Harley-Davidson vs Indian: The Beginning of a Rivalry

The century-long friendly rivalry boasts historical achievements for both manufacturers

In the Beginning The Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Indian Motorcycle Manufacturing Company were both founded in the early 1900’s, and over the next five decades would battle for title of America’s favourite motorcycle manufacturer. Both companies’ achievements in racing, production motorcycles, and their involvement in World War II have only helped to increase visibility of both brands, world-wide. More than a century later, Harley-Davidson and Indian owners continue their friendly rivalry, the history of which is now on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. By Allie Marsh ▲

1902 Indian Camelback Originally founded as the Hendee Manufacturing Company by George Hendee to manufacturer bicycles, the Indian Motorcycle Manufacturing Company began producing motorcycles in 1901 with bicycle designer and engineer Oscar Hedstrom. ▲

Harley & Davidson Meet Willian Harley and Arthur Davidson, boyhood friends, established Harley-Davidson two years later in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The first models from both Harley-Davidson and Indian were little more than motorized bicycles, as seen in this (and the previous) photo. ▲

Going Big: 1922 Harley-Davidson FD with Sidecar During the 1910’s, motorcycle manufactures began offering motorcycles fitted with sidecars as well as cargo boxes for delivery purposes, transforming motorcycles from just passenger or recreational vehicles to those capable of carrying small goods. Not long after, in 1921, Harley-Davidson began producing a 74-cubic inch “Big Twin” to compete with the equally sized Indian V-Twin and Henderson four-cylinder models on the market. New for 1922 were two engine size choices from Harley-Davidson: a 61-cubic inch version, “Model F” and a 74-cubic inch version labelled “Model FD”. ▲

The Pursuit of Power: 1920 Indian Daytona Racer with Flxicar As motorcycle racing grew in popularity, the challenge of racing a motorcycle with a sidecar only increased the thrill. The added power of a larger displacement engine in some models made them a popular choice for pulling a sidecar around a race track. With the brand’s race results on a downturn, Indian developed a new Powerplus engine that was introduced in 1919 and the following year, their Daytona Racer appeared. “Flxicars”, which provided passenger counterweight, improved traction, and reduced outside force, completed the sidecar version of the Daytona Racer with the Powerplus engine, allowing for greater speeds in turns around the race track. ▲

The Other Twin: 1921 Harley-Davidson Model W Sport Twin With the introduction of Harley-Davidson’s first V-twin engine, the firm attempted to expand its market by offering a new Model W “Sport Twin,” intended to appeal to entry-level riders.The Model W “Sport Twin”, also named the flat-twin, aligned the cylinders with the frame, had a modern oiling system and employed an integrated transmission and clutch, making it a smoother riding machine. The Model W was discontinued in 1923, despite Harley-Davidson’s efforts to attract sufficient sales. ▲

An Ace Up Its Sleeve: 1927 Indian Ace The Indian Motorcycle Manufacturing Company, on purchasing Ace Motor Corporation in 1927, released the Indian Ace, a luxury motorcycle that housed Ace’s four-cylinder engine. Shortly after the Ace was introduced, Indian boasted having the “Worlds Most Complete Cycle Line” with models offering one-, two-, and four-cylinder engines. This model remained in production until 1942, although Indian dropped “Ace” from the name, calling it the Indian Four, after the year it was released. ▲

Designed for Efficiency: 1941 Indian Dispatch-Tow Quickly realizing that motorcycles were viable sources of personal transportation, manufacturers began producing them for commercial use, including three-wheeled adaptations to help meet the needs of small businesses. The Dispatch-Tow, seen here, was created for a Packard dealer in Massachusetts, who wasted too much of his time transporting customers’ cars to and from his service garage. Announced in 1931, but only built for one year, the three-wheeled motorcycle was meant to be driven to a customer’s home, attached to the rear bumper of their vehicle and then towed back to the dealership. A second version of the Dispatch-Tow appeared in 1935, using a different chassis, and remained in production until 1942. Both police and military made use of these three-wheeled motorcycle variants for traffic and parking patrols and for use in war, transporting troops. ▲

Trailing Behind: 1962 Harley-Davison Servi-Car Conceived during the Great Depression, when motorcycle companies were experimenting with ways to boost sales, Harley-Davidson’s version of the three-wheeled motorcycle would go on to become the company’s longest continuous production model, surviving until 1974. The Servi-Car, a three-wheeled utility vehicle introduced in 1932, was intended for use by garages and service stations, not unlike its competitor, Indian’s Dispatch-Tow. However, the Servi-Car employed a modified automobile axle and a differential unit, and flat-sided body panels for advertising. As the popularity of full-service stations declined, municipal governments began using them as traffic police vehicles. The Servi-Car was very popular with police departments, some of which used them into the 1990s. ▲

Better Times Ahead: 1939 Harley-Davidson Model EL “Knucklehead” With the economy struggling to get out of the Great Depression, Harley-Davidson needed a new model to boost sales. The first of the EL Model lineup produced in 1936, featured a 61-cubic inch overhead-valve V-Twin engine, later nicknamed the “Knucklehead” because the rocker covers resembled clenched fists. With better performance over previous models and further development of the engine for 1937, the EL Model continued to grow in popularity and sales. By 1939, styling changes that included an updated paint scheme, an instrument panel streamlined to look like “cat’s-eyes,” a “boattail” rear light and stainless steel fender trim, helped to bolster sales. ▲

The Du Pont Years: 1939 Indian Sport Scout E. Paul and Francis Du Pont had acquired large shares of Indian in early 1930, and in their reorganization of the company they wanted to reduce costs. The “Standard Scout” was born, manufactured on a common frame that could be used for multiple motorcycles in the Indian lineup. By 1932, the weak construction of the frame drew immediate criticism by competitive riders, and sales diminished. Not long after, Indian created a “Sport” version with a stronger two-piece frame, which remained in production until 1942, when the U.S. Army purchased it and renamed it the 640-B. ▲

Harley-Davidson-Powered: 1949 Unidentified ¾ Midget Racer Measuring a mere six feet in length, standing only four inches off the ground, and reaching speeds of up to 60 miles per hour, the first midget car races were held in the early 1910’s. However, it was not until the 1930’s when the sport was officially recognized by a sanctioning body, leading to the construction of purpose-built tracks. Attractive to young drivers because of their comparatively low cost and the availability of do-it-yourself kits, three-quarter midgets were primarily “one-offs” built in private garages and workshops using mix-and-match motorcycle parts, and remaining unique to their builders. Most midget racers were equipped with motorcycle engines and in-and-out gearboxes. This particular midget, however – powered by a 45-cubic inch Harley-Davidson flathead lacking such a gearbox – required a push start and would only stop when the brake was activated hard enough to stall the engine. It was recently restored from the ground-up. ▲

Indian-Powered: 1948 Drake ¾ Midget Racer Like go-karting, midget racing was an introduction into the world of auto racing. By powering midgets with motorcycle engines, such as those from Indian or Harley-Davidson, midget builders had an available source of reliable power for their machines. By 1930, Drake Engineering began producing midget racing engines based on the Harley-Davidson “Knucklehead.” Best suited for short tracks, the engines housed a cooling system that lacked a water pump and tended to overheat. Company owner, Dale Drake installed an Indian engine in this three-quarter midget, deviating from the norm with a clutch-less in-and-out gearbox, making it necessary to push-start this midget. ▲

Road to Racing: 1958 Harley-Davidson XLH Sportster The Sportster came to define Harley-Davidson, when introduced as a performance brand in 1957, even though it was criticized by buyers and reviewers as a low-powered touring machine. This motorcycle was the first to house a 55-cubic inch engine with an overhead-valve unit for Harley-Davidson and newer models benefited from cylinder head design improvements derived from racing which allowed for greater horsepower. Racing models like the XLR and the XR-750 were based on the Sportster. ▲

Indian’s Leading Motorcycle: 1946 Indian Chief Indian introduced the Chief, in 1922, with thousands built during its 32 years of production. Fender skirts were adopted in 1940 to help distinguish the brand, while most other changes were made incrementally. The Chief served as the basis for the 340-B during World War II, and was the only pre-war motorcycle that Indian continued to produce until 1953, when the company closed. The model name, “Chief”, continued to live on as the brand was re-born through many subsequent iterations. ▲

The Italian Harleys: 1974 AMF Harley-Davidson Sprint 350 During the late 1950’s, the Italian Aermacchi firm was known for producing Harley-Davidson-branded machines like the Sprint (seen here) to compete within the growing market of Japanese makes. Harley-Davidson, which dominated the domestic market after Indian closed, purchased half of the motorcycle division of the Aermacchi firm in 1960. Under the ownership of AMF, Harley-Davidson then purchased the remaining shares of Aermacchi in 1974, and took over production of its two-stroke motorcycles. No longer able to offer models competitive enough with those of the newly dominant Japanese and European manufacturers, Aermacchi was sold in 1978. ▲

A Tale of Two Indians: 1968 Indian Super Scout During the 1960’s, Sammy Pierce attempted to revive the production of the Indian motorcycle under the traditional American Indian Motorcycle Co. (AIMCO) name. Using leftover genuine Indian parts to produce a limited number of Chiefs and Scouts, Sammy obtained a manufacturing license in 1968 and released a handful of Super Scouts, featuring his own distinguished fuel tank and seat combination. ▲

The Gold Standard: 2003 Harley-Davidson Screamin Eagle Road King FLHRSEI2 Opening its Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO) division in 1999, Harley-Davidson built a line of limited-edition, factory-custom motorcycles, which featured large-displacement  engines and the “Screamin’ Eagle” branded performance upgrades. The CVO division later offered a Centennial Gold and Vivid Black paint scheme for the 100th anniversary of the Road King and Soft Tail CVO models. This 2003 Screamin’ Eagle Road King, built on the framework of an FLHRI Road King, is powered by an air-cooled, twin-cam 103-cubic inch engine. ▲

Back in Black: 2001 Indian Centennial Chief A new line of Indian motorcycles began production in 1998, not long after the Indian Motorcycle Company of America (IMCOA) was awarded the Indian name, in a plant in Gilroy, California. To celebrate Indian’s centennial, the Indian Motorcycle Company of America produced a limited production 100th Anniversary Edition of each model, the Chief, Scout and Spirit, sponsoring a cross-country road trip from the original headquarters in Springfield, MA to its new home in Gilroy. After the first “Gilroy Indian” was dubbed the Chief, IMCOA ended its five-year production run, closing its doors in 2003. ▲

Small Detour: 1948 Indian Stylemaster Branching Out: Following World War II, scooters exploded onto the market, offering a cheaper more economical mode of transportation. Indian, following the lead of other motorcycle manufacturers, added a scooter to its model line up in 1947, working with Lowther Manufacturing of Joliette, Illinois to build them. Advertised as being “scientifically engineered and artistically styled”, the Stylemaster was the premier model in a series of three, in which buyers could choose between a Briggs and Stratton four- or six-horsepower engine. The Sylemaster was intended more so for private buyers who appreciated its trendy features more than the business owners to whom other Indian scooters were marketed. Those features included a sheet-metal tail panel and three-bar chrome rear bumper. ▲

More than Motorcycles: 1963 Harley-Davidson Topper The Topper, which began production in 1960, would be the only scooter Harley-Davidson ever built. Featuring a 165cc two-cycle one-cylinder engine, a lawnmower-style hand recoil starting system and a parking brake, the bodywork was a combination of steel and fibreglass and there was an option for a sidecar at an extra cost. A little late to market, the Topper was in production while demand for American-built scooters began to decline, which affected target sales and prompted Harley-Davidson to withdraw the scooter from market only after five years. ▲

One Little Indian: 1969 Indian MM5A/MINI MINI Bambino In an effort to keep pace with the changing market, both Indian and Harley-Davidson introduced minibikes to their lineups of full-size machines. Importer Floyd Clymer, added Italjet’s Mini Mini Bambino “minicycles” to the Indian name, but after his death in 1970, the Indian trademark passed to an attorney in Los Angeles who continued importing the MM5A. With three colours to choose from, the “miniaturized motorcycle”, designed to familiarize children with the Indian brand, featured a 50cc engine with a centrifugal clutch. ▲

A Different Direction: 1975 AMF Harley-Davidson X-90 The X-90, built in Italy by Aermacchi, was added to the Harley-Davidson line-up during the period when the brand was owned by AMF. Best known at the time for producing sports equipment, AMF led Harley-Davidson to produce small, road-worthy mini-bikes like the “Sportster,” a 60cc engine recreational road bike, and the X-90, a mini-bike with a 90cc engine. Sold between 1973 and 1975, the X-90 was intended to introduce children to the Harley-Davidson brand, much lik the MM5A was to do for Indian. It would seem the efforts of both firms failed due to their associations with larger more powerful machines; however, mini-bikes did go on to become a stepping stone into more advanced levels of motorcycle racing. ▲

Back on Track: 1970 Harley-Davidson XR-750 vs 1974 Indian MX Let The Races Begin: Both Harley-Davidson and Indian made competition motorcycle models available to privateers in an effort to capitalize on public interest. Harley-Davidson developed the XR-750 to maintain its competitive edge following an American Motorcycle Association rule change. The XR-750 had a more efficient overhead-valve engine than the competition enabling it continually to win over rival firms with similar engines. In 1970, Harley-Davidson introduced what would be a very uncompetitive Sportster-derived XR-750. By 1972, the engineering flaw that allowed the previous version to overheat had been corrected and the XR-750 went on to become one of the most successful race machines in AMA history. *** Going Off-Road: While working with the Indian trademark in 1970, Los Angeles attorney Alan Newman continued importing and rebranding bikes built by Italian motorcycle manufacturer Italjet Moto. In 1971, Newman contracted with a manufacturer to build a lineup of Indian dirt bikes and quickly purchased a factory in Taiwan to house production. Minarelli, Morini and Fuji were two-stroke engines ranging in displacement from 50cc to 175cc, but their sluggish sales forced the company to file for bankruptcy in 1977, and Indian was once again taken over by another firm, American Moped Associates. ▲

1925 Harley-Davidson Model G Hillclimber vs 1925 Indian “Altoona” Hillclimber Steep Competition: Hillclimbing, which began as a simple promotional effort, (by Indian’s chief engineer), became a sport in which riders competed in uphill speed and distance competitions. Both Harley-Davidson and Indian quickly began limited production of factory built hillclimbers based on learnings from their board- and dirt-track race machines of previous years, but both firms were forced to scale back production due to slow sales during the Great Depression. Nevertheless, hillclimbing remained popular. Harley-Davidson hillclimb motorcycles housed engines nicknamed “Peashooters”, the name believed to have been given to them because of the exhaust note of their small-displacement engines. One of only five factory-built Model G hillclimbers is shown here. *** First to the Top: In 1901, Indian’s chief engineer Oscar Hedstrom, demonstrated Indian’s first motorcycle, the Camelback prototype, by riding it up a steep gravel slope in Springfield, Massachusetts. This successful event garnered such attention, that pre-production orders sky-rocketed and gave birth to the uphill speed and distance races we know of today as hillclimbing. It wasn’t long before a third firm began to appear in the hillclimbing motorcycle market, Excelsior completed the sport’s “Big Three” but wasn’t around long enough to really compete. It exited the market in 1931. Of the “Big Three” motorcycle manufacturers, Indian was the first to produce a factory-built hillclimber. The “Altoona” model, shown here, was developed specifically for a hillclimb in Altoona, Pennsylvania and housed an alcohol-burning 80-cubic inch V-Twin engine. ▲

1920 Harley-Davidson Board Track Racer vs 1912 Indian Board Track Racer The Wrecking Crew: Although Harley-Davidsons were known for their durability, they were still not known for their speed. Introducing the “Wrecking Crew”. A team hired by Harley-Davidson in 1919 to address their need to achieve distinction in competition. They won numerous competitions, including all eight National Championship races in 1922. Unfortunately the intentionally high price of Harley-Davidson’s competition bikes and restricted replacement parts overshadowed the “Wrecking Crew’s” accomplishments. *** A Winning Formula: Still under the guise of the Hendee Manufacturing Company, Indian produced its first V-Twin “Double Cylinder Racer” in 1906. Indian’s racing success captured the attention of U.S. and European enthusiasts after their record-breaking transcontinental trek from San Francisco to New York and victories in the 1907 and 1908 1000 Mile Trials. Indian rose to the top, quickly becoming a popular base for building personalized racing motorcycles. More so after every American speed and distance record was claimed by Indian riders and the top three positions at the first Isle of Man race were also given to Indian racers. ▲

Harley vs Indian: Marketing a Lifestyle Harley-Davidson and Indian embraced the concept of a “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” through racing success but it was advertising that helped position their products as symbols as a way of life, rather than merely a mode of transportation. Evoking a sense of freedom and individualism, pictures of riders traversing a mountain or cruising down an open road were common themes. Ads also showed that the two-wheeled experience could be a social one, using images of couples enjoying leisurely picnics or meeting at the beach. Such a marketing approach helps them make a personal connection with their customers and promoted brand loyalty. ▲

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