[JessHerbst]

Seems there was a time Indian Motorcycles sold a rebadged Royal Enfield.

https://silodrome.com/indian-trailblazer/

[Adrian II]

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

A.

[AzCal Retred]

...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.

[Adrian II]

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!



A.

[Karl Childers]

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

 

[axman88]

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

[Karl Childers]

   ^  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.

[viczena]

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.

[NVDucati]

   ^  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/
"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

[gizzo]

Yo Karl_ might not be to late ...
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

Postie Bike 

[axman88]

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.


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.   


I saw a CJ750 offered up locally, complete with sidecar, for less than $6K, although this was the OHV version.

[Warwick]

Some of the coolest bikes were the rebadged REs as Indians. I really like the Tomahawk!