FRANKLIN'S INDIANS

The Indian has been the iconic image for American big V-Twins down the years, due in no small measure to the motorcycles designed by Charles B Franklin - the Indian Scout and the Indian Chief.

Charles Franklin was born and raised in Ireland, where he quickly became involved in motorcycle racing during the pioneer years. He rapidly established himself as Ireland’s first big racing star and was the first to represent Ireland in an international motorcycle competition. In the Isle of Man TT, he consistently finished in the top eight and, in 1911, claimed second place, a remarkable achievement in itself. But when he moved to Indiana in the USA, where he became the Chief Design Engineer, his genius flowed. His designs catapulted Indian back into the forefront of motorcycle design in the 1920s and ’30s, and his racing engines and motorcycles won much glory for Indian against stiff opposition. Franklin introduced remarkable improvements in side valve combustion chamber design that predated the work of Ricardo.

He championed a holistic approach that popularized new features such as the semi-unit-construction power plant, helical-gear primary drive, double-loop full-cradle frames, and many other improvements to the early motorcycles. Franklin's Indians not only chronicles his life but also sheds much new light on the history of Indian motorcycles and the often turbulent times of the Indian Motorcycle Company itself. It's a much-needed book for all Indian fans and all who love the history of the classic American V-Twins.