Indian 1905 1¾ HP 213 cc 1 cyl IOE CAMEL BACK

Indian 1905 1 ¾ HP 213 cc IOE ‘CAMEL BACK’ engine # 1605

Oscar Hedstrom and George M. Hendee, both active in the cycle racing world, got together to found the Hendee Manufacturing Company as a partnership, with Hendee as President and General Manager, and Hedstrom as Chief Engineer and Designer. Their first prototype was presented in 1901 and during that year six machines were built, of which two were sold. The first machines were powered by a single-cylinder, ca 213 cc ‘F-head’ (inlet over exhaust) engine that formed part of the ‘diamond’ frame – in the Indian’s case it sloped rearwards to act as the seat tube. An advanced feature in motorcycling’s early pioneering days, chain drive was used by Indian right from the start. The Indian single proved very successful and was produced substantially unchanged for some years. In 1905 a sprung front fork and twist-grip control of throttle and ignition were introduced. Engine production was sub-contracted to the Aurora Automatic Machinery Company between 1902 and 1907, when Indian took it back in house.

The ignition spark is provided by a coil which is housed in the cylindrical box under the front down tube. The larger tube above it houses the battery that consists of three dry cells. The charge will last from 800 to 2,000 miles, “dependent on care afforded”, as the company put it. Indian claims that only the best materials and equipment are chosen, and interestingly the saddle is a foreign product, an English Brooks B 90 or B 100 that is available in several configurations to accommodate riders in various weight categories. Indian mentions they are the sole agent for this saddle in the USA. The saddles are very expensive, the 1905 catalogue notes: “The cost of these saddles is almost prohibitory, but we have not let price stand in the way and know that our efforts in the saddle line will be more than appreciated.” The 1905 models were available as standard in Royal Blue, but also can be had on order in Black, bright Vermillion or handsome dark Green.

Not many early Camelback Indians have survived; this superbly restored 1905 machine comes with Twentieth Century acetylene lamp of the same type as is shown in the 1905 Indian catalogue.