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Four-Cylinder Motorcycle: 1938 Indian Four

You’ve probably heard of the Indian Motorcycle Company but did you know they built a bike with a big four-cylinder strapped to it?!! This was an expensive bike when new (as much as a car) so there weren’t a ton sold, making a rare sight today. Even if you aren’t into motorcycles, this impressive machine is still worth a look. Find it here on eBay where it’s listed with no reserve and less than a day remaining.

As cutting edge as a four-cylinder motorcycle built in 1938 may seem to us today, the engine design had been around since 1911. Schwinn Bicycles even Indian purchased the rights to the design from Ace Motor Corp in 1927 and started production of the Indian Ace. That name only lasted a year but the engine lived on until 1942.

Unfortunately, this era of time was not kind to the luxury motorcycle market. It’s actually kind of amazing that Indian kept developing and attempting to sell their halo model for so long. V-Twin engines were cheaper to produce and maintain so they eventually won out as the powerplant of choice for the majority of Harley and Indian customers.

Still, this machine is impressive even today. It may not have been the huge financial success that the company wanted when it was new but, as evidenced by the bidding, it’s still very desirable today! The seller doesn’t give us a lot of information about the bike’s history but does mention that it has been ridden in its current state since the sixties. So, let’s hope that the next owner continues to enjoy it!

 

Comments

  1. Avatar BR

    Current bid is 60.4 large. Sweet bike, although I think it would look better with the signature teardrop headlight.

    Like 3
  2. Avatar Solosolo Member

    I would take this Indian before any HD, ancient or modern.

    Like 7
  3. Avatar david r

    Hope the new owner doesn’t do a pristine restoration. It’s perfect just as it is.

    Like 6
    • Avatar 72 Monte Carlo

      Perfect Bar Hopper.

      Like 0
  4. Avatar Bob Roller

    I had an uncle that was riding one of these big Indians coming out of Chicago and got into a road race with a supercharged Duesenberg.At about 90mph he pulled out to pass the car and the guy driving the Duesenberg hit high gear and it was game over.This was in 1939.He told me this story in 1953 when I pulled up in front of our home in J528,a Duesenberg convertible sedan with a Brunn custom body,one of three known as Riviera Phaetons.His name was Chandler Taylor and at one time he did stunt riding on motor cycles and was seen in movies as an edited in addition.

    Like 16
    • Avatar Lee Powell

      Nice slice of history Bob. I live about 12 miles from the ACD museum in Auburn,IN and it is so great to look at the old machines on display there. I can only imagine what the world was like when these cars and bikes ruled the roads.

      Like 6
      • Avatar Slantasaurus

        Around 2005 or 6 I was in Auburn for the Labor day festival. Before the parade started on Saturday I saw an old man riding around on an old Indian 4cyl like this. As myself and a group of others gather around to check out his bike the owner proudly proclaimed. “This is my “new” bike, 1930, I have a ’29 at home”

        Like 7
  5. Avatar Rodney - GSM

    I am just holding my breath waiting for someone to claim this amazing logo as
    “Cultural Appropriation”…

    Like 10
    • Avatar Steve R

      There are a couple if people on this site that have done that sort of thing, but they normally limit their trolling to rusty Mopar’s and rear engine Porsche’s. If it’s a slow do, they might show up.

      Steve R

      Like 1
  6. Avatar geomechs Member

    Beautiful bike! It would look a lot better at my place. Henderson pretty much pioneered the configuration but some guys defected to get Ace going. Henderson, under the ownership of Schwinn, and sporting the Excelsior flag, made motorcycles until 1931 when management dropped a major bomb that ceased all motorcycle production effective immediately. Indian took over Ace and the rest is history. Growing up in the 50s and 60s the only four-cylinder motorcycles I ever knew were Henderson. It was interesting to know that Henderson and Ace were so closely connected.

    Like 4
    • Avatar Howard A Member

      Pal, if I had a million dollars, which may be a pittance today for some, but still a lot of money to me, and as the years drift by, it’s getting less and less likely that will happen, but I’d buy you and Scotty all this stuff, however, seeing I can’t muster a paltry $5grand for some POS Jeep, I’ll have to pass too. I’m very, very sorry,,,would a moped do? That I think I still can handle,,
      These were pretty cool bikes, some may use that “Holy Grail of vintage bikes” baloney, but a 4cylinder motorcycle was really unheard of. We take multi cylinder bikes for granted now, but back then, this must have been a hell of a ride( that’s right, I’m so upset, I’m using swear words now, at least the ones that pass the filter) I can’t find a price when new, but rest assured, it wasn’t cheap. I read, while demand for these was there, they were understandably unstable, and while it would go 100 mph easily, however, stopping it was another matter. Special thanks to Mike Wolfe and Hollywood for inflating these prices into the stratosphere.
      Yeah, I may be outspoken with stuff people would rather not hear, but I bet you’ll remember me when I’m gone.

      Like 5
      • Avatar geomechs Member

        A moped would be just fine. Maybe I’d call it “FLAME.” Some years ago I had a trailer pad at a local man-made lake/irrigation reservoir. I had a little Honda Spree scooter that we used to ride over to the convenience store/showers. It was about a mile and a half. I started calling it ‘Flame.’ It wasn’t a moped, nor did it earn the notoriety of the one in the Jim Stafford song but it wasn’t long before all the locals referred to the scooter as Flame. It wasn’t my Harley but it still kept you up on four wheels–sorta…

        Like 1
      • Avatar geomechs Member

        Four wheels! What the devil am I talking about? Let’s try (2) wheels! I think this pandemic is getting to me…

        Like 1
    • Avatar tommy okonski

      I seem to remember a friend of mine had Ariel Squire four,I had a Harley 1953 K-model and my friend had the 1958 Arial Squire four.

      Like 0
      • Avatar BR

        square – square
        square – square

        Like 0
      • Avatar Solosolo Member

        I also had a 1951 Ariel Square Four back in the seventies. They were commonly known as a “Squariel” and it was a great bike, however, it couldn’t compare with this gorgeous Indian Straight Four.

        Like 1
  7. Avatar Frank Riggs

    Back through the ’30’s my dad was in the US Cavalry stationed at Fort Sheridan Illinois. He talked about the large groups that managed to get leave time together. Half had HD’s, the rest had Indians. My dad had an Indian inline four along with a few others. They would ride South down US41 to Chicago Racing the train. Had several pic’s from the day that managed to get lost. When my dad talked about that bike great memories leaked down his cheeks.

    Like 10
  8. Avatar Eugene N Makucha

    Made in Springfield Massachusetts, my hometown!

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Joseph

    Sold $75.8K

    Like 7
  10. Avatar TBAU Member

    What a piece of art; aesthetic and mechanical.
    I hope the new owner keeps it as-is.
    Keep the bikes coming…

    Like 3
  11. Avatar Bob Roller

    About 70 years ago there was a man that had a 4 cylinder Henderson under a tarp and he let me look at it and during our conversation he said he had owned several of them over the years and the Henderson had one flaw and that was the rear cylinder over heat and causing the rings to lose tension and then the oil consumption went up and the smoke was obvious.Did these engines have individual cylinders(jugs) like a plane engine or was a long block used?I was never really interested in 2 wheelers of any kind but a 4 cylinder type did get my attention and still does.

    Like 1

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