I brought the 101 Scout chassis home yesterday. It was pretty cool as I had not had most of this bike in my possession since last November.
The frame has been straightened, when I first took it to John Bivens it was so bent he spent a couple of hours before he could even bolt it to the frame table. He installed the foot board castings in the correct position so the boards would have a slight tilt to them. This was something of great importance to early Indian riders as it positions your feet at a natural angle in relation to the motorcycle. Someone had installed them so they were flat, I really believe this bike was a hill climber at one time. The right lower frame tubing had to be completely replaced, looks good.
The forks did not require too much work, but the front legs were all wrong and had to be straightened and the correct bends put in them.
The bars are kind of an anomaly, they have a 1931 casting with 1928 bends, I just happen to like a 1931 headlight and horn assembly better and I doubt if I will ever build another 101 for personal use so I took a few liberties.
Heck, I have never even ridden a 101 Scout and am only going on what I have heard and read. I picked a 101 scout as the bike had to be pre-1930 and in my mind it had to be an Indian so what better bike than a 101 Scout ??
After many months and what will be many thousands of dollars it is good to have it home. I may reconsider selling it and just build it. I bought it for the Cannonball ride in September but I am not able to do the ride for various reasons.
I have often wondered over the past year what it would be like to do like Cannonball Baker did in the early days, just you and your bike from New York to San Francisco. No support team, no organization, no time restraints. Just coast to coast on your own as fast as you can go. I am smart enough to know there would be issues and you would have to strategically position parts along the way in case of trouble. In Bakers day the bikes were new and there was dealership support along the way with parts that fit his bike. BUT, surely it can be done faster than 14 days ? Just have enough in your pocket that in a worst case scenario you buy a pickup and haul her back home ??????
