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Indian M/C To Make Major Announcement

6K views 14 replies 6 participants last post by  Goatlocker95 
#1 ·
Indian Motorcycle To Make Major Announcements At International Motorcycle Show In Long Beach On December 7th

Published by Cyril Huze December 4th, 2012 in Builders, Editorial and Events.
Indian Motorcycle will participate in the show Media Day on December 7th at the Long Beach Convention Center with senior managers from parent company Polaris Industries in attendance. On an all new special “Indian Motorcycle Experience” display, the company is going 1- to feature a custom-built sound booth where, for the first time ever, attendees can experience firsthand the sound and rumble of the upcoming, completely redesigned, all new Indian Motorcycle engine. Host Mike Wolfe from the HISTORY Channel’s “American Pickers” series will guide attendees via video as they hear and feel the excitement of what’s to come later in 2013 with the highly anticipated reveal of the new Indian Motorcycle Company under Polaris Industries ownership.
2- to reveal a limited quantity, model year 2013 Indian Motorcycle that pays tribute to the Kings Mountain era motorcycle. 3- to feature legendary vintage motorcycles including the original Burt Munro 1920 Indian Scout that broke the under-1000cc land-speed record in 1967 at the Bonneville Salt Flats as famously portrayed in the movie “The World’s Fastest Indian.” A secondary exhibit at the show will also include the fully-restored 1935 Indian Chief featured on the History Channel’s November 5th broadcast of “American Pickers.” 4- to display its exciting line of apparel for men and women, including jackets, gloves, casual wear, and more — much of which will be available for purchase by show attendees.
Indian Motorcycle, a wholly-owned division of Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII), is America’s original motorcycle company. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. Consumers are invited to take part in the “Indian Motorcycle Experience” at Long Beach, or at upcoming International Motorcycle Shows in Minneapolis (January 11-13), New York (January 18-20) and Chicago (February 8-10). For tickets and more information on specific shows, log on to Motorcycle Shows.
 
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#2 ·
I don't think the Indian people will be too excited about jackets. gloves and casual wear but at least the "sound" of a new engine is a start. The new Indian will arrive in July!!
 
#3 ·
No plans for a trek to the southeast I noticed. Someone in Polaris marketing is "missing the boat" because it appears that they don't realize that while the northeast is just starting to "button things down" for a winter of hibernation and NO motorcycling, the snowbird (with cash) and the ENTIRE southeast are still riding and Polaris could have benefited from that exposure and sold any number/all of the available bikes had they included the southeast in their marketing circuit. See, I TOLD you guys that they SHOULD HAVE hired ME for that gig (I DID apply)...:rolleyes:
 
#5 ·
From the above referenced article:
Priced at $37,599, and almost unnecessarily described as "collectible," the Final Edition will be sold fully dressed -- with leather seats, leather fringe, leather saddlebags and chrome everywhere -- and painted in vintage Indian red, black and gold. Each unit will sport a "custom-designed numbered emblem" to mark it as one of a limited run.
To which I have another quote
"Rare" means in short supply -- it does not necessarily mean valuable (or collectible). So don't pay extra because it is "rare." Buy what you like or what you can use...
There is another article that goes into a little more detail.
Indian Motorcycle Unveils the 2013 Indian Chief Vintage Final Edition

I said this on another forum but...I just hope ""We are working hard designing and building the new Indian Motorcycle" means they are going back to the Indian's roots.

From Indian's website

From 1901 to 1916, three years after a new Hedstrom-designed state-of-the-art, 400,000 square-foot "Wigwam" came online, annual production soared from three to a world-leading 41,000. With more than 20 American motorcycle manufacturers scrapping for business prior to the U.S. entry into World War I, Indian's market share was a staggering 40-plus percent.

That doesn't sound like a company who sells a $37,599 bike that targets RUBs as their customer base.
 
#8 ·
I own a Victory that I bought with the scratch from the insurance company paying off my stolen Indian Vintage. That sorta makes me a RUB by divestment and investment. I'm here to testify that I feel a whole helluva lot more RUBolean saddled up on my Cross Country than I ever did on that Indian. Anyway, I can't seem to draw the fine line that defines a thirty plus ride as RUB where a 20 plus ride is everymans Volkcycle. They both got the RUB taint to them. It's splitting hairs to the kid that dropped a couple large on a bunch of crates and attacked it with a gas axe. To him, we all RUB.

I have garaged a bike or two the last few decades, some of them sporting dates of manufacture that precede the dates of manufacture of some of us, others tricked out for the splittails, a few grocery getters and some ratty old oil pukers that left me with a shoebox full of ton up patches.

Not one of them, despite my fawning attention and zeal to restore their lost glories, not one of them came close to the rush of twisting the wick on that Vintage.

If I was disposed to spend 38k on a motorcycle now would I drop it on that instead of what? A trike with a trailer, or say a stretched out fat tire or some tribute bike or some eurotrashy prototype or (saints preserve us) an electric technocycle. I don't want a trike (yet), a fat tire or a tribute bike (although I know where a Dallas PD panhead that was in JFK's motorcade is waiting for the right buyer. Now that there is tribute) or the other crap and I don't want another Chief from this era. Been there, done that, lost it. Maybe an Ace inline or a Crocker that calls out to Pop next Davenport.

There's an old saying in this game that ends with "you wouldn't understand" and as far as the last Vintage model goes, so will this post.

You wouldn't understand.
 
#9 · (Edited)
...You wouldn't understand.
Pot...Kettle...

I do understand. I never said that everyone who buys an Indian is a RUB. I said that selling a bike with that kind of a price tag is targeted at RUBs.

There is a HUGE difference between someone who works hard their whole life and splurges by buying themselves a nice vehicle (be that a bike, car, boat, etc...). And the Rich Urban businessman who thinks buying an expensive "collectible" motorcycle makes him a Biker.

THAT is who I say Polaris is targeting as their customer base :D

Oh BTW, as further proof, straight from Indian's website for the 2013 Indian Chief Vintage FE
With an extremely limited number of Indian Chief Final Edition bikes being built, the biggest question is whether to ride it or just proudly display it in your garage.
I don't know many bikers who would even consider buying a bike they "just proudly display" in their garage.
 
#10 ·
Anyway, I can't seem to draw the fine line that defines a thirty plus ride as RUB where a 20 plus ride is everymans Volkcycle.
You can get a Vic for about $12k new. My XR was about $15k with a Stage 1 and Windshield.

Note that a lot of these Vic guys ride. I met one guy from another Vic forum. He rode the 48 states and a few Canadian Providences...just last year.

Could this be done with an Indian, maybe? Have I ever seen an Indian being ridden like that, nope. When I've seen them, it's typical parade stuff, helmetless and in short sleeves.

Anything wrong with that, nope. But a $38k bike to do that does kinda cry out MID LIFE CRISIS.

$15k is pretty much that opening price for a new touring or sport touring tool. And I call them tools because their aesthetics is secondary to their primary mission of propelling us through time and space in search of new experiences.
 
#13 ·
You can get a Vic for about $12k new. My XR was about $15k with a Stage 1 and Windshield.
I won't continue to pound on this but you do realize of course that is eggsackly what I am saying. It's like when you look at a sweet thing and your bud reminds you that no matter how good she swings her moneymaker, to some SOB somewhere she is just that no good beeatch.

A 12k ride may not smell RUB to another 12k rider but to some 5k rider you are a high muckety muck with your fancy wheels and whatnot.

RUB is relative.

Buying a 250k house is slithering under a rock to Trump but Honey Boo Boo says she gotz to get her somma that.

You don't want a 38k Indian. Me too. I just don't jump to conclusions about who does or what they do with a 38k Indian when they get one.

By the by saddlebag, you just about nailed it. I rode my Vintage in a parade. I was short sleeved but it was NYC and I had to wear a helmet. That accounts for about 10 klicks out of, hell I dunno, 100k give or take and two ground up rebuilds I did to it in the RUB cave. I don't know how many miles for sure because it ate through speedos. Latter generation Indians , or as they were affectionately referred to - Pretendians had issues with the spedomometers going squirrely after extralegal speed events.
 
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