Not directed at you but love how the Indian guys like to stew on that and throw in bowling ball comments. Too bad nobody saw enough value in Indian back then to save them. They should really say "since 2011" on them to reflect reality.

Wounder how many they would sell if they said Polaris on the tank?

 

This number comes from the number of new Indian motorcycles that were registered that year versus the number of new Harleys that was registered

But at the time they sold Harley to AMF we didn't know they're going to sell it back

I don't understand what you're trying to say. What Does this have to do with competition between companies

 

Variety is the spice of life!!

 

My riding partner has been on Harley's for thirty years and even worked at the moco for ten years. Last year he switched from a Street Glide to the Indian Roadmaster and could not be happier. He still has a HD Springer in the garage for local cruising but doesn't plan to go back anytime soon. Power and features are usually what he talks about.

 

yes. The roadmaster is a very alluring bike Imo. Gorgeous leather. Many great features at 10k cheaper than cvo. I would own an Indian as a second bike but my lady would kill me in my sleep pretty sure.

 

I don't know anything about Indian Bikes,however I do like how they look. I have talked with a couple of owners out riding they seem to like their Indian no complaints. So I say to each their own what bike to ride.

 

I had an Indian Dark Horse, traded it for my Road glide. Nothing wrong with the Indian, great bike - pulled hard and ran well. I traded because Harley has such a huge selection of aftermarket parts/accessories to make the bike your own. I liked my Indian, love the road glide though. (I had a street bob and street glide previously aswell) Somehow I wound up on a HD again.

 

Where does one get that information? I'm guessing it's by state so would be interesting to see that info.

 

I wouldn't kick her out of bed, but I don't think I could name a single song of hers if my feet were held to the fire.

The thing I don't like about Indian, and their resurgence. In their promo videos, they talked about their rich heritage. Here's a few talking points.

The original founders left that company way back, for Excelsior, and some other stuff.

CMC, which Indian bought back in the Gilroy days, also had a rich heritage, and history. Not. They were another crew of Harley haters who bragged about how they could make a bike for way less than Harleys were selling for, then sold them for more than Harley was.

The family that used to be Indian Moco hates the idea that they keep resurrecting the company, and it's rich heritage.

The guys that ride the old Indians, back when Indian was actually a thing, and the people who made parts for those old machines when the company was dead, have been thrown under the bus by Polaris, who are now calling patent infringement on anyone who makes parts for those old machines, which Polaris doesn't.

The Scout, actually the Octane, and actually a Victory bike in the pipeline way back when, until Polaris decided to steal it out from under Victory, right before they ceremonially put them six feet under with no warning.

The rich Indian heritage is beginning to show through. And believe it or not, this is the rich heritage of Indian Motorcycles. They screw their customers, their dealer network, throw themselves at any cause with gusto, and complain when no one wants any part of it.

The only bike that Victory ( G-d rest them ) ever produced that really made people sit up and take notice was the Judge. That bike had something going for it, and people were like, really, that's a Victory(?), and they changed it after one year, and killed it after two. Strange, but Victory bikes look better in death than they ever did in life.

And do you want to know why? That whole, rich heritage BS. The whole idea that they are selling something that competes with Harley in that dept. Triumph tried that, and built a cruiser or 3. They were pretty well received, but disappointing, and they kind of took a bath on them. But their T-100 was a pretty good seller, so they went back to the drawing board, and came out with the new classic line, which is what Triumph is pretty much known for. That bike gave Triumph it's best selling years ever, and they are on track to do even more. But that stuff is real. They are also a continuous production company that has a heritage that they can return to.

Indian kind of picked up where it left off 70 years ago, and will probably make more of the same mistakes it always has in the rich heritage of a past it claims to have ownership of. That's the problem. If Victory hadn't spent so much time trying to diss Harley with everything including their retro futuristic design, they wouldn't have made such a joke of themselves. They had something going on all on their own, but suffered this identity crisis because they were too busy trying to compete with an image. The bikes might have stood on their own merits if they hadn't looked like such a caricature. The could have taken some styling cues from any pother manufacturer and not extended the rear fender two feet, and made bozo looking fairings, and blah blah, but they did, and no one wanted a bike like that. Indian goes completely overboard with their designs as well. The fenders on that bike are ridiculous, and make everything a lot more difficult.

I have ridden one once, and they are nice riding machines, and seem to be roomier than Harleys, because the seating position is different, but, I wouldn't want one, because, I'm not about to put myself out for a company or a bike that will probably end up worthless again in the not too distant future, and, more than likely, by their own hand.

Rich heritage. Yeah, right.

 

Very well said...! & I think that sums it up.