The Smoke Signals is out & time to vote

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Lots of reading this month in the latest magazine, also the nomination form for the AGM, which brings me to the point Daryl Colt is at the end of his tenure. When the Iron Indian Riders started we drafted the constitution to have the executive committee changed every couple of years this was because I have been in other clubs in the past that have executive members staying so long in their post that they eventually treat the club and members as their own! So as we are more liberally minded & we change these top men over regularly as it keeps interest going and new blood with new ideas, this also means that if you are President etc you’re not stuck there forever so it is more attractive to stand for the job, just imagine being stuck with Julia Gillard for years! So we want you please think about a post and remember you’re the one that will benefit

RACV Roadside Assist cover

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Recently someone in our association asked me about break-down cover, we offer NSW Motorcycle Alliance cover but personally I go with RACV Roadside assist. Now a number of years ago I swore I would have nothing to do with them (RACV) after having my father-in-law suffer a heart attack in Queensland and unfortunately died I rang the RACV to ask them to bring his car and trailer home, him being a member for 50 years accounted for nothing as they said and I quote ” He’s dead so we no longer cover him and you will have to find means of returning the vehicle yourself, if he was in hospital alive we can offer this service as part of his package” after driving a CM Valiant & trailer 1800 klms back to Melbourne over 2 days I was”nt overly impressed. Recently after a mate (Chris Horner) broke down in Bright I had second thoughts he rang  and within half an hour they picked up the bike and delivered him back to Melbourne, and if he was on holiday he was offered another vehicle, and or accommodation if his bike was being repaired, not only that they covered if he was driven or driving someone elses bike/car that broke down he was covered and this vehicle was picked up as well, top this off with your wife’s/ partners vehicle was on the same coverage and any car or motorcycle that you own! Well all that for $220 a year I’ve got 14 vehicles covered, my missus had her car on a factory emergency assist thing at $160 a year and it only covered her vehicle needless to say I joined cancelled her factory cover and I am happy. So I suppose there is always a sheep nearby in a paddock to tow your Indian but you know $220 is bugger all when the sheep gets tired.

Now I really need to re-order again

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Sandy Barthelmie’s 2015 Scout the way the factory should make it, isn’t it a knock-out?

So you want a Indian but only have a worthless Evo

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New 741 & more are coming

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I just want one (without the Tomson M1)! Its the start of the new platform for Scouts out in June, the Sports Scout with wire wheels of course thats my next bet, we know it will be sometime before they land here in Australia with the log jam of 2015 Scouts on order locally, but dont be fooled there will be new production models shown as I predicted very soon. The Dark Horse was one out of the bag denials everywhere from the local importers but blow me down its out and for sale in months, Scouts are running on two assembly lines now to catch up with demand this wont take long.

741 is the first of the new range  (click on highlight)

1948 Chief vs 1947 Knuckle, did it ever stand a chance?

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Peter Kime sent me this article from Indian Illustrated 1997 & its worth reproducing, I bite my tongue as I say this is probably the only Harley I’d have if I had a Colt 45 aimed at my families heads, that said I would own even a Honda step-thru in front of the Hog, but a good article anyway. Pictured above a year earlier Chief & the Knuckle in its original setting.

 

Chief vs Knucklehead

Those were the days

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Our esteemed editor has done it again

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About three years ago my friend Guy Allan was invited to a Midnight Express Run he attended on a late model bike and sniggered at us poor fools riding badly lit, hand shift motorcycles at 12-00 midnight, after some persuasion I invited him to compete in the Great Race on my 1948 Chief the infamous “Black Bastard”. He enjoyed it and soon after bought a 2003 Chief  Vintage then a short time later my 1947 Chief, he’s sucked in your saying, well today we see Guido picking up his brand new  2013 Kings Mountain off Zorro’s Mark Barthelmie, I think we have got the lad for good now I bet he’s regretting going to that Midnight Run.

700,000 hits and more to come

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So 700,000 hits in just over four years, 1 million is the goal so what do I find to write about Indians, I ask that every time that a blog is written. The best is when a new owner has a bike he”s just bought like Owen Jones did last week-end a 1947 Chief or it may be an existing owner excited about the paint job on his restored Indian 4 as John Munn is here, new Scout Owners that are lucky to have received their machine are another enthusiastic bunch, but unfortunately these people don’t turn up everyday so that s when I rely on members sending in photos ie: the two Scouts pictured. So you know what I like reading whats happening as much as you do and so does the rest of the world (over 169 countries) so it seems, it is an enviable Association to be a member of we want your ideas, thoughts and restoration pains and pleasures or perhaps a review on your new or old model I”m all ears! If you say I hav”nt got any time, well mate I have not had a weekend or even Easter off in six weeks fixing 9 Triumph Twin motors beat that, and I still write something at least weekly.

A perfect Sunday Ride, and a new Indian owner

 

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Great weather & plenty  of sunshine with 9 Indians, one Triumph 750 Bonneville and a Moto-Gutless 1000  lead to a nice ride to Yea via Strath Creek. Not uneventful though with a loose Battery and a lost petrol cap, but no breakdowns. What was the Guzzi owner Owen Jones thinking after picking up his 1947 Chief yesterday, (pictured above) wel he’s itching to get it going and on the road, not at all discouraged after fixing the odd Springfield today. Richard Onyon was out on the 2015 silver Scout and we had a couple of Polaris Chiefs as well as  No 1 Ken Hager, Phillip White was on Chip’s, and the delightful Sandy Barthelmie kept us all in order, days like these should go on forever