Indian 1914 two speed regular model 1000cc 2 cyl ioe 2603

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Description

Indian 1914   7 HP  “Two-Speed Regular Model”  988 cc  IOE  V-twin     engine # 94680

The Springfield Company’s first ‘Big Twin’, displacing 61 ci (988cc), debuted  in 1909. 
By 1913 Indian was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world:  Harry Sucher  reports that during that year  31,950 machines were produced, approximately 42% of the total domestic production.
About a quart of these Indians were sold in foreign countries.  
The 1914 catalogue  predicted a production of 60,000  Indians and announced “Thirty-Eight Betterments”.   
Actual production would amount to  less than the1913 output but  Indians were at the forefront everywhere in the world. 
The range consisted of  the  single  cylinder 4 HP “Service Model” and  four  7 HP twin models: a single speeder  with or without electrical equipment and  ditto two speed types. 
And then there was the electric-starting “ Hendee Special”, of which the catalogue boasted  “In the Hendee Special there has been evolved a machine, which the motorcycle world must recognize as its masterpiece”. 
This did turn out rather unfortunate though and factory production  of this technical failure was halted in March.
The starting mechanism worked well but the then available batteries had insufficient capacity.   This two speeder with clutch is a very practical veteran  motorcycle. 
There are two independent brakes on the rear wheel, a hand-operated external contracting band system and a foot-operated internal expanding  brake.