The History of Indian Motorcycle

The story of Indian Motorcycles is one of innovation, passion, and vision. George M. Hendee and Oscar Hedstrom’s journey from bicycles to motorcycles exemplifies the spirit of American ingenuity.

Hendee’s background in bicycles laid the groundwork for what would become one of the most iconic motorcycle brands in the world. His deep understanding of the mechanics of two-wheelers, combined with his entrepreneurial spirit, allowed him to see an opportunity in the emerging motorcycle market. He brought his expertise to the Hendee Manufacturing Company, which he co-founded with Hedstrom in 1901.

Hedstrom, who was a brilliant engineer, designed the first Indian motorcycle, which became a hit almost immediately. The company quickly grew, thanks to their commitment to quality and performance, helping make Indian Motorcycles a household name. The Indian motorcycle was celebrated for its innovation, style, and power, and became a symbol of American craftsmanship.

Indian Motorcycles was founded in 1901 by George M.Hendee and Oscar Hedstrom.

Hendee was born on July 4, 1866, in Sturbridge, Massachusetts.

Before venturing into motorcycles, he had an interest in bicycles, which laid the foundation for his later work. Hendee was deeply involved in the bicycle business, starting a company that built high-quality bicycles. This experience helped him gain the technical and business knowledge that would later prove essential in motorcycle manufacturing.

In 1901, Hendee and his business partner Carl Oscar Hedstrom founded the Hendee Manufacturing Company. The company was established in Springfield, Massachusetts, and quickly became one of the leading motorcycle manufacturers in the world.

George Hendee passed away on September 7, 1943.

Oscar Hedström (1871–1960) was a Swedish-American engineer and inventor, known for his work in the motorcycle industry.

Before founding Indian Motorcycles, he had a background in mechanical engineering, which helped him develop his expertise in engines.

Alongside George Hendee, co-founded Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company.

Hendee Manufacturing Company initially produced bicycles. However, when they began producing motorcycles, the company initially adopted the name "Hendee Manufacturing" for their new motorcycle division. The company later became known as Indian Motocycle after they introduced their first motorcycle in 1901.

The name "Indian" was chosen for several reasons, including:

1.      Symbolism of Strength and Power: The name "Indian" was associated with the Native American imagery of strength, power, and endurance. This aligned well with the company's ambition to create a powerful, reliable, and competitive motorcycle.

2.      Marketing Appeal: The name had a strong, exotic appeal, which was seen as an attractive marketing tool. It stood out among competitors and gave the brand an air of prestige and ruggedness.

3.      Founder Influence: George Hendee himself is often credited with the inspiration for the name. It was a nod to the company’s connection to American history, as the name "Indian" evoked the spirit of the American frontier, making it appealing to customers at the time.

The company officially became "Indian Motocycle" in 1923, solidifying the brand name that would become iconic in the motorcycle world.

The spelling of "Indian Motocycle" without the "r" in the word "motorcycle" is actually a historical quirk tied to branding. In the early 1900s, when the Indian Motocycle Company was founded, the word "motorcycle" was often spelled in a variety of ways, including "motocycle" or "motorcycle."

Also it paid homage to its beginnings as a bicycle manufacturer who fitted an engine to produce a moto-cycle.

There is also a story that at that time a manufacturer in Spain called ‘Motosacoche’ who was also producing motorcycles and left the ‘r’ out as well which was seen as a unique promotional edge but may have just been a translation error.

At the time, the spelling of words wasn't as standardized as it is today, and companies would sometimes choose unique spellings to differentiate their brands or simply because it was a common variation in the industry. The Indian Motorcycle Company, under the leadership of founder George Hendee, likely adopted the "Indian Motocycle" spelling as part of their unique branding strategy. It helped give the brand a distinctive identity that set it apart from other motorcycle manufacturers.

Around 1929 the spelling of "motorcycle" became standardized with the "r" as the common form, but Indian continued to use the original form for a while longer.

Early Beginnings:

  • Founded in 1901 by George M. Hendee and Oscar Hedstrom, Indian Motorcycles started in Springfield, Massachusetts. Hendee, a former bicycle racer, and Hedstrom, an engineer, worked together to develop the Indian motorcycle.
  • Indian's first motorcycle, produced in 1901, was a single-cylinder, belt-driven machine with a 1.75 horsepower engine. It quickly gained attention due to its innovative design and reliability.

Expansion and Popularity:

  • By 1903, Indian had already become one of the first motorcycle manufacturers in America, and the brand quickly grew in popularity. By 1904, they were producing thousands of motorcycles each year.
  • In 1907, Indian introduced its V-twin engine, which became one of the most important innovations in the motorcycle industry at the time.
  • Indian's reputation for performance grew during the early 1900s, with the company winning numerous races and establishing itself as a leader in American motorcycle manufacturing.

World War I and Post-War Expansion:

  • During World War I, Indian, like many other manufacturers, switched to military production. They built motorcycles for the military, which were used for various purposes, including reconnaissance and messenger duties.

  • After the war, Indian enjoyed an era of growth in the 1920s. The company made significant advancements in motorcycle design, including introducing electric start, hand-operated brakes, and hydraulic suspension.

Financial Troubles and Decline:

  • Despite its successes, Indian faced financial difficulties in the late 1920s and early 1930s, largely due to competition from Harley-Davidson and other manufacturers.
  • The Great Depression further worsened the situation, and in 1930, Indian went into bankruptcy for the first time. It was sold off to various owners over the next few decades.

Post-War Struggles and Closure:

  • In the 1940s and 1950s, Indian struggled to keep up with newer designs and a changing market. The brand tried to revive itself with new models, but it was no match for the competition.
  • By 1953, Indian Motorcycles ceased production altogether after years of financial struggles. The brand became a distant memory in the motorcycle world.

When Hendee changed their name in 1923 to Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company they were the largest motorcycle manufacturers in the World.

Here are the primary models Indian was producing around 1923:

  1. Indian Scout (introduced in 1920)

Engine: 600cc (37 cu in) V-twin

Famous for reliability and performance

Widely used by police and racers

Indian Chief (introduced in 1922)

Engine: 1000cc (61 cu in) V-twin

Heavier, more powerful than the Scout

Designed for long-distance cruising

Indian Big Chief (1923)

Variant of the Chief with a larger engine (74 cu in) 1200cc

Introduced around 1923–1924 for more torque and power

Indian Powerplus (1916–1924)

Engine: 61 cu in side-valve V-twin

Was Indian’s workhorse before being phased out in favor of the Chief series

Last produced around 1924

Indian Prince (introduced in 1925, but development started earlier)

Smaller, single-cylinder bike

350cc 

Aimed at entry-level riders

                   

The Story of the 1949 Vincent–Indian "Vindian"

Background – Two Giants in Trouble

  • Indian Motorcycle Company was America’s oldest motorcycle brand, founded in 1901 by George Hendee and Oscar Hedstrom. Hendee retired in 1916, long before the Vindian project. By the late 1940s, Indian was under duPont family ownership (1930–1945), then sold to Ralph B. Rogers and the Torque Engineering Company in 1945. This means the Vindian project was not part of the original Hendee era, but instead during Rogers’ attempt to modernize the company.

  • Vincent HRD in the UK, under Phil Vincent and chief engineer Phil Irving, had developed the world’s fastest production motorcycles (the Series B Rapide in 1946, followed by the 1948 Black Shadow). However, Vincent was a small-volume specialist maker, struggling financially and keen to expand into the lucrative American market.

1948–1949 – The Idea

By 1948, Indian’s big Chief twins were outdated. The 74ci (1,200cc) flathead engine was heavy and underpowered compared to British and European OHV designs. Ralph Rogers wanted to modernize Indian’s lineup with lightweight OHV vertical twins (the 500cc Scout, 440cc Warrior, etc.), but American riders and dealers still demanded big displacement and speed.

That’s where the collaboration idea was born:

  • Fit Vincent’s 998cc OHV V-twin engine and gearbox into the proven Indian Chief chassis.

  • Retain the iconic Indian styling (skirted fenders, Indian tank, comfortable American ergonomics).

  • Sell it in the U.S. as an “Indian” with world-leading performance — potentially leapfrogging Harley-Davidson.


1949 – The Prototypes

In early 1949, Vincent engineers built two prototypes at their factory in Stevenage, England:

  1. Vindian Prototype #1 – A Rapide engine installed in a Chief chassis, keeping most of the Indian cycle parts intact.

  2. Vindian Prototype #2 – A more refined machine, with Vincent transmission, electrics, and Indian sheet metal.

Both were shipped to the U.S. for testing and evaluation by Indian management.

Performance was strong — far beyond the sidevalve Chief — but there were concerns:

  • The bikes were complex and costly to build.

  • Import duties and transatlantic logistics made production expensive.

  • Indian’s finances were already weak, and Vincent couldn’t bankroll mass production.

Collapse of the Project

By late 1949, the project was shelved. Indian doubled down on its own lightweight vertical twin program (the Scout/Warrior line), but these proved unreliable and failed in the marketplace. By 1953, Indian ceased motorcycle production entirely.

Vincent fared no better — production ended in December 1955, after just 27 years of operation.

Survivors

  • Of the two Vindians built, at least one is known to survive. It has appeared in private collections and occasionally in museums. The fate of the second is uncertain — some accounts suggest it was dismantled.

Was This the “Last Hendee Era Action”?

Not quite. George Hendee (1866–1943) had long since left the company (retired in 1916, died in 1943). By the time of the Vindian in 1949, Indian was under Ralph Rogers, not Hendee or duPont.

So, while the Vindian was one of Indian’s last big experiments before its 1953 collapse, it was decades after the true “Hendee era.” If anything, it was part of Indian’s last desperate attempt at survival — a “what if” moment where joining forces with Vincent might have saved both companies.

The Brockhouse Indian Woodsman and its Place in the Line (1955–1960)

Background

When the original Springfield, Massachusetts Indian factory closed in 1953, the famous brand name was acquired by Brockhouse Engineering of Southport, England. Brockhouse already handled Royal Enfield exports, and from 1955–1960 they used the Indian trademark in the U.S. to sell rebadged Royal Enfields. Painted in Indian Red and badged with Indian tank emblems, these bikes were intended to keep the brand alive in America against Harley-Davidson.

The Woodsman (1955–1959)

  • Introduced in 1955, the Woodsman was essentially a Royal Enfield Bullet 500 adapted for the U.S. scrambles and trail-riding scene.
  • Features: 499cc OHV single (~30 hp), alloy barrel with cast iron liner, 4-speed Albion gearbox, Lucas magneto/dynamo electrics, 21-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels, QD (quick-detach) lighting for easy conversion from road to off-road.
  • It came with a high-level exhaust pipe, skid plate, and stripped-down looks, making it one of the earliest factory “dual-purpose” motorcycles.
  • Riders could commute during the week, then remove lights and race at the weekend.

By 1958 the line also included the Westerner, a more competition-focused sibling of the Woodsman with no lighting, different forks, and 19-inch wheels front and rear. Inside Royal Enfield, it was sometimes referred to as the “West Coast Woodsman,” which led to naming overlaps.

The Woodsman lasted until around 1959, with only minor annual tweaks, before disappearing when Brockhouse’s deal wound down.

Other Indian-Branded Models (1955–1960)

Alongside the Woodsman, Brockhouse marketed a full catalog of Enfield-based Indians to appeal to every segment:

Singles

  • Hounds Arrow (250cc) – Based on the RE Clipper, an entry-level roadster.
  • Fire Arrow (250cc) – A sportier 250 single with higher compression.
  • Woodsman (500cc) – Dual-purpose scrambler (the main U.S. competition single).
  • Westerner (500cc) – Competition-focused version of the Woodsman.

Fire Arrow

Twins

  • Trailblazer (700cc) – Based on the Super Meteor twin; a heavy touring model aimed squarely at Harley-Davidson.
  • Apache (700cc) – Sportier version of the Trailblazer with performance cams and higher spec.
  • Tomahawk (500cc) – A middleweight twin based on the Meteor 500.
  • Chief (700cc) – Styled to evoke the old Springfield Indian Chief with valanced fenders; really an RE Super Meteor/Constellation underneath.

Apache

Lightweights

  • Papoose (98cc two-stroke scooter) – A rebadged British Corgi (itself a civilianized Welbike from WWII).
  • Some 350cc Bullet-based models also appeared in brochures under the Indian name, though less prominently.

Papoose

Across these five years, around 7,000 Indian-badged Royal Enfields were sold in the U.S.—a small number compared to Harley’s production, but enough to keep the brand name visible.

End of the Brockhouse Era

By 1960, Brockhouse sold the Indian name to Associated Motor Cycles (AMC), who discontinued the Royal Enfield-based line. Royal Enfield then resumed selling under its own badge in the U.S. (most famously the Interceptor in the mid-1960s).

The Woodsman and Westerner remain historically significant because they were among the first motorcycles marketed specifically as “dual-purpose” machines in America. They bridged the gap between British off-road singles and the later purpose-built scramblers of the 1960s.