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This 40hp, 77ci (1,265cc) Indian 441 four-cylinder with three-speed, hand-shift gearbox is one of the last, 1941 being the last full year of production before the shift to military production resulted in the very last being produced for police supply.

Indeed, not only did the end of production mark the last Indian four-cylinder model, it was the end of four-cylinder motorcycle production in the US.

However, the Indian four-cylinder models actually trace their lineage back to an earlier competitor, the Henderson fours. The Henderson brothers, William and Thomas, began production of their four-cylinder motorcycles in 1911 but sold the company, which had run into financial difficulties, to Ignaz Schwinn of bicycle fame, in 1917. Schwinn had purchased Excelsior in 1911 and continued manufacturing both brands of motorcycle until the Great Depression forced the end of production in 1931.

In 1920, William Henderson developed another four-cylinder motorcycle, the Ace, but he died during a testing crash in 1922 and the company was sold to Indian in 1927. Indian began production of the Ace again three months later, even leaving the Ace badge on the tank. In 1928, the Indian Ace was replaced by the Indian 401, developed by former Ace chief engineer, Arthur Lemon, and featuring Indian’s trailing link front forks in place of Ace’s leading link with central coil spring. The 402 of 1929 had a stronger, duplex frame and forks based on that of the 101 Scout but with heavier tubing, and a five-bearing crankshaft in place of the Ace’s three-bearing system.

In 1936, the inlet-over-exhaust valve configuration with overhead inlets and side exhausts was replaced with by an arrangement with the positions reversed to improve fuel vaporisation but, while it increased power output, it required frequent adjustment and tended to overheat the cylinder head as well as the rider’s leg and the earlier arrangement was returned to in 1938. Plunger rear suspension was introduced in 1940 along with deeply-valanced mudguards. In 1941, the 18-inch wheels were replaced with 16-inch wheels with balloon tyres. The 441 was capable of 95mph (153kph).

This example was sold new in Florida and its colour changed from white to red and black shortly afterwards. It was acquired for the NZ Classic Motorcycles collection in March, 2008, from a private vendor in Clearwater, Florida, who provided details of the rebuild and restoration he had carried out, detailed instructions for starting, using and turning it off, and advised that it had covered only 600 miles since restoration.