THE RAREST OF SPARES

While the Replica Factories pop Indian 8-Valve Board Track racers into our world with stunning regularity, the 'real deal' becomes that much harder to find, and document. On ebay at the moment is what appears to be an actual spare 'small-base' ca.1911 Indian 8-Valve racing engine. The story sounds genuine, but if you're considering a bid, I'd get a money-back guarantee in writing with a notary and a lawyer, as this engine could easily top the $100k mark [I've heard a rumor the seller has had a firm $100k offer, but wants $125k...].

Indian was at the cutting edge of engine technology with their 8-valve racers, a position which they were never to occupy again. The 4 valve per cylinder head technology not only improved the flow of gases into and out of the combustion chamber, but made for lighter valves and an easier time for the whole valve train, as the valve springs didn't need Herculean strength to keep the valves following the cam contours. With the lousy lubrication of the day, less pressure on the cams meant longer life to the components, and greater reliability. Lighter valves meant less likelihood of them breaking and dropping into the cylinder - a real consideration with steels technology of the day, as engineers hadn't perfected which alloys could withstand the nasty combination of combustion heat and quickly reversed inertia, not to mention any lateral forces from imperfect rocker alignment or wear from their exposure to track grit (especially on dirt tracks!).
The seller's description:

HISTORY:
I bought this engine approximately 20 years ago along with other engines and parts. At that time, I was told by the seller these engines and parts were purchased decades earlier from the mother of a early motorcycle racer who lived somewhere in the "desert" and was killed. The racer's mother claimed one of the engines in the group had been raced at the Isle of Man TT. I contacted The Isle of Man TT association and was advised that no 8-Valves were raced there between 1907 and 1930. However, another engine in the group (which I also have) is a 1909 Indian. I believe the 1909 engine is the one the racer's mother was referring to. It appears the 1909 Indian engine was in a bike ridden by G. Lee Evans and finished in Second Place at The Isle of Man TT in 1909. I "speculate" that the 8-Valve engine offered here and the 1909 Indian engine may have been among parts sold at an Indian factory "back room sale" sometime in the late 1940's.
8-VALVE SPECIFICATIONS: The 8-Valve engine offered here is a small base, 1000cc, twin cylinder. It is complete with the exception of the carburetor and one push rod. The engine is in very good condition and still has traces of apparent Indian red paint. The engine was carefully disassembled so as not to disturb this paint and NO CLEANING has been done on any parts. There is no evidence of markings or serial numbers on the outside of the cases and no evidence that any markings were removed. All markings and numbers appear on the inside of the cases. On the inside of the cases are timing marks which look like those used by Indian. See photos. Each cylinder has twelve (12) "ports" at their base for case pressure release. Each cylinder has two (2) threaded sparkplugs holes. The exhaust port spickets are "straight", unlike early big-base and later (1914) small-base 8-Valves which, were "curved" downward.
And if you happen to buy it, let me know!

THE RAREST OF SPARES

While the Replica Factories pop Indian 8-Valve Board Track racers into our world with stunning regularity, the 'real deal' becomes that much harder to find, and document. On ebay at the moment is what appears to be an actual spare 'small-base' ca.1911 Indian 8-Valve racing engine. The story sounds genuine, but if you're considering a bid, I'd get a money-back guarantee in writing with a notary and a lawyer, as this engine could easily top the $100k mark [I've heard a rumor the seller has had a firm $100k offer, but wants $125k...].

Indian was at the cutting edge of engine technology with their 8-valve racers, a position which they were never to occupy again. The 4 valve per cylinder head technology not only improved the flow of gases into and out of the combustion chamber, but made for lighter valves and an easier time for the whole valve train, as the valve springs didn't need Herculean strength to keep the valves following the cam contours. With the lousy lubrication of the day, less pressure on the cams meant longer life to the components, and greater reliability. Lighter valves meant less likelihood of them breaking and dropping into the cylinder - a real consideration with steels technology of the day, as engineers hadn't perfected which alloys could withstand the nasty combination of combustion heat and quickly reversed inertia, not to mention any lateral forces from imperfect rocker alignment or wear from their exposure to track grit (especially on dirt tracks!).
The seller's description:

HISTORY:
I bought this engine approximately 20 years ago along with other engines and parts. At that time, I was told by the seller these engines and parts were purchased decades earlier from the mother of a early motorcycle racer who lived somewhere in the "desert" and was killed. The racer's mother claimed one of the engines in the group had been raced at the Isle of Man TT. I contacted The Isle of Man TT association and was advised that no 8-Valves were raced there between 1907 and 1930. However, another engine in the group (which I also have) is a 1909 Indian. I believe the 1909 engine is the one the racer's mother was referring to. It appears the 1909 Indian engine was in a bike ridden by G. Lee Evans and finished in Second Place at The Isle of Man TT in 1909. I "speculate" that the 8-Valve engine offered here and the 1909 Indian engine may have been among parts sold at an Indian factory "back room sale" sometime in the late 1940's.
8-VALVE SPECIFICATIONS: The 8-Valve engine offered here is a small base, 1000cc, twin cylinder. It is complete with the exception of the carburetor and one push rod. The engine is in very good condition and still has traces of apparent Indian red paint. The engine was carefully disassembled so as not to disturb this paint and NO CLEANING has been done on any parts. There is no evidence of markings or serial numbers on the outside of the cases and no evidence that any markings were removed. All markings and numbers appear on the inside of the cases. On the inside of the cases are timing marks which look like those used by Indian. See photos. Each cylinder has twelve (12) "ports" at their base for case pressure release. Each cylinder has two (2) threaded sparkplugs holes. The exhaust port spickets are "straight", unlike early big-base and later (1914) small-base 8-Valves which, were "curved" downward.
And if you happen to buy it, let me know!

OLD INDIANS NEVER EVER DIE

The second 'Old Indians Never Die' Rally was held at Traquair House in Pebbleshire, Scotland, on July 24th/25th, 2009, and from the film made of the rally, they understand the allure of the 'other' American motorcycle. From the press release of Watermill productions:

"The Rally was possibly the largest collection of vintage Indian Motocycles gathered in Europe.
This is a trailer from the forthcoming 1 hour long documentary. "

I see a few friends in the film, including John Powell's mock Indian 4, which uses a Renault engine! It looks the part - he built the entire machine himself. If the documentary is as witty as the trailer, it will no doubt be a hit with the antique motorcycle brigade. I love the continuous soundtrack of the kickstart ratchet mechanism - so distinctively Indian. Enjoy!

OLD INDIANS NEVER EVER DIE

The second 'Old Indians Never Die' Rally was held at Traquair House in Pebbleshire, Scotland, on July 24th/25th, 2009, and from the film made of the rally, they understand the allure of the 'other' American motorcycle. From the press release of Watermill productions:

"The Rally was possibly the largest collection of vintage Indian Motocycles gathered in Europe.
This is a trailer from the forthcoming 1 hour long documentary. "

I see a few friends in the film, including John Powell's mock Indian 4, which uses a Renault engine! It looks the part - he built the entire machine himself. If the documentary is as witty as the trailer, it will no doubt be a hit with the antique motorcycle brigade. I love the continuous soundtrack of the kickstart ratchet mechanism - so distinctively Indian. Enjoy!

1911 INDIAN BELT DRIVE SINGLE

Now here's an opportunity which doesn't arise every day... I was contacted by a fellow who wants to sell his 1911 Indian, 500cc ioe belt-drive single, in original, unrestored, running condition.

Indian from the very first (1901) offered chain-drive motorcycles, and by 1910, offered a two-speed gearbox and clutch. Dealer (and public) pressure were the impetus of offering a belt-drive motocycle from 1910 - a retrograde step from an engineering standpoint, but there were good reasons for this move; belts were simple and light, and American buyers understood the belt drive system, it being the standard in many forms of industry at the time - most powered saws, lathes, sewing machines, etc, were driven by a belt from an overhead shaft or distant motor.

The belt is tensioned by a jockey wheel just behind and below the engine pulley, controlled by the long lever on the left side of the tank. Slip was controlled by the lever in a manner similar to a clutch - if the jockey wheel was dropped completely down, the belt would slip over the pulleys, just like being in 'neutral', and grip could be gradually increased as necessary, or a partial-slip condition used in case of difficult terrain.

In 1910, planetary gears inside the engine pulley gave three speeds, but this proved troublesome and was dropped by year's end.

Some of the early 1911 Indian Motocycles had the old 'block letter' Indian logo, but later in the year they adopted the cursive style seen here.

The bike is started by pedalling off, bicycle-style, with the valve lifter open, then releasing the valve lifter while opening the throttle, and chuffing off in high style. I haven't ridden one, but I understand they're comfortable at 20mph, but will do much more, at your discretion (or peril). The leaf-sprung fork became an Indian trademark from 1910 until 1946, and gave a stable ride, as these flat springs have self-damping properties.

If you're interested, the owner wants $75k for this motocycle; contact me directly and I'll put you in touch.

1911 INDIAN BELT DRIVE SINGLE

Now here's an opportunity which doesn't arise every day... I was contacted by a fellow who wants to sell his 1911 Indian, 500cc ioe belt-drive single, in original, unrestored, running condition.

Indian from the very first (1901) offered chain-drive motorcycles, and by 1910, offered a two-speed gearbox and clutch. Dealer (and public) pressure were the impetus of offering a belt-drive motocycle from 1910 - a retrograde step from an engineering standpoint, but there were good reasons for this move; belts were simple and light, and American buyers understood the belt drive system, it being the standard in many forms of industry at the time - most powered saws, lathes, sewing machines, etc, were driven by a belt from an overhead shaft or distant motor.

The belt is tensioned by a jockey wheel just behind and below the engine pulley, controlled by the long lever on the left side of the tank. Slip was controlled by the lever in a manner similar to a clutch - if the jockey wheel was dropped completely down, the belt would slip over the pulleys, just like being in 'neutral', and grip could be gradually increased as necessary, or a partial-slip condition used in case of difficult terrain.

In 1910, planetary gears inside the engine pulley gave three speeds, but this proved troublesome and was dropped by year's end.

Some of the early 1911 Indian Motocycles had the old 'block letter' Indian logo, but later in the year they adopted the cursive style seen here.

The bike is started by pedalling off, bicycle-style, with the valve lifter open, then releasing the valve lifter while opening the throttle, and chuffing off in high style. I haven't ridden one, but I understand they're comfortable at 20mph, but will do much more, at your discretion (or peril). The leaf-sprung fork became an Indian trademark from 1910 until 1946, and gave a stable ride, as these flat springs have self-damping properties.

If you're interested, the owner wants $75k for this motocycle; contact me directly and I'll put you in touch.

NICKY HAYDEN - VINTAGENT?

Former World Champion GP racer Nicky Hayden inaugurated the new MotoGP course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this morning; not on a modern machine, but a 1909 Indian board track racer. The Indian is from the Indy museum, and was apparently used in the first-ever motorcycle race at the track, 99 years ago. He established a brief lap record of 5 minutes, at an average speed of 45mph. "It felt like 100mph, the thing was vibrating so bad." He laughed about the experience...but I would suggest the Indian was restored for show, not go, as they certainly would do near 100mph around the track originally.
More importantly... the outfit! Someone kitted him out fairly well, although in the day a necktie or bow tie would have been de rigeur. And the sweater would have been a tighter fit, and a heavier knit - none of this baggy cashmere stuff, those old racing sweaters are stiff! They actually offered some protection in the event of a spill - I have a couple of them, and they're difficult to get on and off. Still, nice one, Nicky.

NICKY HAYDEN - VINTAGENT?

Former World Champion GP racer Nicky Hayden inaugurated the new MotoGP course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this morning; not on a modern machine, but a 1909 Indian board track racer. The Indian is from the Indy museum, and was apparently used in the first-ever motorcycle race at the track, 99 years ago. He established a brief lap record of 5 minutes, at an average speed of 45mph. "It felt like 100mph, the thing was vibrating so bad." He laughed about the experience...but I would suggest the Indian was restored for show, not go, as they certainly would do near 100mph around the track originally.
More importantly... the outfit! Someone kitted him out fairly well, although in the day a necktie or bow tie would have been de rigeur. And the sweater would have been a tighter fit, and a heavier knit - none of this baggy cashmere stuff, those old racing sweaters are stiff! They actually offered some protection in the event of a spill - I have a couple of them, and they're difficult to get on and off. Still, nice one, Nicky.

1926 INDIAN 750CC OHV RACER

I was sent this photo from a dealer in the US, of an Indian racer he had found while trolling Europe for bikes to ship home. He apparently failed to make a high enough offer to the owner, but was content to torture me, with the premise that I had a 'first refusal' if the Indian ever came to light. The bike is in Germany supposedly; has anyone seen it?

I'm not a big fan of American motorcycles post-1925 in general, as they really dropped the ball on engine development around that time, and stuck to building solid, heavy, and reliable machines, which were pretty slow compared to what was being sold in England and Europe at the time. This is quizzical, especially after Indian was very active at Brooklands and the Isle of Man in the 'teens and twenties, gaining many wins, and building an excellent name for themselves. I would assume increased taxes in the UK put paid to their export possibilities, so they simply let their overseas (read; overhead-valve) racing development die off.

As an enthusiast of road racing machines, there just isn't much for me to get excited about from the US in the Vintage (1920-30) and Post-Vintage (1931-48) periods.

BUT, as a last hurrah before they gave up racing in Europe entirely, the Indian factory made a small batch of ohv 750cc racers in 1926; two for speed testing at the California dry lakes, and two for road racing in Europe. The machine in the top photo is one of those bikes, which has survived remarkably intact. I've run the numbers, and it checks out one of these alcohol-burning speed monsters. At the dry lakes, one of the four machines was timed at 126mph, which was at or near the absolute motorcycle speed record at the time. I have no data, nor have I ever seen published reports on how these twins fared in European road racing.

Indian also built 'a few' (according to Harry Sucher in 'The Iron Redskin') of this single-cylinder machine in 1928; a 500cc ohv racer with girder forks (and no front brake, very outdated by 1928). Apparently they had some success in Germany.



Here are some details of the twin-cylinder ohv racer (photo taken from Jerry Hatfield's 'Indian Scout' book, MBI, 2001):
It is claimed by some that the factory made 26 motorcycles with this engine in 1926, with 22 in a 'hillclimber' spec (extra long frame, small tank, stubby exhausts, etc), and the other 4 as 'road racers', with the shorter frame seen above, longer exhaust pipes with small megaphones, and an Andre damper on the leaf-sprung forks. The two camshafts ran on ball bearings, as did the crankshaft, with a roller bearing big-end. It used two oil pumps mounted on the timing case, one supplying the crank mains and big-end, the other oiling the rear of the front cylinder (which is the hottest part of the cylinders on a v-twin engine). Most examples of the engine had iron cylinder heads, but some had aluminum heads - very advanced for 1926. The engines were tuned to run on alcohol, and had a 15:1 compression ratio.

THE UPDATE (Sep. 15, 2008):
I was recently contacted by a fellow in Germany who knows where the Indian resides; it has changed hands twice since I posted this article...it may be for sale, but in the intervening period, may have become simply too expensive for a man of modest means... but I'll fill you in with the details as I have them.


Photographs of the machine show it has been sympathetically restored to a much more period correct livery, and looks amazing. I would love to swing my leg over that saddle, and see what she will do!

1926 INDIAN 750CC OHV RACER

I was sent this photo from a dealer in the US, of an Indian racer he had found while trolling Europe for bikes to ship home. He apparently failed to make a high enough offer to the owner, but was content to torture me, with the premise that I had a 'first refusal' if the Indian ever came to light. The bike is in Germany supposedly; has anyone seen it?

I'm not a big fan of American motorcycles post-1925 in general, as they really dropped the ball on engine development around that time, and stuck to building solid, heavy, and reliable machines, which were pretty slow compared to what was being sold in England and Europe at the time. This is quizzical, especially after Indian was very active at Brooklands and the Isle of Man in the 'teens and twenties, gaining many wins, and building an excellent name for themselves. I would assume increased taxes in the UK put paid to their export possibilities, so they simply let their overseas (read; overhead-valve) racing development die off.

As an enthusiast of road racing machines, there just isn't much for me to get excited about from the US in the Vintage (1920-30) and Post-Vintage (1931-48) periods.

BUT, as a last hurrah before they gave up racing in Europe entirely, the Indian factory made a small batch of ohv 750cc racers in 1926; two for speed testing at the California dry lakes, and two for road racing in Europe. The machine in the top photo is one of those bikes, which has survived remarkably intact. I've run the numbers, and it checks out one of these alcohol-burning speed monsters. At the dry lakes, one of the four machines was timed at 126mph, which was at or near the absolute motorcycle speed record at the time. I have no data, nor have I ever seen published reports on how these twins fared in European road racing.

Indian also built 'a few' (according to Harry Sucher in 'The Iron Redskin') of this single-cylinder machine in 1928; a 500cc ohv racer with girder forks (and no front brake, very outdated by 1928). Apparently they had some success in Germany.



Here are some details of the twin-cylinder ohv racer (photo taken from Jerry Hatfield's 'Indian Scout' book, MBI, 2001):
It is claimed by some that the factory made 26 motorcycles with this engine in 1926, with 22 in a 'hillclimber' spec (extra long frame, small tank, stubby exhausts, etc), and the other 4 as 'road racers', with the shorter frame seen above, longer exhaust pipes with small megaphones, and an Andre damper on the leaf-sprung forks. The two camshafts ran on ball bearings, as did the crankshaft, with a roller bearing big-end. It used two oil pumps mounted on the timing case, one supplying the crank mains and big-end, the other oiling the rear of the front cylinder (which is the hottest part of the cylinders on a v-twin engine). Most examples of the engine had iron cylinder heads, but some had aluminum heads - very advanced for 1926. The engines were tuned to run on alcohol, and had a 15:1 compression ratio.

THE UPDATE (Sep. 15, 2008):
I was recently contacted by a fellow in Germany who knows where the Indian resides; it has changed hands twice since I posted this article...it may be for sale, but in the intervening period, may have become simply too expensive for a man of modest means... but I'll fill you in with the details as I have them.


Photographs of the machine show it has been sympathetically restored to a much more period correct livery, and looks amazing. I would love to swing my leg over that saddle, and see what she will do!

TWINDIAN

More unusual motorcycles...believe it or not, this is a Period Special. It was built sometime before 1924 here in the Bay Area, by a machinist named Bill Arnold, who worked for the Friden Calculator Co of San Leandro.

The bike consists of two 1915 Indian Powerplus engines, united by a shaft between the two cranks, and running on a single inlet manifold with a Shebler carburetor. All the running gear is standard for the 1916 model year Indian Powerplus, but the petrol tank has been widened to help cover up the engine. It uses two Bosch magnetos.

There is some suggestion that Mr Arnold may have used the machine to race at the Elmhurst or Emeryville Board Tracks (ah, long gone now), but I find this a little suspect as the extra weight of the engines would have strained the lightweight cycle parts to the limit, as well as the clutch and gearbox. I would presume that it was used as a mighty road special, and certainly qualifies as an early Hot Rod.
The family story relates that the Twindian was worn out by 1929, and laid up for the next 55 years in the family's yard, along with 'an acre' of other junk, motorcycles, trucks, and a Tucker car. At some time in the 1960's, Mr Arnold's son Bob (owner of the Cycle Stop in Oakland) fired the bike up, much to the consternation of the father. And thus it sat, until the death of Mr Arnold in 1986, and the subsequent desire of his widow to remove said acre of metal.

A family friend, Doug King, helped sort out the mess, and ended up with the Twindian to care for. He had it restored between 1989 and 2003, and although he hasn't ridden it yet, the sound of the motor is likened to a Ford flathead engine. I think that's Doug in the bottom photo.

Dan Pereyra sent me two photos of this bike (the top and engine close-up), and I was so intrigued that it was built 'in the day' that I did a little research on the web. There is a short article with photos on Indianmotorbikes.com
(yes, it should be 'motobikes', to use proper Indian speak). The bike had it's debut outing at the very first Legends of the Motorcycle Concours, but there wasn't much info about the machine on the card... even though I had seen the bike at the show, I spent little time with it, amidst all the Broughs and Crockers which were on display that year. Funny how an email photo of one particular bike can focus my attention.

I think the Twindian would have looked fabulous if left 'as found', but it's still an impressive motorcycle.

TWINDIAN

More unusual motorcycles...believe it or not, this is a Period Special. It was built sometime before 1924 here in the Bay Area, by a machinist named Bill Arnold, who worked for the Friden Calculator Co of San Leandro.

The bike consists of two 1915 Indian Powerplus engines, united by a shaft between the two cranks, and running on a single inlet manifold with a Shebler carburetor. All the running gear is standard for the 1916 model year Indian Powerplus, but the petrol tank has been widened to help cover up the engine. It uses two Bosch magnetos.

There is some suggestion that Mr Arnold may have used the machine to race at the Elmhurst or Emeryville Board Tracks (ah, long gone now), but I find this a little suspect as the extra weight of the engines would have strained the lightweight cycle parts to the limit, as well as the clutch and gearbox. I would presume that it was used as a mighty road special, and certainly qualifies as an early Hot Rod.
The family story relates that the Twindian was worn out by 1929, and laid up for the next 55 years in the family's yard, along with 'an acre' of other junk, motorcycles, trucks, and a Tucker car. At some time in the 1960's, Mr Arnold's son Bob (owner of the Cycle Stop in Oakland) fired the bike up, much to the consternation of the father. And thus it sat, until the death of Mr Arnold in 1986, and the subsequent desire of his widow to remove said acre of metal.

A family friend, Doug King, helped sort out the mess, and ended up with the Twindian to care for. He had it restored between 1989 and 2003, and although he hasn't ridden it yet, the sound of the motor is likened to a Ford flathead engine. I think that's Doug in the bottom photo.

Dan Pereyra sent me two photos of this bike (the top and engine close-up), and I was so intrigued that it was built 'in the day' that I did a little research on the web. There is a short article with photos on Indianmotorbikes.com
(yes, it should be 'motobikes', to use proper Indian speak). The bike had it's debut outing at the very first Legends of the Motorcycle Concours, but there wasn't much info about the machine on the card... even though I had seen the bike at the show, I spent little time with it, amidst all the Broughs and Crockers which were on display that year. Funny how an email photo of one particular bike can focus my attention.

I think the Twindian would have looked fabulous if left 'as found', but it's still an impressive motorcycle.

MIKE KANE, UPDATE

Mike has the 'Harley Chopper' back on the road, and his own words say it best:
"After 3 days work my
Harley Chopper is back on the road. No real serious
damage except the head lite, it took 3 lights to fill
the void left by its absence. I had to remove the
cylinders because there was dirt inside the carb and
all the way to the intake valves. About a pint of dirt
was inside the exhaust system. I want to thank all the
people who helped retrieve my bike from the cliff that
tried to swallow me. Ian Davidson sent me photos and a
new accessory for my bike. It's a incline Gage, or as
I like to call it, a inclinator. It measures lean
angels. Next time I will be able to tell exactly how
steep the cliff I ride off is!"
If anyone reading this can locate an oval headlamp, as pictured in the previous post, please contact me and I'll get you in touch with Mike. I think they came off a 30's car?
I love the Inclinator! It looks entirely home made, yet totally period.