Rubber Side Down/IMG

Rubber Side Down - Motorcycles in American Culture

I am very grateful for the following information from the owner of the bike.
Their name has been withheld to respect their privacy.

It's a 1948 Chief Roadmaster 74, in Indian Sea Foam Blue.
I restored it from a basket case about 12 years ago, and it's a wonderful motorcycle.

1948 was the last year for Chiefs with girder forks.
No Chiefs were produced in 1949,
because Indian was concentrating on manufacturing
a line of small-displacement, British-style singles and vertical twins,
that were ultimately unsuccessful anyway.

Indian sold the Chief tools and dies to the Atlas Titeflex Corporation,
who built them from 1950 through 1953.
These were sold through Indian dealers as "Blackhawk" Chiefs,
were stroked to 80 cubic inches, and had hydraulic forks.

So to me, 1948 Chiefs were the last and the best Indians of all.

IMG 2235

Image | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |