This is what the American arm of Polaris Indian does, the V.P contacts the owners personally to apologize for delays and explains whats happening to your ordered machine, this might just work here instead of what we are getting in Aussie, my new hero pictured below Steve Menneto

Indian Motorcycles.

Dear Scott ,

We are writing today to update you on the status of your Indian Scout. Before we do that, we want to say again, we appreciate your patience during our production delays.

I have a 344 Chief and I”ve never thought of it as life saver, sometimes it has done the opposite as a life ender with seriously inadequate brakes, average lighting and antiquated suspension but I digress as that is my 2015 view of a 1944 machine and technology. To judge anybody or machines on todays standards is difficult for example Fangio, Hailwood, Surtees, Bradman Ned Kelly of course vehicles are the same E type Jaguar, 1956 Chevy’s, 1966 Ford Mustang & motorcycles 1944 Chief,Indian Four”s, Harley Knucklehead, Vincent Black Shadow etc what you need to do is put yourself in the particular era then you can see how great or important the machine or person was, its hard to do if you have a 70 yo plus machine because many owners were not even born. Some legends and horrors are forgotten when I was a lad of eighteen summers I remember everyone that knew anything about Indians said ” Don’t buy a 741 Scout they are a s**t heap and slow  and run hot and unless given one for under $25 don’t even contemplate it” so whats happened here to make 741″s desirable have they got faster, more reliable or better running, well no, but the old timers are all dead now and the legends and stories have altered and grown, people now don’t think of a Scout as a poor mans Chief anymore they buy them and like them and they are accepted amongst all Indian owners as a good bike and seem to change hands for $16,000 to $20,000 and more which proves “Time waits for no man or machine”

The good news from Polaris-Indian is that a very small handful of Scout’s will be delivered next Friday so I know at least 3 of the 12 ordered for Iron Indian Riders will be happy. I believe some people are waiting for the new version to be available after the launch presumably at Sturgis in August so theoretically they will here for summer, apparently there are 200 of the contemporary 2015 model sold here already!

 

Hi all just a quick rundown on my first 1000kms on the Scout after  about six weeks first service @800kms $306.00 later there are a few minor problems with it  the front is very soft and the rear is as well,  rear brake lever could be a little longer don’t get enough feel while wearing boots, red light in speedo at night hard to read  plenty of power at any time it is not a city bike as every time you stop at lights the fan comes on to cool down motor don’t like stop start riding but loves touring open roads problem with damaged  tank will be replaced at later date all (no parts are here yet  rear seat rear pegs) brakes  are ok in dry not ridden in wet yet, in all on all very pleased with it. Dave Wallace

 

Working on motorcycles daily I see lots of wear on machines some on engines & wheels but lots on forks which are rarely maintained, sometimes seized or leaking and also bent. Obviously this is not unique to this era as the photos above prove, the results to both riders are lethal with lots of pain and no gain I would suggest you have a quick look over your forks before your next ride on some Indians a grease gun will be all you need, telefork models need an oil change once a year a small bit of maintenance can save a dangerous situation