 | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1901 |
| Founder | |
| Fate | Independent operations ended in 1953; resumed operations in 1999 in Gilroy, CA. Purchased by Polaris Industries in 2011. |
| Headquarters | , United States |
Key people | |
| Products | Motorcycles |
| Parent | Polaris Inc. |
| Website | indianmotorcycle |
Indian Motorcycle (or Indian) is an American brand of motorcycles owned and produced by American automotive manufacturer Polaris Inc.[1][2]
Originally produced from 1901 to 1953 in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, Hendee Manufacturing Company initially produced the motorcycles, but the name was changed to the Indian Motocycle Company in 1923.[1][2] In 2011, Polaris Industries purchased the Indian motorcycle marque and moved operations from North Carolina, merging them into their existing facilities in Minnesota and Iowa. Since August 2013, Polaris has designed, engineered, and manufactured many lines of motorcycles under the Indian Motorcycle brand reflecting Indian's traditional styling.
The Indian Motorcycle factory team took the first three places in the 1911 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy. During the 1910s, Indian Motorcycle became the largest manufacturer of motorcycles in the world. Indian Motocycle’s most popular models were the Scout, made from 1920 to 1946, and the Chief, made from 1922 until 1953, when the Indian Motorcycle made Manufacturing Company was declared bankrupt. Various organizations tried to perpetuate the Indian Motorcycle brand name in subsequent years, with limited success.
- ^ a b Indian History Home Archived September 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Spelling as per U.S. Supreme Court, 1929-31