The 1904 Indian “Camelback” was put up for auction during the Cleon Graber estate sale. His son Linde, put in a bid of $100,000 to keep the bike. A similar Indian motorcycle sold for $155,000 in Maryland in 2012.
Cleon Graber was quite a collector and had a number of Indian motorcycles, with the 1904 being the oldest.
Linde Graber and his sister Teresa would like the motorcycle to eventually end up in a museum.
Philadelphia tourists flock to Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the Constitution Center and a world-class art museum with steps made famous in the movie “Rocky.”
But tucked far away in the southern end of South Philadelphia is a little-known and less visited museum.
The American Swedish Historical Museum in Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park on Pattison Avenue is overshadowed not only by those uptown tourism giants but by the professional sports complex two blocks away across Broad Street that attracts millions of fans every year.
It’s the oldest Swedish museum in the U.S. and has been visited by the king and queen of Sweden.
The museum is filled with architectural, cultural and historical treats and often hosts public events that include culinary delights for visitors who needn’t be Swedish or Finnish to appreciate them or to become members.
The museum recounts the contributions of Swedes and Finns who settled along the Delaware River and Bay in South Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania in New Sweden, or “Nya Sverige” more than 100 years before the Revolutionary War and prior to the Quakers.
The building anchors the 348-acre park of lakes and trails at the far end of Pattison Avenue at 20th Street. Yet most passersby miss it because the imposing front of the stone building faces the park and not the avenue.
“It is the pearl of South Philadelphia on land settled by Swedes and people should come here and learn the history of the region before the Quakers. We have many fun activities, parking is free and is it handicapped accessible,” said Carin Klint Foster, the museum board of governors vice chairwoman. She is from Cinnaminson and emigrated from Sweden in 1970.
An ornate gate and steps lead to massive doors on the stately mansion that has both American and Swedish architectural elements.
Greeting visitors inside is a spacious lobby with a central staircase and towering ceiling. Covering the expansive ceiling is a mural of Lenape Indians with Swedes who arrived in the New World on the ships Kalmar Nyckel and Fogel Grip in 1638 for trade. Swedes settled South Jersey in what is now Bridgeton in Logan Township and Swedesboro, both on Raccoon Creek, and later in Burlington and beyond.
The museum is hosting a grand opening Sunday for a special one-of-a-kind exhibit about a mode of transportation generally not connected with Sweden.
It is a collection of early vintage American-made motorcycles by the first U.S. company that made them — the Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Co. of Springfield, Massachusetts.
It was co-founded in 1901 by Swedish immigrant Carl Oscar Hedstrom, a machinist and racing enthusiast in New York City who engineered the first American “moto” cycle. He partnered with George Hendee, an American bicycle racer and builder, after they met at a Madison Square Garden race in New York City.
The earliest cycle in the exhibit, “Indian Nation: Indian Motorcycles and America,” dates to 1903. It more resembles a bicycle with an engine rather than the traditional motorcycle most people recognize today. However, it had a streamlined appearance even then and was lightweight and more reliable.
“People started racing motorized bikes, which went from one-cylinder engines to two cylinders (V-twin) and which continue to be modified today,” said museum curator Carrie Hogan of Barrington.
“The iconic Indian was known as America’s motorcycle and had a huge rivalry with Harley,” she said as she hung illustrated panels in the exhibition hall and buffed cycles.
Among the collection are two board track racers, seven road bikes for endurance travel and two World War II motorcycles manufactured for the war effort — a 1942 Indian 741 Military Scout and a 1944 Indian Military Chief with a sidecar.
World War II enthusiast Don Sterner of Lehigh County, Pa., the 741 Military Scout owner, said he purchased it 10 years ago in Manheim, Germany, from a Polish owner who told him the cycle was used by the Red Army of the USSR under the U.S. Lend-Lease program, which provided military equipment, supplies and food to its allies.
Hogan said the company witnessed both capitalism’s glory and some painful failures, the final one its post-World War II decline.
The company chose the Indian name to signify its cycle as an American product. Cycles carried the “Indian” name in cursive while some models also carry an Indian chief with a feather headdress. The deep red color introduced in 1904 became a classic trademark though they came in other colors.
To create the exhibit the curator contacted private owners of the vintage bikes all over the country who agreed to loan the museum their cycles.
The exhibit, which ends Aug. 23, also features classic racing uniforms, early motorcycle parts, informational panels, artwork and owner memorabilia.
During the 1910s Indian became the largest manufacturer of motorcycles in the world. Its most popular models were the Scout, made from 1920 to 1946, and the Chief, made from 1922 to 1953. Some of its cycles set speed records.
The Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Co. was American-made until it went bankrupt in 1953. Various organizations tried to perpetuate the brand in subsequent years but had minimal success.
In 2011 Polaris Industries purchased Indian and has marketed three modern Indian motorcycles that reflect their traditional styling.
Elsewhere in the museum are galleries dedicated to the New Sweden Colony with artifacts, maps, books, and paintings. The Colony fell to the Dutch in 1655.
There are interactive and static exhibits of native costumes and textiles, glassware and furniture; Pippy Longstocking, the independent girl in the children’s book of the same name by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren; botanist Peter Kalm, the first to document flora and fauna in the New World; writer and traveler Frederika Bremer; and opera signer Jenny Lind.
Its Nord Library boasts 20,000 volumes on history, culture and other subjects. It also houses genealogy material on the New Sweden colonists and their parishes in Sweden.
Board of governors member Kristin Antoniades said even Philadelphians who have lived in the city all their lives have no idea of the museum’s existence.
Weekend shop manager Carol Fucci of Shamong agreed. She sought out a place to connect with her Swedish heritage 15 years ago and found herself volunteering. “Members are like a family,” she said.
On April 21 the museum will hold a “Down on the Dairy Farm” Day at 10:30 a.m. Children can make butter, learn to milk a cow and eat Swedish “Siggi’s” yogurt.
The museum will be aglow April 25 with an outdoor bonfire, a typical Swedish tradition known as Valborg, with songs and refreshments from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
For more information, visit americanswedish.org or call (215) 389-1776.
Georgia Motorcycle History: The First 60 Years, is the culmination of tireless research, pouring over hundreds of archives, articles, family collections, books, and interviews. This stunning, 270-page, clothbound, hardcover coffee table book illuminates the earliest days of American motorcycling culture through the photographs and stories of Georgia. The exclusive collection contains nearly 250 black and white archival photographs, each image methodically researched and captioned in vivid detail. While several key figures in American motorcycling history are featured, the book also explores topics such as the motorcycle’s role as it was used by civilians, military and service departments, professional racers, and farmers.
The book begins with an introduction of the motorcycle at the turn of the century. From there, the first chapter presents the story of Georgia’s first motorcycle and expands into colorful stories of America’s earliest enthusiasts and pioneering spirits. The second chapter recounts the exhilarating and dangerous tales of motorcycle racing, from its origins on horse tracks and the infamous motordromes to the later industrialized and professional sport that we know today. It wasn’t all fun and games though. In chapter three, the book looks into the motorcycle’s role in both WWI and WWII as well as its indispensable place in various municipal service departments. In the last chapter, Georgia Motorcycle History steps back and reviews the motorcycle’s evolution from a bicycle with a clip-on motor to an advanced technological mode of transportation, from a simple utility to a member of the family.
The pictures and stories included in Georgia Motorcycle History reach far beyond a simple documentation of local history. They embody the American spirit and represent a cornerstone of our nation’s culture. Over 200 copies of this stunning book have been sold to eager customers in 15 different countries within the first 2 months of its release and copies are now being carried by exclusive retailers and world-class museum gift shops.
For more information and to purchase the book, you can visit the authors website at:
Buy the Georgia Motorcycle History Book Here
The book is $50 and a great value! Let the author know you heard about it at the IMCA Website
The new 2016 Indian Chief Dark Horse, bringing bold, edgy new styling and attitude to the Indian Chief family, debuts in Chicago on February 13 at the Dark Horse Challange Ride. Starting at $16,999.
MINNEAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Indian
Motorcycle®, America’s first motorcycle company, today announced the
newest and edgiest member of the Indian Chief line-up and the first 2016
model — the Indian® Chief Dark Horse®.
“While it shares the best traits with other models in the
Chief platform, its signature matte black paint and minimalist profile
give it an attitude unlike any other Indian motorcycle. We’re excited to
unveil this new bike at an aggressive price point for a full-size
cruiser.”
The Indian Chief Dark Horse is a cruiser built upon the successful and
award-winning Indian Chief platform. Unlike other bikes in the Indian
Motorcycle line-up, it is understated with only a flash of chrome and
adds a healthy dose of matte black paint to create one of the most
confident silhouettes on the market. By all but eliminating chrome from
the motorcycle and swapping to cast wheels, the Dark Horse conveys an
aggressive pose, and being the lightest in the series, is the quickest
model in the Chief family.
Striking an ideal balance of attitude and features, the 2016 Indian
Chief Dark Horse delivers the style, quality and power expected from an
Indian Motorcycle, and starts at just $16,999. The Dark Horse conveys a
bold attitude that demands attention for all the right reasons.
Blacked-out from end to end, the Dark Horse does not lack features.
Powered by the highly rated Thunder Stroke® 111 engine and wrapped in
the same chassis and suspension of the Indian Chief Classic, the Dark
Horse also maintains ABS, a remote key fob for keyless ignition,
electronic cruise control, and features a two-year unlimited mileage
factory warranty.
Built to be an aggressive solo ride, the Dark Horse loses the oil
cooler, analogue fuel gauge and driving lights of Chief Classic. A
passenger seat plus either passenger foot-pegs or floor boards are
available as part of the Genuine Indian Motorcycle Accessory line-up for
those who want to ride two-up.
The Indian Chief Dark Horse is an ideal motorcycle for those seeking to
customize their rides. With 40 available accessories rolling out during
the spring and early summer, riders can add components to black-out
their ride even more. Items such as ape hanger handlebars, accessory air
cleaners, fender struts, slip-on exhaust with black heat shields and
exhaust tips, and black fender trim help create the fully blacked-out
look.
“The Indian Chief Dark Horse is unlike anything else currently available
from Indian Motorcycle,” said Indian Motorcycle Sr. Product Manager, Ben
Lindaman. “While it shares the best traits with other models in the
Chief platform, its signature matte black paint and minimalist profile
give it an attitude unlike any other Indian motorcycle. We’re excited to
unveil this new bike at an aggressive price point for a full-size
cruiser.”
The 2016 Indian Chief Dark Horse will be available in dealers starting
mid-February and will be a featured demo bike at the annual Daytona Bike
Week from March 7th – 14th. For more information, log on to www.IndianMotorcycle.com.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®
Indian Motorcycle, a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII), is America’s first
motorcycle company. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the
hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one
of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing
dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry
firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand
stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
ABOUT POLARIS® INDUSTRIES
Polaris is a recognized leader in
the powersports industry with annual 2014 sales of $4.5 billion. Polaris
designs, engineers, manufactures and markets innovative, high quality
off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and the Polaris
RANGER® and RZR® side-by-side vehicles, snowmobiles, motorcycles and
on-road electric/hybrid powered vehicles.
Polaris is among the global sales leaders for both snowmobiles and
off-road vehicles and has established a presence in the heavyweight
cruiser and touring motorcycle market with the Victory® and Indian
Motorcycle® and Slingshot® brands. Additionally, Polaris continues to
invest in the global on-road small electric/hybrid powered vehicle
industry with Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), Goupil Industrie SA,
Aixam Mega S.A.S., and internally developed vehicles. Polaris enhances
the riding experience with a complete line of Polaris Engineered Parts,
Accessories and Apparel, Klim branded apparel and ORV accessories under
the Kolpin®, Cycle Country® and Pro Armor® brands.
Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the
symbol “PII”, and the Company is included in the S&P Mid-Cap 400 stock
price index.
Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and
vehicle accessories are available from authorized Polaris dealers or
anytime at www.polaris.com.
Source: Indian Motorcycle Introduces First Model Year 2016, the Indian Chief Dark Horse | Business Wire
This 1948 Indian Chief is one of the most important Indian motorcycles on the planet.
There’s a good chance, many years from now, that history will judge this particular red-and-white 1948 Indian Chief as one of the most important Indian motorcycles on the planet. No, it wasn’t owned by Steve McQueen or any other celebrity; it’s not a special VIN, not the only or the first or the last of anything; it certainly didn’t win any races or set any speed records either. It’s unremarkable except for one fact: This is the motorcycle that spent two years parked in the Polaris design studio, where it served as the visual inspiration and literal touchstone for the design team that reinterpreted the vintage Indian style for the modern era.
This bike isn’t a static showpiece. It’s fully operational, and Indian Product Director Gary Gray offered us the unique opportunity to ride this vintage classic side by side with the modern Chief that carries so much of its DNA in its lines and design. Gray is the person who actually located this bike for Polaris , negotiating the purchase from a Minnesota collector shortly after Polaris acquired the Indian brand in 2011. It’s a 1948 Chief with the mid-level Sportsman trim package, distinguished by the chromed crashbars, handlebar, headlight and spotlights, and “De Luxe” solo saddle. Riding this bike alongside the 2014 Chief Vintage reveals how far bikes have come in 66 years—it feels like light-years—but it’s surprising how similar the two bikes feel in certain ways. That’s a testament to the fine job Gray and company did translating the old glory to a new generation.
The first difference you notice is scale. Wheelbase and seat height are roughly similar, but the vintage bike, weighing just 550 pounds, is almost 250 pounds lighter than the modern machine. This makes the older bike easier to maneuver, especially pushing it around a parking lot, and it handles well at speed too. Sixteen-inch wheels are concealed under those deep fender skirts, and the ride is surprisingly smooth thanks to the coil-sprung, hydraulically damped girder fork and “Double Action” plunger-sprung rear frame (each shock carries two springs: a top spring for cushioning and a bottom spring for damping) that was a cut above Harley’s then-current rigid frame/sprung saddle combination.
The 74ci (1,200cc), 42-degree flathead V-twin, with roots reaching back to 1920, was already obsolete in 1948 (Harley-Davidson released its overhead-valve Panhead that same year), but with roughly 50 hp and a broad spread of torque it’s adequate for back-road cruising. Top speed is said to be near 100 mph, but it’s happier nearer the double nickel where it doesn’t feel (and sound) like it’s going to shake itself apart. Besides, the drum brakes—the front all but useless and the back not much better—can’t compete with more velocity than that.
Often copied, never equaled (until now): the original 1948 Indian Chief
The control layout is utterly unlike the modern bike. Both grips rotate. The right grip “controls” the Linkert carburetor; the left rotates the automotive-type distributor to manually retard or advance the spark for easier starting. “Controls” is in quotes because any grip input to the crude, poorly atomizing Linkert is a mere suggestion. Engine response lags behind grip input by a few seconds, and the lack of a throttle return spring and a solid throttle wire—not a cable—makes rev-matching during shifting all but impossible. Speaking of shifting, there’s no clutch lever. Instead there’s a foot clutch on the left floorboard (a rocker clutch you have to manually engage and disengage, not a spring-loaded “suicide” clutch) and a hand-shifter on the left side of the fuel tank.
Temporarily rewiring your brain to smoothly manipulate that rocker clutch with your foot and fluidly change the cantankerous, non-synchronized, three-speed gearbox with your left hand is the biggest challenge, but once you get the vintage Chief up to speed it’s a delightful back-road ride, with a perfectly upright riding position that’s more natural and less slouchy than the clamshelled hunch the newer bike demands. It’s a classic American motorcycle experience, and Gray and his team have done an excellent job of transposing this vintage vibe onto the new machine. Starting with such sound genetic material as this, though, how could they go wrong?
Source: Hail to the Indian Chief Motorcycle
The 5th Annual Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction conducted through Bonhams at Bally's Hotel & Casino Jan. 7-8, 2015, contains three motorcycles previously owned by the late Steve McQueen.
As frequently happens, there was more than one lot that did not meet its reserve and had to be reloaded for the long trip home. But there were a few standouts in the crowd that panned out rather well for their owners.
Two of those standouts were a beautiful 1959 Ducati 175cc F3 Production Racer that brought in $89,700 and a rare (only 15 produced) 1950 Vincent Series C White Shadow that sold for $224,250. It was projected to sell for $170,000. Both of these bikes caused quite a stir.
It wasn’t just vintage motorcycles on the block Jan. 8, either. On the newer side there was a 1990 Honda RC30 with only 740 miles on it that went for $52,900, which is pretty impressive.
Of course there were the motorcycles with a provenance on display as well, like the trio of Steve McQueen bikes that came up for auction. The legendary actor was known for amassing an amazing collection of motorcycles in his lifetime. Last year a couple of Indian Chiefs he owned came up for sale.
This year a 1912 Harley-Davidson X8E Big Twin that was once his came up again. It was originally sold at the Steve McQueen estate auction at the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas back in 1984.
Rumor has it McQueen rode the bike in a vintage motorcycle event. It’s not in its original form anymore, though. The wheels were changed and a headlight was added after the bike left McQueen’s hands. In spite of these modifications, it was still brought in $117,300 this week at Bally’s.
Another of his bikes was a 1936 Indian Chief that was also sold as part of his estate in ’84. It’s said to be in the same condition as when McQueen owned it. The bike came with a certificate of authenticity (COA), the signed bill of sale from the ’84 auction and a 1936 license plate from Carmel, Calif. It was predicted to sell for between $80,000 and $100,000, but never met its reserve.
Besides McQueen’s bikes, there was a beautiful example of an old 1911 Peugeot Moto Legere MD 350 Twin that sold for $26,450. Back then the French were at the forefront of motorcycle design and production.
Another oldie was a 1912/13 Harley-Davidson Model 9B Single in original and unrestored condition that sold for $82,800. Interestingly, it has only had two owners in its entire lifetime.
Speaking of not meeting its reserve, a gorgeous 1938 Harley-Davidson EL Knucklehead restored to 100 points was put up for between $100,000 – $130,000. The highest bid only reached $80,000, so it was ultimately withdrawn as well.
As with most years, there was also some great memorabilia pieces available such as posters, photographs, manuals and brochures, among other collectibles up for sale.
Even with the handful of withdrawals, all in all the 5th Annual Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction was actually a huge success for most everyone involved.
Motorcycle board track racing was the deadliest form of racing in the history of motorsports. Hundreds of lives were lost, both racers and spectators, during the relatively short-lived era of the boards. Yet in spite of, or perhaps partly because of, the dangers, motorcycle board track racing in the 1910s was one of the most popular spectator sports in America. Races attracted crowds of up to 10,000 fans. Young riders knew of the dangers, but chose to ignore them because the payoffs were so lucrative. Top racers could make $20,000 per year racing the board tracks, nearly a half-million dollars in today’s currency. From America's Historical Newspapers. The reasons for the lethal nature of motorcycle board track racing were easy to understand. Motorcycles, even in the 1910s, the heyday of the board track era, were capable of speeds approaching 100 miles per hour. The boards were oil soaked and slick due to the engines being of “total loss” design, meaning oil pumped by the riders to lubricate exposed valves and springs sprayed freely into the air behind the speeding bikes. Riders raced with just inches between them, sometimes even touching as riders jockeyed for position. The machines had no brakes, and spectators were separated from the speeding machines by just couple of 2×4 boards nailed between fragile posts.
The first decade of the 20th century, with the advent of automobiles and motorcycles, saw an explosion of race track construction. The mention of motordromes in newspapers began as early as 1901. In the July 18, 1901 edition of the Kansas City Star there was news from Europe of government officials threatening to exclude automobile racing from all public roads and that motordromes could be the solution.
“Automobile News from Paris,” Kansas City Star, (07-18-1901), 7. America’s Historical Newspapers.Motorcycle racing in America during the early 1900s was primarily confined to city-to-city runs and races on bicycle velodromes. But as engines became more powerful it was clear that the small bicycle tracks were not large enough to showcase the capabilities of motorcycles.
In 1910 the Los Angeles Motordrome, built in the resort of Playa Del Ray, was the first large board track built in America. The Salt Lake Telegram reported on April 9, 1910, that world records were broken in auto races on the new board track. The Albuquerque Journal on the previous day gave some of the specs of the new track. It reported the track “a perfect circle, a mile in circumference, banked one foot in three. The grand stands are placed above the forty-five feet of the inclined track. The surface consists of two by four planks laid to make a four-inch floor and laminated to give great strength. About 3,000,000 feet of lumber and sixteen tons of nails were used in the construction of the ‘pie-pan,’ as it has been dubbed.”
“World’s Records Are Broken On New Board Track,”
Salt Lake Telegram, (04-09-1910), 23.
America’s Historical Newspapers.Jack Prince, the builder of the Los Angeles track, traveled the country proposing board tracks to city fathers and motor clubs. The Salt Lake Telegram reported on April 26, 1910, that Prince planned to build a half-mile motordrome in Salt Lake City at a cost of $100,000. The paper later reported, on June 18, 1910, that the new board track at Wandamere Park in Salt Lake City was constructed in less than two weeks.
Soon motordromes were being built across the country. And the races drew large crowds. The Salt Lake Telegram on July 4, 1910, reported a crowd of 8,000 to 10,000 on the grand opening night of the Wandamere Motordrome. The race featured Jake De Rosier, the great Indian Motorcycle factory rider, as the main attraction.
The Philadelphia Inquirer on June 15, 1912, reported the grand opening of Philadelphia’s Pointe Breeze Park Motordrome. Pointe Breeze would become one of the most successful board tracks with a regular weekly program. Two of the leading motorcyclists of the era Morty Graves and Eddie Hasha were the featured riders that opening night at Pointe Breeze.
“Motorcycle Races New Motordrome at Point Breeze Opened Today,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, (06-15-1912), 11. America’s Historical Newspapers.The safety failings of board track racing became all too obvious not long after the facilities were built. The Salt Lake Telegram on July 5, 1912, reported a serious accident in which a rider named Harry Davis was killed and seven spectators injured when Davis’s motorcycle crashed into and snapped a light pole. Throughout that summer a week rarely went by without reports of a rider or spectators being killed at the motordromes.
Two accidents in particular permanently tainted the reputation of the motordromes and eventually led motorcycle racing’s governing body to no longer sanction board track races. The first was a tragic accident at the motordrome in Newark, New Jersey, on September 8. 1912. The Lexington Herald on Sept. 9, 1912, reported that two racers (Eddie Hasha and Johnny Albright) died when they crashed into the outside rail. Four spectators were killed in the incident as well and 19 others suffered injuries. The story of this accident ran in newspapers across the country.
“Eddie Hasha and Five Others Are Killed Outright. Thirteen More Are Badly Injured in Frightful Motorcycle Accident at Newark Motordrome,” Lexington Herald, (09-09-1912), 1. America’s Historical Newspapers.The following summer, on July 20, 1913, a freak accident at a board track across the river from Cincinnati in Ludlow, Kentucky, caused more outrage. A racer named Odin Johnson crashed; his motorcycle hit a light pole, kicking off a tragic domino effect. The motorcycle’s gas tank exploded. An exposed electrical wire from the light pole then sparked the fuel, spreading flames into the crowd. The ultimate death toll was eight as reported by the Salt Lake Telegram on August 1, 1913. Afterwards the widow of Johnson vowed to devote her life to ending races on board tracks.
The headline of an editorial in the August 1, 1913, edition of The Evening Press (Grand Rapids, Mich.) put it succinctly—“Thrills and Funerals.” The board tracks were referred to as “Murderdromes.”
“Thrills and Funerals,” Grand Rapids Press, (August 1, 1913), 6. America’s Historical Newspapers.A Salt Lake Telegram article on August 22, 1914, tracked the rise and fall of the motordromes, citing the numerous deaths as well as revelations of fixed races as the causes of the decline of motorcycle board track racing.
By the end of the 1910s the board track era was largely a thing of the past. Besides the dangers of racing the boards, the tracks rapidly deteriorated and many burned down. A thrilling but deadly chapter in American motorsports came to a close.
Floyd Clymer played a big roll in the History of the Indian Motorcycle – Here is a brief history of the Man:
Here at the Library, it’s hard to scan the shelves without coming across the name of Floyd Clymer. From 1944 through the 1970s, his publishing company stood at the forefront of automotive books. At the Library, we have more than fifty of these books on-hand for reference, covering everything from history to racing! While Clymer’s books have remained his biggest claim to fame, they are but only one piece of this legendary man’s life story.
Since he was a lifelong fan of automobiles, it seems fitting Floyd Clymer was born in Indianapolis, home of the famed 500, in 1895. Shortly thereafter, his family moved to Berthoud, Colorado. In 1902, Clymer’s father (a physician) introduced his son to the world of cars with the purchase of the family’s first vehicle, a one cylinder Curved Dash Oldsmobile.
Floyd Clymer didn’t have what you would call a typical childhood. At just seven years old, he learned how to drive his dad’s Olds. Later, Clymer and his younger brother participated in the 1904 Reliability Run from Denver to Spokane. Behind the wheel of a Flanders 20, several breakdowns thwarted successful completion of the trip.
If racing was in Clymer’s blood, so too was the entrepreneurial spirit. While most ten year olds boys found fun playing baseball, Clymer got his kicks from selling cars. With faith in young Floyd’s dream, Clymer’s father allowed his son to set up shop in a room within his practice. In what was formerly a dentist’s office, Berthound Auto Co. was founded, specializing in REO, Maxwell and Cadillac. In two years, the wonder kid managed to sell at least twenty six vehicles.
For trade publications of the day, the story of a young auto dealer was too good to pass up. Motor Field ran an article on Clymer (then 11), “the Kid Agent,” in their February 1907 issue. Salesmanship in his blood, the article doubled as an ad for Clymer who claimed, “[I] can supply your wants in repairs and supplies, and can save you money.” Later in life, Clymer reprinted and sold this same issue for just a dollar.
In 1916, Clymer made motorcycle history by winning the very first Pike’s Peak Hill Climb. Contrary to popular opinion of the time, his Excelsior proved motorcycles were capable of more arduous trips, having ascended 4,958 ft in only twelve miles. Thanks to such victories, Clymer attracted the attention of Harley Davidson and became a member of their factory racing team in 1916.
Though an accomplished rider, Clymer never abandoned the world of salesmanship. In 1914, he moved to Greeley, Colorado and opened up a motorcycle shop, selling Excelsior bikes and, eventually, the Harleys he was known for racing. Clymer promoted his dealerships by setting long distance records between cities on his bikes.
After his stint in Greeley, Clymer set up Floyd Clymer, Inc. in Denver, becoming a major distributor of Indian, Excelsior and Henderson bikes for the western part of the country. In a 1929 brochure, Clymer touted he was the “largest motorcycle dealer in the west” and that he had “…sold motorcycles and shipped them into practically every state in the union.” In addition to new and used bikes, Clymer sold parts and accessories.
By the 1930s, he made the move to Los Angeles, taking over Al Crocker’s West Coast Indian distributorship and managing a profitable venture in the mail order parts business. Taking full advantage of his close proximity to Hollywood, Clymer gave Indian bikes to celebrities as gifts or loaned them in return for advertisement-worthy publicity shots. Consequently, Indians were well-represented on the silver screen back then!
From then on, Clymer established himself as the pre-eminent publisher of automotive books, having printed more than four hundred different titles by 1965. Among them were several more “scrapbooks,” including special editions devoted to steam powered cars and motorcycles. Clymer also localized foreign titles, published a long-running series of Indianapolis 500 yearbooks (the first in 1946), and reprinted entire works, including the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce’s Handbook of Automobiles series.
While a successful publisher, Clymer never turned his back on motorcycles. In the 1960s, he became a distributor of the high-end German-built Munch Mammoth IV, a $4,000 bike he labeled the “Ferrari of motorcycles.” Starting in 1963, he attempted to revive Indian (defunct since 1953), slapping the name on imported bikes decked out with engines from Royal Enfield and Velocette.
Although the closest one can get to a tangible tall-tale, Clymer was not immune to the world of medical misfortune, and he succumbed to a heart attack in 1970. In his short time on Earth, Clymer had accomplished what few could hope to achieve in five lifetimes, let alone one. Far from forgotten, his is but one of many stories awaiting your discovery here at the Library.
Source: Who was Floyd Clymer? | AACA Library and Research Center
