Indian Motorcycles

Motorcycles have long been a symbol of America's love for the road and free spirit. Harley Davidson is one of the most well-known and respected brands of motorcycle. But there is another company who makes beautiful, rugged bikes: Indian Motorcycles. The company was founded in North Carolina and is America's oldest motorcycle brand. The Scout and the Chief were the two most popular models. The Scout was made before WWII, and the Chief was a very popular motorcycle in the early 1950s. Even the United States Army used Indian Motorcycles in Germany in World War II. The tough motorcycle known as the Indian 884 was used to travel quickly over rough terrain.

Today, Indian Motorcycles are usually purchased as collector items and the company's production of bikes has slowed down. They are still known as some of the finest motorcycles ever made. In fact, these bikes have been touted as the fastest on land. New Zealander Burt Munro rode an Indian motorcycle to set a land speed record in the 1960s, and a movie was made about the event. The movie, starring Anthony Hopkins, was entitled The World's Fastest Indian. It exhibited just how fast the motorcycle could go, and how impressive its ability to move along at such high speeds on flat land was.

Indian motorcycles range in price from about 30,000 up to $50,000 or more. The price tag really depends on the model, year, and rarity of the bike as well as condition. Collectors look for models that were once popular during the 1940s-1970s. Many dealers and locally run independent resellers also enjoy restoring older Indian motorcycles back to their original condition. Often, these bikes came in a myriad of different colors, giving them their own individual personality. These motorcycles are truly a symbol of what America once was, and how free spirited men and women enjoyed hopping on a bike and traveling across the country.