1937 Indian Scout Junior
As I am thinning out the motorcycle herd here at the rancho, my thoughts are, much to my wife’s dismay, “what do I want next?”. After visiting the Motorcyclepedia Museum in Newburgh, New York last year I have developed an affinity for Indian motorcycles. We probably spent a good two hours wandering through a large room dedicated purely to Indian. The museum had almost one of very model year from 1901! Solo models, side car rigs, delivery bikes, mini bikes..if was Indian it was there. After that visit I could just feel it building…”I need an Indian someday”, but which one? Well, for most it would be the Indian Chief. The most iconic of all Indians. The beautifully valanced fenders, the wonderful Power Plus motor and the perfect Indian head front fender light…I gotta have it. Well, maybe not. There are other models that may be more fun to ride and a bit more unique, take the Indian Scout Junior for example.
There were actually three models of the Scout; the Scout, the Scout Sport and the Junior. The first two were 750’s and the Junior was a 500cc or better known at that time as a 31 cubic inch model. The Scout Sport won the Daytona 200 and the standard Scout saw service in World War 2 but the little Scout Junior just kind of chuffed right along.
Being that I like motorbikes that may not be as popular as others, I have found myself drawn to the Scout Junior. Doing what research I can, there isn’t much out there about the Junior other than the fact that it is the ‘Junior’. So, what I have learned is basically take the Scout info you can find and make a 31 cubic inch model of it and go riding.
I like finding old bikes that have not been restored but have been resurrected and maintained. I found a Scout Junior that fits the bill perfectly…now if I could only unload a few (a bunch…) more bikes I could actually get it.
The Indian I found on ebay this morning is a nice , running ’37 model that shows it’s age beautifully…kind of like Ann Margaret or Sophia Loren. It does have a reproduction exhaust (the original does come with the bike), the motor and transmission were rebuilt (the outside of the motor was left ‘old’), the owner did put new tires on the bike, and it has the original paint. I love it! Now I just wish I could afford it. It’s a good bike for the money for the person that wants a classic bike that is a bit more unique than some others. And I’ll bet its damn fun to ride too.
Click on the pics below for more info and more pictures. About three more bikes out of my barn and an Indian will find it’s home here.
1937 Indian Scout Junior