I’ve been meaning to put this on the site since the article on “Beware of European brake conversions” appeared in your last Smoke Signals a more humourous photo of an over used front brake that has suffered with over-heating
It’s good to read Indian sales are up and Harley sales are down for the much of forseeable future while trading on heritage only for Harley, this could be only the start of things to come what with less sales and less production and as in the past a sell-off, who knows Polaris may buy them out! A number of years ago when Gilroy’s were starting out Dave Reidie of the famous Harley City shop told me he pleaded with Willy G Davidson to buy the Indian brand and moth-ball it forever, Willy laughed and told him “Indian would never be a threat to Harley” I remember going to the IFMA show in Cologne 1991 and seeing the honcho at BMW wishing Triumph all the best on reappearing and hoped they would survive into a profitable future now the biggest threat to them is Triumph with the Tiger outstripping GS sales and the Trophy marketing against there touring range not to mention the sport bike sales. Triumph and BMW are the largest selling European brands in the world and Triumph sells more than the whole of the Italian industry put together!
Those who are going to the International Gypsy Tour 2018 had better pay by 20th of this month as all entries are closed from that date, you can come after that date but all meals accomodation, will have to be booked by yourself as with the carrying of your baggage
Your President Pete has done another marvelous review on the recent Crazy Horse Rally held at Coroyong held last month (click on link below) in which he mentions Steve’s Chief pictured above the original engine from infamous Chief as the Black Bastard its pictured beside of its frame which is now the Vindian, funny how wrecking a bike can produce two.
Chris Horner has announced the Gypsy Tour 2018 dates, so up the old Hume Highway and back down the Princes Hwy from the 17/03/18 till 25/03/18 (a week before Easter) all details are either on the calendar page or above in the Stop Press area or below on the links, there is a limit of 20 people and all deposits to be paid for by the end of this month. This event is only open to current financial members, and the entries will be taken thus, Springfield models first, then all other Indians of any era, followed by only Red Plate eligible machines and lastly if there is any space the rest, do not book unless you fall in this criteria you will not be welcome with your new Harvest Glide. I paid my deposit in March when the Expression of Interest forms came out so those of you that never looked at this really are not interested in going! After the rooms are booked there will be no refunds, so make a certain decision not to loose your money.
2018 Gypsy Tour Itinerary Sheet1
Interesting line up of machines one Springfield one Gilroy and the rest Sprit Lake with a Small Heath, Milwaukee and a “Grifter” yesterday and with 14 people in all, a great ride and lunch venue Richard Onyon and Captan Slow (Owen) would have to call it a success, a full report from your President Pete below.
Iron Indian Riders Monthly Ride 1 Oct 2017
In the last week Polaris-Indian have announced building bikes in India (see link below), the motorcycle industry today is very incestuous with VW owning Ducati & selling it to Eicher (Royal Enfield) Triumph twins built-in Taiwan, Harley 500-750 in India, AJS and Zundapp in China, its understandable new growth markets not relying or ageing baby boomers and millions of bike orientated people ready to exploit, its got to work with the added advantage of the bikes get cheaper, the new Bonneville Triumph is a absolute bargain at $18,000. The picture above shows how it was when labour rates were cheaper in USA and manufacturers could turn a profit and sell everything they could make with a waiting list of a couple of years, hard to imagine now isnt it?
I don’t know how an advert like this would go today but for all our 741 Scout owners out there the only drag your likely to get into is the back-end of a Camel or riding this week-end at the Crazy Horse Rally, Phillip White has got the new Falcon Ute all organised with an electric winch for the loading of his bikes and I have seen it in action it works a treat and reasonably easy to “lash up” for those that are going this weekend ask him for a demo. There is now two bobbers in the Association, I quite like this one especially the paint work