they all say the same thing, that they wish them well and hope for the best. As soon as we can get our hands on one and test ride the bike we’ll let you know what we think.

Mr. Ernie Lopez    - Posted August 15 2008 02:48 PM

 

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