For more than five decades, ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’ remained the highly modified Scout of legendary Kiwi racer Burt Munro. The fact that the record stood for so long is incredible; that it was done on a machine that left the production line in 1920 is remarkable. But now a new top speed has been set, as Indian Motorcycles themselves recently ventured to the salt flats of Bonneville, with their incredible ‘King of the Baggers’ Challenger. Piloted by two-time series champion Tyler O’Hara, the goal was never to beat Burt, but instead to pay tribute to the legend by returning to those hallowed grounds and prove just how important racing is to the big American company. And with the throttle pinned, O’Hara honoured the masters of old, with a new AMA 2000cc APS-AG record of 194.384 mph.
Racing has always been a huge part of the Indian brand, the oldest American motorcycle company, and they’ve always done it bloody well. At the start of the 20th century, they hit the board tracks and ventured to the Isle of Man TT to show the world what their bikes could do. In the ’50s, the original Wrecking Crew was born in the heyday of Flat Track, and announced once again that when the brand put their mind to it, they could dominate with ease. So, it made perfect sense that when the company was rebuilt in the 21stcentury, a return to the dirt would deliver domination and an undeniable way for dealers to promote their road-going product.
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