Indian Scout (motorcycle)

Indian Scout

1920 Indian Scout
Manufacturer Indian Motorcycle Manufacturing Company
Production 1919–1949
Engine 500–745 cc V-twin

The Indian Scout is a motorcycle built by the Indian Motocycle Company from 1920 to 1949. It rivaled the Chief as Indian's most important model. The 101 Scout, made from 1928 to 1931, has been called the best motorcycle Indian ever made.[1][2] A second line of Scouts, with lighter frames and reduced engine displacement, was introduced in 1932 alongside the Standard Scout, which replaced the 101 Scout and shared its frame with the Chief and the Four. The small-displacement Scout and the Sport Scout, introduced in 1934, were continued until the end of civilian production in 1942. Military versions of both models were used by US and other Allied forces during World War II.

Apart from fifty examples of the 648, a special racing version of the Sport Scout, the Scout was not continued after World War II. In 1949 an all-new motorcycle, with an overhead valve straight-twin engine, was called the Scout; it was enlarged and renamed the Warrior in 1950.

Between 2001 and 2003, the Indian Motorcycle Company of America, based in Gilroy, California, built a Scout model using proprietary engine and transmission parts.

The first Scouts (1920–1927)

Indian Scout. Model G-20

Designed by Charles B. Franklin,[1][3] the Scout was introduced in October 1919 as a 1920 model. The Scout had a V-twin engine with its transmission bolted to the engine casing.[4] The Scout engine initially displaced 606 cc (37 cu in). The engine size was increased to 745 cc (45 cu in) in 1927 in response to the popularity of the Excelsior Super X.[1][5] In early 1928, a front brake was added to the Scout.[6]

101 Scout (1928–1931)

Indian 101 Scout
Manufacturer Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company
Predecessor 1927 Indian Scout (original frame)
Successor 1932 Indian Scout (Chief frame)
Engine 37 cu in (610 cc) or 45 cu in (740 cc) 42° V-twin
Bore / stroke
  • 37 cu in: 2 3⁄4 in × 3 1⁄16 in (70 mm × 78 mm)[7]
  • 45 cu in: 2 7⁄8 in × 3 1⁄2 in (73 mm × 89 mm)[7][8]
Power 37 cu in: n/a
45 cu in: 18 bhp (13 kW)
Transmission Three-speed
Suspension Front: Trailing arm, leaf spring
Rear: None, rigid
Brakes Front: Internal expanding shoes
Rear: 1928-30 External contracting bands,[3] 1931 internal expanding shoes
Tires 18" on clincher rims 1928,
drop center rims 1929-31
Wheelbase 57 1⁄8 in (1,450 mm)[2]

In mid 1928 the Scout Series 101 replaced the original Scout. Designed by Charles B. Franklin, who had designed the original Scout, the 101 Scout had a new frame with more fork rake, a longer wheelbase, and a lower seat height.[1] The geometry of the 101 Scout wheelbase, steering head angle and rear sub-frame were all adopted from the new Indian 401 model which was under development at the same time.[7] The standard Scout 101 was available with a 45 cu in (740 cc) engine, but it was also available with a 37 cu in (610 cc) engine from the original Scout, although this was rarely advertized.[9]

The 101 Scout was noted for its handling and was popular with racers, hillclimbers, and trick riders.[8][3][10]

In 1931, Indian's management decided to rationalize production by designing a new corporate frame that, with some detail variations, would be used across their entire, new-for-1932 model range of Scout, Chief and Four.[11] The economic hardship of the Great Depression forced Indian to discontinue the 101 Scout,[12][10] since it was as expensive to produce as the 74 cu in (1,210 cc) Chief, and therefore had a small profit margin.[6][13]

Legacy of the 101

The 101 Scout has been called the best motorcycle Indian ever made.[1][2]

Enthusiasts have differing views on the replacement of the 101 Scout. Fans of Indian's technical achievements acclaim the 101 Scout as the pinnacle of Indian technology, while fans of classic Indian styling hail its replacement for bringing classic Chief styling to the Scout line.[10] The 101 is still used in wall of death stunt exhibitions.[14]

1930 Indian 101 Scout, on display at Clark's Trading Post, Lincoln, New Hampshire
1929 Indian Model 101 modified for hillclimbing

Standard Scout (1932-1937)

Cost cutting led to Indian designing a new basic frame for 1932 that would form the basis for the Scout, Chief, and Four frames.[11] The 1932 Standard Scout that was based on this new frame[15] was heavier and bulkier than the 101 frame, and was less successful as a result.[1][12][10] The Standard Scout remained in production until 1937.[6][15]

"Thirty-Fifty" Scout (1932-1941)

In 1933, to appease the sporting motorcyclists offended by the replacement of the 101 with the Standard Scout, Indian introduced the Motoplane. This had a Scout engine fitted into the frame of the discontinued Indian Prince single cylinder motorcycle.[16] The Motoplane was also sold as the Pony Scout with the engine displacement reduced to 30.50 cu in (499.8 cc).[17]

The power of the Scout engine was too much for the Prince-derived frame and the Motoplane was discontinued.[17] The less powerful Pony Scout remained in production and was later renamed the Junior Scout.[17][18] The Pony Scout and the Junior Scout were collectively known as the "Thirty-Fifty" after their engine displacement in cubic inches.[18]

Sport Scout (1934-1942)

1939 Sport Scout

The negative reaction to the Standard Scout[12] and the failure of the Motoplane[17] led to the creation of the Sport Scout of 1934, with a light frame, girder forks, improved carburation and alloy cylinder heads.[12] The two-piece frame, with the front and rear halves bolted to each other to the top and to the engine at the bottom, was heavier than the Motoplane's Prince-derived frame, but also stronger and stiffer.[19] The Sport Scout was still 15 pounds heavier than the 101 Scout.[20] The Sport Scout won the first Daytona 200 in 1937.[12]

In 1940 the Sport Scout gained full-skirt fenders, a lower seat height and increased fork rake, and in 1941 Indian added plunger-style rear suspension.[20]

Military Scouts during World War II

1942 Indian 741

The most common Indian motorcycle made for military use in World War II was the 741, a military version of the Thirty-Fifty.[21] These were primarily used by British and Commonwealth forces. Indian sold more than 30,000 units of the 741.[22]

The 640-B, a military version of the Sport Scout, was tested by the US Army and used on bases within the United States, but was not shipped overseas.[22] Approximately 2,500 were built.[23]

Postwar Scouts: 648 and 249

Indian 249 Super Scout

When Indian restarted civilian production in 1946 they produced the Chief only; the Junior Scout, Sport Scout, and Four were discontinued. Engineering work being done on a Model 647 Scout was abandoned in favor of developing a completely new line of lightweight single-cylinder and vertical-twin motorcycles.[6]

In 1948, Indian built 50 units of the 648 Sport Scout.[24] The 648, also called the "Big Base" Scout, was a homologation special built to qualify the type for racing; as such, it was sold primarily to motorcycle racers.[25] Floyd Emde rode a 648 to victory in the 1948 Daytona 200.[24][26] The 648 was the last traditional Indian Scout.[24]

Introduced in 1949, Indian's line of modular-engined standard motorcycles included the straight-twin 249 Scout.[27] The 249 Scout was replaced by the larger-engined 250 Warrior the next year.[26][28]

In August 2014 Indian reintroduced the Scout and attempt to engage new markets with a low end price. The Scout came with a 100-horsepower liquid cooled V-Twin. In 2016 Indian introduced the new lower priced Scout Sixty, which is similar in style but came with slightly less power.

Land speed records

Replica of Burt Munro's 1920 Indian Scout as modified for his record attempts in 1962

Between 1962 and 1967, New Zealander Burt Munro used a modified 1920 Indian Scout to set flying mile land speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats. His records were:[29]

Munro's efforts were dramatised in the 2005 film The World's Fastest Indian.

"Gilroy" Scout

2001-2003 Indian Scout[30][31]
Manufacturer Indian Motorcycle Company of America
Assembly Gilroy, California
Engine 87.7 cu in (1,437 cc) 45° S&S V-twin engine
Bore / stroke 3.625 in × 4.25 in (92.1 mm × 108.0 mm)
Ignition type computer-controlled electronic
Transmission 5-speed foot shift
Suspension Front: 41 mm telescopic forks
Rear:
Rake, trail 32°, 5.25 in (133 mm)
Wheelbase 67 in (1,700 mm)
Seat height 26.5 in (670 mm)
Related Indian Chief,
Indian Spirit

The Indian Motorcycle Company of America, based in Gilroy, California, built a Scout model from 2001 to 2003.[32][33] The 2001 Scout had a 88 cubic inch engine and a five-speed transmission; these were assembled at Indian's factory from engine parts made by S&S Cycle and transmission parts made by RevTech.[32] The Scout was available in different versions, including Centennial, Springfield and Deluxe editions.

The Indian Motorcycle Company of America ended production of motorcycles in 2003 and went into liquidation. The Indian brand was revived by the Indian Motorcycle Company, based in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, in 2006, but the Scout name was not used.

2015 Scout

In 2011, Polaris Industries bought the Indian Motorcycle Company. For the 2015 model year, under Polaris's ownership, Indian introduced a new Scout model. The 2015 Scout is a cruiser with a 1,133 cc (69.1 cu in) liquid-cooled, double overhead camshaft V-twin engine and a frame formed by multiple aluminum alloy castings bolted to each other and to the engine.[34]

Notes

References

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