Beschreibung:

Chain drive had been one of Indian’s advanced features right from the start, when Oscar Hedstrom and Oliver Hendee, both active in the cycle racing world, got together to build the first prototype in 1901. That first machine was powered by a single-cylinder ‘F-head’ engine that formed part of the frame - in the Indian’s case it sloped rearwards to act as the seat tube - and featured an advanced spray-type carburettor of Hedstrom design. The Indian single proved immensely successful and was produced substantially unchanged until 1905, when a leaf-sprung front fork and twist-grip control of throttle and ignition were introduced. Nowadays Indian is remembered mainly for its powerful, large-capacity v-twins, the first of which appeared in 1907. The twin’s rear cylinder continued to form part of the frame until 1909 when Indian adopted a loop frame of the type favoured by rivals Harley-Davidson. In 1911 Indian broke new ground yet again with their ohv four-valves-per-cylinder racers, and then in 1916 a new 1,000cc sidevalve v-twin - the Powerplus - was introduced to replace the F-head type. A smaller model, the 600cc Scout, joined the Powerplus in 1920, and then two years later the range was extended to encompass a new, Scout-based 1,000cc model - the Chief - the first of a line that would endure until 1953. Constantly developed, the Chief had gained dry-sump lubrication and coil ignition by 1940, that year’s models being notable as the first to have plunger rear suspension and the deeply valanced mudguards of the quintessential Chief. With war looming, Indian increasingly turned to the production of military models, the Army version of the Chief emerging stripped of its valanced mudguards and chromework and finished in drab olive green. The vendor purchased this superb 1937 Indian Chief at an auction in the USA circa 2003, at which time it was described as a ‘very correct and beautiful museum restoration of a very complete original bike’. Since then the machine has formed part of its owner’s private collection and been kept on display indoors. We are advised that import duties have been paid.