THE BACKWOODS COLLECTION As the undisputed king of motorcycles in 1915, Indian, makers of this meticulously restored 1915 Big-Twin model C3, excelled beyond its competition in every aspect of the business: production, sales and competition. As one of the first motorcycle manufacturers to emerge at the turn of the 20th century, Indian was the first to produce and market the machines successfully. Given the background of the company’s co-founders, Oscar Hedstrom and George Hendee, who had both found success in the earliest days of bicycle racing, Indian’s commitment to having a solid presence in motorcycle competition became a central component of their meteoric success. The result was a brand with a reputation for excellence that produced the most refined, robust and reliable motorcycles, and Indian Motorcycles quickly outpaced all other manufacturers. By 1915, Indian’s factory in Springfield, Massachusetts, was state of the art, cranking out motorcycles well over 20,000 a year while its closest competitor, Harley-Davidson, was only clearing over 10,000. In the United States, Indians make up nearly half of the country’s motorcycles, while its distribution network of over 2,000 dealerships stretches around the globe. As a personal point of pride for Oscar Hedstrom, Indian’s racing department remained the factory team to beat in international competition, holding the vast majority of motorcycle speed records, prestigious victories from the famed board track motordromes and long-distance endurance events like the Dodge City 300, and a roster of iconic pioneers and the best of the second generation. As the culmination of Indian’s momentum built in its first decade and a half, this older restoration 1915 Indian twin is a testament to the brand’s significance at the time but also serves as a swan song for Oscar Hedstrom. Its 7 HP, 61 CI (1000cc) IOE V-twin would be the last of Hedstrom’s engine designs to roll out of Springfield, aside from the handful of 8-valve racing engines used well into the 1920s. Set into Hedstrom’s innovative “cradle swing” frame, which provided an early example of a full-suspension motorcycle with its rear leaf springs and signature leaf-spring fork, this last edition of the “Hedstrom” engine Indians also features an innovative 3-speed, hand-shifted gearbox. A Bosch magneto provided the ignition, while an Acetylene headlamp, sprung leather saddle, Klaxon horn and tank- mounted toolbox rounded out this flagship model in a benchmark year for the company. NO RESERVE S204 1915 INDIAN C3 BIG TWIN
