By 1913, the motorcycle had come into its own, evolving from a finicky motorized bicycle to a robust and capable means of transportation. While there were dozens of manufacturers, both domestic and abroad, flooding the American marketplace with machines and driving innovation, it was Indian Motocycles out of Springfield, Massachusetts, that reigned as the undisputed king of the industry. This immaculate 1913 single was but one of the record- breaking 32,000 motorcycles having rolled off of the line that year alone. Production records aside, 1913 was one of the most significant in the company’s history, a time of great innovation and personal loss. Having long since established itself as the preeminent name in motorcycle racing, Indian’s champion, the world’s first professional motorcycle racer and close friend of the company co-founder, Jacob DeRosier, died on February 25, 1913, as a result of injuries he sustained in competition. Carl Oscar Hedstrom, the brilliant engineer and co-founder of the company, had been a mentor to DeRosier and was rattled by his death. Hedstrom’s grief, coupled with the mounting pressures of commanding the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer, proved too great a burden. Within days of DeRosier’s funeral procession through the streets of Springfield, Hedstrom, America’s founding father of motorcycling, resigned. Still, after just over a decade of developing and refining the world’s best motorcycles, Hedstrom’s contributions were fully displayed with the 1913 lineup. A year prior, Hedstrom had undertaken the development of a new chassis design, one which implemented a rear swingarm and leaf-spring assembly to provide a full-suspension motorcycle. The chassis was dubbed the “cradle spring” frame, a novel feature given the cost and engineering involved in producing such a machine. This meticulously restored 1913 Indian Single features Hedstrom’s new full-suspension frame design, which provides enthusiasts with a new threshold of riding comfort. It is powered by a 30.50 CI (500cc) IOE single and chain-driven 2-speed hub. An exquisite, comprehensively restored example from one of the most significant years in the storied manufacturer’s history, this 1913 Indian single has been proudly displayed in recent years at the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum. F197.1 1913 INDIAN SINGLE
