Indian 22 vintage flavor/sabor

Starting this thread to show 3 of my current builds, not including the 1941 Simplex resto mod. This will go short and hopefully sweet as one Grubee Gt is complete and the other two are 90% assembled with motors and drivetrains complete. Starting with the Grubee which has less than twenty hours on her, it's the aluminum tank model without motor mount stub. Many of you are familiar with this frame, been around for quite awhile. I like it, quality welds 1 1/8" head tube, 2" bottom bracket, 26" frame on the short side, just enough room to mount 66cc China girl or Ktm 50, light weight but plenty strong for motorizing. Some drawback it's true, but over all good value and in my opinion very attractive styling. I've had one problem with this frame and only on one bike (this is my third) Kick stand mount plate cracked not on a weld but almost dead center, well away from any weld heat fatigue location. I'm not a vendor, it's just that people see them and stack hundred dollar bills until I say sold. The one that isfeatured on this thread is mine!! I am attaching photos and if my sizing is correct on the first few I'll follow up with the rest.

I'm more than a bit stodgy when it comes to description so let me know if it boors any or all & I'll desist and approach with a bit more sensitivity, you know.

The aluminum frame is just brushed and not polished or cleared coated in any way. I like the look of bare metal regardless it be brass, bronze, copper, aluminum or steel. Cold or hot drawn steel I concede to the paintsman, but often not for a bit of color just clear coat and protection. All common metal oxidizes. In common steels we call it rust. Brass and bronze tarnish. Aluminum just oxidizes, which oxidation is not as hard as diamond but fairly close on the hardness scale, Aluminum oxide is what is used as an abrasive, bonded into a phenolic resin carrier to form cutting & grinding discs so commonly used to cut metal.

Natural aluminum, like bronze and copper ages quite attractively, but can easily be polished out for a refreshed look.

The components:

I used large diameter RST mountain bike forks, taking care to remove all the silly graffti the manufacturers stick on things. They take on mountains, city streets are nothing, plenty robust and carry Sram calipers and 160mm disc. Headbadge is brass Indian reproduction, board track bars are by Sportsman, headset sealed bearings by Wilderness, motorcycle type throttle, real leather grip wraps, billet handlebar grip plugs by Shadow Conspiracy, period style repo led headlight, Saddle is a custom Rich Phillips leather, embossed with a traditional Navaho Indian squash blossom pattern (a tribal and international favorite) The saddle is slammed to the tank & seat tube, held in place by a custom mount of my own desigh, the rear of the saddle is supported from the rear brake mounts with brackets and mini-heim joints ...again my design and fab work. Just enough room between the saddle and bobbed/flipped fender for a small led tailight. The gas cap was designed by my self using 11 gaugecopper wire wrapped around the cap which is topped by a reproduction solid bass Indian concho.

Wheels are heavy duty Sta-tru mounted coaster rear and 6 bolt disc with Fat Frank 2.5" tires and thorn proof tubes. Used the Manic hub adaptor, bent coaster arm & have 44t mounted (have 36t, 40t, 48t & 54t available) using standard nylon tensioner and a case saver/ chain guide to help prevent chain from case lockup due to chain failure (may save your life!!!)

Motor is custom built with a few mild tuning tricks) modified by myself using 6cc Bicycle Motor Works head, Dellorto clone SHA 65 jet, Manic short shot intake, Jaguar electrics, NGK plug, xport finned aluminum exhaust header. More latter first we will see if my photo sizing skills have improved...I'm positive my camera work is still quite suspect. Rick C.

Resized photos again, "missed it by that much"....enjoy.

Size does matter & 5 is the limit ...as does poor choice of lighting!

About it on the Navaho Indian project, completed this one over a two month period...waiting for parts was really the only problem in the build. Very straight forward non technical build. Fun to ride not so fun to peddle, even with the wide cranks and Schwin Bows. I'm 6'1" and still weigh under a buck 80...this is not a bike style for large size gentlemen, unless you raise the bars and seat, for a board look that defeats the purpose. Next two builds are much more conducive to peddle power, very comfortable and again easy to build. last attachments. Rick C.

Short book for sure... one frame up bike build detailed in 4 posts in a single afternoon, that might be a record for brevety! lol

I am humbled sir by your comments...much appreciated! One day I hope to get a pro to shoot some shots of my collections including these 3 bikes, but would probably have to email individually to display the quality photo work. My photos don't do the bikes full justice, but my choice of individual design won't appeal to all...that's as it should be.

I'm already reaping the benefits of forum comments and input. "Attention to detail" was mentioned & "we like photos" was one early comment of encouragement to a newbie. I noticed 4 glaring, to me, instances of not paying attention to detail. One photo not included earlier reveals two issues not corrected. Tach/hour meter attached to bars with white ties...fabricated bracket should secure meter to the ahead stem, also a billet headlight bracket spacer should replace the 8 stacked nickle plated washers used to determine the correct length of said custom spacer. I just stacked & bolted them 'em up and left as was! Both stick out like a busted thumb in the attached photo. Two weeks I've ridden this little Navaho & didn't notice these once. Also Jaguar plastic black box has a custom aluminum enclosue & billet bracket to mount it on the front down tube just sitting on a shelf where I left them. Also ignition wiring should be enclocsed full lenghth. I need to pay more attention to detail! Rick C.

Thanks I try to utilize what exists before fabbing something new... sometimes it simplifies things, at other times it's made more difficult. If I can help PM me and I'll be glad to explain and post some photos to clarify the various brackets and braces involved.
I designed the brackets in such a way as to allow the installation of 2 traditional coil barrel springs at the rear of the saddle if I want a bit more comfort. RC

Thanks Joey for the compliment on my Indian Navaho /Grubbe build. It's been a fun process which continues with riding and breaking in the new motor. Of course our weather hasn't helped with the breakin process. Below 0 degree windchills have somewhat limited my saddle time, though I continue to ride some each day. Roads have not been slick, it's just a bit cold. I have about 10 hours of ride time on the motor (although some of you more observant may have seen 49 hours on the tach/hour meter in one of my attachephotos, I didn't reset the device after taking the meter off another bike) I generally call 25 hours @ about an average of 20mph as good to go. I err on the side of caution during breakin, with all engines. Have a great day! Rick C.

The Navaho Indian is close to complete so I spent some time the past two days working on my Indian Territory police Scout tribute build and it's about ready to take out for a test ride. I always assemble all components and test ride every bike several miles under peddle power prior to installing the motor side chain. If it doesn't work perfectly as a bike it's sure not ready to go under motor power. It's just easier to see, feel and hear problem areas that need attention without the motor and safer too! RC

SB that's a real deal Scout headbadge no replica & unfortunately it wasn't a freeby like the Simplex parts. I'm trying to find out what years they used these exact ones on but have struck out so far.

Filling up the space. One of the things I look for in a bike frame is available space to mount a motor. Other factors are also involved of course, but space is important for many reasons; the most important of which is will the motor fit, bolt up and function in the available space. Having to unbolt an engine to remove a spark plug is a factor of poor frame and or motor selection, as is settling for a head you don't really want or using a short plug that is quite likely a compromise that isn't readily available or isn't the proper heat range or quality product. Just because we can shoehorn it in doesn't make one happy with the finished bike a few months down the road.

Does it look as well as function correctly? I really like drop loops, lots of space to work with. Lots of space solves some promblems yet can create others. Large motors look great in drops. China dolls and Ktms don't "fill them in" so many of us have spent time, money and more time & $$ filling the "open space" with faux crank cases, "oil tanks" etc. and many have pulled it off with beautiful KTM or China Dolls in place...lot of work and I applaud the craftsmanship and patience required to get these works of art completed.

Steel vs. aluminum....classic restored frame vs. new chassis etc. Many decisions to be made even to those who choose to go with straight kit builds and some of you guys get amazing results just from straight kits and your old cruiser etc. The three current bikes I'm featuring on this thread could be considered kit builds of a sort. Nothing tech. about them, select the right parts and assemble with care...about it. Have fun, think first buy second & build with care! Rick C.

I once built an English MGA and stuffed a 365hp Corvette 327 with 4 speed and a 9" ford locker rear axle, which had to be severely narrowed to fit the body even with cutouts. Looked like a "Ratfink" creation, was very fast, but handled like a pig. It all fit but wasn't right.

Few more photos of the Indian Police Scout. Used a Fito steel frame for this one. Used 1 1/4" steel DOM tubing to bend, trim and cap before welding to the back of the seat tube for a stable support for the "camelback Indian style" gas tank mount. Tank is a 2 liter "kit" tank I had laying around . I mounted the tank small end and petcock forward. The whole arrangement looks factory and is very solid.

The seat is a black leather reproduction and was originally intended for a high wheel "bonecrusher bike" circa late 1800's. Extra large and comfortable. Large rear springs are designed to house a leather tool roll. Nicely made with cooper rivets and decent chrome plating. Leather seems to be good quality. Not terribly expensive but kinda cool. Seat post is an adjusable height "dropper" controlled by the red lever located under the seat. Want to peddle with power and comfort elevate the seat to it's highest position. Locks up or down position or anywhere inbetween. Added advantage is extra couple of inches of nitrogen assisted shock assistence for comfort.

Grips 72" each of inexpensive black leather bootlacing...tough and comfortable.

Engine fired up with little drama & I rode her about 10 minutes to seat the rings & see if anything would fall off the motor or drive train. The bike itself had been ridden several times and a few miles prior to motor power being used. Stock CDI used on this motor, kit style unit, I quite often break in motors with the stock CDI as I don't rev the engines much past 4600rpm during about 20 hours of breakin. The Grubee Navaho Indian has a Jaguar CDI mounted for breakin cause it was at hand and I knew it worked (came off a high performance motor I recently built). I've used several performance CDI's & know Lightning and Jaguar work on modified motors & make some power. I haven't used the Rocket enough to make a judgement but have "the pill box" mounted on the the third bike I'll be sharing with you on this thread initially. My initial feeling about the performance CDI is that on high reving engines they make a noticeable difference...retarding advance at higher rpm should add to engine life. Hotter coil, can't argue that... at least I won't, but for putting around town a stock CDI works fine and if I ride a stock or perf. China Girl wide open most of the time each is going to eventually blow regardless of retarded ignition at top rpm ...whatever that might be! I'm still going to use and buy the performance boxes, but save them for real performance engines.

All 3 bikes use SHA carb 65 jet )altitude here nominally 1500 feet above sea level) and manic short shot manifolds. Heads are 5.3cc and the other two are 6cc. All have ports cleaned up and matched....the third bike is mounted with a more radically prepared motor & expansion pipe. Build name "Indian Outlaw"
and it should be ready for a test ride this weekend. Keep building. Rick C.

The Photos of the "Indian Police Scout"