Indian 841
Suspension Front: Girder fork with coil springs and shock absorber | Rear: Plunger-type with coil springs[6] | |
| Brakes | Front and rear: Drum[6] | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 528 lbs. (240 kg)[7] (wet) | |
| Fuel capacity | 5 gal.[7] | |
| Related | Indian Sport Scout (engine internals) | |
The Indian 841 was a
History
During World War II, the US Army requested experimental motorcycle designs suitable for desert fighting[1] and offered Indian $350,000 in exchange for 1,000 shaft-drive, side-valve, twin-cylinder test motorcycles. In response to this request, Indian designed and built the 841 (8 for the new engine design and 41 for the year).[7]
The Indian 841 was heavily inspired by the BMW R71 motorcycle, as was its competitor, the Harley-Davidson XA.[2] However, unlike the XA, the 841 was not a copy of the R71. Although its tubular frame, plunger rear suspension, four-speed transmission, foot-operated shifter, hand-operated clutch and shaft drive were similar to the BMW's, the 841 was different from the BMW in several aspects, most noticeably so with its 90-degree longitudinal-crankshaft V-twin engine and girder fork.[1][2][4] Also unlike the R71 and the XA, the 841 used a heel-and-toe shift pedal with heel-operated upshifts and toe-operated downshifts.[4] The bike also had a low compression ratio of 5.1:1, meaning that it could be run on low-octane fuel, crash bars to protect the cylinders, 18-inch wheels, two separate gas tanks for a total of 5 gallons of available fuel and newly designed girder forks for better shock absorption.[7] In order to reduce costs, the new V-twin shared several internal components with the existing Indian Sport Scout, resulting in the same bore and stroke of 2.87 in × 3.50 in (73 mm × 89 mm).[3][6]
The Indian 841 and the Harley-Davidson XA were both tested by the Army,[1][4][8] but neither motorcycle was adopted for wider military use. It was determined that the Jeep was more suitable for the roles and missions for which these motorcycles had been intended.[1][8] The 841 had also been found to have gearbox problems.[9] Surplus 841s were eventually sold from the corporate warehouse in Springfield.[2][9]
Indian enthusiast Sammy Pierce used the tank and frame of his 841 along with the case and cylinders of an Indian Chief to make his P-61 American Rocket, featured on the cover of the May 1952 issue of Cycle magazine.[10]
Drivetrain configuration
Similar drivetrain configurations, using wide-angle longitudinally mounted V-twins with shaft drive, were later used on the 1953–1956 Victoria Bergmeister motorcycle, the Honda CX series, and, most notably, on medium- and large-sized Moto Guzzi motorcycles.[1][2][11]
See also
- BMW R75
- G-numbers (SNL G631)[9]
- List of motorcycles of the 1940s
- List of motorcycles of the 1950s
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum: 1941 Indian Military Model 841: The Wigwam's desert warfare bike". Motorcyclemuseum.org. Archived from the original on 2012-07-27. Retrieved 2011-02-26.
- ^ a b c d e f g Tharp, Dave. "The Soldier that Never Was – Indian Military Model 841". Motorcycle Online. Archived from the original on 1996-12-19. Retrieved 2007-05-10.
- ^ ISBN 0-7513-0206-6.
- ^ ISSN 0161-7370.
- ISBN 0801885302.
- ^ ISBN 0-7853-0889-X.
- ^ ISSN 1556-0880.
- ^ a b "Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum: 1942 Harley-Davidson XA". Motorcyclemuseum.org. Archived from the original on 2012-07-27. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-44022-799-8. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
Unfortunately, the gearbox was hard to shift and trouble prone.
- ^ Margie Siegal (September–October 2007). "Sammy Pierce's P-61 American Rocket". Motorcycle Classics. Retrieved 2009-08-11.
- ISBN 0-7513-0206-6.