Indian Scout
Charles Franklin's compact Scout used a tightly integrated V-twin and gearbox to make a lighter Indian that was quick, reliable and easy to handle.
1920 Indian Scout · Arno Laber (Qflieger) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Research pending
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More than a set of wheels.
Indian announced the Scout in 1919 for the 1920 model year. The company's current heritage material credits designer Charles Franklin and highlights two ingredients: a lightweight frame and helical gears. Museum records describe the first Scout's air-cooled side-valve V-twin, roughly 600/606 cc, and three-speed hand-operated gearbox. Decades later Burt Munro began with a 1920 Scout, but his 1967 Bonneville record machine was radically modified; its 184.087 mph record must never be presented as stock Scout performance.
Look a little closer.
A 1920 Scout became famous again 47 years later, but only after Burt Munro spent decades rebuilding it into a streamliner that shared little with a showroom bike.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
The gearbox was part of the idea
The Scout's transmission was bolted closely to the engine instead of being treated as a distant separate box. Together with helical gears, that helped create a compact, tidy power unit for a smaller frame.
Source: Indian Motorcycle · Milestones Collection ↗Stock Scout and Munro special are different vehicles
Indian's own history gives Munro's official 1967 speed as 184.087 mph, but calls his Scout heavily modified. The record is a story about the strength of the starting design and Munro's ingenuity—not a 1920 showroom specification.
Source: Indian Motorcycle · History of the Scout ↗Where these facts come from
- Indian Motorcycle · History of the Scout
- Indian Motorcycle · Milestones Collection
- Reynolds-Alberta Museum · 1920 Indian Scout
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed 2026-10-02T10:12:59Z.