Posted on 06/30/2018 12:20:58 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Edited on 06/30/2018 12:57:16 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Shortly following the dramatic announcement that Harley-Davidson is shifting some of its production overseas, its top domestic competitor is reminding us that its engines are built with American hands in the Heartland. Granted, Harley-Davidson builds engines in the U.S. too, but it seems like the timing of this video from Indian is hardly a coincidence.
The video below shows factory workers proudly doing their jobs at the Osceola, Wisconsin engine assembly plant. The plant recently built its 100,000th Indian Motorcycle engine and one worker expresses the “pride, craftsmanship, and honor” that goes into building every engine. Along with some testimonials, we get some cool footage of Indian bikes in action.
As we’ve clarified a few times now, Harley-Davidson motorcycles sold in the U.S. will still all be built in the U.S. The overseas manufacturing H-D is doing is only for bikes sold in foreign markets. That being said, Indian builds all of its bikes here at home with the bikes themselves being assembled in Spirit Lake, Iowa which gives many of its riders and employees a sense of pride.
However, Indian Motorcycle can get away with having all of its manufacturing here because it’s still a much smaller brand than Harley-Davidson and has less of an international presence.
H-D is still a very American brand, but with the recent news of outsourcing rubbing many of the bikemaker's loyalists the wrong way, Indian Motorcycle decided to give riders a friendly reminder of the brand’s commitment to American manufacturing. Die-hard Harley-Davidson fans might be looking at other options for American motorcycles and Indian will gladly sell them an alternative that riders might end up liking even more.
The valves were hollow, into which metallic sodium was poured. The sodium would melt when the engine got hot, distributing the heat from the valve head throughout the valve.
Amazing technology for the time.
Being a fan of Anthony Hopkins I’m surprised I’ve yet to see that movie. One day.
Dont forget Triumph bikes. I have one. The name may be British but the Brit president and founder he moved to America many years ago and set up the plant in Ga. because 1) he fell in love with an American woman (naturally) and 2) production costs are damn cheaper than the UK.
I still remember watching one of the first Episodes of Then Came Bronson.
He had a Harley Sportster and decided to enter a Hill Climb contest.
Funny thing happened during the Hill Climb, his Harley turned into a Two Stroke Dirt Bike. Forget which brand, could have been a Husky.
I did see Evel Kineval jump a bunch of Cars at Ascot Raceway using a Harley though.
“Thanks for posting that. My pastor’s father flew a P51 during WW2. We gave him a ride in one about 6 months before he died about 5 years ago. He had some great stories.”
It was/is a Rembrandt!
Triumph and BSA were classic.
I remember drooling over them at the Dealer when I was a Kid.
If I could just win the Lotto I could recapture my youth.
I used to catch at hill climbs in Iowa as several of my uncles and cousins were motorcycle people, one even owned a KTM and Ducati dealership.
I ride it out every 2 weeks and head to the pacific just to show off and park beside those faggy Prius cars. I’ll get an Indian next time when I have some dough..
Indian went out of business in 1953.
A number of companies and individuals have claimed the trademark over the years and marketed a variety of machines ranging from imported small bore dirt bikes to road bikes cobbled together from aftermarket reproductions of obsolete Harley-Davidson engines and frames and off the shelf custom parts. The current owner of the Indian trademark is Polaris, a manufacturer of snow machines (Snow mobiles).
Polaris acquired the iconic brand in 2011 and started printing stickers and logos (And stamping out the distinctive fully valanced fenders) which they affixed to the motorcycles they made. Polaris had been in the motorcycle business since 1998 when they acquired Victory motorcycles which they subsequently abandoned in favor of the Indian brand; the brand having been made so strong by the original Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Co of Springfield Mass in the fifty two years of its existence that the brand alone is enough to sell motorcycles made by a snow mobile company, even now more than sixty years after the demise of the company that actually built the reputation.
The Fukarwe tribe . . .
Part of the legend of Harley Davidson is IT IS AMERICAN MADE! If you move production overseas that legend dies. It will then become just another rice burner with great sounding pipes.
The Japanese make great bikes, but it aint a Harley and if built outside of the United States a Harley “aint a Harley.”
“butt hurt SJWs demanding a name change”
Yer fast! The same thought crossed my mind, too!
Honda?
Would you fly a Japanese flag in front of your house if it was made in America?
“I do find it interesting Harley sales are up in Europe. I knew they were down in the USA.”
Kind of the old story of supply and demand. Harley places the supply where the demand is. People may not like it, but if they’re not going to buy the product, then don’t complain about a company trying to make money. But it’s a decision they made so they will have to take the hits.
rwood
Most Harley dudes have major loss of hearing and suffer from dilkusions of the past.
Kinda like Winchester rifles (currently made by Miroku). The quality may be as good as, or better in some cases, than the pre 64 Winchesters, but they are still not Winchesters.
I bought a 2017 Road King. This is after researching and driving MANY other bikes of various types. (I did have a $ limit).
NOTHING, and I mean nothing, touched that Road King. Sounds great, looks great, has history, and if I want to change something up, it’s easy as pie to customize.
No other company out there can say the same thing. So Harley has become a global company. Ok. The problem with that is what!?
I am constantly amazed at haters out there, who from most I have talked to, haven’t really investigated or really compared bikes.
It’s not hate. It’s their lame ass excuse to manufacture overseas because of the tariffs. 1) they pre planned this way before the tariffs were announced. 2) most tariffs haven’t even taken place yet. 3) tariffs that screw. This country are the reason they are manufacturing overseas? Please. They sell more bikes here.
Dang. I forgot to list Triumph. Good call.
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