Mystery Bike

The Bike I was crying about..[because I thought he 'blew it up']
Is an EXTREMELY RARE......
1941 Indian Military Model 841.
Only a thousand were made...And all but one was shipped to CA for testing by the armed forces.

The 841 also came with several other new features, including shaft drive, a foot shift, hand clutch, hydraulic girder spring fork, rubber-mounted handlebars, a sprung rear hub and 8-inch drum brakes, all of which made it onto postwar Chiefs.E. Paul duPont, who controlled Indian, had so much faith in the 841 design that he got one for his own use. He rode it around the country, stopping to show dealers and friends, and had grand plans for turning the military 841 into a civilian tourer.But none of that was to be.Although Indian built more than 1,000 examples of the bike and put it through extensive testing in the desert of California, the military never adopted the machine for wartime use. The same was true of Harley’s BMW-like XA. Instead, the primary motorcycle used by American forces was the 750cc V-twin Harley WLA, augmented by Indian’s 500cc V-twin 741 and the 750cc 640B, basically a military version.


Most were deystoyed in testing or scrapped...Never intended for civilian use...As such very few examples exist today...and nearly all that are...are in museums.

When I saw the photo of a civilian owning one...I just about fell off my chair.

CRYING

I know I haven't posted in a while. Just been busy with bikes and BACA events.
I really didn't have anything new to post since most of our day to day happenings are told on Ann's/Boston's blog...but whoo boy I got a doozy for ya today.....

I stopped by our BACA prez's house this morn to catch up and chat awhile.
He just retuned from a week long trip up in Utah visiting friends and family.
He found some old photos of his grandfather on his bikes just after WW2.

He tells me, "These are pic's of my gramps bikes; one he rode for years....and the other a Triumph.......THAT I BLEW UP."

The first pic was of a 1946 FL, quite rare today....But if you look hard enough you can still find em.....This pic with the windshield and accessories is no doubt the 'Road-going' bike as described.

The other...well, do your reasearch. Hint: American Wartime (it ain't no Triumph!)

I hope this isn't the bike he 'Blew up'........I'll cry for a month.


Postscript.......I had mis-heard....He 'blew up' the picture.......fate of the bike?....lost to time.