The 1904 Indianmotorcyclegrew out of a prospect encounter at abicyclerace in the former 1900s .
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Oscar Hedstrom had climb up a single - piston chamber De Dion engine on a tandem bike for the purpose of pacing then - popular bicycle airstream .
George Hendee , a bicycle manufacturer from Springfield , Massachusetts , saw the convenience at an effect and proposed a accommodative attempt to give rise motorized cycle commercially .
Hedstrom agree , and in 1901 the Indian Motorcycle Company was support . Most pre-1910 motorcycles expect as though the manufacturing business simply bolt anengineand its accessories onto a common bicycle frame – which indeed was unremarkably the case .
But other Indians used the engine as a stressed frame member , effectively replacing the downtube beneath the seat .
As with most motorcycles of the era , suspensionwas non- existent ( save for the spring - mounted rear end ) , and foot pedal were used to start the railway locomotive .
However , Indian used a direct - parkway chain rather than the more common tensioned leather belt to turn the rear bicycle , the chain being more positive in cognitive process – and more reliable .
This 1904 ' crookback ' is little different than the first 1901 models . Producing just over twohorsepower , the 13 - three-dimensional - inch single provided a top amphetamine of around 25 miles per hour .
Both the lubrication andignitionsystem were of the ' full loss ' variety . Braking was accomplished by backpedaling , which set off a rearward coaster brake .
disconsolate blue angel was the colour of pick until 1904 , when black and vermillion became optional . The vermillion would afterwards be have it away as ' Indian Red . '
See more elaborated photograph of the 1904 Indian bike on the next page .
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1904 Indian pictures
One of the earliest motorbikes , the 1904 Indian functioned much like a standardbicycle . Forward pedaling started the motor , and backpedaling spark the rearbrake .
