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The Ups And Downs Of Indian Motorcycle Company
During 1920 Indian Motorcycle came out with a superb motorcycle which was called Indian Scout motorcycle and was used by everyone from police to motorcycle racer. This motorcycle which was in use till 1939 had a low frame and better handling. India was also producing engines for aircraft and motors for boats, air conditioner and cycles throughout World War II.
The Indian Scout was introduced in 1920. It had a 37 cubic inch (596 cc) engine that enlarged in size to 45 cubic inches (745 cc) in 1927. That increase in engine size was an answer to the popular Excelsior Super X, which was the first American 45 cubic inch motorcycle.
When 101 Scout was introduced in 1928 the Indian Motorcycle fans felt that it was the ultimate in Indian Motorcycle technology. However Scout started using the body of another Indian's famous model called Chief in 1931 which pleased its admirers to no end.
Between 1932 and 1941 the Scout fans saw a succession of smaller Scout motorcycles which may have been done to satisfy its supporters. These motorcycles had small engines of only 30.50 cubic inch and were called Scout Pony, the Junior Scout, and the Thirty-Fifty.
In the early decades of the 20th century, the Indian Motorcycle Company and Harley Davidson were the two alternatives for the traditional American heavyweight cruiser. The two companies were ferocious rivals, and this rivalry is chronicled in the book called The Harley-Davidson and Indian Wars by Allan Girdler. While the Scout was a runaway bestseller, Harley-Davidson proved to be a very formidable opponent.
To give an example of speed Burt Munro, a New Zealander and a motorcycle racer set a record in land speed under-1000cc between 1962 and 1967 with his 47 year old 1920 modified Indian Scout motor cycle. At the time he himself was 68 years old and nobody has been able to defeat this record till today. This shows the speed and stoutness of Indian Scout motor cycle. There were other achievements too and everything taken together was made into a movie in 2005 called The World's Fastest Indian.
The company Indian Motorcycles witnessed a series of problems and was finally declared bankrupt in 1977. In 1935 controlling interest of Indian Motorcycles was sold and by 1946 it stopped manufacturing any motorcycle. After that till 1977 it changed hands several times. Through out 1980s and1990s the company was fighting court battles over the ownership of the brand name.
Finally, in December 1998, the claim was settled in Federal court in Denver. IMCOA Licensing America, Inc. was awarded the trademark, and the Indian Motorcycle Company of America was shaped as a corporation of nine companies. Production began again in 1999, and Scout models were manufactured from 2001 to 2003, until the company went bankrupt again.
In 2006 Indian Motorcycle was set up again in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. They started manufacturing the Chief model but Scout model was not being produced anymore.
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