1921 Indian Powerplus Combination

Lot details
Registration No: KE 8413
Frame No: 72S459
Engine No: 72S459
cc: 1000
MOT Expiry Date: None

As with many other pioneer manufacturers, the Indian brand origins lay in cycle manufacture and competition. Former cycle racer George Hendee, at the time the manufacturer of the "Silver King" safety bicycle, used cycle races to promote his product and in searching for a reliable pacer encountered Oscar Hedstrom who had designed and built a machine that had established an enviable reliability record. In partnership the two founded "The Hendee Manufacturing Company" to build and market Indian motorcycles. Early machines featured cycle parts derived from bicycle practice fitted with a single cylinder 224cc inlet over exhaust valve engine; however, during 1908 the company introduced a new engine of a type that would become synonymous with the brand in the form of a vee twin. As with the single, the new twin utilised an f head, a layout that would continue in use until the adoption in 1916 of a side valve layout and the introduction of the "Powerplus". The side valve arrangement offered advantages in terms of cleanliness and reliability. The first year's production utilised the same cycle parts as the previous F head model but for 1917 a new revised frame was employed, which like its predecessor, employed a swinging arm rear end controlled with leaf springs. The new model remained largely unaltered for the next few years with only detail changes being introduced, partly as a result of the impact of the First World War, however for 1920 a new control layout was announced, 1921 saw the introduction of a new primary drive case and in 1922 a revised frame, retaining the leaf rear springs was introduced. 1924 marked the end of "Powerplus production. Throughout the course of its life the "Powerplus" had been offered with the option of a full electric lighting set, machines so equipped being typed NE.

This delightful example was purchased by the vendor from a Sotheby's auction in 1966 and has subsequently formed part of his collection. It is equipped with a contemporary, single seat Indian sidecar mounted on the left of the machine, the full lighting set which is complimented by the tank top switch unit and ammeter and a speedometer. It is believed that all Indian's supplied for export were equipped with a rear carrier as standard and a combined rear brake consisting of a contracting band and drum as fitted to this machine. It is supplied with a Swansea V5c, SORN notice, two old MOT certificates and a Sotheby's lot tag.