Indian Motorcycles Big Twin 1913
The Hendee Manufacturing Company began producing motorcycles in 1901 by combining George Hendee’s ‘Silver King’ bicycle expertise with Oscar Hedström’s skills in engine design and development.
Like the products of other motor-bicycle manufacturers, the early models equipped what was essentially bicycle frame technology with an engine either attached in some manner or integrated into the frame, as was the case with early Indian models on which the engine was integrated into the seat post. However, by 1909 the company had introduced a full cradle frame with leaf-spring suspension front and rear, the front suspension geometry being of a trailing link design.
The company’s first V-twin appeared on the Camelback twin-cylinder model and the later Big Twin, as its name suggests, was of larger capacity. Launched in 1909, the Big Twin featured a 60.32ci (988cc), V-twin, Hedström-designed engine rated at 7hp with inlet-over-exhaust valve arrangement and a Hedström-designed carburettor. It was equipped with a multi-plate dry clutch operated by either hand or foot. The ‘basic’ model was single-speed but a two-speed, hand-shift gearbox was available from 1912 and a three-speed from 1915.
This 1913 example was restored in 2005, registered for road use in the UK and used on vintage runs by a subsequent owner, who sold it to the NZ Classic Motorcycles collection via an auction in Staffordshire in April, 2008.