The Conservative Cave

Interests => Around the House & In the Garage => Topic started by: FreeBorn on April 20, 2011, 03:42:42 PM

Title: Polaris buys Indian Motorcycle
Post by: FreeBorn on April 20, 2011, 03:42:42 PM
Polaris, who currently manufacture Victory Motorcycles is acquiring the fabled Indian Motorcycle brand.
Indian will operate as a separate independent division. Great news for fans who regard Indian as the most iconic American motorcycle, surpassing even legendary Harley Davidson which historically always played second fiddle to Indian.

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2011/04/19/polaris-buys-indian-motorcycle.html
Title: Re: Polaris buys Indian Motorcycle
Post by: Chris_ on April 20, 2011, 03:49:34 PM
Nice. :afro:

I can't afford an Indian, a Victory, or a Polaris, but that's still good news.
Title: Re: Polaris buys Indian Motorcycle
Post by: JohnnyReb on April 20, 2011, 03:56:34 PM
My uncle rode and raced Indians...until about 1955. They went out of business, he got hurt in a race and a buddy of his got killed so he hung it all up.

They were/are building them in Kings Mountain NC. That's only about 75 miles away from me and I didn't even know it. The same fellows were also building Cris Craft boats. My dad had a lot of back problems and that was the only kind of boat he would ride in. He said they just rode a lot smoother than others.

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2009/03/23/story7.html
Title: Re: Polaris buys Indian Motorcycle
Post by: IassaFTots on April 20, 2011, 07:21:07 PM
That is so awesome!   :cheersmate:

Never even been on a bike, but I know how awesome the Indian is.  Had an ex-boyfriend whose uncle worked at the Gilroy location.  He gave me a worker's t-shirt from that location.  I never wore it, and ended up giving it to my current boyfriend whose Grandpa rode one up in NY upstate as a police officer a bazillion years ago. 

If any of you are Indian lovers and you haven't seen The World's Fastest Indian, I highly recommend it. 
Title: Re: Polaris buys Indian Motorcycle
Post by: Alpha Mare on April 20, 2011, 07:53:12 PM
  If any of you are Indian lovers and you haven't seen The World's Fastest Indian, I highly recommend it. 

Love that movie!  We have one of these.
(http://motorbike-search-engine.co.uk/classic_bikes/1912_shaw_motorcycle.jpg)
Title: Re: Polaris buys Indian Motorcycle
Post by: IassaFTots on April 20, 2011, 08:03:34 PM
Love that movie!  We have one of these.
(http://motorbike-search-engine.co.uk/classic_bikes/1912_shaw_motorcycle.jpg)

That is so freakin cool!  Do you ride it, or just keep it safe??
Title: Re: Polaris buys Indian Motorcycle
Post by: Thor on April 20, 2011, 10:28:23 PM
I've not heard much good about the Victory motorcycles. The thought of buying one had crossed my mind back when I actually had money. (Three, maybe four riding months out of the year kind of made me reconsider) They're made in Minnesota and if Minnesotans don't like them, then there's something drastically wrong.
Title: Re: Polaris buys Indian Motorcycle
Post by: FreeBorn on April 21, 2011, 08:04:37 AM
I've not heard much good about the Victory motorcycles. The thought of buying one had crossed my mind back when I actually had money. (Three, maybe four riding months out of the year kind of made me reconsider) They're made in Minnesota and if Minnesotans don't like them, then there's something drastically wrong.
Bear in mind that these are the people who elected Stuart Smalley. They have fantastic fishing up there but what they hell do they know about politics or bikes?!
Title: Re: Polaris buys Indian Motorcycle
Post by: dutch508 on April 21, 2011, 09:01:21 AM
Victory is a pretty good bike with a decent rep. They are making some standard models, various body types with the same basic engine- a ****ing huge 106 ci engine.

Their Vegas 8-ball is a nice looking bike.
Title: Re: Polaris buys Indian Motorcycle
Post by: Gratiot on May 04, 2011, 08:55:25 PM
Victory is a pretty good bike with a decent rep.

+1.  Which are both traits which the current make of Indians are in desperate need of.  Indian has a splendid heritage, which they essentially only have a connection too via the purchasing of the name.
Title: Re: Polaris buys Indian Motorcycle
Post by: Alpha Mare on May 05, 2011, 08:34:22 AM
That is so freakin cool!  Do you ride it, or just keep it safe??

It's part of my husband's collection. He's rebuilding this one now, and a '45 HD.
(http://motorbike-search-engine.co.uk/classic_bikes/shaw.jpg)

This thing is scary fun...
(http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQa57I4caDKK8MdZefKYJCoOxgCuk5MIdrUT1nNOQH1F0G4TXsW&t=1)
Title: Re: Polaris buys Indian Motorcycle
Post by: IassaFTots on May 05, 2011, 08:38:46 AM
It's part of my husband's collection. He's rebuilding this one now, and a '45 HD.
(http://motorbike-search-engine.co.uk/classic_bikes/shaw.jpg)

This thing is scary fun...
(http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQa57I4caDKK8MdZefKYJCoOxgCuk5MIdrUT1nNOQH1F0G4TXsW&t=1)

So cool!
Title: Re: Polaris buys Indian Motorcycle
Post by: JohnnyReb on May 05, 2011, 08:51:44 AM
It's part of my husband's collection. He's rebuilding this one now, and a '45 HD.

Is that a "1945 HD" or an old "Army 45"?

The reason I ask back about 1960 I was riding an old "ARMY 45 HD".

Hand shift, foot clutch and a knee action for suspension....oh what fun.