Gilroy Indians : The Indian Motorcycle Company of America, 1999–2003

A comprehensive, illustrated history of the Indian Motorcycle Company of America in Gilroy, California, which revived an iconic and beloved brand.

A comprehensive, illustrated history of the Indian Motorcycle Company of America in Gilroy, California, which revived an iconic and beloved brand.

How did a world-famous brand die, and how was it resurrected after nearly a half-century? This is the story of a legendary American brand that ceased manufacture in 1953, the company that resurrected it 46 years later, the products it produced, the death of the dream after only five years, and the legacy that survives. Indian was once the largest motorcycle company in the world. The Indian brand spawned a special magic for nearly everyone who rode one or knew someone who did. By 1953, Indian was dead, but not the magic. In 1999, a new company in Gilroy, California began manufacturing Indian Motorcycles with the same panache as the originals. Yet, the Gilroy operation was doomed.

Here’s the back story, including nearly every 1999-2003 catalog page, plus the heartbreaking death of IMCOA.  With a foreword by IMCOA''s first president, Rey Sotelo, this volume provides an intimate look at the short, tumultuous life of the business behind the bikes. Author George F. Paul extensively interviewed several of the major players behind the IMCOA brand.