The Indian motorcycle brand was founded in 1901 and has been one of the strongest American brands of bikes since. It feels good to be a patriot and promote your country’s brands. This article is for you if you’re one of those hard-core vintage bike patriots.
Take a ride with us (pun intended) as we take a look at what makes the 2021 Vintage Indian Motorcycle such a classic, and why It is still considered one of the strongest bikes ever made in the US!
Its Fenders
The 2021 vintage bike has the classic Indian retro fenders with the signature Indian headdress on the fender, which lights up. The bike also has a 111 cubic inch, 1811cc B-Twin motor styled after the original Indian engines, except bigger. They’re called the thunder stroke.
The bike also has a rear teardrop tail light assembly and a two-toned rear fender with plenty of chrome trim.
Brakes and Gas Tank
The front brake pedal looks like something you’d find on the floorboards of a 1940 Ford, and the bike also has a dual gas tank. The lid on the left is not real – it’s a mock tank that’s styled after the 40s. The actual tank is over on the right side of the speedometer.
Saddlebags and Seats
The rear saddlebags and seat are all trimmed and French. This is a feature that traces its roots back to the 1940s models. The seat itself is practically a saddle. The seat and saddlebags feature metal Indian badging and high-quality leather.
Towards the back, the vintage bike has fishtailed exhaust pipe tips – one of the coolest vintage features on this bike.
Paint Job and Motor Engine
The two-tone paint job on this bike – willow green and cream, screams vintage styling. The motor size is 18 times larger than the Kawasaki 100, which had a 100cc motor. These thunder stroke engines are produced in an assembly plant in Osceola, Wisconsin.
Later, they are shipped off to Clear Lake, Iowa, where the final assembly line for Indian motorcycles is today.
Usage and Other Features
Indian motorbikes have been consistently used as Highway Patrol bikes since the 1900s. In many ways, the Indian vintage resembles police bikes of past days in size, style, and overall presence.
This new bike is a product of the resurgence of Indian and the brand now produced by Polaris industries. Although original vintage Indians from years ago deserve all the respect, this new model has some advantages over its ancestors.
The 2021 vintage Indian doesn’t smoke or leak oil. Considering the size of the bike, kickstarting is no longer required, which is a huge plus. You also have the option of adding a matching sidecar to the bike.