Earlier than Indian created the FTR, hooligan flat monitor racers had been modifying their Indian Scouts to go quick and switch left. One of many pioneers of that ‘run what ya brung’ perspective was the legendary Ed ‘Iron Man’ Kretz. Well-known for profitable the first-ever Daytona 200 in 1937, Ed was recognized for using his Indian Scout to the monitor, stripping off every little thing that made it road-legal, and racing it.
It’s that spirit that Roland Sands Design got down to seize with this practice Indian Scout. The Californian store has been tight with Indian for eons, and at present fields Indian race bikes in America’s Tremendous Hooligan and King of the Baggers championships. So when Indian Bike commissioned RSD to customise a model new Indian Sport Scout as a part of the model’s ‘Solid’ customized sequence, the trail forward was clear.
“It was like, effectively, OK, what would Ed construct in the present day?” asks the store’s founder and namesake, Roland Sands. “A rowdy race bike.”
Constructed on Indian’s model new Scout platform, the Indian Sport Scout provides some West Coast efficiency fashion with 6” risers and a nostril fairing. RSD aimed to keep up that common vibe, however ramp up the efficiency facet and crank the visible perspective to eleven. Or, as RSD lead fabricator Aaron Boss places it, construct a “Dyna killer.”
To get there, RSD determined to hybridize the Scout and FTR, whereas sprinkling some Tremendous Hooligan magic on it. Step one was to scalp the forks, yokes, and twin Brembo brakes from an Indian FTR, and therapeutic massage them to suit the Scout’s steering neck. As soon as Aaron had wrapped his head round that, he turned his consideration to the rear finish.
Eager eyes will discover a sporty aluminum swingarm mounted on the again. Derived from RSD’s 2023 Tremendous Hooligan FTR race bike, it has shed its mono-shock brace and gained tabs for mounting twin shocks. Aftermarket Indian piggyback shocks join it to the Scout’s OEM higher shock mounts.
The Sport Scout usually rolls on 19F/16R wheels, however that wasn’t aggressive sufficient for what RSD was making an attempt to realize right here. In order that they swapped the inventory hoops for lust-worthy cast aluminum RSD x Dymag race wheels. They’re shod with sticky Dunlop Sportmax Q5 tires, with the FTR’s rear Brembo brake caliper additionally in play.
Shifting to the bodywork, Aaron saved the inventory fairing, however modified it to mount to the FTR forks. The gas tank is normal too, and the entrance fender is from the FTR. It’s a distinct story out again although, the place Aaron bolted off the unique seat, subframe, and rear fender, and began over.
The brand new tail part takes inspiration from the Indian Scout flat monitor tails that RSD produces, however the design’s been tweaked to swimsuit this construct. The one-piece unit additionally acts as its personal subframe and as a rear fender, with an LED taillight embedded simply beneath the rear lip. The customized seat pad comes from everybody’s go-to flat monitor racing seat provider, Saddlemen.
As soon as that was in place, RSD fine-tuned the ergonomics for a sportier using place. That meant shifting the unique foot controls to a extra street-friendly place and becoming a large set of ProTaper handlebars to the cockpit.
With the suspension, brakes, and wheels all upgraded, RSD opted to not mess with the Indian Sport Scout’s 105-hp motor. Aaron merely fabricated a shocking two-into-one titanium exhaust system, terminating it in a belligerent RSD muffler.
RSD’s gnarly Indian Sport Scout road tracker was then completed in a matte and gloss black livery, topped off with vivid yellow highlights. A picture of Sylvester the cat peeps out from the again; a nod to the identical illustration that Ed Kretz as soon as used on his enterprise card.
Though RSD didn’t know who the bike was going to when the challenge began, that exact coloration scheme turned out to be fairly serendipitous. That’s as a result of the Sport Scout’s new proprietor is none aside from Josh Dun—drummer of the energetic genre-bending pop duo, Twenty One Pilots. And the black and yellow completely complement the art work of the band’s 2018 album, Trench.
An Indian Scout Bobber proprietor himself, Josh has beforehand ridden the FTR as effectively—so he was understandably stoked concerning the course that RSD had taken with the Sport Scout. “The rationale why I’m constructing bikes is to excite different folks,” Aaron provides. “And he got here in and his jaw dropped. He paused for a second, speechless. That’s when you realize you’ve acquired him and he’s enthusiastic about it.”
“100% it’s a motorbike that I might personally personal,” Roland provides. “How do you design a motorbike that makes you’re feeling like a badass? I believe that’s the formulation proper there.”
“It’s delicate… nevertheless it’s proper.”
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