1946 Indian on 2040-motos

Listing for sale fully restored 1946 Indian Police Chief Motorcycle.  This bike was restored by owner in 2006 and has since logged 562 miles at the time of listing.  The bike underwent a no expense spared restoration with the goal being a reliable rider.  The bike has won numerous awards and always draws a crowd in its bright Texaco Red paint.  Original body components were restored when at all possible and all matching numbers are present. 

What is known about the bike is that it was originally a police bike, purchased by a man in Hutchinson, Kansas in 1963, and sold to a man in Winfield, Kansas in 1968.  It is this owner who disassembled the bike and abandoned the project to storage for thirty seven years.  The bike was purchased bearing a 1963 Kansas license plate which would seem to indicate the time that is was last actively used prior to restoration. 

The current owner purchased this “garage find” in 2005.  Upon inventory the only original parts missing were the exhaust system and head bolts.  The current owner, an aircraft engineer for over 35 years, restored his first Indian in 1962 and has restored many since.  You can be assured that the bike was rebuilt to high standards of quality and with mechanical precision.  Meticulously maintained the bike is fully operable, turn-key, and ready to ride.  The bike is being sold due to health related issues.

Bike comes with current Kansas title.

Technical details:

The engine was rebuilt in detail with new heavy duty rods, balanced crank assembly, Bonneville cams, lifters, valves, valve springs, valve spring covers, pistons (.030) & rings, bearings, crank pin and shafts, etc.  Transmission rebuilt in detail with all new gears, shafts and bearings.

Front suspension rebuilt with bushings.  Grease fittings were added to the front suspension as was introduced on the 1947 Models. The wheels were rebuilt with new bearings, races, spokes, new Coker “Indian” tires/tubes in 2015, new rear brake drum and sprocket, new brake shoes, front brake cable, and brake springs.  (Police bikes featured painted wheels instead of chrome). 

Tanks cleaned and coated internally with alcohol resistant coating.  Generator (6 Volt) rebuilt to two brush configuration and regulator converted to solid state by Indian Frank.  New ignition switch and complete wire harness with supplemental ground wires installed. 

A Keihin CV Carb. Conversion (Kiwi) was installed for easy starting and operation.  The original Linkert carb. comes with bike.  Front fender light is original. Tail light lens is original.  Headlight is after-market, restorable original Moto lamp headlight shell comes with bike.  Electronic Ignition installed in original distributor which improves starting.  New battery June 2015.  Greer clutch, new chain adjuster, new front primary sprocket, new primary chain installed, and new generator drive bushing installed in primary case.  New transmission drive sprocket and rear chain installed.  Complete new seat post assembly and solo seat.  Harley Davidson “Buddy” seat (reworked to fit Indian) and rear foot rests come with bike.  Rear fender has siren slot instead of tool box as was standard on Police models.  Repro Tool Box comes with bike. A new Greer exhaust system, with 47 Model pipe retainer, was fitted to the engine before chrome-plating.  A 1947 side stand was added in addition to original side stand for ease in parking and starting.  Corbin speedometer rebuilt by Doc Schuster (Red speed recording needle does still not work properly but did not want to remove it and have it torn down again). Currently set up with LH spark, RH throttle, RH gear shift and LH hand clutch conversion.  All parts to restore foot clutch provided with bike.    All non-mechanical components were kept as original as possible, except paint, to reflect the historical nature of the bike.  i.e. the handlebars and rear bumper have slight distortion.  All painted components were sandblasted or stripped to bare metal and epoxy primed prior to painting.  All mechanical components were of the best quality obtainable to provide reliability and riding safety.  Replacement parts were mostly obtained from Greer’s, Kiwi, or Starklite.

After-market saddlebags are included with custom brackets designed to prevent bags from abrading rear fender.

Various used parts, and some additional NOS, are all included in sale.  Steel bike support, special Indian tools and manuals come with bike as well.  Starting price is less than cost of restoration.  Sold as is where is local pick-up only.