Designer Stubble Best Trimmer

You may know most of America's first motorcycles were little more than bicycles with engines. But did you know that bicycle manufacturers actually utilizzata come parte della loro strategia per vendere moto?

Prendiamo il caso degli indiani Motocycle Company, e questo in bicicletta 1919 indiano con allegato un file Smith Motorwheel.

Storia indiana con le biciclette hanno effettivamente iniziato nel lontano 1889. Che quando il Hendee Manufacturing Company, che poi divenne l'indiano Motocycle Company, è stata costituita per costruire biciclette. L'unica azienda iniziò a costruire moto nel 1902. Verso la metà degli adolescenti, la fabbrica stava facendo 30.000 moto all'anno. Per far posto che la produzione, la parte di biciclette delle attività è stato appaltato.



Questo modello 1919 è stato fatto per indiane dalla Davis Sewing Machine Company of Dayton, Ohio, that Harley-Davidson bikes of the day.

The idea, says Mel Short, who owns this car, beautifully restored and has been for the bike to look as much like the bike as possible. This bike is the model of a man of luxury with a flared skirt and front fender, and with what looks like a gas tank attached to the frame. In reality, the tank containing the battery of lights.

The bike is also a stand down in the back, rather than a side stand, to make it more like a motorcycle. The handlebars are like the bars stopped running.



"Both Indian and Harley motorcycle sold in their stores to bring the boys and their dad in the showroom, "Short says." The thought was that they would come back later and buy a bike. "

But there was another way to make the leap of motorized transport mounting a small engine and a driving wheel to separate the bike as a sidecar. Motorwheel The Smith did not come with the bike, but was purchased separately. It would attach to almost any bicycle.



"This engine is a 1915," Short says. "It 's a direct outlet, and without a silencer, so it was probably quite strong."

It was not the clutch, in order to initiate the motor is activated the release of compression, pedal the bicycle, and then close the compression release to get the fire bike. A brake, the pilot used the pedals of the bicycle and the release of compression. "For the back roads of those days," Short says, "worked well".

Unblocked By Enterprise Radio

Bicycles 1919 Indian Military Powerplus



This is the bike that helped the U.S. win the first World War.

Unfortunately, it is also a bike that Indians back significantly in its battle with Harley-Davidson. But then, that's the kind of story that is common in Indian history, "two steps forward and one step back."

It certainly can not blame the motorcycle itself. The military model was closely based on famous Indian Powerplus Big Twin, who, according to engine sales literature, "the most powerful and cost effective ever mounted on a motorcycle.''



Hyperbole aside, this 61 cubic inch (1,000 cc) engine has been a significant improvement over the previous generation F-head engine. pumping out 18 horses, which could push the car to 60 mph and remain reliable. It 'was a pretty good package for the legendary Cannonball Baker, who used the machines Powerplus to set many of its record of resistance to the Indian factory.

Versions Military bikes like this owned by David Uhl and now on display in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum at AMA headquarters in Pickerington, Ohio, shared the same three-speed, rear brake only, and the leaf-spring front fork as the model civil. But even sported rear suspension, a light gas instead of the simple electrical and functional fenders dishes instead of curved versions.



The army has loved the bike so much he bought about 50,000 of them during the war years. As a result, India spent almost its entire production to the war effort from 1917 through 1919. In hindsight, Indians did not realize the damage such a strategy would impose its dealers civilians, which have remained almost motionless for sale.

In contrast, Harley built some 20,000 military motorcycles during World War I, while maintaining a small stream of cars flowing to dealers. With products for sale, Harley dealers fared better than their Indian counterparts during years of lean. And when the war ended, Harley-Davidson was able to return immediately to the sale of motorcycles to civilians.



Meanwhile, with only a remnant of the once dominant network of dealers, the Indian was forced to spend time and effort to re-establish its position in the market and has lost serious ground. Indian would rebuild and continue for another three decades, but the company never regained its leading position.

In the end, India won the war but lost the battle.