Indian 1938 Chief
The motorcycle scene in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska would not have been the same without the late Kenny Edmiston, who passed in 2007. He was a long time racer, tuner, collector, shop owner, Indian expert and restorer, and more, who owned the Yamaha dealership in Anchorage in the 1970s. He was also a champion hillclimber years before that. His expert knowledge of Indian motorcycles was noted in the book, “Restoring the Indian,” and this 1938 Indian Chief was once a part of his collection.
The Indian 42 degree 74 CI V-twin is almost as iconic as the sport of motorcycling itself. Introduced in the early 1920s for the Chiefs and Scouts (initially at 61 CI, a year later growing to 74), it comes from a time when Indian was a top producer in the world. The 1938 Chief’s V-twin was estimated at 40 BHP with a top stock speed near 85 MPH, and the bike weighed in at a little under 500 pounds dry. Model year 1938 still saw the Chief with a rigid tail and open fenders, as the sculpted fender skirts were a few years off yet, with 1940 introducing that iconic look.
This 1938 Indian Chief carries other touchstones of the time including overlarge black leather sprung saddle, with fringe of course, and a matching studded and bejeweled black leather (though not fringed) saddlebags. Chrome accents adorn the tank above the classic headdress logo on the tank, and the hand shift, Indian molded foot boards and patinated barrels and cases make this Chief look ready to take off down the street in a hurry. This striking red and cream 1938 Indian Chief hasn’t been ridden since 1998, when it was bought from the legendary Edmiston in Oregon, and it has been kept in a private collection, where it has been preserved in a dry, heated garage ever since. The current owner said that, “like most things Ken did, the bike was made to run and run fast!”