NGC - The Indian runs!

[Denis]

At long last, the 640 hit the road at Oley the other week. Ran great but had to address some exhaust leaks, fuel leaks, etc.

[fotoguzzi]

totally Awesome Denis

[oldbike54]

totally Awesome Denis

 I concur 

 Dusty

[EldoMike]

I was there...wish I had seen it 

[Idontwantapickle]

Nice. I think I can hear that from the house.......

[Denis]

I was there...wish I had seen it 

Really? It spend Wednesday-Thursday at the bottom of the hill where I was camping, but then Friday moved up the hill to a buddy's vending spot where we sorted out a few things and went for a ride. I rode that, my buddy rode an R26 and his dad rode a Nimbus.

[Denis]

I concur 

 Dusty

Thanks! Kind of nerve wracking, honestly. Left hand throttle with a right hand shifter is opposite of everything I've ridden since 1989.

[twowings]

  Totally groovy!

[cruzziguzzi]

How cool!

I can almost smell it...

Or, is that your natty old jacket I'm imagining?

Looks like too much fun!



Todd.

[Sasquatch Jim]

  Many eons ago, my Harley servicar had left hand throttle and right hand shift too.
 The spark advance was the right hand twist grip.  I believe I also remember a suicide clutch instead of the usual foot rocker.

[rodekyll]

That's a blast from the past.  It reminds me of the engine and layout of my first trike:





What looks like the throttle is the magneto advance.

[EldoMike]

Really? It spend Wednesday-Thursday at the bottom of the hill where I was camping, but then Friday moved up the hill to a buddy's vending spot where we sorted out a few things and went for a ride. I rode that, my buddy rode an R26 and his dad rode a Nimbus.

I also was there Wed-Sat...camped at my spot on the road to the Firehouse....saw the Nimbus...was there with Doug...we had some Indians...BMW R69/2...HD stuff...I normally don't carry Guzzi stuff to swap meets...

[LowRyter]

Is that a Scout 45? 

[rboe]

A proper looking motorcycle for sure.

[Stormtruck2]

Is that a Scout 45? 

You mean like this?




No its a WL.   

[Denis]

Rode the 640 around a couple of months ago. It was terrible though it RAN well. The front end was weird and it was all over the place. Wouldn't stay in a straight line to save it's life.

So, I took the wheels off and replaced the Firestone repos with Avon Speedsters and went through the fork, installing new bushings, new cross shafts, etc. Rebuild the speedometer drive while I was at it.

Put it all back together and last Sunday rode it again. It now tracks so straight it's like its on rails. I took both hands off the bars and it steered just like I was still guiding it. It was amazing and is now actually fun.

[nc43bsa]

Good for you.

Now git on the 841. 

[Sasquatch Jim]

  Now that is a real motorsickle!

[Tom]

Congrats on getting it running and correcting the problems.

[garbln]

If you get too serious about chasing down leaks you will be doing a lot of chasing.  Remember their not really leaking there just oozing power!

[Adk.IBO]

Very cool! 

[Denis]

Good for you.

Now git on the 841. 

Thanks! Yeah, I'm trying to line up someone to make me a set of rear suspension tools for that bike. That's probably the biggest hurdle to having a rolling chassis. I should have all the 841-specific parts to do it.
Of course I have to repaint everything and I think I'm going to try my hand at parkerizing all the nuts and bolts.

[Denis]

Thanks all!

Turns out the oil pump breather also doubles as the oiler for the rear chain. I doubted it would really work but it did well enough to wash all the chain lube I'd put on earlier. :/

It's really a hoot to ride, especially when you jam the clutch pedal forward, let go of the right grip and yank that shift lever backward!

[ken farr]

Denis:

  Please tell me how the clutch works.  I know it's a foot clutch and hand shift, but I have heard that it is just like the clutch pedal in an automobile, then I've had people tell, no, the clutch pedal is depressed to engage the clutch and move along.....

....and pics of the 841 would be REALLY neat....


kjf

[Aaron D.]

Curious here too, what I have seen is the pedal is pressed forward like a car to disengage, and if it is working properly it stays there until you press the back part, like a heel-toe shifter.

But I've heard the other way too, I wonder if engage/disengage gets flipped in some minds or if it changed over time.

[Denis]

On the Indian Scouts like mine (it's a Model 640) and others like the 641, 741, etc. the clutch is operated by rocker pedal on the left side of the bike. To put the bike into neutral or one of the three gears, you press the forward portion of the rocker forward, and shift the lever. Then you use your heel to depress the rear portion of the pedal all the way down to disengage the clutch and the bike moves forward. Note that the rocker pedal is NOT spring loaded and when adjusted properly it should stay all the way forward or all the way back until you physically change it. Of course, if the engine is running, especially at a stop, it's possible it could move on by vibration and that is why it's always a good idea to have the transmission in neutral when the engine is running and you are not moving, such as at an intersection or when you've briefly gotten off the bike.

I believe the Chief rocker pedals operate the other way, i.e. press the rear portion of the pedal down to change gears, but I'm not certain since I don't have one and haven't ridden one.

[Aaron D.]

Our dealer is a serious Indian collector. I'll have to check it out.

Thanks and good luck!

[Denis]

Our dealer is a serious Indian collector. I'll have to check it out.

Thanks and good luck!

Thanks and please post anything cool you learn from you dealer about is old Indians!

[Aaron D.]

Will do, edited for conciseness. I could start a freaking blog with his stuff. Some day I hope to wangle a ride on one of their 101 Scouts
(that is a model number, I think they only have 2). I believe he has at least one of everything including the postwar singles and twins.

[Chipmaker]

If I remember right on a Indian the clutch could be changed by how the lever on the primary case was installed.Turned up was one way down the outher.The spring loaded clutch that returned (as per auto)was a mod done by some riders,called at that time a suicide clutch. Think of stoping at a stoplight clutch held in and in gear,then getting over balanced and start falling to the left side!
 All most as mutch fun as switching between Indians and H.Ds and getting the spark and gas feed mixed up.