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

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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.

 

 

From our friends at Twin City Indian & you can purchase the postors  (click on each pin-up for a close-up)

 

 

 

Your quarterly Smoke Signals magazine is out next week & we now have “Guido” (Guy Allen) as our new editor, at this point I would like to thank Chris Horner for his previous job as editor, a preview of the current cover is available below please click on highlight, I am told it is a “bumper edition” at the printers so lots of reading on the toilet. Remember next Tuesday night is the Association Meeting, plenty of things are on the agenda including a wrap up of last week-ends Crazy Horse Rally,for members that have ordered Tim Pickering’s book at the last meeting, they will be available at the Highway 31 venue on Tuesday. Meanwhile a couple of photos of early Indians supplied by our friends at Twin City Indian in USA these prints are available for sale with many others

 

Smoke Signals cover 09/2011  preview (click on highlight)

 

Recently one of our members was stopped by Victoria Police, the constable on viewing the machine realised he was on a Club Permit, checked the label, the Club Permit log book, & then the rider’s licence, all was fine the next question wasn’t, proof of current financial status in the Club/Association, this is unusual although it can & was requested. Luck was on our members side as he had his Membership card in his wallet, a anomaly exists so we suggested that as proof your membership card is carried at all times when you are on the road although strictly not legally required by VicRoads,it can be asked for by the Police. Other Clubs have had members asked for the same thing, recently there have been assumptions not backed up with proof sent out by other Clubs on this issue, hence the above title in Latin from Mark Twain. I have had confirmation officially from VicRoads and their stand on this matter & you will see what I mean, always check our site for proof, not speculation.  ( Almost forgot the translation “Never let a good story stand in the way of truth”)  

VicRoads Policy

Last week-end’s Association Run to Healsville has been put to bed by Stevie Higginbotham a ripper read now on the Section News Area  Click the highlight for a very good review

Healesville Run Review by Stevie Higginbotham


Your V.P (President of Vice) or Vice-president in our case sent a list of Indian Regalia which is highlighted in the Advertiser’ & Regalia area under Zorro’s Advert, Indian Products plenty to buy from the man.

The Vice President’s 12v conversion

The most important article to be printed on Springfield Indian’s since the Old Factory went Bust has to be the Electric Moccasin by Phillip White, we are releasing it first in Smoke Signals magazine October for all our paid-up members then it will be going on our Technical Article’s Area on this web-site in November for the public this is our gift to the Indian community in good faith, so no unscrupulous people can exploit the non-mechanical owner.There are a few YouTube posting’s on Timmerman starters on our Images & Video’s Area but this latest one I have posted here about a unsatisfied customer click on this highlight Electric no-Start

If it’s all out there then anyone can upgrade their own starter with some help, initially this was going in our Member’s Only Area but this was not fair, we believe in sharing all upgrades or information whether it be on Springfield,Gilroy or Kings Mountain Indians as they say “A Indian is a Indian End of Story”

Just got off the phone from Cam Cuthill from Indian’s parent company Victory Motorcycles, they are keen to support us as a advertiser on our web-site & sponsor a $200 gift voucher for the Crazy Horse Rally which is only a mere 15 days off. Thanks Victory for the kind donation,all advertisers that need paraphernalia included in our Rally packs please send now so it can be included A.S.A.P.

We are going full bore on the International Gypsie Tour 2012 it was decided to have 2 events one group now flying to Perth & your machine sent by container, we entertained a rail trip but RailAust do not send bikes unless on a trailer with a vehicle attached! At the last meeting a lot of people voted to have another group ride from Melbourne -Adelaide with a stopover on the way there & back so Chris Horner or Murray Morell are the men to contact for the Perth-Birdwood & Phil Pilgrim will do the Melbourne-Adelaide part. This is on in Sept 2012 so organise what you are doing now Expression of Interest Forms will be out in late November with a deposit form.

For the people that ordered Franklin’s Indian’s by Tim Pickering we have negotiated a price of $70 which is $14 off retail price for Association Members only from Pitstop Books thanks Andrew,they are available next week contact Phil Pilgrim, and lastly Happy 60th Stevie Higginbotham for Sunday

Tim Pickering’s New Book

 Just had a call from Tim Pickering about his new book on Charles B Franklin designer of early Indians, which is available from Pitstop Bookshop in Perth, next day delivery ring Andrew or Bob on 1800 622422, Also another Tin Basher who will make anything from a tank to a chainguard for any model Indian provided you have a sample Keith Love 03 99740609 Keith is now listed in our Parts & Repairer’s Area this & the Links area have had a lot of extras added recently

 

Franklin's Indians

Recently I was prompted into doing research on the generic name Gypsy Tour since 1916 & was very surprised how many Clubs & Associations have used this name in the past at the moment there are 70 pages listed on Google alone, the most infamous was the Hollister Gypsy Tour of 1947, Marlon Brando played the lead roll in the movie depiction “The Wild One”. This group were The Booze fighters a group of bikers from L.A I have added a couple of links below. There have been remarks that our proposed International Gypsy Tour in 2012 from W.Aust to Birdwood S.Aust that we have been organising over the last 8 months has a similar name to a Gypsy Tour to Sydney that was run in 2008 by the IMCA, possibly, therefore we will change the name to International Gypsie Tour 2012 spelt as it was  on the original in 1917 so now everyone will be happy. The Brass Monkey Rally has been run by 3 major clubs in Victoria, Vintage Motorcycle Club of Vic, Classic Motorcycle Club of VictoriaIMCA, and again last year Vintage Motorcycle Club of Vic, as far as I know none of the other Clubs have ever asked the Vintage Motorcycle Club if they could use this name,in 2010 there were 2 Rallies run by to separate Motorcycle Clubs using the same name not counting various Automobile Clubs! The IIRA  originally asked the Vintage Club if we could use the Boat Anchor Run a name they had used in the past, before we changed it to the Crazy Horse Rally, someday some one else may have a Crazy Horse Rally ,Sitting Bull Rally, or a Midnight Express Run, Father’s Day Run etc so be it.

History of Gypsy Tours

Motorcycle Glossary.com

1947 Hollister Invasion