Before Polaris Industries acquired Indian Motorcycle in 2011, the brand had a tumultuous history with several ownership changes throughout the years. Let’s break it down:
Who Owned Indian Motorcycles Before Polaris
- Original Company (1901-1953): The Indian Motorcycle Manufacturing Company was founded in 1901 by George M. Hendee and Oscar Hedstrom. It produced bikes in Springfield, Massachusetts, and became one of the major motorcycle producers in the world.
- Brockhouse Engineering (1955-1960): After the original company went bankrupt in 1953, the Indian name and the associated trademarks were purchased by Brockhouse Engineering, a British firm. They imported English motorcycles and rebranded them as Indians for the U.S. market.
- Associated Motor Cycles (AMC) and Matchless (1960-1962): Brockhouse sold the rights to Associated Motor Cycles, which owned the Matchless and AJS motorcycle brands. They also imported and rebadged English motorcycles as Indians.
- Floyd Clymer (1963-1970s): Floyd Clymer, a motorcycle enthusiast and publisher, began using the Indian name in the 1960s. After his death in 1970, his widow sold the alleged rights to the Indian name to Los Angeles attorney Alan Newman.
- Various attempts in the 1970s and 1980s: After the Clymer era, there were various attempts to revive the Indian brand, but none of them gained significant traction.
- California Motorcycle Company (1990s): In the 1990s, the California Motorcycle Company started producing motorcycles under the Indian brand. However, they faced financial problems.
- Indian Motorcycle Company of America (1999-2003): In 1998, several entities merged to form the Indian Motorcycle Company of America (IMCA), which began producing bikes in Gilroy, California. This venture filed for bankruptcy in 2003.
- Stellican Limited (2006-2011): A London-based private equity firm, Stellican Limited, bought the rights to the Indian name and started producing limited numbers of motorcycles in North Carolina.
- Polaris Industries (2011-present): Polaris Industries, known for producing snowmobiles, ATVs, and Victory Motorcycles, acquired Indian Motorcycle in 2011. Under Polaris’s ownership, Indian Motorcycle has seen a resurgence in popularity and has re-established itself as a major player in the motorcycle industry.
Throughout its history, the Indian brand has had its ups and downs, but it remains an iconic name in the world of motorcycles.
