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Old Indian
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Nickinator
Riding my '38 Deluxe Bluebird
Please document westfield mfg. --mr columbia?
(AWESOME BIKE!! I DID NOT THINK THAT NEEDED TO BE SAID BUT MY POST MIGHT NOT HAVE COMMUNICATED THAT)
I am not saying no- I am trying to learn. I am trying to compile information on these bikes that I hope to share via my website+the cabe and welcome any input.
WESTFIELD MFG.?
Some say Davis! Mel Short had an orig with Davis seatube decal- trying to get a picture.
I have ads that say BUILT AND BACKED BY THE MAKERS OF THE INDIAN MOTORCYCLE, here is one:
(AWESOME BIKE!! I DID NOT THINK THAT NEEDED TO BE SAID BUT MY POST MIGHT NOT HAVE COMMUNICATED THAT)
I am not saying no- I am trying to learn. I am trying to compile information on these bikes that I hope to share via my website+the cabe and welcome any input.
WESTFIELD MFG.?
Some say Davis! Mel Short had an orig with Davis seatube decal- trying to get a picture.
I have ads that say BUILT AND BACKED BY THE MAKERS OF THE INDIAN MOTORCYCLE, here is one:
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Nickinator
Riding my '38 Deluxe Bluebird
I always thought indians were made by westfield? maybe they were made by davis.
Im confused now.
Nick.
Im confused now.
Nick.
fordsnake
I live for the CABE
Before I sold my Indian last month...I was able to put together a brief time line on the Indian from research:
The company had three names in its lifetime: "The Hendee Manufacturing Company" (1901-1925), "The Indian Motocycle Company" (1925-1951) and "The Indian Company" owned by The Indian Sales Corp. (1951-1962).
1. 1898, a former bicycle racer George M. Hendee, opens a small shop on Worthington Street in Springfield, Mass., fabricating bicycles. Named the "American Indian", it was later shorten to simply "Indian" because it gave better product recognition in the export markets.
2. By 1900 the small shop on Worthington Street in Springfield, Mass., was fabricating 4,000 bicycles a year.
3. In 1901, Carl Oscar Hedstrom joins the company and designs a prototype diamond frame bike with a gasoline engine for mass production. The first Indian motorcycle featured a chain drive and streamlined styling, and sold to the public in 1902, two years before the Harley-Davidson Motor Company.
4. The Indian motorcycle quickly becomes a favorite and it eclipsed their bicycles market. With its success the company expands their facility, producing over 500 motorcycles and while still manufacturing bicycles.
5. In 1904 Hendee Manufacturing Company introduced the deep red color that would become Indian's trademark.
4. In 1906, the Hendee Manufacturing Company was still manufacturing bicycles at the Worthington Street location even though more than a thousand motorcycles were also produced at this small shop in 1905.
5. In 1910 the company had 3,000 agents and had set up assembly factories in Chicago and San Francisco. In 1911 they were manufacturing aircraft engines and selling motorcycles around the world, yet the 1912 sales catalog features two entire pages dedicated to the Motobike (bicycle).
6. The 1912 Model 91-T Indian Motobike was designed to resemble their successful motorcycles, equipped with an electric light, and dry cell batteries to fit in the pseudo gas tank. Even the Men’s Motobike, which didn’t have electrics, was styled with a skirted front fender and a rear wheel stand just like the current motorcycle models.
4. By 1916 the Hendee Manufacturing Company was aggressively advertising both men’s and women’s Indian bicycles in national magazines.
5. In 1913, over 32,000 motorcycles were produced. Hedstrom exits the company, and founder George Hendee leaves a few years later. Business misfortune and the lousy management of the financiers taking over the company nearly ruins it.
6. Between 1916-1922 the brand is focused on trying to substain its motorcycle devision, its unknown whether Hendee Mfg. Co. sub-contracted the production of their bicycles? All indicators suggest that Westfield made them (Indian frames are identical to the Racycle Motobike and the Columbia which are Westfield produced).
7. Oct. 26th 1923 the corporate name of Hendee Manufacturing Company was changed to Indian Motocycle Company. In the wake of the name change, Westfield became the official builder of the Indian bicycle.
The company had three names in its lifetime: "The Hendee Manufacturing Company" (1901-1925), "The Indian Motocycle Company" (1925-1951) and "The Indian Company" owned by The Indian Sales Corp. (1951-1962).
1. 1898, a former bicycle racer George M. Hendee, opens a small shop on Worthington Street in Springfield, Mass., fabricating bicycles. Named the "American Indian", it was later shorten to simply "Indian" because it gave better product recognition in the export markets.
2. By 1900 the small shop on Worthington Street in Springfield, Mass., was fabricating 4,000 bicycles a year.
3. In 1901, Carl Oscar Hedstrom joins the company and designs a prototype diamond frame bike with a gasoline engine for mass production. The first Indian motorcycle featured a chain drive and streamlined styling, and sold to the public in 1902, two years before the Harley-Davidson Motor Company.
4. The Indian motorcycle quickly becomes a favorite and it eclipsed their bicycles market. With its success the company expands their facility, producing over 500 motorcycles and while still manufacturing bicycles.
5. In 1904 Hendee Manufacturing Company introduced the deep red color that would become Indian's trademark.
4. In 1906, the Hendee Manufacturing Company was still manufacturing bicycles at the Worthington Street location even though more than a thousand motorcycles were also produced at this small shop in 1905.
5. In 1910 the company had 3,000 agents and had set up assembly factories in Chicago and San Francisco. In 1911 they were manufacturing aircraft engines and selling motorcycles around the world, yet the 1912 sales catalog features two entire pages dedicated to the Motobike (bicycle).
6. The 1912 Model 91-T Indian Motobike was designed to resemble their successful motorcycles, equipped with an electric light, and dry cell batteries to fit in the pseudo gas tank. Even the Men’s Motobike, which didn’t have electrics, was styled with a skirted front fender and a rear wheel stand just like the current motorcycle models.
4. By 1916 the Hendee Manufacturing Company was aggressively advertising both men’s and women’s Indian bicycles in national magazines.
5. In 1913, over 32,000 motorcycles were produced. Hedstrom exits the company, and founder George Hendee leaves a few years later. Business misfortune and the lousy management of the financiers taking over the company nearly ruins it.
6. Between 1916-1922 the brand is focused on trying to substain its motorcycle devision, its unknown whether Hendee Mfg. Co. sub-contracted the production of their bicycles? All indicators suggest that Westfield made them (Indian frames are identical to the Racycle Motobike and the Columbia which are Westfield produced).
7. Oct. 26th 1923 the corporate name of Hendee Manufacturing Company was changed to Indian Motocycle Company. In the wake of the name change, Westfield became the official builder of the Indian bicycle.
THEGOLDENGREEK
Cruisin' on my Bluebird
Nice Indian bicycle ....love that front fender on it and tank!
willswares1220
I live for the CABE
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