This 1953 Indian Chief is unique in many ways. 1953 was the last year for the original Indian motorcycle company and few ’53 Chiefs were produced, making this a rare and sought after model. In addition, it’s an original true one-owner bike, being offered by its only purchaser with just 38,000 miles. Even more amazingly, the motorcycle, though manufactured in 1953, is only 22 years old. Somehow it sat in the basement of the dealer until 1989, when it was recovered, restored and first titled. Find it here on eBay in Paonia, Colorado in a no reserve auction with the bidding starting at $24,500.
The seller is an aircraft mechanic who claims to have taken care of the bike with the same meticulous precision as his planes. That he has made this rare bike his rider, has put thousands of miles on it, and has had it clocked at over 100 mph is terrific. That he claims it has never failed or broken down is testament to the bike and the care taken of it. Auction notes indicate some minor finish imperfections we’d expect to see on a bike with nearly 40,000 miles.
By the 1950s the Chiefs had gotten 80ci (1300cc) engines and improved suspension, with modern telescopes up front to match the plungers in the back. These were fast, comfortable bikes, though they weren’t enough to save the company. In 1953 the original company closed up and by 1955 the marque was sold off and later used to rebadge Royal Enfields.
The motorcycle has been modified for reliable use as a rider. The seller has swapped out the original Amal carb for a Linkert. It’s also been converted to 12 volt ignition and lighting. All of the original swapped parts are included in the sale.
In addition to the original carb, the toolbox is present. So are the Dunlops the bike shipped with. The seller also includes a collection of articles about this unique bike, and some rare factory documentation.
We don’t begrudge those who decide not to ride their motorcycles; without those people, who would we buy our like-new old bikes from? But we see way too many older bikes virtually unused and offered at crazy prices. The seller of this motorcycle seems like our kind of guy. He managed to get a rare bike with zero miles, used it well and is passing it on for a fair price. The seller has started the auction at a bargain bid, but it may not stay there for long.
Related Stories
Great looking Chief. I recently sold my ’47 and seeing this tempts me to pull the trigger on another but I just cannot get comfortable using that damned foot clutch in stop & go traffic. Wish someone made a hand clutch conversion…
Now THAT’s a motorcycle, folks!!!!
When I was 17, an old motorcycle racer named Albert(walked with a limp as most old motorcycle racers do) who lived in the Big Thicket area of East Texas had a 48 Indian chief sitting under a cover in his dirt covered front yard. He pulled the cover off to show me the bike. I liked it a lot we spent a few hours getting started and he offered to sell it to me for a “hunderd bucks”.
Some of my friends told me not to buy it cause it was missing the primary chain cover and “they don’t make them anymore and you can’t get parts”
I ended up not buying it . Where ever you are now friends Thanks!
One of these days I am going to own one to ride….just not this one it is outside my price range. I am sure it will go for more than “a hunderd buck”
A right side hand clutch would be a VERY easy conversion using a spare front brake hand lever that way you could still use the left hand shifter. You will come up with a better reason for not buying one.
This guy has the whole dream, the Indian, an old Giulietta, the Cessna 140, and who knows what, in a hanger on a grass strip in western Colorado. I think Joe Cocker is a mile or so away. for good reasons.
Nice bike. I love the old tractor seats, they are very comfortable. Fun story.
A right side hand clutch? Naw, you need your right hand to give her the gas. Left foot clutch is easy to use, push with your toe to engage, push with your heel to disengage. Back in the day, we had Harley police bikes with the same set up and we always had a free left hand to grab the donuts as we rode by the drive-though at Amy Joy Donuts
Great bike and they generally sell for less money with the telescopic front end than with the girder. And that rocker foot clutch will save you from hand cramps in stop and go traffic! You can leave it in 1st gear, engage the clutch, and put your foot down until you are ready to roll again. It stays in gear but with the clutch in until you rock the pedal back to go. Some of the old engineering was just so cool.
Well I’ll certainly be buying extra lotto tickets this weekend and if my numbers come up that stunning motorcycle will be on a ship to England
Wow, I resort too often to ‘droolworthy’ but this is droolworthy. TY couldn’t be more right though about the owner. Rescuing it from the basement of the dealer, freshened it up, and rode it. What a great find that must have been in 1989. I don’t think I could ever part with it if I owned it.
In addition to the plane and Alfa, there’s another old car (I can’t ID it) next to the Cessna. Yep, this guy is living the dream.
Whoa there, don’t fool with that clutch at all! Easy to use…toe down to engage, heel down to disengage.
Back in the day, we had Harley police bikes with foot clutch/side shift. Front brake lever was on the right which gave us an extra hand to pick up a bag of donuts at the Any Joy Donut Shoppe drive-thru window!
My folks live in Paonia (small town w/o a stop light) and it’s a great motorcycle town surround by windy mountain roads with no traffic and limited troopers. Riding is also limited to 4-5 months a year. I’ll be there in December and would offer trailiering the bike back to the west coast for gas money and a cup of coffee to help a BAT reader out.
And yes Joe Cocker lives down the road, I helped frame his house on my college summers.
With a Little Help From My Friends….and donations I would be all over this.
Been wanting a ’47 chief sonce high school in the late sixties.but this……….is da kind :)
Everyone should be more excited about the red Reatta pictured behind him as he kicks the bike.
Someday, my daily driver Reatta will be worth millions. Or, more likely, it will be an odd Buick no one cares about because it’s a Buick. Either way, it was exciting to see one parked behind one of the coolest bikes I have seen in a long while. Also fascinating that it is stablemates with a Giulietta and a Cessna.
What did this wind up selling for? I don’t remember seeing it when it came up last fall—really nice bike with a nice story.