Indian Motorcycle: The Machine That Set America in Motion — and the Signs That Lit Its Way

When you look at a glossy red Indian logo or a vintage neon motorcycle sign glowing in a garage, you’re seeing more than just a brand.

You’re looking at a company whose story runs parallel with the rise of American industry and road culture, and at the advertising mediums that turned those early machines into icons. In the first installment of our series on Indian Motorcycle, we’ll explore how America’s first motorcycle company shaped transportation history and how porcelain and neon signage helped cement that legacy in our collective memory.

Pioneering Days: the Hendee Years and the Birth of Indian

In the late 19th century, bicycle racing champion George M. Hendee believed motorized bicycles could revolutionize transportation.
He formed the Hendee Manufacturing Company in 1897, and by 1901 he and Swedish engineer Oscar Hedstrom were building gasoline‑powered bikes in a Springfield, Massachusetts factory
These early “motocycles” (the company deliberately left out the “r”) were fast, reliable and cleverly engineered. Hendee’s business savvy and Hedstrom’s engineering brilliance meant Indian quickly earned a reputation for performance

Within a few years the small factory was producing machines for racing and for everyday riders. Indian introduced the first V‑twin factory race bike in 1906, establishing a precedent for American V‑twin production. When the Indian Scout appeared in 1920, it became an instant classic thanks to its speed and maneuverability. The Indian Chief, introduced two years later, offered more power and comfort, becoming a foundation for the company’s growth. By the 1910s Indian was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, and in 1923 the firm officially changed its name to The Indian Motocycle Company, a branding quirk that underscored its originality.

Racing success reinforced the brand’s prestige. Ed Kretz rode a Sport Scout to victory in the inaugural Daytona 200 race in 1937, and the late‑1940s Indian Motorcycle Wrecking Crew dominated dirt‑track and road courses.. Meanwhile legendary long‑distance rider Erwin “Cannon Ball” Baker proved the durability of Indian bikes by riding from San Diego to the East Coast in just over 11 days in 1914.

Serving a Nation at War

Indian’s machines weren’t just built for speed — they were also built to serve. During World War I, the company produced nearly 50,000 motorcycles (primarily the Powerplus model) for the U.S. military. 

During World War II, Indian again diverted production to support the Allied forces, building specialized bikes like the Model 841 for the U.S. Army. Riders Share notes that these wartime contributions demonstrate the brand’s resilience and patriotic spirit.

Indian Motorcycle had it's priorities straight; country and people before profit. That's pretty damn admirable.

Early 20th Century Signage and Antique Advertising

Early‑20th‑century manufacturers like Indian didn’t rely on social media or television to build recognition.

They relied on durable, eye‑catching signs. Porcelain enamel advertising — glass fused onto heavy steel — was a relatively new art form; it came to the United States in the 1890s after being imported from Europe. American companies like the Enameled Iron Company, Ingram‑Richardson and Baltimore Enamel & Novelty soon began producing large runs of these signs.

The manufacturing process layered powdered glass onto iron and fired it multiple times to create vibrant colors. Porcelain signs could withstand weather and time, making them ideal for gas stations and motorcycle dealers, and they became a fixture along America’s burgeoning highways

As Indian Motorcycle grew, its dealerships used round or die‑cut porcelain signs bearing the winged script logo to signal authenticity and durability. A 12‑inch vintage Indian sign from the 1930s–1950s, for example, features thick porcelain enamel on steel and drilled screw holes for hanging; it would have been displayed in a garage or service shop.

This relic reminds us that Indian’s reputation for reliability and speed — “a timeless piece of Americana” — was spread not only through races but through the bright enamel discs hanging outside local dealers.

Capturing the Glow of Neon in Advertisements

Porcelain signs were only part of the visual story. Neon lighting, invented by French engineer Georges Claude, debuted at the Paris Motor Show in 1910. Claude’s company sold the technology abroad, and by 1923 car dealer Earle C. Anthony had installed the first neon signs in the United States to advertise Packard automobiles.. Neon made its way to New York’s Times Square in 1924 and Chicago in 1926. By the mid‑1930s, neon signs illuminated virtually every major American city.

Neon’s appeal lay in its vivid glow and artistic possibilities. Early neon signs used hand‑blown glass tubing filled with rarefied gases to produce intense colors.
Collectors and enthusiasts at Porcelain Advertising describe how these signs were “the glowing heart of American advertising”, built from handblown glass, porcelain enamel and steel, and how surviving examples are prized trophies of Americana. Neon quickly became a staple of automotive and motorcycle dealerships, lending businesses a modern, kinetic aura.

At Indian dealerships, neon versions of the scripted logo would hang above storefronts or service bays, complemented by porcelain face plates, reinforcing the brand’s association with speed and excitement.

Neon technology continued to evolve: by the 1930s, new gases and phosphor coatings allowed multicolored signs. Neon hit its peak popularity through the 1950s before declining in the 1960s as cheaper and safer materials (and eventually LEDs) took over.

A brief resurgence in the 1980s and a modern revival show how deeply neon is intertwined with nostalgia and design.

Challenges, Decline, and Revival

Indian Motorcycle’s story isn’t without turbulence.

After the successes of the early 20th century, the company faced leadership changes and financial strains. The Brockhouse era (1953) saw the brand name licensed to imported motorcycles, and production of original Indian bikes stopped.

Subsequent attempts to revive the marque — notably the Clymer and Stellican eras — struggled to regain the momentum of earlier decades. For nearly 50 years Indian existed largely in memory, on dusty racetrack trophies and in the glowing porcelain and neon signs still hanging in collectors’ garages.

The modern renaissance came when Polaris Industries acquired the Indian brand in 2011. Leveraging its resources and engineering expertise, Polaris relaunched Indian with models that echo the original Scout and Chief while integrating modern technology. The partnership with veteran charities and community rides further reinforced the brand’s enduring spirit.

The Importance of Keeping the Spirit Alive

What makes a porcelain disc or a neon tube so compelling decades after it was made?
Part of the answer lies in craftsmanship. Porcelain signs were kiln‑fired and layered with vitreous enamel; neon signs were bent by hand and filled with glowing gases. They represented investment and pride — just like the motorcycles they advertised.

Another part is nostalgia. Porcelain and neon signs conjure memories of road trips, gas stations glowing in the night and the thrill of a new machine. Collectors Weekly notes that porcelain signs were a small but vivid slice of a much larger advertising landscape, used wherever weather‑resistant signage was needed. Today many of these signs survive only because they were overbuilt; those that remain have become valuable folk‑art artifacts.

Finally, signage tells a story. You can trace the arc of Indian Motorcycle through its signs: from the early enamel discs proclaiming a new kind of “motocycle,” to the neon glow that welcomed riders in the 1930s, to the reproduction signs that enthusiasts collect today. Even as Indian continues to build state‑of‑the‑art bikes, the porcelain and neon signs remind us of where it all started.

Looking Ahead

In upcoming posts we’ll dive deeper into specific eras, models and design motifs — from the legendary Scout to the fearless racers of the Wrecking Crew. We’ll also explore how the craftsmanship of porcelain and neon signs influenced other American industries and why these art forms continue to inspire modern reproductions.

For now, take a moment to appreciate the next Indian logo or glowing neon sign you see. It’s more than an advertisement. It’s a luminous chapter of American history, captured in glass and steel.