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The Indian Model O was a lightweight
The Model O was designed as an entry-level motorcycle to attract young riders. It replaced the two-stroke single-cylinder Model K Featherweight, which was made in 1916 only. In a layout similar to contemporary
motorcycle
A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...
made by the Hendee Manufacturing Company from 1917 to 1919. Indian expected to sell the Model O to young or thrifty riders. The United States' entry into World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
caused Indian to shift manufacture to military motorcycles, and the low cost of the Ford Model T caused the market for lightweight motorcycles to collapse.
Concept and design
The Model O was designed as an entry-level motorcycle to attract young riders. It replaced the two-stroke single-cylinder Model K Featherweight, which was made in 1916 only. In a layout similar to contemporary Douglas motorcycles
Douglas may refer to:
People
* Douglas (given name)
* Douglas (surname)
Animals
*Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking
*Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil W ...
from Great Britain, the Model O's flathead flat-twin engine
A flat-twin engine is a two-cylinder internal combustion engine with the cylinders on opposite sides of the crankshaft. The most common type of flat-twin engine is the boxer-twin engine, where both pistons move inwards and outwards at the same ti ...
was mounted with its cylinders along the line of the frame. This added smooth operation to the Model K's existing light weight and practicality.
The Model O had a cradle frame supporting the engine at the bottom of the crankcase, while the gearbox was mounted under the frame, below the rear cylinder. The rear wheel was rigidly mounted to a subframe bolted to the frame. The front suspension was initially a pivoting fork used on the Indian Single
Indian Motorcycle (or ''Indian'') is an American brand of motorcycles owned and produced by American automotive manufacturer Polaris Inc. This was replaced during 1917 by a leaf-sprung trailing link fork.
Photograph of disassembled components of an Indian Model O
O Motorcycles powered by flat engines Motorcycles introduced in the 1910s
Reception
The Model O was released in 1917, the year in which the United States enteredWorld War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. Indian diverted its efforts to selling motorcycles to the US military. The appeal of lightweight motorcycles as transport was also eroded by the availability of mass-produced cars, especially the Ford Model T, for which mass production began in 1913. The Model O was not designed to appeal to enthusiasts, to which enthusiasts replied by calling the motorcycle the "Model Nothing". The Model O continued to sell poorly until 1919, when it was discontinued.
Legacy
In 1919, the year in which the Model O was discontinued,Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson, Inc. (H-D, or simply Harley) is an American motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1903, it is one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depressi ...
introduced its Model W Sport Twin. The Model W had a Douglas-like layout similar to that of the Model O, using a flat-twin engine with a transverse crankshaft and cylinders parallel to the frame. Larger and more powerful than the Model O, the Model W had several innovations, including unit construction : ''For the vehicle design where the vehicle's skin is used as a load-bearing element, see Monocoque.''
Unit construction is the design of larger motorcycles where the engine and gearbox components share a single casing. This sometimes includes ...
of engine and transmission, an enclosed drivetrain, and a coil-sprung trailing link fork. The Model W sold well in its first year, but sales fell after that, and it was discontinued in 1923.
References
;Citations ;Sources * * * * *{{cite web , url =http://corporate.ford.com/our-company/heritage/heritage-news-detail/672-model-t , title =The Model T Put the World on Wheels , website =Manufacturer's corporate history website , publisher =Ford Motor Company , location =Dearborn, MI USA , archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20121116084318/http://corporate.ford.com/our-company/heritage/heritage-news-detail/672-model-t , archive-date =2012-11-16 , url-status =live , access-date =2013-05-17 , quote =In October 1913, mass production of the Model T began at Ford's Highland Park, Michigan, Assembly Plant. Henry Ford had previously organized men and components to enhance Model T production, but the moving assembly line quickly improved chassis assembly speed from 12 hours and eight minutes to one hour and 33 minutes. , ref =FordHeritageExternal links
Photograph of disassembled components of an Indian Model O
O Motorcycles powered by flat engines Motorcycles introduced in the 1910s