Indian 1946 Chief 1200 cc 2 cyl sv

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Description

1946 Indian Chief

Is there a more iconic shape in American motorcycling than a skirted Indian Chief? 
Those big valanced fenders are unmistakable; then as now, they set the bike apart from anything else on the road. 
For a style so associated with a brand, it’s surprising that the fenders didn’t make their appearance until 1940, some 39 years after the company’s founding. Indian went all-in on the design, outfitting Scouts, Chief and Fours with the new tinware. 
After World War II only the Chief made a return, supposedly a stop-gap measure until lighter, more advanced models came online. 
But a series of financial and engineering missteps doomed the company and Chiefs were still being sold when the Springfield, Massachusetts factory shut its doors in 1953.

For many, the pre-’50 girder-fork Chiefs offer the best styling. 
After that date, telescopic forks were fitted, which threw off the aesthetics a bit some people say. 
This two-tone 1946 example is an older restoration. Instead of solid-color fuel tank and fenders, this Indian features two-tone, red with black side panels with gold pinstripes, a period embellishment that amplifies the bike’s striking appearance. 
Like the rest of this machine, the 74-cubic-inch (1200cc) V-Twin motor is rallye-ready. 
Add some fringed leather saddlebags and hit the road!