Made in Spirit Lake, Iowa, Indian’s Chieftain Dark Horse takes the legendary brand’s best design cues, then adds the mystery of night

by Evan Monroe

In 1897, former bicycle racer George M. Hendee founded the Hendee Manufacturing Company in
Springfield, Massachusetts. Its bicycles carried brand names such as Silver King, Silver Queen, and American Indian, which in time was shortened to simply “Indian.” Within a year, the last model became the Hendee line’s primary name. After attending an event at Madison Square Garden in 1900, wherein a motorized pacing bicycle built by Carl Oscar Hedström appeared, the two formed a friendship, and in another year, a new company.

In 1901, Hendee Manufacturing Company sold its first Indian Motorcycle (beating the first bikes of William S. Harley and brothers Arthur and Walter Davidson by two years)—with a chain drive and single-cylinder engine. And in its public racing debut, an Indian won the endurance race from Boston to New York City. By 1912, Hendee was the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer, and changed its name to Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company in 1923. The company pioneered advances in speed stability, engine layout, and suspension, among other innovations, culminating in the 1950 Chief, with its 1,300cc V-twin engine and 100mph top speed.

Production ended with the company’s bankruptcy in 1953, and various efforts were attempted to resuscitate the legendary name. Polaris Industries’ 2011 purchase, however, marked a turning point, wherein Indian manufacturing was relocated to the Polaris production facility in Spirit Lake, Iowa. The Indian Roadmaster and a new Chieftain soon followed the reboot, with styling plainly inspired by past models.

The Chieftain Dark Horse, however, is a creature all its own. In thrilling matte black, a flicker of chrome, and with a front fairing inspired by locomotives of the 1950s—it’s powered by a new Thunder Stroke 111 engine (75hp) and built upon the same lauded chassis and suspension as the
$23,999 Indian Chieftain. The Dark Horse comes from the factory outfitted with a solo seat and short, tinted power windscreen, and also sports spacious hard bags, ABS, electronic cruise control, integrated premium Bluetooth-integrated audio system, and remote key fob with keyless ignition.
Starting at $21,999
Indian Motorcycle of Monmouth
1318 Corlies Avenue, Neptune / 732.455.5700
indianofmonmouth.com