The week-ends here again and to cheer you up in Winter nothing like a good laugh.
Sammy Vella is an eccentric but good engineer he always looks for solutions even when they might not exist, anyway he has helped me personally on the construction of the all important rear engine mount on the Vindian and advice on other subjects as well and I like many regard him as a friend. So Sam has a 1938-39 Sport Scout and decided he wanted rear suspension, so looking at various other machines with cantilever Vincent & Brough Superior he favoured the Bentley & Draper suspension on the Brough, this for most mere mortals would be a problem, not Sam he just went ahead and made it all. So if you have a engineering problem contact the man at SJV Engineering 0413 180857
Indian has announced that the new 2015 models will have two-tone paint work also the Chieftan will have rear footboards & a toe-heel gearchange will be also brought back, so here we have pictures of Indian over 100 years apart, things came along quickly in the past, transmissions, electric lights, brakes, suspension were introduced within 5 years of this racing model. Hopefully on August 3rd at Sturgis things will be a little more exciting when the range will be officially released, these days people expect a lot more. Fixing saddlebags on Chief Vintages would help on the current models, leather dressing does’nt help at all as four cans of Dubbin has proved.
Yes time to poke more fun at our Bogan cousins on their H-D”s, never mind keep saving boys then you can afford to buy a Indian. (click on image to enlarge)
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Winter reading for those people who misguidingly thought Indian stopped in 1953 till 2014 we have a great touring article, and a real period piece for the old Springfield enthusiasts as we all know the factory closed in 1969.
The First Members
Time to reflect, in April 2010 the Iron Indian Riders of Aust had its first meeting, after the start we all agreed a “Indian was an Indian” whatever year which was unlike any other Indian Club in Australia this was our main reason for forming & unknowingly at that time in just 2 years Indian would back in fulltime production. Anyway one of our first motions was we needed to give value to our members & it was imperative that a up-to-date website was put into action your webmaster got the job and have been at it through 3 years and 11 months. At first I never thought half a million hits would be achievable but the secret is keeping it “live” other Clubs suffer with months of nothing happening on their website except a calendar event or a motorcycle for sale, your website has something new 3 or 4 times a week hence it has many views. I mentioned last week 22 reasons to renew your subs that are currently due the website is only a small part of a great Association the members make it, time to open the wallet
Last Sundays ride the first stop at John Bennett ‘s in Kinglake, this is a shed tour of perhaps mammoth proportions as John makes tinware ie fuel tanks, guards tool boxes etc also made lots of stuff for Chris Knoops veteran car and Invincible JAP. It is rare that John let’s people in ‘The Holy of Holies’ so it was worth going, then on to Yea for a sumptuous lunch at the Red Plate Cafe. Steve York recently dismantled his 1959 Indian Chief and the previous owner had left this message, obviously frustrated I would say!
Friday is the day to hang shite on H-D’s seeing a lot of people have asked for more of our Bogan cousins, the two photos are typically H-D both have tried to improve the standard handling with I believe, some success. Beside the Smoke Signals due out, don’t forget the Sunday ride this weekend all details in the Events Calender Area
No it’s not the range of new 111 off road models it’s a new Spares link in the top header. This is for our advertisers who may have an Indian related product for sale, or maybe offering a discount to Association Members this has been embraced by fellow member Mark Barthelmie and as the owner of Zorro’s he has also pioneered the new moving link in the border area which he has supplied, these are available to all our sponsored advertises at no extra cost