IMG_0838Indian 4 Crockerfour chop

 

Not many it seems, is it because they are an investment, to expensive to wear out, hard to get bits for, to difficult to ride or just not as good as a Chief, thinking about it probably a bit of all of the above. The 4 was always an expensive machine with only a few sold out to civilians most were sold to Police Forces, they were meticulously maintained but eventually in civilian use most fall into disrepair parts becoming hard to get and expensive, the post-war Torque 4 pictured was built but never made it into production in 1948 its got shaft drive but still plunger rear suspension so its dated for a luxury machine. I like looking and hearing 4’s but I once considered one even, looking back I’m happy with Chiefs and rarely see a Four at a rally or on the road so if they are so great where are they?

IMG_0837

 

The only reason to ride a “poor man’s Indian” is they were too expensive, now they are cheaper there is no excuse Indian’s are cheaper now than any other time in history, cheaper than the Milwaukee Tractor Co product. In the past Indians right up till 2013 were always dearer than the opposition now they are not, time to buy

IMG_0834IMG_0835IMG_0828

 

It was tested recently 128 MPH on the “baby” Scout & 129 MPH on the standard Chief  that’s over 205 KPH! These machines are both very stock so although its much faster than we need to lose our licences its nice to know they aren’t slugs. The other photo is of Floyd Clymers wife on a new $250 Scout when things were much cheaper Floyd Clymer was the manufacturer of Indian from 1968-71

VicRoadsLogo

This piece of information was in the Ballarat Light Car club (Victoria) newsletter September 2014

In the last couple of weeks at least one Club Permitted vehicle from another club was pulled over by the man in blue, and when asked to produce the vehicle entry log book, happily obliged with the appropriate entry for that day. However, when questioned about numerous specific days, when no entry had been logged, the vehicle driver adamantly stated he hadn’t entered those dates because the vehicle had not been used. The Constable then produced a police log of times, dates, places, locations, etc that the vehicle had been observed by police (and sometimes more than one officer).   It became obvious that this owner had been fudging the log book.   His log book has been confiscated as evidence (hence the vehicle can no longer be used regardless because it now doesn’t have a log book) and on inspection, the officer noted that all the entries were in pencil and previous entries had been rubbed out and superseded with a new one. He is now facing multiple charges of unregistered vehicle, falsifying documents, possibly attempting to pervert the course of justice, etc., etc. We are led to believe that an application will be made to the court in due course for the forfeiture of the plates issued to the vehicle. If found guilty, the ramifications to the Club Permit scheme may be huge. I would expect that in due course this will get back to VicRoads and who knows what is going to happen, not only to the vehicle owner but the club that issued them, and possibly every other club. No doubt that the Victoria Police will now internally publicise this incident for all members to be aware of when a club permit vehicle is seen/observed.” 

The Title of ” Victorian Logbook Club Permit Scheme” refers to a series of changes introduced by VicRoads to take effect on 1 February 2011. The regulations: Road Safety (Vehicles) Amendment (Club Permit) Regulations 2010 under which the Scheme operates, is attached for your information (and also as an insomnia cure!).   Refer also to the instructions provided with your logbook.

 The Victorian Logbook Club Permit Scheme is administered by VicRoads under the VicRoads Business Rules.   Victoria Police ensures compliance with the scheme.   Some issues of the Scheme may not be specifically addressed in the Regulations and VicRoads Business Rules and so may be open to the subjective interpretation and consequently fall within a “grey area”.

 As a consequence, where the interpretation is unclear, the IIRA recommends that the permit holder take a conservative position !!    When and if your vehicle is used, please ensure you make a legitimate entry in the log book and use biro/pen.  The entry must be in full , thus no abbreviations, no ditto marks.  The regulations explicitly state that a permit holder must not complete or partially complete entries in a log book which relate to a future day.

 In summary, the Logbook CPS requires that :

 – The holder is a financial member of a club,

– The vehicle is safe and roadworthy,

– The vehicle is not used for commercial purposes

– A logbook entry is made if the vehicle moves more than 100 metres from the vehicle’s garage address.

 Note a “day” in a logbook entry is from 12 midnight to 12 midnight.

 Correspondence with VicRoads on the CPS should be addressed:

 Club Permit Scheme

VicRoads

P.O. Box 1644

GPO

MELBOURNE 3001

Road Safety (vehicles) Amendment (Club Permit) Regulations

Guido at work

Guido at work

As announced the Editor Guy Allen has been testing the new Scout yesterday in New Zealand the small preview is listed below. thanks AMCN & MotorcycleTrader magazine

Guido’s Scout Review

Indian Motorcycle Australia Press Release - Christmas Shop Online

 

So this Indian Wish list thing how does it work, the same as Coles & Woolworth’s you start a wish list with Indian it can be clothing or accessories or I reckon a motorcycle, then you tell everyone you don’t want a pair of socks for Christmas or Jock'”s for your birthday instead they can either pay-outright for an item on your list or pay an amount toward that leather jacket etc eventually you will have the gift or pay the balance to receive your gift, what a simple idea.

741 ScoutIMG_0812

 

WWII Indian is punting the 741 as the bike to tour Europe on, 500 cc of performance and a shovel to either dig it out of a hole, hit it or bury it. The interest in these models now is different from the forties, this model was mainly used for despatch riders or convoy duty escorting trucks usually slow work and restricted top-end performance 50 M.P.H, today they are preened,pampered & polished and ridden at 60 MPH on highways so gearing the carb venturis are altered for more performance this machine in todays world is very utilitarian. The 841 on the other hand must have cost a bomb to make with a shaft drive and improved girder forks two carbs as well a much more advanced machine, but only 1000 were made and the only thing used after the war was the forks WHY? Personally after the war I would have ordered a civilian 841 people today modify the differential with BMW (the enemy) internals to get the gearing higher  which was a problem with under-gearing on this model but this machine looks heaps better than the Scout & the Moto-Gutless (Guzzi) that was produced 20 + years later and much,much better than the XA H-Davidson boxer twin that was produced at the same time as 841 but somehow this was “still born” and never made as a civilian version which happened to the Scout as well what were they thinking.

IMG_0814IMG_0822 IMG_0821

 

Imagine you take delivery of your new Scout next month, the first thing you do is book in at a professional photographer for a snapshot of you & the new machine, sounds un-real but such an investment sometimes more expensive than your house you need to cherish the moment, of course these days motorcycles are “pin-money” and houses are too expensive. The second shot is the mythical “Wooden Piston” something I have heard about and been sceptical about, my father used to talk about them in trucks but this one is a 2 stroke version I wonder what the wear rate is? The last photo is a H-D rider on a VL model or the revered “Knuckle” named Humility with his lifelong friend his childhood “Teddy Bear”in the small dolls house on the parcel rack obviously a potential H.O.G owners member

124IMG_1358IMG_1356

No Polaris isn’t making a 2014 Prince, this one is being restored by our President Daryl Colt, you can see what he started with and it’s shaping up quickly he recently hand-made the whole rear brake assembly and recovered the seat, the fuel tank was manufactured from scratch by John Bennett. In the upcoming Smoke Signals quarterly magazine Guido Allan will be doing a blow by blow article on Daryl”s adventure