The Best Indian Motorcycles Ever Made [2023 Edition]

Why We Picked It:

The story of the 1901 F-Head is an interesting one, as it wasn't even supposed to be branded as Indian. Instead, the Hendee Manufacturing Company was formed in 1897 to produce bicycles, of which one was called the American Indian. That name became synonymous with the company, so in 1898 they renamed to American Indian, then quickly to just Indian Bicycles.

In 1900, Oscar Hedstrom, a genius engineer, joined Indian and designed the first fully in-house single cylinder engine, which produced 1.75 HP. What earned him the genius badge is that instead of simply attaching the engine to a bicycle like all the other companies, the Indian F-Head was the very first motorcycle to include the engine as a stressed frame member. It was also the first motorcycle with a chain final drive, instead of the leather belts or shafts that other manufacturers used.

Four total F-Heads were made, all of the prototypes, and upon seeing the marvel of the motorized bicycle with its engine "built in," investors flooded Indian with money, and soon mass production of the Indian Single, the first production model based on the F-Head, was underway.

Why We Picked It:

Note: The image above is of an Indian Single Model A, but is missing its engine sprocket and two chains. Please see the linked video to the bottom of the right column to see one in action.

As the first decade of the 20th century ended, Indian had sold enough of their Indian Single motorized bicycles to be a secure and even profitable business. However, to keep customers interested, innovation and evolution were needed, and that's where the 1910 Indian Single Model A comes in.

Indians so far had been built on modified bicycle frames, meaning that the frame was oriented towards pedals first, motor second. The Model A flipped that, with a frame that was meant for the motor first, pedaling second. In essence, it was the first dedicated motorcycle frame from Indian, and even had a "clutch" system where the motor drove the pedal sprocket, which in turn spun a second drive sprocket to power the rear wheel, without moving the pedals. Only when the rider actually pedaled did the "clutch" engage, allowing them to spin the drive socket to spin the rear wheel. It was, frankly, an ingenious way of keeping all the chains to one side of the bike. On later versions that had hand-shift gears, the actual clutch was inside the pedal box area, and was one of the first spinning disc style clutches on a motorcycle.

What we assume today to be givens were new to the Model A. It had a built in fuel tank in the upper frame, had a dedicated engine frame area and attachment points, and had the pedals about where mid-mount pegs are on todays bikes. Back then, it was a revolutionary motorcycle, and it succeeded in showing that there were two ways to travel on two wheels: pedal cycle or motor cycle.

Why We Picked It:

Even thought the record set by Burt Munro of New Zealand happened in 1967, it was still done using a highly modified 1920 Indian Scout with a dedicated body shell. The original 1920 Indian Scout was barely capable of a top speed much more than 55 MPH, but after a lifetime of tinkering, Munro had converted it so that he was able to lie down on his front over the top frame and engine, and his legs and feet would tuck down beside the rear wheel, on either side of it.

Around the frame, he built a body shell that was streamlined with the knowledge of 1960s aerodynamics, making it as slippery as possible through the air. A man of modest means, he worked the frame, fabrication, and even rebuilt the engine all on his own. The 610cc V-twin from the Scout had been bored out over the years to 850cc, then to 920cc, and finally to 950cc, all done by hand.

Munro even went so far as to fabricate his own barrels, pistons, flywheels, cams and followers. He would take stock tires and, using a kitchen knife, cut off the treads by hand to make slicks. The engine was so specialized that it needed to be completely rebuilt after every 2 or 3 speed record attempt runs.

However, in the end, in 1967 at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, Munro set an under-1000cc speed record of 183.59 MPH (295.453 KPH), with a qualification one way run speed of 190.07 MPH (305.89 KPH). The unofficial but recorded and verified flying mile speed he achieved was 205.67 MPH (331.0 KPH). All three records stand to this day as the fastest under-1000cc speeds achieved by an Indian Motorcycle, as well as by a pre-war motorcycle.

Why We Picked It:

Indian by the 1920s had become a massive company, at the time the world's biggest manufacturer of motorcycles by volume, and while they had been making racing bikes for flat-track racing for a while, they were still exploring the idea of a "sport motorcycle" for road use. One of these exploratory models was the absolutely gorgeous looking Indian Scout BGE 45.

Originally powered by a 36.37 ci (596cc) V-twin and called the Scout BGE 37, it was bumped up to 45 ci (745 cc) version for 1927 and was named the Scout BGE 45 to denote the new engine. In all cases, the biggest thing about the BGE was that it was very lightweight. Even with all the metal used in its fabrication, it weighed less than 320 lbs when fully ready to ride with the 45 ci engine, and under 300 lbs with the 37 ci one, which is lightweight even by today's standards. It was also a hardtail, with the seat itself on suspension instead of the rear wheel. This made it superb for track use, as well as gave it a "sporty feel," as the marketing material stated, on the road.

The Scout BGE also had one of the most advanced engines of its time, with tech such as the sidevalve intake via a single side-draft carburetor, the transmission case being bolted directly to the engine casing, and a geared primary drive inside, the only V-twin at the time to use such a primary drive.

With all these advancements, as well as the larger bore of the 1927 BGE, it produced a frankly astounding 18HP at the time, making it one of the fastest motorcycles around as well with a top speed of around 60 to 65 MPH. The 1927 model only lasted one year, to be replaced by the Scout 101 in 1928, but this big-engined beauty absolutely deserved to be on our list.

Why We Picked It:

Designed by the same man that crafted the Scout BGE, Charles Franklin, the 1928 Indian Scout 101 took all of the lessons learned from the "sport" model and made it the mainstream option. The biggest upgrade was an all new frame with more front fork rake, which gave it a longer wheelbase and lower seat height. It came standard with the 45 ci (745cc) V-twin from the Scout BGE 45, as it was the most high-tech engine they had at the time.

With the longer wheelbase, a full 57.125 inches (1,450mm), the Scout 101 was praised for its superb handling and quickly became popular with the sporting crowd, including racers, hillclimbers, and the new hobby/profession of stunt riders for "high thrills" circuses where they were used for silodrome, or "Wall of Death," demonstrations. It was a resounding sales success, but the version that so many people loved was only made for three years, from 1928 to very early 1931.

The Great Depression had started in 1929, and as sales plummeted for almost every industry, Indian Motorcycles was pushed right to razor's edge of bankruptcy. It was purchased by the DuPont family (the same DuPont family that runs the major chemical company) and to rationalize production, the expensive Scout 101 frame was discontinued, and a new frame that could be used across all of the motorcycles with some detail variations was created. This new frame was primarily built for the Chief, but the Scout 101 ceased to be, and was renamed to just the Indian Scout, with enthusiasts calling it the Scout Chief Frame.

Why We Picked It:

To be brutally honest, it was a real challenge for us to choose which variant of the Indian Chief prior to 1953 would make it to this list. There is the final model, the 1953 Chief Big-Twin, the 1923 Indian Big Chief, or the predecessor to the Chief models, the 1915 Model C. However, it was the 1940 Chief that we all agreed on.

Powered by a 74 ci (1.210 cc) V-twin, it was the first of the Indian models to be styled with decorative fenders over both the front and rear wheels, as well as chromed the engine and exhausts. The frame was reworked slightly to fit the fenders, and the saddle raised slightly. It also had support structures built into the rear frame for saddlebags and saddlebag platforms, or could be fitted with a bench seat to have a pillion passenger, which was a very rarely selected option. It supported that option because it had a new "plunger" style rear suspension that negated a lot of vertical load.

Despite the looks, it was still a serious bike underneath, as that big chugging V-twin pushed out 39 HP and a bucket-load of torque, and with the new aerodynamic fenders, the Chief could reach a staggering 80 MPH. There were two special versions adapted from the Chief because of it's performance, the Police Special with lights, siren, and mounted radio, and the US Army 340-B, which made partly to supply France with 5,000 340-B's to help patrol their borders and for courier duties as they had been at war with Germany since 1939.

Why We Picked It:

It may surprise a few people to know that Indian, at one point in their history, hand an inline four engine in their bikes! When Indian bought out Ace Motor Corporation in 1927, as part of the sale they acquired all schematics, blanks, and rights to the Ace Four. They made renamed the Ace Four as the Indian Ace, and sold it in 1927 only. 1928 saw the Indian 401 take its place, and then in 1929 and onwards it was called the Indian 402, or simply the Indian Four.

When 1940 rolled around, the Four was still in production, although as it was marketed and sold as a luxury motorcycle, even being nicknamed "The Duesenberg of Motorcycles," it did not move many units. It gained the stylish fenders that the Chief had, but even then it still was not selling all that well. In 1941, however, Indian reworked the frame, added plunger rear suspension, tightened up the handling, and named it the Series 441 (4 cylinders, 1941).

This model lasted only until the end of 1942, but what a model. It features a 77 ci (1,265) inlet-over-exhaust valve inline four, mounted longitudinally in the frame. It produced 41 HP, and had a three-speed hand-shift manual transmission that hung below the engine in a stacked array, keeping the weight low and centered. It used two downdraft carburetors for induction, and with the power it put out, it could push the 568 lbs behemoth of a bike to 90+ MPH.

It was also ridiculously expensive for the time at $1,149 which was almost double the price of a decent 1941 Chevrolet family sedan, and more even than an ultra-luxurious 1941 Buick V8. It was killed off when the US joined WW2, as it took a lot of metal to make and the war rationing simply did not allow it to be made anymore.

Why We Picked It:

While Harley-Davidson's WLA motorcycle gained the most fame, Indian also participated in the war effort, producing the 741. It carried the 30 ci option engine that could be fitted to a Scout, although detuned and lower compression to make it start easier in variable weather conditions, as well as to run on lower grade fuel.

The bike was based on the Chief frame, but jacked up for better ground clearance, with reworked suspension, multiple bolt and attachment points for weapon holsters, rear seats, saddlebags, jerry cans and the like. It also eschewed fenders in favor of simple mudguards, which were extended forward and back to prevent riders from getting covered in spray or mud when riding in the rain or wet conditions.

In total, 44,000 Indian 741's were made and shipped overseas, and when the war ended, the massive surplus of the bikes allowed many returning soldiers to buy them at bargain prices and either use them as is, or convert them to road use. It kickstarted a renewed interest in Indian Motorcycles as a company, and helped keep the company afloat for 8 more years instead of it shuttering just a year or two after the war ended.

Why We Picked It:

After Indian Motorcycles emerged from nearly half a century of administration and receivership in 1999, it faced an uphill battle. Through the Chief, Scout, and Spirit bikes, they managed to make an impact in the market, but still were in financial dire straights until Polaris bought the company lock, stock, and barrel in 2011. The first order of business from the new ownership was to give riders the Indian experience, but at a bargain price with a bike that was still made with care and was high quality.

The result of that mission was the 2015 Scout and 2016 Scout Sixty. Both bikes have an identical frame, and use the same wheels, brakes, electronics, pretty much everything except the engine. The Scout comes with a 69.1 ci (1,133cc) liquid-cooled V-twin, while the Sixty comes with a 61 ci (999cc) liquid-cooled V-twin. The Scout produces 100 HP and 72 lbs-ft of torque, while the Sixty produces 78 HP and 65 lbs-ft of torque.

The easiest way to tell the two apart is that the Scout Sixty has a blacked out engine, while the Scout's is shiny and chrome. The design of both bikes was actually quite an ingenious bit of marketing, as for experienced riders that wanted to try out an Indian, the Scout is only about $13,250 new. For newer riders that don't want to be overwhelmed by big torque and big power, the Scout Sixty, at $11,750 new, offers them all the gear of the full spec Scout, but at a beginner friendly level.

Because of this, Indian's sales shot up in the last half of the last decade, simply because they offered riders a bargain on a high-quality bike, and many riders keep their Scouts and buy another Indian, or trade in the Scout to move up the model range.

Why We Picked It:

In 2019, Indian surprised the world when they released a motorcycle that was unlike any they had released since 1999, the FTR1200. It defied classification, as it looked like a sport naked motorcycle, but had a setup like a scrambler motorcycle. When the inspiration behind the bike was revealed, however, it is safe to say that it is Indian's current, and only, sport bike.

The FTR in the name harkens all the way back to the 1910 Indian Single Model A, which was a very popular model with racers at the time. One of those styles of races was flat-track, and thus the FTR literally stands for "Flat Track Racer." Indeed, there is even now a version of the FTR, the FTR750, that is used in modern flat track racing!

Powered by a 1,203cc (73.5 ci) V-twin, the bike barks out 120 HP and 87 lbs-ft of torque, which will get its 482 lbs lightweight (for an Indian) body moving quite rapidly. As well, because, almost all of the weight is below the midline, the FT1200 is extremely agile and flickable, and will keep up with the best of the best sport naked bikes in a round of canyon carving. There are multiple variants depending on what usage you are wanting, but it's the base FTR that we here love, because it's just good, standout, American built fun.