I went down to the shop Christmas Eve to check on the Indian. It has been a full year rebuilding this bike, and to be so simple it has presented a lot of challenges. The forks, frame, fuel tank, wheels, motor, magneto, and the list goes on. They have all been addressed, and hopefully will be up for the 4000 mile test. I feel like I know this bike pretty well now, and will be ready for September.
It is really special for me when I think of all the other people who have ridden and worked on this bike through the years. It rolled out of Springfield into the possession of a new owner in 1929. I would have loved to have seen it that day! I wonder how it faired the great depression, and then the second world war? Who all learned to ride on this bike, and where all has it been? What kind of people have owned it, who hurried home from school to sneak it out, who broke the mag case, and who pushed it into the corner of a barn? People were tough, and life was a little simpler. They made things that lasted. Man if this thing could talk, what stories I would hear.
So I finally bid goodnight and Merry Christmas to the 101. It has been restored very close to what an original 1929 101 Scout was like. Its a beautiful machine. Charles Franklin should be proud.
Now its time to start getting it ready for the Cannonball.
Thank you for taking us through your restauration that is so full of respect, care and amazing skill that have resurrected this bike from, lets say tired warrior to the beautiful machine it now is. No one but you could be prouder of your achievement and you sure have made justice to the engineer that made the blueprints for the Scout and the workers that saw it roll out from the line in 1929.
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