28

Front Cover: Andrew Bedford’s 741 on the April club run

Above: Some early advertising

INDIAN MOTOCYCLE GENERATOR REPAIRS 6 AND 12 VOLT--ELECTRONIC REGULATORS

-NEW CYCLE ELECTRIC GENERATORS 0418 690065 peter@becyarrawonga.com.au

May 2012

Features Mabeco– a counterfeit Indian

Events: February Club Ride April Club Ride Bright Rally May Club Ride

2

MURPHY CABINET MAKING

QUALITY KITCHEN, WALL UNITS, BARS, VANITY UNITS AND

INSTALLATIONS

CONOR MURPHY 0415 581 060

FRAME STRAIGHTENING SERVICE NOW AVAILABLE– CALL FOR DETAILS

NEW KEVLAR CLUTCH KITS AVAILABLE

Reduced gear clash & smoother shifting

OLLIE & SHUNK Cam Lobes Available

Jim Parker Phone : 03 9809 5599 Fax 9809 5699 7 Cleveland Rd., Ashwood 3147 Vic

Email: jjimpark@bigpond.net.au Website: www.parkerindian.com.au

27

Wheel Building

PHONE

(03) 9898 3677 FAX (03) 9898 4071

Email: lighteng@hotkey.net.au

Special Parts & Repairs for ALL MOTORCYCLES

All work carried out by qualified tradesman. SMALL JOBS TO COMPLETE BIKES

LIGHTFOOT ENGINEERING

14 Lightfoot St., Mont Albert MELBOURNE Vic. 3127

machining

MILLING AND TURNING

Capt Conor prepares for departure on the May Club run.

26

Motocycles here & there

Ian Morrison & Marie Ivil on the May Club run.

Gary Byrne bought to his knees by his 741 at Bright

3

residential onderings

T he AGM comes around quicker every year, and once again, what an eventful year we have had as a club. From day rides

to rallies, there is always something to do. The International Rally in Tumut, the Bright Rally, the Christmas party and who can forget the weekend where Dugal James opened up his museum to entertain and inform us……anyway back to the AGM. This is the time when people who want to be involved that extra bit can put their hand up and help continue leading the Indian Motocycle Club of Australia Inc. into the future while still preserving the history and grandeur of Indian Motocycles 1901-1953. Many thanks again to past and present committee members. Without the help of these people shar-ing the same obsession, the IMCA wouldn’t be what it is today. And let’s not forget those people out there that put their hands up to do back-up, the ones who help someone who needs roadside assist and the people who open their homes for meetings and celebrations. Some may think these jobs are a thankless one, but to a club you are invaluable. The Website should be online soon. It certainly has been a big job for Toni to build. However she tells me that once it is up and running, members can email her for suggestions and changes as it is not her website it is the IMCA’s. What she has created is a starting point to build on.

The Gypsy Tour is in its final stages of planning, so look out for the entry forms which will be out soon. The Australian International Rally for 2013 is also underway as is the Krusty Rally for 2012. Both of these events will be at surprise locations. One thing I am looking forward to this year is taking my family to the South Australian Rally, which is being organised by Conor. Actually I’m also looking forward to flying to Queensland to go to Bill Parkers’ auction, which is turning out to be a social event for the club, as many members are attending. Another weekend that turns into a social event is the Winton Races, which are on soon. Race week-ends are always great, whether it be at Phillip Island, Broadford or Winton. I’ve had to do a bit of maintenance on my race bike as I blew an ad-juster bolt at the last meet. But it is all under con-trol and ready to race. Peter

4

From the Club Captain:

A nother summer has gone and the bikes are showing signs of a busy one, they will all be ready for they

weather to improve. There are still a few event over winter, check the calendar, I can highly recom-mend the Brass Monkey run by the Vin-tage Club. Last year there were 15 Indians there. Also there is a club ride on 3rd of June leaving Jims shop at at 10 am. There is good interest in the South Austra-lian rally and Krusty Rally. You need to book in for these not just turn up. I will not make it to the A.G.M as I will be O.S. and attending the Irish Indian Rally #2 . Hope to see you all at a event soon. Regards Conor Murphy Club Captain 0415 581 060

President: Peter Birthisel 03 5726 8449(h) 0418 690 065(m) Vice President: Rob Bonner 03 9308 1532(h) 0409 347 322(m) Secretary: Jim Parker 03 9809 5599(w) 0417 477 099(m) Treasurer: Daryl Jenkins 03 9379 7159(h) 0408 485 447(m) Club Captain: Conor Murphy 03 9580 6842(h) 0415 581 060(m) Assist Club Capt.: Dave Booth 03 9737 9013(h) 0409 180 160(m) Editor: Barry Curley 03 9330 4519(h) 0408 107 919(m) Committee: Mick Cheg 03 9870 6896 (h) 0401 819 609 (m) Committee: Don McGillivray 03 9874 2175(h) 0421 542 479(m) NSW Branch Delegate Garth Popple 02 9558 8224(h) 0419 319 121(m) Qld Branch Delegate Darryl White 07 3869 2806(h) 073269 8088 (w) Major Events Coordinator Toni Birthisel 03 5726 8449(h) 0407 268 448(m)

CLUB MAILING ADDRESS P.O. BOX 1015 ASHWOOD 3147

IMCA Committee

Contents: Club ride - Archie's Creek 5 Tony’s trophy winner 6 IMCA General Meeting Minutes 8 Club ride - Switzerland Ranges 9 Bright Rally 10 The German Mabeco 12 VMCC Brass Monkey rally entry 18 Club ride– Flinders 20 For Sale 21 Treasurers Report 22 Calendar 23 Indian motocycles here & there 24

Contributions to: victoria@softball.asn.au Barry Curley Editor

25

Motocycles here & there

A closer view of Rod’s repair on the February Club run.

Capt Conor prepares for departure on the May Club run.

Interesting ex-haust system on Ian Hamilton’s Chief

24

Motocycles here & there

Southern Classic at Broadford– Peter, Stan, Chris and Mick celebrating Stan & Chris’ placings.

Ian Hamilton picking up his fathers bike from Parker Indian – bought new and it’s never been off it’s reg!!

5

S ome went to the Ballarat Swap, but I had organised a club ride to west Gippsland. There was a forecast of 34

degrees but I had mapped out some great roads and was looking forward to showing these off. I set out on my just serviced 344 to the start at Parker Indian. I was almost there when the throttle cable broke and I limped to Jim’s shop where I was met by Frank and that was all. I swapped the throttle cable for the advance/retard cable, locked it on full advance and we were off. We picked up Zane at Beyles, the others we were to meet at Korrumburra, but came across them on the side of the road just be-fore. Rod Barker had hit a pothole and broke a leaf spring.

We headed into town for a cool drink, the temperature hadn’t reached its top but it was hot. By then there was ten of us and we headed south to Kongwak. Rod kept watch for more potholes, as his front end was held together with wire. It was about 1.30pm when we reached Archies Creek for lunch at the old hotel. When we came out it was hot and humid, and we rode through Glenforbes, Kernot and Nyora, where we were back to three bikes again. I was home by 4.00pm having covered 220 miles for the day. A great day Conor

Sunday 26th February

Rod Barker Conor Murphy

Dave Booth Frank Hutchinson

Zane Morrison

Others Keith McKendry Darryn Naporowski Annie Hipgrave Mick Guilfoyle Mick Ainsworth

‘38 Four ‘44 Chief ‘44 Chief ‘47 Chief ‘47 Chief HD HD HD HD HD

WHO WAS THERE

Club ride Archie’s Creek

Rod Barker seeking some Devine assistance

6

Blue she is not anymore, and the colour scheme was obtained by following a detailed model that I was given as a present. I do miss the brush strokes she used to wear though. First outing was with the HMCCQ and with only four miles on the clock and a still tem-peramental engine, darned if we didn't win a trophy. With our first hundred miles behind us and the engine now doing what it should we should make an appearance at the Indian Rally at Easter. My Attention is now turning to a military Scout which might not take so long to complete.

Tony Milligan Maroochydore

I live on the so-called Sunshine Coast at Maroochydore but I have been a member for a number of years, observing the club

activities through the magazine. Clearly distance means it isn't easy to partici-pate, so I have attached photo of my Chief which has finally emerged from the shed after about four years. I know that is a pretty lengthy restoration, but work kept getting in the way. I got this bike from John Munn in Mel-bourne, and I think he imported it from San Francisco, Jim Parker might remember it as the "blue Indian".

Tony’s trophy winner

23

GOING PLACES

DATE EVENT & CONTACT

May 16th IMCA AGM 8.00pm Oakleigh Carnegie RSL 95-97 Drummond St Oakleigh (Mel Ref 69 G7) June 3rd IMCA Club Ride Conor—0415 581 060 10.00am Start– Parker Indian Sept 30th /Oct 6th IMCA South Australian Rally Conor– 0415 581 060 Nov 3rd—6th Krusty Rally Toni - 0407 268 448

Dec ‘12-Jan ‘13 Indo China Tour – Laos/Vietnam Jim—03 9809 5599

April Gypsy Tour Toni - 0407 268 448

Nov Biannual International rally Toni - 0407 268 448

2012

2013

Vale

Vale Long time Indian aficionado and all around good guy Gary Smalz was killed 19th May along with his wife in a head-on collision on his Harley Bagger, purportedly by a drunk driver who veered into their lane on a twisty two lane highway in the mountains near his home in central California. Gary was big into verticals and the cycletownusa.com website is his. Very sad day.

Gary & Jim on the 2008 Gypsy Tour

Those who attended the IMCAs 2005 Tassi Tour will remember that among the international guests were Linda and Tony Jeffery. Sadly Tony passed away in May after a long battle with cancer, con-tracted not long after the Tour. The "two Poms" were very popular on the trip and told me that that Tour had been the highlight of their long motorcycling lives. Thanks for coming along with us Tony and making our trip more enjoyable too. Rest in Peace- Jim

22

Indian Motocycle Club of Australia

Treasurers Report - Year Ending 30th April 2012

DEPOSIT SUMMARY Interest 394.34 Membership 11,150.00 Joining Fee 760.00 Khe Sanh Rally Deposits 1,500.00 Tumut Rally 11,314.95 Raffle Proceeds 249.75 Tasmania Tour 1,186.50 Magazine Advertising 675.00 Other Rally Income 1,230.00 Deposit Total 28,460.54

PAYMENT SUMMARY Insurance 690.00 Room Hire 100.00 Internet Costs 998.00 Tumut Rally Costs 9,578.45 Other Rally Costs 1,240.00 Magazine costs 7,548.20 Postage etc 1,018.20 Other 66.75 Payment Total 21,239.60

NET ANNUAL MOVEMENT 7,220.94

Opening Balance 19,709.17 Closing Balance 26,930.11

Reconciled to: Bank account 6,775.88 Term Deposit 18,154.23 Rally Account 1,500.00 Gypsy Tour Account 500.00 Total 26,930.11

Includes the following held amounts: Khe Sanh Rally - Expression of interest 1,500.00

7

Interesting shot with the Whitehouse in the background

8

Date: 15th February 2012 Venue: Stan Mucha’s 15 Tudor St Burwood Shop Opened at: 8.05pm Present: 36 Members Apologies: M. Cheg, L.Hebden, T.Evans, T.Birthisel, L.Clark Minutes of Previous Meeting : Accepted as published Moved: D.Booth, 2nd R.Barker (Carried) Business Arising: Nil Correspondence: In: 1. Various newsletters 2. Maleny Swap meet 3. Various Shows Out: 1. Club Magazines 2. Report to International Indian Magazine Moved: F.Hutchinson , 2nd D.McGillivray (Carried) Treasurers Report: 1. Accepted as published Moved: B.Curley , 2nd D.McAliece (Carried) Membership Report: 1. Membership 205 paid up 5 new.. 2. Vicroads to be notified of Unfinancial members. Club Captain: 1. Lot of good events coming up– Thanks to Dugal for visit to his museum. 2. Calendar lists all upcoming events. 3. 10-12 entries for the SA Rally 4. Broadford Bonanza will focus on the Indian brand. 5. Experiencing difficulty in obtaining entry for bikes into Laos. 6. Entry Forms for the Gypsy Rally will be available soon. 7. Krusty Rally will be around Wangaratta in November. 8. Thanks to Stan for hosting the Christmas Party. 9. Plans to vary meting venue to stimulate interest. General Business: 1. The President attended the Goulburn Rally which was a very good event 2. Conor & Frank attended the Canberra Rally-150 bikes—very good event 3. The Goulburn Rally in 2014 will celebrate 100 years of GP racing. 4. Stan Much & John Lynch attended the Mt Gambier races– very hot– but good weekend (New Years Day) 5. Thanks to Lindsay Urquhart for his presentation on sidecars. 9.05pm Next meeting : Wednesday 16th May 2012

21

I t is with sad news I convey the passing of Frank Craw. An Indian man from way back seen at most Vintage Motorcycle Club of Aus-

tralia (NSW) events over his long years of mem-bership. I was told he rode a 741 Scout during WW2 as a dispatch rider in Darwin. Frank was in his late 80s and was riding and dining with many us who at-tend the VMCC Bathurst Rally only weeks ago. When I spoke to him in hospital the week after the Bathurst Rally, the thing he kept saying to me was that he was so glad to get to the Bathurst Rally as he had a chance to catch up with his many friends but unfortunately it will be his last. He passed away in hospital Sunday 6th May . He was in no pain and passed away peacefully. Garth Popple

While Frank was not an IMCA member, he was well known to all who've been in the Indian scene in NSW for a while, did attend a few of our rallies, and club members own a few machines originally

SWAP, NEED, WANT, ETC

FOR SALE Pillion seat system ,ready to bolt to a

cast iron rack, powder coated, includes brackets for foot pegs .

$ 400. Conor 0415 581 060

20

H aving just returned from six weeks overseas the lure of Conors Flinders ride was a bit hard to ignore. The

day was threatening but the forecast reason-able as I headed off for the Mordialloc start-ing point. After unloading the bike in the railway car-park I headed around the corner to find Conor & Frank entertaining the locals and Ian & ? supporting the traders. Zane arrive shortly later to swell the numbers to five. We waited past the scheduled departure time but it appeared that there were no more par-takers. We set off about 9.45am and headed off towards Flinders. There was no rain but the road was damp, and I think Conor had managed to find every off-camber round-about on the Mornington Peninsula for the route.

Sunday May 6th 2012

Barry Curley Conor Murphy

Ian Morrison & Marie Ivil Frank Hutchinson

Zane Morrison

‘36 Sport Scout ‘44 Chief ‘44 Chief ‘47 Chief ‘47 Chief

WHO WAS THERE

We eventually arrived around noon at Flin-ders for lunch where there is an excellent cafe where the bikes attracted the usual crowd of spectators. After lunch Frank headed off to Hastings and Zane took his own way home while the re-maining three of us meandered back to Mor-dialloc through the Peninsula and back onto the Nepean Highway– arriving at Mordialloc about 2.45pm. All in all a pleasant days riding fortunately completed without the need of a back-up. Barry

Club ride -Flinders 9

Stuart Hamilton ‘34 Chief Peter Parsons ‘44 Chief Conor Murphy ‘44 Chief Andrew Bedford 741 Frank Hutchinson ‘47 Chief Jim Parker 841 Lyndel Hebden ‘34 Standard Scout Stan Mucha ‘46 Chief Mick Chegg ‘44 Chief Daniel + Amanda McAliese ‘44 Chief Frank Spyker ‘44 Chief Meridith Spyker ‘40 Scout Zane Morrison ‘58 Pan H.D Neil + Nok Vindian ‘50 Vincent Back up - Bruce Hamilton Car- Greg Barton

I t was the first of April (no joke ) I put my clock back one hour for the end of “daylight saving” and I now had a extra hour to get to

Diamond creek for the 9.30 start . When I arrived Stuart Hamilton, our leader for the day, was there with Bruce, his dad, who was ready to follow as back up in his ute .It was not long before there was 14 bikes ready for a great day, it was going to be 25 deg no rain and little wind . We headed up through Kinglake, Flowerdale and Strath Creek where we stopped for a break, An-drew Bedford was last in on his first ride on his lovely 741 with whitewall Cokers. From there we went to Seymour for lunch and to view the mili-tary museum. At about 2 pm we left and headed into the Swit-zerland ranges through Highlands and Gingin .We stopped at the monument for the Swiss that set-tled the area around 1850. Bruce arrived about 15 minutes later with Peter Parsons on board ( gear box problems) and we headed for Diamond Creek.

Nine kilometres out Andrew’s 741 blew a tyre, Bruce had to drop off Peters bike at Jims and go back for Andrew who lives in the area.

I waited with Stuart who had done a great job leading us for the day. At about 5.30 I left Dia-mond Creek and arrived home at 6.40 well into the dark after a great day in perfect motocycling conditions, “ YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE “

Regards Conor

Club ride – Switzerland Ranges

WHO WAS THERE

Sunday April 1st 2012

10

Bright rally

Saturday/Sunday April 14th/ 15th 2012

W e arrived at our first Bright Rally all excited with the brisk after-noon air settling in for a great

weekend of riding. Once there we found our rooms (prison cells!!) as some people nick-named them. Shortly after that we all headed up to the local pub for dinner and drinks before we headed back to camp for more drinks in the common room with the fireplace roaring, talking s###!! Time came to head to bed before a big day of great riding- just then Steve Kavanagh, Chloe and Tilly turned up frozen to death, their van had no heater and with the temp at 6 degrees C it was freezing! Saturday morning we woke to that lovely country air smell, started the bikes, it took a while for them to warm up while we put our riding gear on because it was still bloody

cold! Connor’s start time was 9:29am (but actually turned out about 9:43) after a short briefing we headed off with our first stop for morning tea at Myrtleford. !!!!!) Shortly after that on to Beechworth for lunch, and fuelled up for the next section through beautiful winding scenic roads. Re-grouping at Ovens at an old petrol station turned antique shop a group of young locals admired the bikes and as some pointed out they reminded them of the cast out of “Housos”! We gradually headed back to Bright for dinner, drinks, showers (for some) and bed. The next day got up, had breakfast, then an-other ‘short’ briefing via Connor commented he saw three ‘Scouts’ behind him and no ‘Chiefs’! He then said how great it was to see more ‘Scouts’ on the run than normal, then we set off on our motorcycles for an-other great day of riding.

19

18

11

Maurice Dunstan ‘48 Chief Russell Lyle & Maxine ‘48 Chief Dave Booth ‘44 Military Chief Als Fortune ‘40 Chief Gerard Kennedy 741 Scout Conor Murphy ‘44 Chief Stan Mucha & Amy ‘50 Chief Dave Singles Mighty 741 Scout Bianca Bonner ‘27 Scout 45 Daryl Jenkins & Bronwyn ‘48 Chief Zane Morrison ‘47 Chief Peter Birthisel & Family ‘47 Chief Noel Thornby ‘40 Chief Neville Christie ‘29 101 Sharon Hall ‘50 Black Hawk Steve Kavanagh, Tilly & Chloe ‘48 Chief Garry Maskell & Family ‘48 Chief Frank Hutchinson ‘47 Chief Darryn Naporowski & Family ‘47 Chief Keith McKendry ‘48 Chief Mick Chegg & Sue ‘44 Chief Garry Byrne 741 Scout Lindsey Jennings ‘47 Chief Others Rod Barker 42 WLA HD Peter Vanstralyn 58 Pan Head HD Mick Answorth HD Back Up Garry Jennings Maylee Dunston

WHO WAS THERE

Neville Christie’s 101 at Tawonga Gap

Line-up outside Mt Buffalo Chalet

We headed up to Mount Beauty for morning tea when Gary Byrne had trouble selecting gears due to lack of oil in transmission. After morning tea we headed back through wind-ing roads, ended back up at Bright, had lunch said our goodbyes. Some stayed back for another night.

NOTE:- Not one (1) Motocycle or Motorcy-cle had to make use of the backup vehicle!!!!

Written by Dave Singles, with assistance from Bianca Bonner (Boss and general or-ganiser

Als Fortune and his modified Chief

12

T he competition within the business and corporate world for the product acceptance and marker penetration has ever been and

intense proposition. So much so, that industrial espionage to discover a competitor’s secrets and copy his successful product is seen as a logical adjunct to the competitive process. The pirating of a competitor’s designs and format is against the law in most civilised countries, but this protection seems to secure only within any given country, and is difficult if not downright impossible to enforce across borders. With the past decade of world travel, the author has observed product plagiarism in such case instances as locally produced Reebok athletic shoes in Taiwan. Members Only clothing in Ma-laysia, Rolex and Piaggio watches in Thailand, Gucci accessories in Hong Kong, and Ford, Chrysler and General Motors automobile replace-ment parts in Korea: the list goes on. A similar situation in the motor cycle world has existed since the dawn of the industry. This is witnessed by widespread copying of the engine

designs of De Dion and Bouton ever since their initial successes after 1895, when organisers on both sides of the Atlantic took advantage of the unclear patent situation of the time.

Carl Oscar Hedstrom’s initial Indian model were almost at once copied by small firms who launched both the American and Royal name-plates. The 1907 Harley-Davidson 5-35 model had its counterpart in the Greyhound, an inferior product assembled within the shadow of the Jun-eau Avenue factory. A later plagiarism was that of the 1920 Indian 27” Scout, when a small engi-neering firm in Osaka reproduced an almost indis-tinguishable counterpart, down to the exact copy of its patent numbers on the head lug.

The introduction of the standard Model G Scout in the motor cycle would prove to be a prophetic move, as evidenced by its almost worldwide popularity. While the Japanese copy proved to be a one-shot effort that was not followed by others, a similar effort in Germany is the Spring of 1923

MABECO– A COUNTERFEIT INDIAN

17

The estimation of the number of units actually produced in such an operation is difficult. Many reporters tend to exaggerate their numbers. Dr Helmut Krackowizer, the one-time Austrian com-petitor star and later motor cycle historian sug-gests that less than two hundred machines of both types were ever made. The author is indebted to both Dr. Krackowizer as well as Hungarian Indian enthusiasts Muray Pe’ter and Ocskay Zolton for much background material, not forgetting Springfield pioneers Les-lie D. Richards, Erle Armstrong and Ted Hodg-don. A very small number of Mabecos survive.

This article was reproduced courtesy of the Don Doody of the Laughing Indian Riders

Club of Canada

16

however, violated the law by building a light air-frame based on a von Karmen design and installed a v-twin Mabeco engine which was rated a 8 DIN h.p. The machine flew well, but a reporter from he London based newspaper, the Daily Mail, re-ported that difficulties were experienced through the vibration of the v-twin when installed in the ultra light airframe. In the meantime, the market for the Springfield Scouts distributed by Stokvis and Sonen improved somewhat in Germany, and Bernhard restricted in his own sales campaign by his small production, moved to a larger quarters in Berlin at 22 Brens-daur Allee. With a small work force he was able to turn out a couple of dozen machines for the 1924 sales season. In an effort to maintain his costing advantages, Bernhard spent little money on sales promotion, depending mostly on word of mouth enthusiasm. In the Fall of 1926, for reasons unknown, Borenkov terminated his financial agreement, and production ceased. Early in 1927, his shop fore-man and another Scout enthusiast Reinhild Kleiber, took over the operation, and with his own limited financing designed a replica of Indian’s 45 cubic inch Scout that has been announced as an additional Scout model by Indian in the Fall of 1926 for the 1927 sales season. This model was similar to the original 37 cubic inch Model G except for increased cylinder dis-placement, both now featuring the wider D shaped mudguards that replaced the early ribbed type. Kleibers version differed somewhat from Spring-field design in that an electrical system featuring a Bosch magneto and generator and Bing carburet-tor were fitted, the former activating small twin bullet head lamps. The chain guard was fitted with a rudimentary valance, and a lifting handle over the top of the from mudguard was also a variant. Kleiber also offered a racing kit that featured an overhead valve set-up, and was again a frank copy of Springfield’s racing designs, but very few were said to be produced. He also built a few examples of complete machines for road racing. Plans were made to enhance production in a move to larger quarters at 36 Prinzlauer Allee, and a few ma-chines of both types were subsequently assembled

there. The last 45 cubic inch models were re-ported as having been built late in 1927 when Kleiber’s operation closed down. The late Theodore Hodgdon once told the author that after Frank Weschler had been able to effect the reorganisation of the Hendee Manufacture Company into the Indian Motorcycle in 1923, efforts were made to discourage if not end both Bernhard’s as well as Kleiber’s activities. A se-ries of letters directed to them from Springfield continually referred to the illegally of patent in-fringement, even if it involved foreign activity in an nominally unenforceable venue. Stokvis and Sonen took a more positive course of action, and called Bernhard’s attention to his copying of copyrighted Indian catalogue and photographic material in his subsequent sales brochures which were later circulated by himself and Kleiber. With the cessation of Mabeco manu-facture, Springfield-made Indians enjoyed an increasing sales record, especially with the 1928 introduction of the soon to be popular Scout. Several new retail outlets were established in Germany, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Spain and other European locations. These sold a limited but steady number of Indians of all models. According to the late Erwin Tragatsch, all the protagonists in this somewhat esoteric vignette of Indian history disappeared during World War ll. Borenkov as a Dutch Jew, may well have been swallowed up in the Nazi round –up of Holland’s Jewish citizens. Bernhard and Kleiber also disappeared, possibly during the obliterative bombing of Berlin by Al-lied Forces. The Author tried to locate the two factory sites in that city during the two incidences in the 1980’s, but the character of the neighbour-hoods had been completely altered in the post-war rebuilding. As an interested footnote to the rather bizarre episode, the late Alfred Rich Child related that the counterfeiting of Indians in both Japan as well as Germany may well have influenced Harley-Davidson’s top management to sell the manufac-turing rights to the former country. The idea be-ing to all at least have some participation in for-eign manufacture, seeing that copy-cat operation might well have been inevitable.

13

resulted in the founding of the significant cottage industry. The origin of this is somewhat bizarre in Indian Motorcycle history had its inception in the com-plexities of the world’s economic and political history following the dislocation of the First World War, and more specifically, was made possible by the vagaries of the European monetary situation that had resulted.

The actual story begins with the life and times of one Mischa Borenkov, a Russian Jew whose school teacher father had escaped from Russia with his family in the early 1890’s to avoid one of

Cartel organisations had their inception in the Middle Ages involving the artisan’s guilds that controlled much of the trade and commerce of the day, as time went on, becoming highly sophisti-cated organisations that exerted a significant in-fluence on production, trade and eventually bank-ing. The well known Rothschild financial organisa-tions were in this category and had much interna-tional influence on both business and politics through their interlocking activities. Another pow-erful cartel was the organisation of arms and war material merchants, such as Krupp in Germany, Skoda in Czechoslovakia Schneider-Creusot in France, and Vickers in England. A Dutch

the periodic programs conducted against their Semite peoples by the Czarist government. The elder Borenkov managed to obtain employment as a school teacher in Amsterdam, while his son became apprenticed to a diamond merchant in the city.

The operation was part of the famous De Beers cartel which, as a co-operating network of dealers, had gained control of both the supply and distri-bution of diamonds mined in South Africa, ena-bling them to fix prices as well. Young Borenkov travelled through the European countries inciden-tal to his employment, and within a short time he had entered a private venture on his own account that involved trading in currencies.

journalist, Pierre van Paasen, exposed this organi-sation in later years, and stated that the machina-tions of their representatives were able to keep the Great War going for an extra year and a half! At this juncture, one Max Bernard, who was born in Dresden in the early 1890’s, enters the picture. A youthful cyclist and later motor cyclist, he was said to have owned, among others, a Vindec and Belgian FN machine. He was trained at what was called a Technical High School as an industrial engineer, and was apprenticed to Siemans-Halske organisation about 1910, where he gained experi-ence in both foundry and heavy engineering work. When the war broke out, he was then employed at the Krupp Engineering works at Essen. Conscripted into the army, he was invalided

14

out after being gassed at the Somme. After Armi-stice, he was said to have established a printing press manufacturing concern in a small shop. While central Europe, other than France, had not sustained the physical devastation that was yet to

be experienced from saturation aerial bombing two decades later, the serious losses in manpower along with the economic political upheavals was acute. The old feudal-monarchical government in Ger-many was swept away, the Kaiser fled to asylum Holland and a constitutional republic under Presi-dent Ebert was instituted. The most pressing prob-lem in Germany was now inflation. Initially there was a loss of hard currency through the transfer of assets to other countries by those fearful of Ger-many’s future.

rational financing that was available was secured through those with hard currency sources outside the country and those with access t these funds prospered handsomely. The International transportation situation was acute, due to the lack of motor transport, and both the shortage and high prices of automobiles at once saw the importance of the motor cycle as the logical expedient. American machines with their rugged construction and large slow turning engines had already made a name for themselves on the export market, and this was now enhanced by the large numbers of military machines left behind by the American Expeditionary Forces. Indian had already launched its first export pro-gramme in Great Britain with the appointment of W.H. “Billy” Wells in 1909. Wells was at first offered an export contract for Europe, but had turned it down due to lack of capital to inaugurate it. In 1911, an agreement was reached with the Dutch export-import firm of Stokvis and Sonen, who by 1912 was establishing a network of agents in Scandinavia and central Europe. Following the Armistice, these contracts were renewed and were well in place by 1920. At this juncture, Max Bernhard, who had pur-chased an Indian Scout in 1921, conceived the idea of securing a licence to manufacture them in Germany. As he already had an agreement with his former employer, Siemen-Halske, to supply him with castings for his small printing presses [that he machined and finished in his machine shop], he found that his firm would supply engine and gearbox castings providing that he fabricated the moulds. In 1922 he contracted the Indian fac-tory in Springfield concerning the matter, accord-ing to the recollections of Leslie D. Richard, In-dian’s Publicity Director from 1920 through 1924, and Erle Armstrong, Indian’s long time Produc-tion Superintendent. Indian’s General Manager, Frank J. Weschler did not at once respond, as Indian was the in the throes of a financial problem relating to compo-nent acquisition resulting from an over-stock due to the sudden drop in motor cycle sales in the face of post-war competition from the cheap automo-bile. Much attention was being paid to the export market, however, Indian had produced

Then the Treaty of Versailles had imposed an excessive burden of huge was reparations that could only be initially met by the expedient of printing money. Ordinary citizens without access to international money markets suffered the most, with the loss of savings and reduced purchasing power. What

15

18.000 Scouts in 1920, followed by over 6.000 units in 1921 and over 5.000 in 1922. Nearly half of these were exported, with Stokvis and Soen receiving substantial numbers for their European market. While Indian’s top management temporarily ig-nored Bernhard’s proposal, Stokvis and Sonen who at once got wind of the matter, did not. The flamboyant George Sherman, Export Manager Bill McCann’s assistant, was sent to Germany during the Summer of 1922, and was at once warned by Stokvis and Sonen’s top management that the granting of such a licence to Bernhard would be disastrous, as European manufacture of Scouts which were not subject to shipping charges from the States and lack of import duties would undercut Stokvis and Sonen’s market.

Bernhard’s moulds, he being a skilled pattern maker, together with sets of frame and fork lugs. Bernhard then machined the castings in his own shop, and set up jigs to fabricate the frames. In early Spring of 1923, Berhard had completed assembly of the initial production run of twenty-five machines, which were sold almost immedi-ately to customers who had access to hard cur-rency. Germany then being in the throes of run-away inflation from the deluge of paper marks pouring from the Weimar Republic’s printing presses. Stokvis and Sonen managed to secure one these machines during the Summer if 1923 and shipped it to Springfield. Both Richards and Armstrong later reported that the counterfeit Scouts were

Sherman at once cabled Weschler, and the latter fired off a strong warning to Bernhard, citing the Geneva Convention’s rulings on patent and copy-right laws, which unfortunately up until that time were not too closely respected on the international markets, and further stating that the Indian had no present intention of granting foreign licences for the manufacture of their products. In the meantime, however, Bernhard had some-how contacted Borenkov’s hard currency cartel, and had forged an agreement whereby initial fi-nancing would be forthcoming for his manufac-ture of duplicate Scouts. The late Erwin Tra-gatsch, a motor bike historian who spent a lifetime tracing the origins of the world’s past and present motor cycle production, later stated that while Borenkov’s agreement featured an exorbitant rate of interest, Bernhard felt that what the economic advantages of domestic manufacture, he could still handily undercut Stokvis and Sonen’s opera-tion. Accordingly, Siemens-Halske made up an initial batch of engine and gear box castings, from

generally exact copies of the originals, but with-out electric lighting and fitting of Bing carburet-tors in place of the usual Scheblers. Illumination was provided by the suggested use of German made carbide activated systems of pre war pat-tern. The Springfield shop forces noted that the Siemans- Halske were of very good quality, but featured the trade name “Mabeco” a contraction of “Max Bernhard Company” cast in raised let-ters on the valve chest. As a historical aside, one of the early Mabeco engines was to play a part in German Aeronauti-cal development. Germany has been forbidden to manufacture aircraft under the terms of the Ver-sailles Treaty, and close watch was being kept by the Allied Aeronautical Commission German engineers then turned their attention to experi-ments with gliders, centering their activities in the mountains of Bavaria near the village of Rhon. Leading these activities was a prominent Aeronautical engineer, Ing. Dr Theodore von Karmen. One of his protégés, Reinhold Klem-perer