Meet the proud owner of the first Indian Chief to arrive in Australia later this year.
Ken Hager drew “number 1” from a special draw tonight with actor Shane Jacobsen at an official preview function for the launch of the Indian Chief at the Victory/Indian dealership in Parramatta Rd, Sydney.
He is one of 111 customers who paid a $1000 deposit for the bike, sight unseen.
His number 1 will be stamped on the bike. Australia is the only country to get the 111 numbered bikes.
Ken, 65, of Attwood in Victoria, says he has a Victory Vegas, but is going to sell it and keep the Chief.
“My grandfather had one and I’m keep it and ride it,” he says.
The bike will be unveiled simultaneously at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota and in Sydney at 1pm tomorrow.
Australia is the number one seller of Victory bikes outside North America which is how they managed to have the bike unveiled here at the same time as in the States.
Indian Motorcycles Australia invited the first 111 customers who placed a deposit on the bike to the official function in Sydney tonight.
The customers drew lots to determine the special badge number that will come with their bike.
The long and low Indian Chief will arrive in Australia costing $28,995 ride-away. It is powered by a 111 cubic-inch V-twin “Thunderstroke” engine and comes with the traditional Indian head on the front fender, mini pullback bars, dual exhausts, lots of chrome even on the switchblock, cruise control, ABS, dual front brake discs, a black frame, antique “grandfather clock” style instruments on the tank, engine bars and big floorboards.
The brand began in 1901 and went bankrupt in 1953. The brand continued in broken production runs by various organisations until 2011 when it was bought by Polaris, the world’s largest manufacturer of snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles and owner of the 15-year-old Victory Motorcycles.
Awareness of the Indian name received a massive boost in 2005 when the Hollywood film, “The World’s fastest Indian”, starring Anthony Hopkins hit the silver screen.
It’s the story of Kiwi Burt Munro and his bid to set the under-1000cc land-speed record in 1967 at Bonneville on his 1920 Indian.
