2014 Indian Chief ‘Elnora’ Dual Sport
The motorcycle industry is loaded with unique personalities. And one that surely sticks out is the External Relations Manager for Indian Motorcycle – Robert Pandya.
He displays utmost passion for his career and the Indian Motorcycle brand, and this is evident by his latest task – building a 2014 Indian Chief to ride in the Cannon Ball Centennial Ride. The ride, which began Friday, May 3, retraces Erwin Baker’s original ride on May 3, 1914, from San Diego, Calif., to New York City.
Aboard a twin-cylinder, seven-horsepower Indian motorcycle, Baker made it to NYC in 11.5 days – breaking the 20-day record – when roads were mostly dirt. His feat earned him the nickname “Cannon Ball” from a New York journalist.
One-hundred years later, and Pandya will participate in the Cannon Ball Centennial Ride aboard his creation “Elnora” – a 2014 Indian Chief refabricated into a dual sport. Pandya’s ride – named after Baker’s wife – will replicate Baker’s with stops throughout the states (learn more here).
In an email, Pandya writes “I was given an engineering department development bike that can never be sold, and is basically destined for the crusher. Prior that ultimate end, I thought what better way to celebrate “Cannon Ball” Baker’s ride than to prep a Chief as a Dual Sport Bike…”
He continues “We stiffened up the suspension and added an early prototype air filter for performance. Most of the mods were eliminating things – the windscreen, saddlebags, driving light and fender skirts. As the bike had seen a rough testing life, the chrome was attacked with a Scotchbrite pad and some 80 grit sandpaper – it might as well be evenly scratched up! The click of rattle cans marked the paint job as a back alley special.”
We immediately fell in love with “Elnora,” and had to share the photos Pandya sent. They are attached above.
To follow Pandya on the Cannon Ball Centennial Ride, stay clicked to Indian Motorcycle social media feeds such as Facebook and Twitter.
For more on the ride, visit CannonBallProject.com.
Sweet. These new Indians look WAY better “dechromed”.
what a waste! Why not auction it for charity? corporate minds just don’t seem to connect the right synapses…
I don’t know what Brenboy’s problem is, but this thing is AWESOME! I’d even have to put it on my ‘potential purchase’ list if Indian were to actually produce this type of thing. Very cool.