Collectible Bike of the Week: 1951 Indian Chief Roadmaster
OK then. What can I say? This one is special to me for a couple of reasons.
1: I was born in 1951, so this bike and I are roughly the same age. Hopefully the owners took more care of it than I did of me.
2: The first ride I ever had on a motorcycle was an Indian Chief. It would have been in 1955 or ‘56. Look what it caused.
This is a rare bike from might be the most famous marque in the first half of the 20th Century. Indian was an innovator and an icon that failed due to several really bad business decisions (I’m sure to feature some of those decisions) and poor choices. At the end of their production run in 1953 it was really hard to tell how many were built and sold. They didn’t change much at the end and there were some 51s sold as late as 1954.
Really good complete Indians from post WWII are really hard to find, and they bring premium prices. The amazing part if you do find one it is still rideable if you so just a little work to the heads to make be able to burn modern gasoline. It still works just fine even 65 years after it was built.
This 1951 had a 1300cc (79 cid) V twin side valve motor. Throttle was on the right hand grip with a left foot (suicide) clutch. The three speed transmission was shifted by the lever on the left side of the tank. Front brake was actuated from the right handlebar and the rear by a right foot lever. By ‘51 all the Chiefs had hydraulic front forks, Indian was an early adopter of that technology.
Indian raised the bar a good many times in the motorcycle business during it’s existence with many innovations that we just take for granted today. The 1951 Chief Roadmaster is a really good example of the last gasp of all that technology.
I hope you enjoy this weeks motorcycle. I know I certainly do!
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Bikes are great, I grew up with harleys mostly but I do love the Indians!
Interesting pick of writers you have too.
Steem on buddy!
There were some HDs around in my youth, but I really loved the Triumphs and Nortons. I owned a TR6 (single carb Bonneville) in my late teens... But I always loved the Indians and that hasn't gone away for me.
It's an eclectic group. I am fortunate to be able to work with the first four on a regular basis.
I've always been a fan of the Indian bikes. The distinct fenders are what really do it for me. I just like that look. Obviously, I don't know anything about all of the other features you mentioned, but the look is what really draws me to them. I have been to a couple of bike shows and a Harley rally over the years and it is always cool when someone shows up with an Indian.
Yeah. I am just over the moon for them. You will know I won the lottery when I have a '51 Chief and a '41 Inline 4.
I know a guy in your part of the world, SE Wisconsin that tours vintage Indians. I haven't seen it, but he has a '50 Police Special with side car that his Uncle rode at work. He just got it done a couple of years ago...
Wow, that is really cool. It would be interesting to see that. I was going through a bunch of old pictures the other day and I found many of them from some of the shows I had visited.
I love htis bike I always say if I ever buy a bike again it will be a classic Indian, I almost got one refurbished years ago in India funnily enough, But due to a variety of things at the time it never happenned, which may have been for the best with all the moving I did back then what to do with the bik would have been a nightmare
I've had a couple of legitimate chances to buy WWII vintage Scouts over the years. I always figured they were just a tad too small for me...
Those old Indians just move my soul. I know a guy that has one that has spent a ton of money to modernize the motor and electrics and brakes on one. He rides it everyplace, and it draws a crowd where ever he is.
Yes i rode a scout once when I was young and it was a good fit but as an adult now it would be to small for me I suspect as well
Ther eis a guy in CT who has an old Indian in MInt condition I have seen it at a couple of shows and am amazed by it each time I see it
I'm afraid I don't know anything about motorbikes, but my brother is an avid biker... however, this does look pretty nice, even if I don't know anything!
Sounds like our family. My brother knows they have two wheels :) I'm glad you liked the Indian, it was a proud marque that fell flat pretty fast.
Thanks for stopping by!
I never have been a bike enthusiast but I do know that Indians are the cream of the crop when it comes to bikes. Thanks for giving us a look at some classics and that mention at the end of the post. Very much appreciated for sure.
There would be people that would argue that Harley was the king, but I believe it was Indian all the way.
You do a serious good job with the Daily Dose. That mention is just to try to call attention to that. We've got to spread the word on each other.
You are right on that, spreading the word, and I need to do a better job on that. SBI Saturday does some of that but not good enough when I think about it. I will have to start including a list at the end like you have and some others do as well. If I don't do a list I will at least pick a post of someone and link to it daily. Thanks for the idea my friend.
Boys and their bikes hey, my hubby's still dreaming of owning one again! They do look really cool though I must admit @bigtom13;)
It would be so much fun to ride on ove of those!
Particularly the Indians rode pretty well. The tires were horrible (compared to today) but Indian really did work on their suspension. They had a plunger rear suspension (predecessor to the shocks) before the war, and went to a hydraulic front set up right after the war. Harley was playing catch up in those days...
Loving the bikes, I have rode on one once, scared me, never got on another one :)
My mother got her first MC ride in the late 30s when one of her sisters BF showed up on an Indian. She liked it and I think she rode every bike I showed her until she was 85 and I came home with a Ducati. She decided she wasn't going to climb on that :)
Thanks for stopping by!
Wow! This is great! My ex brother in law's hobby was to restore old motorbikes and I remember that he had an Indian 4square in his collection. Sadly he passed away and his collection that included some seriously old bikes was sold. Blessings!
Thank you! I just love motorcycles. Old or new, I can find something to like about them all.
I know of a few of those 'private collections'. They just never cease to amaze me.
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