1947 Indian 74ci Chief

Frame no. 3474109 Engine no. DG4109

• Iconic skirted seat
• Art-Deco style
• Roadmaster trim

Is there a more iconic shape in American motorcycling than a skirted Indian Chief? Those big Art Deco-styled, valanced fenders are unmistakable; then as now, they set the bike apart from anything else on the road. Back in 1922 the Indian range was extended by the introduction of a new, Scout-based 61ci (1,000cc) flat head 42-degree long stroke (83x113mm bore and stroke) v-twin called the Chief – the first of a line that would endure for 31 years. A year later a 74ci version was introduced, and both were offered until 1928 when the smaller motor was dropped. Similarly, the 74ci (1,210cc) was finished in 1949 with the introduction of an 80ci (1,300cc) version in 1950. Constantly developed over its tenure, from new frame, forks, dry-sump lubrication, coil ignition, rear suspension and the like, the Chief quickly became one of the most legendary motorcycles in the world, particularly after 1940 when it was clothed in those now iconic Art Deco-style valanced fenders. For a style so associated with a brand, it's surprising that the fenders didn't make their appearance until 1940, some 39 years after the company's founding. Indian went all-in on the design, outfitting Scouts, Chief and Fours with the new tinware. After World War 2 only the Chief made a return – in 1947 they did make 11,849 of them - supposedly a stop-gap measure until lighter, more advanced models came online.
Three different trims were available at the time for the Chief, the Clubman, the cheapest version, that still came with chromes everywhere, from the gas tank caps to the rear bumper, as well as the iconic 'War Mascot' front fender light; the Sportsman that featured slightly more chrome than the one before, essentially on the handlebars, crash bars and headlamp. Finally, the Roadmaster that added a sport windshield, saddlebags with chrome rivets, chromed twin spotlights, chromed handlebar cross-tube and of course the famous Indian seat with adjustable spinning to welcome a passenger. But a series of financial and engineering missteps doomed the company and Chiefs were still being sold when the Springfield, Massachusetts factory shut its doors in 1953.
The Chief we have here is a Roadmaster and comes in the famous Indian Red color and skirt seat.