RECOMMENDED READING

The full story of the Indian Chief and Scout is a fascinating one, and Charles B Franklin is the pivotal player in the tale. An early superstar racer on the Isle of Man, Franklin’s true talents were unleashed when he moved to America and designed Indian’s famous V-twins. His innovations to the sidevalve’s combustion chamber were far ahead of their time, and his bikes benefitted from semi-unit engines, helical gear primary drive and substantial double-loop fullcradle frames in the 1920s and 30s, establishing Indian at the forefront of two-wheeled technology. This story is told in magnificent detail in the book, Franklin’s Indians, published by Veloce. It’s one of those richly researched, labour-of-love publications that only comes from true enthusiasts. The book tells Franklin’s story from his early life in Ireland to his time at Indian. The extensive text explores the bikes he built and sheds new light on the history of the Indian Motorcycle Company itself. If you’re in the least bit interested in Indian motorcycles, then this volume is essential reading. Franklin’s Indians by Harry Sucher, Timothy Pickering, Liam Diamond and Harry Havelin is available for £30 from veloce.co.uk