Indian Motorcycle unveiled its new flat track racer, the Indian Scout FTR750, during 76th annual Black Hills Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, August 7.
The Scout FTR750 is the first factory-built flat track machine to wear the Indian name since the limited-edition 648 Scout that was produced by the original Indian Motocycle Company in 1948 to contest the AMA National Championship, which consisted of just one race in Springfield, Illinois. Indian enjoyed great success with its factory “Wrecking Crew” back then. The team, which included Bill Tuman, Bobby Hill and Ernie Beckman captured several race wins. Hill won the AMA National Championship at Springfield aboard a factory Indian in 1951 and 1952. Tuman followed suit by winning it in 1953, the same year that the original Indian went out of business.
Beckman passed away in 1999, but Hill and Tuman are still alive today, and both men were on hand to witness the unveiling of the new Scout FTR750 at Sturgis, providing a unique link between the brand’s past and potential future success in the sport. Polaris Industries President of Motorcycles Steve Menneto discussed the importance of respecting the brand’s competitive past while driving it forward.
“A heritage of racing and winning is in the lifeblood of this brand, and everyone in attendance was clearly proud to be a part of this important moment in the historic return of Indian Motorcycle to professional flat track racing,” Menneto said. “We have an incredible team of engineers and designers working on this initiative, and all of us are deeply committed to building a world-class racing program that will live up to our legendary history on the track.”
Indian will start its new factory flat track effort with the current number-one rider in the country, Jared Mees, at the controls. Mees is a three-time AMA Grand National Champion (2012, 2014, 2015), and he holds an AMA National Twins title from 2009, when separate National titles were handed out to the winners of the Twins and Singles classes.
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