Comments on: Indian Motorcycle Concept Motorcycle

By: Pop

Pop — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:19:48 +0000

Lee, when times were good the management of Indian was populated by chiselers, layabouts and middle management yes men. They were so top heavy and had so many layers of decisionmaking that it’s amazing that they were able to agree to unlock the doors during the day.
Add to that a halfbaked understanding of the motorsports industry, a willingness to cut corners in critical areas like vendor subcontracts and quality assurance, a federal court driven timetable for proprietary development that they woefully underestimated the requirements for, a fatal franchise methodology that sacrificed territorial control for overlap and forced undercutting across the boards, a back of the envelope attitude about warranty work and how dealers were to be reimbursed for the multitude of claims, a swinging door policy for franchise awards that led to inept and at least uneducated businesspeople hanging up Indian shingles,a failure to respond proactively to the threats from the venture caps that funded the enterprise never believing that they would actually pull the pin, huge budgets for product placement and industry advertising for products that were underengineered, using the consumer as the testbed for new engine design instead of doing exhaustive inhouse R&D before unveiling an entirely new motor, and i think you can begin to see that the previous incarnation had specific warts that may or may not follw in it’s new incarnation.

I don’t doubt that it’s a hard road, but I say to this concern that unlike Gilroy, Kings Mauntain is wholly owned by the principles. It’s their soap and their John Thomas and they can wash it however they choose to. Gilroy was a bank loan from day one and they didn’t satisfy their bankers that they were going to get in the black.

Simple distinction but a major one.

By: Lee Wimmer

Lee Wimmer — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:11:43 +0000

I’m still trying to figure how Indian will make a comeback. Hell they couldn’t do it when times were good. What the heck do they have going on now?
It would be great to see another bike made in the USA though. In fact they have been in touch with me to use our oil cooler on production bikes.

By: James

James — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:06:55 +0000

and the battery for this bikes goes where?

By: Clark

Clark — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:10:07 +0000

oops , 50mpg

By: Clark

Clark — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:09:25 +0000

I like this concept. Maybe Indian could consider a moped\scooter crossover. If it was a gas saving moped but still had the traditional Indian style then I believe Indian could experience a resurgance of sorts. It would’ve been nice to see it already on the road as the sales of two wheeled vehicles
from 3k to 12k is skyrocketing at the moment. The newest trend “50mph”, if you have that, you have great interest.

By: Pop

Pop — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:04:24 +0000

If you think Indian is priced out of the market try KIWI’s new ride with the X Wedge mill. You can drop 60 down that hole in a heartbeat.

There is still a market for, like the man said, whatever the market will bear. If things really tank and we reach 10% unemployment, that means 90% of us will still be getting paychecks.
Kiwi will build a hand full literally. Indian will build a hand full by comparison to the 1o’s of thousands of units the MoCo turns out.

In it’s first model run Indian has limited itself to 750 units. There are already some presold and many of them pre ordered and at Sturgis I imagine they will hit their number. Finding 750 riders and toy collectors with 35 large is just not as hard as some of us want to think it is. Just because I’m not in the market for a new Chief at big ducats is no indicator that others aren’t. A lot of people are willing to buy anything that isn’t on every streetcorner and a lot of other people aren’t.

There’s enough for everybody. It’s good to have options.

By: Outlaw Communications

Outlaw Communications — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:23:14 +0000

Good stuff. Price is going to be Indian’s biggest hurtle at this point. The economy is not going to support 30k bikes. Hell, at Legend of the Motorcycle show, you could have had Mike Corbin’s original Indian for 35k about. This bike is very cool and I like the inline four but Indian has had it’s day and I think it needs to die out as gracefully as possible.

By: J

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:26:37 +0000

Freaking brilliant….. Indian: I have the cash, I’ll buy this bike.

Kephas- better brush up on your Indian history, Indian inline-4′s were a big part of their lineup, and the few left today go for big money.

By: hoyt

hoyt — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:26:29 +0000

“The only issue is the in-line four. I’m a sales person in the motorcycle industry. If Suarez would like to entice Indian to take on his designs, Indian history will have to be a large part of his design efforts. I would not venture away from their V-Twin concept.”

Kephas, Indian has made an in-line 4 engine so it is also part of their history.

By: rodent

rodent — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:37:57 +0000

CJ, isn’t the company that owns the Indian name English? Don’t that make Indian a Limmey? I’d rather have a Triumph!

By: Seymour

Seymour — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:38:33 +0000

I would have a hard time NOT buying that bike.

By: Kephas

Kephas — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:06:25 +0000

It’s nice to see our young guys pulling for their generation of design. The image is cool. The design concept is classic. The bike reminds me of a metro Rocker – Indian style.

The only issue is the in-line four. I’m a sales person in the motorcycle industry. If Suarez would like to entice Indian to take on his designs, Indian history will have to be a large part of his design efforts. I would not venture away from their V-Twin concept. The bike must keep traditional mechanical favor as well as the classic Indian image.

By: CJ

CJ — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:50:13 +0000

Cool concept. I would like to see another American bike manufacturer. I love my Harley and I I think this concept would be a good addition to the great motorcycles made in America. I agree with rodent, this bike would have to be buit in the USA to be a true American bike. The cost is another issue. If they want to sell it it has to be in line with Harley. Maybe a little cheaper to attract buyers. By looking at the concept it might be difficult. They are also going to need several more models to choose from. When I was 13 I bought an Indian Moped and it was like the Harley of all Mopeds. I might be interested by what I see. I wish the company lots of luck.

By: Nicker

Nicker — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 03:21:05 +0000

Hmmmmm……….

Isn’t Triumph currently trying this idea out…???

-nicker-

By: Antone

Antone — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 03:00:53 +0000

Why do concept bikes or cars look way cool and then the final thing is butt ugly ?

By: Mike Greenwald

Mike Greenwald — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:16:47 +0000

Don’t need either on a shaft driven bike

By: Gar

Gar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:59:15 +0000

Indian should call this kid ASAP. In looking at their antique designs they need all the help they can get!

By: rodent

rodent — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:42:58 +0000

make it in the USA and it will cost 150 G’s make it in China and nobody will buy it. Rots of ruck

By: BCOOL Products

BCOOL Products — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:31:30 +0000

I checked out his site. Very impressive. He has some great ideas. I am curious if Indian has contacted him to aquire the rights to use his ideas? The in line 4 would certainly bring back a different element of old school.