The grand opening of
"A Century of Indian,"
presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance

by Bill Andrews

"These machines have style."

That was the common theme heard from the approximately 300 visitors that attended the grand opening Saturday of, "A Century of Indian, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance." The new exhibit, at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in Pickerington, Ohio, chronicles the history of the now famous marque.

"Style is what keeps Indian alive," said Ed Youngblood, who curated the Indian exhibit. "No one else has built motorcycles quite like them, and that's the thing people most remember about Indian -- and remember fondly."

It's been a year's worth of work for Youngblood who said, "There's always a hundred things you'd do better or differently, but I'm happy with the turnout, and the comments have been pretty positive."

Most museums can only offer a three-dimensional representation of the past. Imagine what it would be like to see a T-Rex get up, growl, and walk around. At the Indian grand opening, visitors got a similar experience as some 30 vintage Indian motorcycles rode in from the cross-country Century Ride Home, which was taking place at the same time.

The faithful enthusiasts were riding their vintage machinery from Los Angeles, California, to Indian's original home in Springfield, Massachusetts, in a celebration of their favorite brand's anniversary. Many riders were planning on traveling only a part of the 3,700 miles, but most were intent on at least making it to the museum's opening as their part of the ride.

The two events were brought together by Mark Mederski, the executive director of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. "It's great to get the static Indians with the running Indians," Mederski said. "People can get the smell and hear the roar of a live demonstration, along with seeing the Indians on display."

Among the honorees at the grand opening were two gentlemen who helped make Indian a force to be reckoned with on the race track. Bobby Hill and Bill Tuman, members of the famous "Indian Wrecking Crew," were on hand to help cut the ribbon and provide a glimpse into Indian's colorful past.

Hill said the exhibit was great, and seeing his picture on some of the racing posters on display was "quite an honor."

The two ex-racers are scheduled to do a lap on a pair of Indians during Vintage Motorcycle Days at Mid-Ohio. Asked if they planned on dragging a knee through the turns, Tuman laughed and said, "It'll be more like dragging both feet."

Some of the visitors to the museum were folks that were as much a part of Indian's history as the machines themselves. Tom Wilson, from North Carolina, was an Indian dealer in Maryland before the company went under. Wilson, who gives his age as "very old," is a thin gentleman who, with his handlebar mustache and connecting sideburns, looks much like a period piece himself.

He walked around the museum floor giving a running commentary on the classics presented before him. "This one was called the model nothing," he said of the 1917 Model "0", indicating that the opposed twin was somewhat lacking in performance.

But sitting right next to it is the 1919 Military Powerplus, a machine that did grab Wilson's attention. "Among other things, it had decent power and a good rear suspension," he said.

Wilson continued his tour, stopping here and there, oohing and aahing at some of the bikes that he knew intimately a better part of a century ago.

At the 1914 Hendee Special, he leaned over for a closer look and smiled. Without looking at the description of the bike, he pointed to the electric start and said, "Now there's a rare one." The electric start was still too far ahead of its time and many customers had the item removed, thus making the few that remain a real collector's item.

Wally Gilman was one of the riders making the cross-country ride aboard his 1951 Indian Chief. Gilman, from Dolores, Colorado, rode his bike to California to start the run, made it to the museum grand opening and plans to celebrate in Springfield.

Regarding the style of these old Indians, he said, "It's just a one of a kind thing."

Dan Keil, who rode his Indian Chief from Grand Rapids, Michigan, underlined the common theme once again. "It's style," he said. "They had a lot of style back then, no two ways about it."

Visitors look at a three-wheeled Indian delivery vehicle.	Ed Youngblood, who curated the Indian exhibit, expresses his feelings about the Indian brand to the crowd.
Legendary Indian racer Bill Tuman (center) talks about one of the Indian engines	Some of the Indian motorcycles on the Century Ride Home.
Visitors admire the antique Indian motorcycles on display.	A live demonstration of the sound and look of an Indian motorcycle running.
Not all of the classic Indians were in the museum.	Some of the Indian motorcycle riders on the Century Ride Home enter the museum grounds.

© 2001, Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum