Indian® Motorcycles For Sale in St. Charles, MO
Whether it’s countryside road trips or city cruises you’re looking for, we have the perfect Indian® motorcycle for you in our quality inventory. Our lineup delivers a range of innovative and ergonomic features that elevate your riding experience to new heights. Hurry to our Indian® motorbike dealership in St. Charles, MO, and get yours today!
Indian Motorcycle®
Founded as the Hendee Manufacturing Company by George M. Hendee in 1897, Indian Motorcycle® has been an enduring brand of American-made motorcycles through the last century. From their beginnings as bicycle makers and the adoption of the American Indian name, to their eventual ups and downs in the industry, Indian Motorcycle® continues to be one of the stars of vehicle manufacturing in this country.
After three years of making bicycles, George Hendee teamed up with Oscar Hedstrom to design three prototype motorcycles. Their eventual model featuring a 1.75 bhp single-cylinder engine was a great success and dramatically increased sales for Hendee and his young company. The first Indian production models were available by 1902 with chain drives and a slick frame. The very next year, the world motorcycle speed record was set by a rider on an Indian® bike. They found competitive success with their first V-twin factory racer, making strong showings in races and record-breaking rides. Racing success led to the introduction of a V-twin for street models and roadster modeled after the factory racer. Further market growth derived from competitive success spurred technical innovations up to the start of World War I.
World War I saw Indian Motorcycle® selling most of its 1917-18 Powerplus line to the United States Government, which had the unfortunate effect of hurting the domestic availability of their products. Many Indian® dealers simply went out of business, which turned into a bigger problem after the war when there weren’t many loyal dealerships left. Other manufacturers had swooped in to fill the Indian-Motorcycle®-sized hole left in American markets, and Indian® lost its position as the #1 maker in the US.
Many Indian® bikes, including Chiefs, Scouts, and Junior Scouts, were used for a number of purposes by the United States Army as well as by allied British forces. However, none of these models could quite make the same impact (with civilians or military) as Indian® had several decades before. Their war-time designs were heavy, expensive, or both. The only model that saw wide use was the 841, which was designed and built at the request of the United States Army for fighting in the deserts of North Africa. However, the 841 wasn’t adopted for wide military use.
After the end of World War II, a group headed by Ralph B. Rogers purchased a controlling share of Indian Motorcycle®. Rogers took over operations and, under his guidance, Indian® discontinued many of their successful lines and focused primarily on lightweight designs. While several innovations made their way into production models — including the Indian-head fender light and chrome components — production of traditional Indian® motorcycles was extremely limited. By 1953, all product manufacturing had ended. The Indian Motorcycle® brand was tossed back and forth between several controlling groups, popping up with different names, designs, and manufacturers. None had the same spirit or success as anything before Rogers took over.
It wasn’t until April 2011 that Polaris® Industries, the off-road vehicle maker, announced its intention to acquire Indian Motorcycle®. Indian’s production facilities were moved to Spirit Lake, Iowa, where production began in August of the same year. Since 2013, Indian® has expanded its lineup to ten models, seven of which feature Thunderstroke 111 1.82 liter engines, with their other models using smaller displacement, liquid-cooled Scout® engines. With a history of quality motorcycles and a future rife with innovation, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more appealing brand. For a look at some of the best new and used Indian® motorcycles around, head into our showroom in St. Charles, Missouri, near St. Louis and Columbia, and serving St. Peters. Come in today and let our team of courteous experts answer your questions and help you find what you’re looking for.
Origins
After three years of making bicycles, George Hendee teamed up with Oscar Hedstrom to design three prototype motorcycles. Their eventual model featuring a 1.75 bhp single-cylinder engine was a great success and dramatically increased sales for Hendee and his young company. The first Indian production models were available by 1902 with chain drives and a slick frame. The very next year, the world motorcycle speed record was set by a rider on an Indian® bike. They found competitive success with their first V-twin factory racer, making strong showings in races and record-breaking rides. Racing success led to the introduction of a V-twin for street models and roadster modeled after the factory racer. Further market growth derived from competitive success spurred technical innovations up to the start of World War I.
Mid-Century
World War I saw Indian Motorcycle® selling most of its 1917-18 Powerplus line to the United States Government, which had the unfortunate effect of hurting the domestic availability of their products. Many Indian® dealers simply went out of business, which turned into a bigger problem after the war when there weren’t many loyal dealerships left. Other manufacturers had swooped in to fill the Indian-Motorcycle®-sized hole left in American markets, and Indian® lost its position as the #1 maker in the US. Many Indian® bikes, including Chiefs, Scouts, and Junior Scouts, were used for a number of purposes by the United States Army as well as by allied British forces. However, none of these models could quite make the same impact (with civilians or military) as Indian® had several decades before. Their war-time designs were heavy, expensive, or both. The only model that saw wide use was the 841, which was designed and built at the request of the United States Army for fighting in the deserts of North Africa. However, the 841 wasn’t adopted for wide military use.
Post-War Decline and Contemporary Ascension
After the end of World War II, a group headed by Ralph B. Rogers purchased a controlling share of Indian Motorcycle®. Rogers took over operations and, under his guidance, Indian® discontinued many of their successful lines and focused primarily on lightweight designs. While several innovations made their way into production models — including the Indian-head fender light and chrome components — production of traditional Indian® motorcycles was extremely limited. By 1953, all product manufacturing had ended. The Indian Motorcycle® brand was tossed back and forth between several controlling groups, popping up with different names, designs, and manufacturers. None had the same spirit or success as anything before Rogers took over.It wasn’t until April 2011 that Polaris® Industries, the off-road vehicle maker, announced its intention to acquire Indian Motorcycle®. Indian’s production facilities were moved to Spirit Lake, Iowa, where production began in August of the same year. Since 2013, Indian® has expanded its lineup to ten models, seven of which feature Thunderstroke 111 1.82 liter engines, with their other models using smaller displacement, liquid-cooled Scout® engines. With a history of quality motorcycles and a future rife with innovation, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more appealing brand. For a look at some of the best new and used Indian® motorcycles around, head into our showroom in St. Charles, Missouri, near St. Louis and Columbia, and serving St. Peters. Come in today and let our team of courteous experts answer your questions and help you find what you’re looking for.