Just added a YouTube link on Rodger Donaldson’s documentary on making the Fastest Indian movie all good modern history for the brand. In between working on a 1948 Chief I have just recently bought & am brightening it up for your favourite editor “Guido Allan” for the Great Race in 2012, it is with trepidation he is using it as much is different than the 2003 Chief Vintage he normally rides, although a professional motorcycle journalist, the boy hasn’t lived having never ridden a hand change, foot clutch motorcycle with limited braking & suspension travel, 6v electrics, poor fuel consumption & costing more than his annual salary. I have told him the throttle is on the normal side(right) to overcome his worries (this hasn’t helped) ,kickstarters are no problem as he owns a Sunbeam with a rod through the block, which he used to kick before it “lunched” itself, last time I saw him he had the Worry Beads out. Next week-end is the Association Monthly Run check the Events Calendar to know where & when we start. Member Phillip White is writing a new article on 2003 Spirit (S&S) that member Noel Thornby gave him to ride at the Crazy Horse Rally recently, Phillip was surprised as after ridden Gilroy Powerplus engined machines & King’s Mountain models that this model was better than previously thought & in his words “Seriously underrated”. Speaking about other Indian’s brings me to the point of V-Prez Mark, his brother Rick just bought a Indian Trail Blazer from Classic Style over the weekend so we have yet another new Member, the machine is pictured below & very nice to I must say
Just got this link on Jim Mosher’s double engined Indian Scout at Bonneville , click on the link below, also after much whinging I have sorted out the YouTube Area into Contemporary, Humour, Historical & Technical all 61 entries, the other thing that is coming on is our Forum Area should have this operating next week
I know Stop Press is a popular page but so are the others which I update regularly, the Image & Video’s page is another one that a lot of people overlook but is a gem with a lot of interesting things about Indian or things that affected Indian History up to today as you all know a Indian is a Indian end of story. A couple of photo’s of a member”s recently acquired Indian that will be at the Great Race in 2012. I have posted other shots of this beautiful example of early Indian design recently, also for the more contemporary owners a combination of old & late.
Chris K…. went to this in 2010 the YouTube links in this site are wonderful, if I win the lottery I would love to go to this, it’s on my “Bucket list”
A mottley crew heads off across Europe, in 1953. (Pic is copyright)
It was the Summer of 1953 (the year the Indian Springfield factory closed its doors) when a chap called Geoffrey Gander, and a few mates, set off on a European holiday on their motorcycles.
This lovely tale is worth a scan when you get a spare moment – mostly for the pictures. No Indians in the group, but for V-twin fans there’s an SS100 Brough Superior, plus (shock, horror! – Guido) a couple of Sunbeams.
(Please note the pics are copyright and the author would appreciate a small donation to help him cover the web bills. See the end of the story for the donation link.)
A couple of links on a huge hoard of various bikes for sale in USA
Hemming’s Link & Buck’s Indians link
John Smith El President has returned from USA & is writing a story on his trip, meanwhile a picture has been provided by him I think this is from the famous Barn Ride Meeting
Cute, isn't it? Motorcycles and their cultural influence headline an exhibit in the USA.
Chris Knoop sent us a link on The Wall of Death click on the highlight
The Morris Museum in New Jersey, USA, is running an exhibit on the influence of motorcycles on culture. See this link
We have started a Tech Article area for people who sometime need some advice on repairs or mods to their Indian, this first one is the re-print of the Electric Moccasin article by Phillip White that was printed in our quarterly magazine Smoke Signals. There is another in the wind about Topping Your Chief that proves you don’t need a $1000,000 to fix your machine that some of the professionals charge, basically our machines were built in a simpler time where regular maintenance was done in the field not in a high-tech workshop, as a matter of fact lots of Indian’s in WW11 were overhauled in very adverse conditions with service personal that were trained in 3 weeks (see pictures below)! The Myth that surrounds Indian’s that they are hard to repair astounds many, but in saying this they must be repaired to factory specs & methodically to have a useful reliable service life with regular maintenance, some things such as machining or welding need to be given to a professional that can be provided by the many listed in our Parts & Repairers Area, meanwhile enjoy the first article in our series.
This section is open to all enthusiasts whether you are a IIRA member or not. If you have some expertise or handy hints on keeping those wheels turning we would like to hear from you. Just drop us a line at unionjack@unionjack.com.au. or guyallen@optusnet.com.au .If you are a club member and require help on a particular problem just log onto our “Members Only” area .
Thanks to Australian War Memorial for use of their photos which were copyrighted but are now expired, these pictures are on public domain
Our shiny new Facebook page
Thanks to Connie, Phil, and others, we have a Facebook page up and running.
It’s early days and the content will be chaotic.
For those of you with an account, use this link and drop in, add your thoughts, pix, diaries, whatever. Don’t forget to click the ‘like’ button.
Oh, and if you feel inspired to drop a story on Facebook, why not send it to me for our next club mag, too?
Guy “Guido” Allen
Email: guyallen@optusnet.com.au
The Crazy Horse Rally at Corryong was a huge success thanks to Victory Motorcycles, Classic Style, Hoggies Country Bakehouse, Corryong Historic Machinery Club, Cudgewa Hotel, & Mountain View Motel all these business’s either supplied raffle prizes, donated food ,a Function Room, & also to all the Marshall’s that helped on the corners, without them it would not have happened & we are forever in your debit. Financial members will have a full report next week in you quarterly Smoke Signals Magazine.
