F204 1916 INDIAN 8-VALVE BOARD TRACK RACER By the mid-1910s, Indian had established itself as the dominant force in American motorcycle racing, and machines like this 1916 8-Valve racer were the reason why. Oscar Hedstrom began developing an overhead-valve V-twin in 1910, releasing the first Indian 8-Valve in Spring 1911. The new head design proved highly effective at moving gasses in and out of the combustion chamber with its smaller, lighter valves, but most importantly, it produced plenty of power. Still, just as soon as Indian’s 8-Valve seemed unbeatable, Excelsior rolled out its own purebred board track racer, the Excelsior 7, in the summer of 1911. In the skilled hands of Joe Wolters, the new big-valve Excelsior chalked up win after win, prompting Hedstrom to create an improved 8-Valve. The “Big Base” 8-Valve was named after its larger crankcases and flywheels, tucked into a new custom-built frame and direct-drive assembly. Hitting speeds of just over 90 MPH, it is one of the fastest and most raw racing motorcycles of its time. However, the Big Base was a highly specialized machine only suited for the steeply banked and increasingly controversial wooden motordromes. As long-distance and dirt flat track events gained popularity, Hedstrom returned to a more production-friendly small base configuration for the second generation of 8-Valve racers. The new generation of 8-Valve racers could be tailored to board tracks, dirt tracks and road race events. Again, just as soon as NO RESERVE Indian improved on its formula for success, a new rival emerged in 1914, this time on the dirt. Harley-Davidson had famously stayed out of the motordrome game, but in 1913, the Milwaukee Motor Company developed its first factory racing program with the help of William Ottaway, the talented former Thor engineer. The Harley-Davidson team was competitive right out of the gate, but Indian, with its proven 8-valve platform, remained a consistent winner. In response, Harley-Davidson developed its own overhead-valve engine in early 1916, with Ray Weishaar debuting a new single-cylinder 4-valve in April that year. In June, Leslie Parkhurst and Bill Brier had a strong showing onboard a pair of 8-Valve V-twins, and at the big Dodge City Race on July 4, Harley-Davidson’s Irving Jenke took the top spot on board a new Milwaukee 8-Valve. Though The Great War soon interrupted professional racing, 1916 marked the beginning of the great Harley-Davidson and Indian war that continued for decades. The 8-Valve helped establish Indian’s dominance both on and off the track and continued proving its superior capability well into the 1920s. This beautiful, crimson 1916 Indian 8-Valve, with its rigid fork, magneto ignition and complete lack of brakes, has been in storage for more than 20 years, just awaiting its next turn around a wooden saucer.
