Californians are the most prolific viewers of our site out of all the states in USA, well over 2,200 hits and twice as many as anybody else in America, the West Coast shares lots with us in Aussie besides Indian’s and the weather, but the advert they are running on TV here must make them feel funny. Meanwhile thanks for the support guys
Our Affiliate Club The Indian Club of W.Aust always sends their monthly news letters Indian News they are painfully put together by Murray Morrel and I always anticipate a very good read, until recently they were 2-3 months behind but Murray has given me permission the reproduce all now up to the current version. The page is on our Membership Page then “drop down” to Section News – W.Aust there are now 26 Editions to read in the meantime to get you started click on the link provided below
Ever wondered what a Torque Evener would be like on your old pre-1950 Indian Chief, without a major tear-down & at least $1,000 in cold hard cash laid out. Somebody is apparently ready to make these again as they originally broke the spring, new ones will be stronger in this area apparently, the beauty is it fits behind the standard chaincase on the tapered mainshaft. rumour also is a Scout one is in the wind as well
Zorro’s has a small list of new products in stock click on the link below, the picture above is somebodys idea of a low flying Indian, at least there wont be wheel bearing problems
Burt Munro used to have the worlds fastest Velocette as well as his world famous Indian although not as much publicity surrounds his exploits on the pre-war MSS it was at the time extremely fast, that is until now Denis Quinlan ex KTT services sent this report below
“Just got a message from Stuart Hooper that all went well on the salt at Lake Gairdner Sth Australia with his Velocette ,he went faster”. This time 183.370 mph!
Thor motorcycles were made by The Aurora Machine and Tool Company, which began as a machine shop in 1886, providing forging, castings and parts for many bike manufacturers.The history of Thor is closely tied to the history of Indian motorcycles, as somewhere around 1901, Oscar Hedstrom of the Indian Moto Cycle Company accompanied an Indian prototype to the Aurora factory – Aurora had been supplying the Hendee company with castings for their bicycles. After several months of collaboration, the Aurora company produced a new motor design of Hendee. The two companies struck an agreement that entitled the Aurora Company to supply engines for Indian as well as have the freedom to sell additional motors to other companies, paying royalties to the Indian company, so long as Aurora did not enter into direct competition with Indian. By 1902, Aurora had produced almost 150 motors for Indian. In 1903, the Aurora Company produced a catalog of parts from which a motorcycle could be built, with the exception of a frame. Thus began the Thor Moto Cycle and Bicycle Company. From 1903-1905, Thor components remained largely unchanged, and many manufacturer’s designs, including Indian, are very similar. When the Indian Moto Cycle Company gained their own in-house foundry to produce parts, Thor offered complete machines, ending the prior agreement with Indian. By 1908, Thor offered both battery and magneto ignition, as well as either chain or belt drive. They developed a design featuring a twin with automatic intake valves, which had been problematic for both Indian and Harley. Thor continued to make advancements, changing with the needs of an ever-growing popularity of motorcycling, and the racing culture.In 1916, Thor offered a three-speed transmission, which was one of the last design changes initiated by the company. While the Aurora Company continued to manufacture forgings and components to other motorcycle makers such as Reading Standard, Indian, Merkel, Henderson, and Harley, by 1918 the Thor Moto Cycle Company was producing less. By 1920, the board of directors announced a cease of production of Thor motorcycles, however Thor continued to produce power tools and home appliances such as washing machines, irons, and dishwashers.
This makes me wonder the picture on the left shows how things have changed in motorcycles but then again I suppose washing machines, irons and dishwashers have as well, Thor still exists note the review below that was on the internet and a picture of a new front loader.
Excellent I’ve had my thor Washing Machine for 12 years. Its never needed repair and I use it daily. One of the best appliances I’ve ever owned.very reliable. Never breaks down. easy to use. Lasts a long time
More pictures to come around 300 I believe, the Gypsy Tour “Run of the Murray” is still happening as I write this blog I left Mildura yesterday and rode 534 klms to Melbourne due to work commitments. The great thing about this tour is you can come and go at any time which works out perfect for the self-employed, Mark Barthelmie at Zorro’s being a case like myself, others are continuing till Saturday. I was fortunate to ride one of the two 111″s on the run they performed faultlessly fuel consumption yesterday was 5.8 lts per 100 klms as the trip was 110 klm per hour for a lot of the way although at 100 klms an hour 5 ltrs per 100 (55 mpg in the old money) is very good with screen,top box & saddle bags fully loaded Chris Horner kindly lent me the machine which now is fully run-in and the fuel consumption has rapidly improved since my first ride. The modern Indian can at 100 kph get 400 klm’s from a tank of fuel it holds 20 liters, the stopping and handling is unsurpassed and definitely far beyond the opposition and the cruise control is “icing on the cake” Meanwhile the others on Springfield Chiefs were going well with no breakdowns the oldest was Peter Kime’s 1938 with its 4 speed overdrive gearbox purchased from the new Australian agent Zorro’s he was sitting very comfortably on 100 all the way and as a stock 74 cu, it was no problems he told me “its got a new lease on life” for him, Ric and Mark Barthelmie rode a 1946 74cu with no problems & it was nice to see Ric & their mother out from the UK for the event, at 75 years old and “dead keen” on what her boys are doing. We had a fellow Don from our associate Club the Indian Club of WAust enjoying his 1944 that he has owned for 40 years he is a very interesting chap as he told me how to up the gearing on a 840 Indian using BMW R 75/5 diff internals 16% higher ratio I believe that would help them as they are under-geared, he had a mate in Mildura a member of the MAD FUCKERS ,(Millewa and District Fully Unrestored Car Keepers) they are an interesting group they specialize in Wars Fought, Revolutions Started, Assassinations Plotted, Governments Run,Uprisings quelled, Chickens plucked, channels swum,Women Seduced, Tigers Tamed, bars emptied, computers verified, orgies organized, Airplanes driven, & wine tasted, trenches dug or so their card says! The guy was driving a 1927 Buick converted to a Ute and un-restored of course, Chris Horners 1947 was running very well, Phillip Whites gearbox was noisy, John Fontanella was happy except for Phillips snoring, Steve York was running in his machine to name a few that were on the part of the tour that I was in I believe Garry Hogg left in Shepparton as he is a baker and had work commitments. The next International Gypsy Tour is one for your bucket list
Australia has embraced post-war Indian’s with gusto over the last 30 years before that they were equivalent to H-D”s , just another “Yank Tank” as British,Italian & Jap bikes were the machines to have. Most of the reason post WWII were tariffs applied to vehicles imported from USA hence GM started building Holden’s here in 1948. Nearly all Indian’s or H-D”s were old 344’s or WLA’s a handful of machines were fully imported at great expense from the States the amount that would arrive were in the tens not even hundreds as they so expensive, this picture appeared on the web it is a NSW registered outfit I could imagine you could have bought three British bikes or a car instead for its cost especially seeing we were making four or five brands of sidecars in Australia at the time it would have had more tax applied, so this lady has the right to smile as possibly she would never see another like it on the road
The Lakes & Craters Rally over the week-end was perfect, great weather, good companionship, fantastic scenery & odd breakdowns what more could you ask for? On Saturday we had a mixed bunch of riders with us from the local area and we rode to Apollo Bay for lunch Peter Welding & Ian Rhook are always good at picking top rides in this area as they are or have been locals, thanks heaps chaps, the run on Sunday morning to Timboon was although short, memorable and the brunch stop is, as always nice at the Timboon brewery, the natives and tourists of this area were all over the two new 111 Indian’s that attended. A couple of failures our Prez’s 1947 “lunched” his Kabota generator & also the IPE electronic ignition also Phillip White”s A10 BSA that was on loan to John F did the same to a Pazon electronic ignition, this in a way was good as John was driving back-up which saved our Prez it was a good weekend enjoyed by all. Toyota the last car manufacturer is leaving the country in 2017 Ford & GM are doing the same although all company’s will still import into Australia, the killer is loss of jobs, the poster in the middle was produced in WW2 it could be altered to suit today “He’s going North” funny to think they got here in the end, not to rule and are now leaving. The next photo is typically Harley after I read an unreasonably large percentage figure of something about 70% of Harley’s ever made are still on the road (broken down I reckon) this is a “typical Knuckle Dragger” who has yet to discover motorcycles are to be ridden & not carried
