With a visual authority and emotional pull unrivaled by most any other motorcycle in history, this meticulously restored 1946 Indian Chief is a masterful example of why 1940s-era Indians remain some of America’s most beloved icons. When the model was first introduced in 1922, Indian’s Big Twin touring motorcycle, the Chief, with its powerful side-valve V-twin and sporty chassis, quickly became a cornerstone of the motorcycling community. Still, in 1940, when Indian unveiled its bold new style for the Chief, with sweeping, fully-skirted fenders, it cemented its legacy as a definitive American brand. As the country regained its footing after World War II, the Chief would be Indian’s only model, making this exquisite example from 1946 among the rare few to have rolled out of Springfield before the storied brand shuttered its doors in 1953. Still, the 1946 Chief model 346 carried forward the graceful silhouette from its prewar days, improved by a new girder-style front fork featuring a central hydraulic shock, which was initially developed for the military 841. Powering the machine is Indian’s legendary 74 CI side-valve V-twin, a rugged and dependable motor that, when combined with its 3-speed, hand-shifted gearbox, offers the sort of tractable, effortless torque riders prize on America’s endless highways. Indian’s “Spring Frame” returned in 1946, a chassis incorporating dual rear plunger- style suspension, making it the first full-suspension Big Twin in production when it was introduced in 1940. Having gone through an extensive nut-and-bolt restoration at the skilled hands of Dave Munk, this excellent 1946 Chief also features a fringed leather “Chum-me” saddle, chrome headdress fender light and rear fender luggage rack. Finished in a crisp two-tone sky blue and white, this Chief radiates the elegance and optimism of the immediate postwar years. For many returning veterans, a new Chief represented freedom, stability and the beginning of a new chapter, all with a level of style unmatched in any other machine. With its elegant lines, confident stance and unmistakable presence, this 1946 Indian Chief stands as a beautifully preserved link to the golden age of American motorcycling. 1946 INDIAN CHIEF
