"Nortian" or "Indiaton"

https://www.google.ca/search?q=firth%27 ... B600%3B488


http://www.indianchiefmotorcycles.com/1970bike.htm

near the bottom

The last big bike by Clymer to wear the Indian logo is the most mysterious. Only one prototype was made, shown below. This was a Norton 750 in an Italjet frame (a bit of a copy of the famous Norton Featherbed frame apparently). The disc brakes are Campagnolo, cable operated. The same Italjet fenders seen on the Horex-Indian and with a BMW headlamp (my 1970 Italian Laverda had one), and a custom fuel tank. A beautiful sports bike. Thanks to Phil Doland for the info. Hopefully this "Nortian" or "Indiaton" still exists.If so, whoever owns it (or anyone with a better or more photos) please come forth and take a bow as the owner of one of the rarest post 1953 Indians.

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I think It should be either a 'Chiefton' or an 'Atlandian' (Atlas engine).

It was a distinctly designed frame, not similar to a fbed.
No clues on the existence of that show bike, but in the 70s in SF there was a very well made Atlas with a late Indian Chief motor. Not showy but well-engineered and very nice.

i wonder what a find like this might be worth today.....

As someone who spends a lot of time in a shop that specializes in "Real" Indians it's sad to see the crap the name has been dragged through, and still is.. Even sadder is the fact that America once had over 150 motorcycle companies and only "The big two" made a big go of it.

Even sadder is the fact that there have been over the years, both on and off track, all kinds of restrictions to protect the H/D coming up against better machinery on the track and extra import tax imposed to higher capacity engines, without brands like H/D would have gone to the wall donkeys years ago.

gtsun said:

Even sadder is the fact that America once had over 150 motorcycle companies and only "The big two" made a big go of it.

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And one of those big two was as good as defunct for about 50 years.....

That survival rate is true though for motorcycle manufacture around the globe. ??
The UK has had more than 1000 manufactuers over the centuries, and now there is Triumph. And Norton, sort of.
Europe had probably as many, and now there is BM in Germany, and none in Spain, France, a few survivors in Italy.
Japan had hundreds, now there is the big4.
Russia and the eastern bloc had many, now there is just 2 or 3.

It is the way of history - get big, or get out.
Of course, the hundreds of new makers in China is the way of the future.
Like it or not.

And true motorcycle enthusiasts might suggest these new Indians under Polaris look like the real revival,
the new models are very well built and well engineered, look to be very capable bikes.
Time will tell....

When Harley made the XR750TT road racer, they almost got there. The Buell was also almost a decent bike. Both of them proved the Americans are capable. It seems their mindset is wrong. I think the problem is the number of freeways in America - it doesn't seem to matter if the bike doesn't perform, as long as it is a good cruiser - you might as well drive a car. My first bike was a 500cc Indian Scout. It was beautifully engineered, however it did nothing for me. I was probably a lout, but I really loved my hotted up Tiger 110 - lots of adrenalin rush. Over the years I was offered several Indian Chiefs at very reasonable prices - I wouldn't touch them. I'm sorry now, they were not all bad. I wouldn't buy the new model, however the 1947 Chief was superb.

T120 Steib said:

It was a distinctly designed frame, not similar to a fbed.
No clues on the existence of that show bike, but in the 70s in SF there was a very well made Atlas with a late Indian Chief motor. Not showy but well-engineered and very nice.

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Yeah, I belongs to Allan Goldwater....here you go. He still has it. This was at the NCNOC rally at Pinecrest in 1983.

gtsun said:

As someone who spends a lot of time in a shop that specializes in "Real" Indians it's sad to see the crap the name has been dragged through, and still is.. Even sadder is the fact that America once had over 150 motorcycle companies and only "The big two" made a big go of it.

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As a kid I had two 500cc WD Indians, they were very rudimentary however I was impressed by the engineering in them - everything was done right. I can understand why Clymer tried to exploit the name, brand loyalty might have sold a few bikes in the US. I suggest he might have done better to build a new bike from the ground up - perhaps a 4 valve alloy V-twin motor like a JAP or Godden in a new design frame. I wouldn't want to be seen near any of his hybrid or labelled bikes. The concept reminds me of 'bobbers' and 'choppers'. The name 'Indian' is not about that, it has a lot more class. The bike that really upsets me is the Vindian - why would anyone do that ?

acotrel said:

The bike that really upsets me is the Vindian - why would anyone do that ?

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Because, at the time, Indian needed a new up-to-date design of engine,
and Vincent needed to increase their engine production to take advantage of economies-of-scale pricing of components.
But, it came to nothing anyway, so why get upset...

acotrel said:

I suggest he might have done better to build a new bike from the ground up - perhaps a 4 valve alloy V-twin motor like a JAP or Godden in a new design frame.

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Or perhaps a completely new design of watercooled v-twin indian,
all modern and suspended and injected etc. Like the 2015 Scout here.
The test reports sound encouraging, but the stylists should have had more time with it ?
That front guard/fender simply looks cut, but hey bobbers are all the rage....

Well, David, that was nice to see, and fast too. He told me that when the city of Boston, in the 1960s, caused fireplaces in upper stories of residential buildings to be made illegal, a masonry crew found that motor bricked up in the fireplace of a old building there.
Since you are so quick on the SF related bike info, how about finding my stolen Morini 3 1/2, last seen early 90s Hunter's Point.
All steel parts red incl frame
Bartel Alum. 5 1/2 gal tank.
all fasteners nickel plated
Veglia speedo in 50s Mondial headlamp.
Brembo goldline f brake,drilled floating disc
humped racing seat
drilled r brake backing plate with scoop
Borannis
alloy clip ons
alloy chainguard
alloy mudguards, red stays
steel rear set rests made by me

really like to find the fate of that good machine, perted out decades ago I'm sure.