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The Indian Chief Predecessor

kiwi dave

GT Reference
Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
2,229
Location
Auckland, New Zealand
I posted this originally on an Indian forum, but got very little response. So I'm hoping you guys can help me.

Many years ago, I was touring southern California on a Moto Guzzi (California!). I joined another rider who was on a Victory (I can't remember which model). It had the same iconic motor as my current 2017 Indian Chief. My Chief motor has the valve covers that are modelled to resemble a side valve V-twin, and this bike had the same style of valve covers.

I've searched the interweb looking for this model of Polaris and/or Victory but haven't managed to find a suitable photo to jolt my memory. Perhaps I have my models mixed up? At the time the Indian name was being revived by Kawasaki, my research shows a Kawasaki Drifter 800 cc, but the pictures I've managed to view does not include the "side-valve" rocker covers look.

Can anyone help jog my fading memory?

Indian Chief 111 cu inch motor
 
Hi Dave, you’re confusing yourself it seems. (Polaris) Indian launched in 2013 with the Thunderstroke 111 engine you have pictured above. Victory never had such and engine with this (side valve) look, only the Vision and Cross Country models shown below.

DB2E0F79 8FBE 4382 8079 60813EC27E76
6540D25D F829 46FA BBA3 48934EF7CF1B
With some irony, though the public in large would likely not know this, but the new Indian Challenger was developed as a Victory. It never saw the light of day until 2020 as an Indian. Side by side, you can see the engine lineage.
EC84D859 7C0B 49C6 A4C9 8E04D50D29CD
 
Hi Dave, you’re confusing yourself it seems. (Polaris) Indian launched in 2013 with the Thunderstroke 111 engine you have pictured above.

You're right Todd, I'm very good at confusing myself. In fact it would have been 2013 when I purchased my first Cali 1400 (1st in the USA I'm claiming, but that's another bone of contention) when I laid my eyes on the Indian Chief with the iconic "side valve" V-twin motor that I've posted above (of my 2017 Indian Chief).

What I was thinking of was the Victory with the "bottle-cap" motor earlier than this. I saw one down in Long Beach after visiting Moto Guzzi Classics, it was a good looking bike.
 
Thanks for the link, Todd. Which Victory model had the "bottle-cap" motor that I was referring too? I looked at all the models in the article, but I just couldn't see it.

Then again, my eyes are only painted on.
 
Closing in on a decade of Vic ownership and club involvement here...not sure that the timeframe aligns but might you be thinking of the Octane....which set the stage for (and was superior to) the Scout?
They are a little bottle-cappy, though not channeled like the Indian heads.
victory-octane-performance-exhaust-motorcycle-2-into-1.jpg
 
Closing in on a decade of Vic ownership and club involvement here...not sure that the timeframe aligns but might you be thinking of the Octane....which set the stage for (and was superior to) the Scout?
They are a little bottle-cappy, though not channeled like the Indian heads.
victory-octane-performance-exhaust-motorcycle-2-into-1.jpg

Nope. It wasn't this one. The valve covers resembled crown tops on a non-screw top beer bottle.
 
Thanks for the link, Todd. Which Victory model had the "bottle-cap" motor that I was referring too? I looked at all the models in the article, but I just couldn't see it.
Then again, my eyes are only painted on.
Welcome, and sorry... can't recall any model that had such an engine. All of the models are shown on that link (outside of the Octane, which I nearly completely forgot about).
 
I'd say Harley panhead given pushrod tubes and some other cues. Maybe custom machined covers or something from back in the day.

Edit...then again: ebay.com/itm/184618614984
Edit2: So, Indian as it turns out. Here's some backstory: jamltd.com/Powerplus engine.html
 
I've found an image of the motor in a custom frame. If it's not a Victory, any idea what it's off?
Ah, yep, saying it was a Vic threw me off. Per above, that was the "Kings Mountain" (N.C) Powerplus (S&S) V-twin (shown below).
This is my memory of it confirmed by Wiki:
'99-03 - Gilroy (California Motorcycle Company - CMC) Indian.
'06-11 - King's Mountain (N.C. - Stellican Limited, a London-based private equity firm) Indian (below).
'11 - current: Polaris Ind - Spirit Lake, Iowa production. They actually ran small production numbers of the bike below until the official launch at Sturgis 2013 (which I was graciously part of, pic below).

2010 Indian ChiefVintagec

Backstage at the Buffalo Chip, riding one of the bikes for the unveil.
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