Indian Motorcycle going out of business again

Sac Bee ^ | 9/20/03 | AP - San Jose

[NormsRevenge]

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Despite strong sales and praise from bikers, Indian Motorcycle is closing its factory after a deal with a new investor fell through. Company executives broke the bad news to the company's 380 employees on Friday.

[Hildy]

If I read the Press Release right, there's nothing to hang on to. It says that the creditors will take over. We all know what that means. I'm afraid to call them this morning.

[JoeSixPack1]

Ah jeez, not this $hit again!

[bandleader]

Hopefully,A"White Knight"will come to the rescue!

[Jack Black]

Excelsior Henderson folded too, with a lot more capital behind them. How would you like to own a bike that only a few hundred were made of. For collectors I guess it's kinda cool (maybe? but still stuff from the 50s or earlier is always going to be worth more) but for people who want to ride it's not good.

Stick with Harley, or a Jap bike. They are building some decent cruisers now. The Victory seems to be staying afloat. They sell a lot of snowmobiles too, so they have a base of customers and dealers to work from. Also income to fund expansion. That didn't save Cannondale though.

One lesson is that once an industry leaves and moves offshore it's hard to get it back. Harley came damn close to going down and out in the late 70s and were only saved by a taxpayer bailout in the form of tarrifs on Jap bikes. Seems to have worked though. Good for them.

[Kaslin]

It's to bad that Excelsior Henderson folded. I've seen some awesome looking bikes in some of their shows

[blackie]

http://www.nortonamerica.com/

[Elliott Jackalope]

I know a guy who has an Excelsior Henderson. I ask him about how he gets parts, and he says that most of the parts are pretty generic, and commonly available. He certainly isn't worried about it. It sure is one pretty bike, one of the nicest looking "cruiser" style bikes I've ever seen.

[Smokin' Joe]

What really hurt Indian was the US army's competition for motorcycles at the start of WWII, or just prior.

The specs called for a 500 cc motorcycle, which Indian provided, but the Harley-Davidson submission was the 45 inch flathead powered model (actually 750 cc) which took the contract.

Harley re-tooled after the depression on the Gov't contract.

Indian sold a few motorcycles, but had nowhere near the capital Harley did. Despite this, Indian managed to hang in there until after the war beefore finally going belly-up.

[Smokin' Joe]

Harley survived because of an incredibly loyal customer base, most of whom wouldn't be caught dead on a Jap bike, despite the fact that the Harleys of the era were cantankerous maintenance intensive machines which commonly broke down in the middle of nowhere and virtually required a great deal of mechanical skill on the part of the owner..
Not many white-collar bikers in those days.

[jrp]

OMG, My best friend just opened 3 Indian Motorcycle dealerships. OY.

Is one of them on Miramar Road adjacent to the Budget Car Sales place? Just noticed the Indian sign in the last month or so.

[Hildy]

Yes, I sent you a private reply.

[presidio9]

BTT