Tech Tuesday: King Of The…Café Racers?


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The engine says “Indian Motorcycle.” The look says “café racer.” Photo by Scott G Toepfer.

Indian Motorcycle is, of course, one of the two motorcycle manufacturers–along with Harley-Davidson–that make up the heated road racing rivalry that is the Mission King Of The Baggers Championship. And, in the past three years of the rapidly growing KOTB class, we’ve seen a whole host of innovations being developed by the two OEMs, along with their suppliers and aftermarket companies, that have rapidly pushed the performance envelope in the series, with great gobs of seconds being lopped off the lap times every year.

One-hundred and eleven cubes of air-cooled Indian V-twin power are tucked in there. Photo by Scott G Toepfer.

This past weekend at the Barber Vintage Motorcycle Festival, Indian Motorcycle debuted a custom Indian Chief that looks nothing at all like the Indian Challengers and Chieftains that were raced in this past season’s King Of The Baggers Championship.

The R/T FOUR-THIRTEEN Custom Indian Chief Racer was designed by Noise Cycles and brought to life by Zach Hindes. Looking for all the world like a café racer–a very BIG café racer–the R/T 4-13 is a delectable moto-mélange of modified existing pieces, hand-fabricated parts, and off-the-shelf road racing components that all come together to make this Big Twin road racing machine function as well as it looks.

Louvers, for better maneuvers. Photo by Scott G Toepfer.

Here’s a partial build list:

  • Build & Fabrication – Zach Hindes
  • Engine – 111-cubic-inch Indian Thunderstroke air-cooled V-twin (Stock)
  • Transmission – Six-speed (Stock)
  • Exhaust – Stainless steel custom fabricated by Zach Hindes
  • Muffler – Racefit
  • Subframe – Modified by Zach Hindes to accommodate single rear shock suspension
  • Swingarm – Custom fabricated by Zach Hindes
  • Front Forks – Modified by Zach Hindes to accommodate dual disc brakes
  • Brakes – Beringer
  • Wheels – 17-inch rear/19-inch front custom fabricated by Roland Sands Design
  • Tires – Dunlop
  • Gas Tank – Custom fabricated by Zach Hindes
  • Footpeg mounts – Custom fabricated by Roland Sands Design
  • Bodywork – Vintage 1970’s fairing and seat pan modified by Zach Hindes

To check out the full video playlist including planning, design, and build details, go HERE

Could this be the start of a whole new MotoAmerica road racing class? King Of The Café Racers (KOTCR), anyone? Hey, MotoAmerica COO Chuck Aksland, is that you gasping?

Sean Bice
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