Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum
General Discussion => Campfire Talk => Topic started by: JessHerbst on September 22, 2022, 05:26:03 pm
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Seems there was a time Indian Motorcycles sold a rebadged Royal Enfield.
https://silodrome.com/indian-trailblazer/
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All RE exports to the USA were rebadged as Indian from 1955 to 1959 or thereabouts, after the closure of the original Indian factory.
www.re-indian.com
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...a classic case if badge "injun"eering... ::)
https://www.indian-motorcycles.com/tag/1950s/
Lots of cool names used: Tomahawk, Brave, Fire Arrow, Silver Arrow, Gold Arrow, Patrol, Woodsman, Westerner, Warrior, Scout, "Indian Velocette", and probably more.
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When discussing Indian-badged Enfields versus Indian-built Enfields it can confuse the unwary. You can end up with something which loosely qualifies as both. Here is my old Indian-built RE Electra-X posing as an Indian-badged Woodsman!
(https://i.postimg.cc/rwVtSJv3/DSCN2089.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
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Floyd Clymer had a go at importing and rebadging Royal Enfield's under the Indian Moniker including 750 Interceptor twins. Floyd was a bit of a character but very much a motorcycle enthusiast, he rebadged small Italian bikes, and even mini bikes under the Indian name. He also was a publisher including motorcycle magazines. Interesting guy and wheeler and dealer in his day.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floyd_Clymer
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Even before the Enfields, Indian was selling;
Rebranded Czechoslovakian Cezeta CZ125T : https://ro.pinterest.com/pin/745134700826942360/
and rebranding Brockhouse Engineering Corgi's : http://www.bike-urious.com/1947-indian-papoose/
So the Enfields were quite a step up. Here's more info on that business deal: https://www.royalenfields.com/2020/07/when-indian-sold-royal-enfields-to.html
More recently, it seems like a lot of folks want to recreate the heyday of the big, voluptuous Indian motorcycles.
The inspiration of Kawasaki's Drifter seems pretty clear. https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/kawasaki/kawasaki_vn1500_vul_drr.htm
And replica customs like this Honda Shadow are not scarce: https://www.mecum.com/lots/ES0922-531784/1998-honda-vt750c2-shadow-indian-replica/
Even an occasional Royal Enfield Bullet gets a Indian Chief style makeover: https://350cc.com/balabhadra-royal-enfield-standard-inspired-indian-chief-eimor-customs/
But, it's Indian's inline 4 that fascinates me: https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Indian/indian_4_28.htm
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^ Years back I owned a 46 Indian Chief that I never should have sold. To me the inline four Indian from the 1930's is the Holy Grail of motorcycles but at no time in my life have I been in the position to buy one.
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I have the same story with the Zündapp KS750 with sidecar (Wehrmachtsgespann). Whenever I was willing to buy one, it got much more expensive. So I could never afford one.
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^ Years back I owned a 46 Indian Chief that I never should have sold. To me the inline four Indian from the 1930's is the Holy Grail of motorcycles but at no time in my life have I been in the position to buy one.
Yo Karl_ might not be to late ...
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1955-nimbus-type-c/ (https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1955-nimbus-type-c/)
"This 1955 Nimbus Type C is powered by a 746cc SOHC inline-four mated to a three-speed transmission and is finished in olive green. ..."
It's in Ft. Worth, TX Current bid $2200
(https://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/1955_nimbus_type-c-746cc_dsc_0348-1-27193.jpg?fit=940%2C627)
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Yo Karl_ might not be to late ...
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1955-nimbus-type-c/ (https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1955-nimbus-type-c/)
"This 1955 Nimbus Type C is powered by a 746cc SOHC inline-four mated to a three-speed transmission and is finished in olive green. ..."
It's in Ft. Worth, TX Current bid $2200
(https://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/1955_nimbus_type-c-746cc_dsc_0348-1-27193.jpg?fit=940%2C627)
Postie Bike ;D ;D
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Yo Karl_ might not be to late ...
"This 1955 Nimbus Type C is powered by a 746cc SOHC inline-four mated to a three-speed transmission and is finished in olive green.
The Nimbus C might definitely scratch that Henderson/Indian itch, although I think one would notice the difference between the ~20 hp it gives and the ~30 to 40 that the Indian 4s put out. The Nimbus is quite a bit more financially attainable however. We have quite a few that show up at local moto events, members of the Chicago Nimbus Club. https://www.nimbusclub.com/ I like the open valve gear on top of the engine!
I was thinking I might satisfy my personal longitudinal inline desires with a Sunbeam S7 or S8.
(https://cdn1.mecum.com/auctions/lv0119/lv0119-362267/images/1-1543945414948@2x.jpg?1545171906000)
I haven't seen one locally, but they don't seem to be uncommon or particularly expensive in the UK.
For Viczena, there's always the Chang Jiang CJ750 M1.
(https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/resizer/e2_tBINLx5sqSi4SrfB64-Kbb3s=/640x480/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/octane/OW3W5OFRERFPFTMFJT5F4PWML4.jpg)
I saw a CJ750 offered up locally, complete with sidecar, for less than $6K, although this was the OHV version.
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Some of the coolest bikes were the rebadged REs as Indians. I really like the Tomahawk!