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Hendee Mfg Co. / Indian Motocycle Co. Bicycles Information Thread

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There are many articles on the Hendee and Hedstrom partnership and their motorcycle mission from 1900-1916. What seems lost is the bicycle side of the story from 1901 to 1916. This is where the gaps are?

It appears Hendee and Hedstrom were out to make a difference in the transportation world, but not with bicycles. It appears they produced bicycles until 1902, at which time the production of Indian motorcycles overshadowed the production of bicycles. It was not until the year 1916, when Westfield stepped in and the Indian Bicycles were back in production.

Here’s an excerpt about George M. Hendee and the discontinuing of bicycle manufacturing for 14 years.
1916 Indian Bicycle Catalog, page 09

1897 saw the beginning of the expansion of a name that means more in the two-wheeled industry than any other today. The Hendee Manufacturing Company was formed and floor space taken in a building on Worthington Street. Here the manufacture of Indian Bicycles started and went on until 1902, when the development of the motorcycle made their discontinuance necessary because Mr. Hendee felt it imperative that he give all his time and effort to the gasoline machine.

And now, after fourteen years, 1916 again brings back the Indian Bicycle.

Why?

Because both dealer and public have demanded a bicycle of INDIAN design, of INDIAN worth and carrying the service guarantee that the name INDIAN implies.

So once more we find the man who did so much for the bicycle again working and planning for it with the same enthusiasm that he had in his teens…
 
There are many articles on the Hendee and Hedstrom partnership and their motorcycle mission from 1900-1916. What seems lost is the bicycle side of the story from 1901 to 1916. This is where the gaps are?

I agree, been searching and nothing so far after 1901 until 1915 article introducing the 1916 models that you found. Still looking, hoping to find a nugget that says bicycle production being discontinued in 190_. Trying to dig through 1901 docs now and 1902 next. I hear people talk about bikes from 1912-1915 but so far nothing to support there were any manufactured. If anyone has proof of production these years I'd love to see it.
 
I had heard that the Sears Chief was created in response to the popularity of Indian bicycles.
But it seems that it may have been the other way around? Sears had a Chief in 1915, which means they had developed it in 1914 (or at least early 1915). Perhaps because of the popularity of the Chief, they decided to experiment with marketing an Indian late in 1915?
 
I had heard that the Sears Chief was created in response to the popularity of Indian bicycles.
But it seems that it may have been the other way around? Sears had a Chief in 1915, which means they had developed it in 1914 (or at least early 1915). Perhaps because of the popularity of the Chief, they decided to experiment with marketing an Indian late in 1915?

And that little nugget I believe is where the confusion occurs with the Davis Sewing Machine Co. who built the Chief for SEARS, and the Harley Davidson bicycle. I have more on this theory but its on my laptop that is now being repaired.

I believe SEARS replicated the Indian!

Read the long article above (United States Investor - September 25, 1915), and what provoked George Hendee to reintroduce the bicycle. Also if you know anything about production, skews are usually made one or two years in advance because of tooling, production, marketing and advertising. For a 1916 launch i imagine that Hendee was in negotiations with Westfield prior to 1915?

Additionally, from the many articles I've read, SEARS had a cross-hair on their back...they were disliked by many bicycle manufacturers for stealing their designs and selling them for less!
 
I agree, been searching and nothing so far after 1901 until 1915 article introducing the 1916 models that you found. Still looking, hoping to find a nugget that says bicycle production being discontinued in 190_. Trying to dig through 1901 docs now and 1902 next. I hear people talk about bikes from 1912-1915 but so far nothing to support there were any manufactured. If anyone has proof of production these years I'd love to see it.


To fully understand the Indian strategy and their growth, one must fully understand the economic climate at the time.
I believe Hendee knew that the proliferation of bicycle manufacturing was changing and that society was shifting their interest in transportation. Motors were becoming more exciting and compelling! Many of the Bicycle Manufacturing at the turn of the century had jumped on the automotive manufacturing bandwagon; Pope Mfg Co., - Pope-Hartford, Pope-Robinson, Pope-Toledo, Pope-Tribune and Pope-Waverley; Pierce Cycle Company, Pierce –Arrow; Gormully & Jeffery – Rambler and Nash…and many more!
Additionally, there were two economic recession, 1903 and 1907.

The crash of 1903, the Dow Jones dropped 34.1 percent. The recession didn’t recovered until November 1904.
Then in 1907, there was another financial crisis that crippled the US. The New York Stock Exchange fell almost 50% from its peak the previous year. Panic occurred and extended across the nation as there were numerous runs on banks and trust companies. Many businesses entered bankruptcy. This crash lead to the creation of the Federal Reserve System.

And if that wasn’t enough? The United States participated in a global war; World War I (WWI) that began July 1914 and lasted until November 1918.


Read how Hendee tries to put an optimistic spin on the enconomy below.

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To fully understand the Indian strategy and their growth, one must fully understand the economic climate at the time.

I'll post this clip from a 1908 congressional hearing about continuing to tariff foreign trade. Just to give some historical context from that year and who was manufacturing bicycles. More important than who is listed is who isn't listed: Hendee, Mead Cycle & Davis Sewing Machine are not listed. The document states that they represent 90% of the bicycles built in the US of A. So Hendee may have been building bicycles, just not that many.


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You are right about the motor cycle being the driving economic force for these manufacturers at this time. Bicycles were overproduced after 1900 to what the market demand was, opening up the door for companies like Sears and Mead to buy bicycles in bulk and sell cheap. The teens is when bicycle marketing tactics changed and companies started to build and market bicycles for children who couldn't ride the motorcycles yet. So they designed them to look like motorcycles with tanks, fenders and lights.
 
1926 Indian Bicycles Brochure Form No. E-1-26

1926 Indian Bicycles Brochure
Form No. E-1-26
Indian Motocycle Co.
Springfield, Mass., U.S.A.

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