YOUR Italian Bike Thread

Here is a controversial bike to stir things up. An Indian in the Italian Bike Thread you ask? Yes.

It turns out that when Indian went under in the US, they sold the rights to the name to a company that made little dirt bikes. That company manufactured bikes in Japan , Italy, and one other place I can't recall. This example, a 1973 Indian 75cc 2-stroke, was built in Italy. Some of the engine parts actually had the Ducati name on them!

I bought it, in very sad shape, from my brother for $100. Even though I had no use for a 4-speed 2-stroke bike with a top speed of 25mph, I though it deserved another lease on life. With an additional $200 investment, I returned it to the condition you see here. When I was done, I sold it to a collector for $600. I'm sure it was worth more, but I considered it a fun hobby.

So there is today's tidbit of Italian-American history.

That's about the eighth iteration of Indian. Hendee sold it to DuPont, who sold it to Ralph Rogers, then Brockhouse took it over, then Tite-Flex acquired it for awhile and it then went to Indian Sales Corp. By the time your bike came out, all that was left was the trademark.

i had an Indian Moped made in taiwan: 4stroke it was. pretty fun.

Nice! The white ones are fastest!

^^^ A very under rated motorcycle.

Ready for Deal's Gap next week.

Nice. I will be looking on killboy -- and hopefully NOT for pics of that thing all smashed up! Be careful that place is full of idiots!

lose the exhaust wrap and Jethot coat the exhaust...

I'll be there from the afternoon of the 7th, until the morning of the 12th. We go every year. I usually enjoy 129 at the beginning of the week, then just chill out at CROT, or back at Fontana near the weekend. It's a vacation for me, not really a "motorcycle trip". So I try and avoid the crazyness on the weekends.

Fingers crossed... maybe I'll make front page with my helmet and goggles. ;D

You should gear up, sit on your bike while still strapped down on the trailer, and get towed around the Dragon. That would be the best Killboy pic ever.

^ what he said!
priceless!

I'll actually be sharing the trailer with my buddy who has a Daytona 675. That would even be better, methinks.

I think that you have to at this point. Throw a ADV sticker in there somewhere = front page candidate


Gorgeous bike, BTW

ADV salute at the least.

DO EET. We will all be looking for the pic -- if Killboy is smart he'll do a series. First pic is you in perfect unison with the 675, from about the handlebars up -- then another pic shows most of the bike...then the trailer

I'll see what can be done. Sadly, after my ticket last year, I'm not sure I can afford another fine... or piss off the THP for the second year in a row.

You'll be famous. It is an adventure.

Frakin' fun patrol.

There was also Floyd Clymer's Indian Velocette and Indian Enfield-- both of which had Italian frames (Tatarini or something like that) iirc. About 100 of each were produced in the late 60's.