Indian Motorcycle celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2026, kicking things off with a new campaign called Never Finished.
Indian was founded in 1901 by Goerge Hendee and Oscar Hedstrom after their success as bicycle racers. By 1913, Indian was producing 30,000 units annually. The company survived two world wars, providing motorcycles and parts to the war efforts. In the late 1940s, Indian became a strong force in racing.
Then in 1953, Indian halted production. For several decades, the rights to the brand name swapped hands several times, but none of these new attempts lasted for long. In 2011, Polaris Industries purchased Indian Motorcycle from Stellican (a London-based private equity firm), ushering in the current era of Indian Motorcycle. Now, 125 years after its beginnings, Indian is passing hands again as it transitions to new ownership under a private equity firm called Carolwood.
For a detailed account of Indian Motorcycle’s history, read our four-part “Harley-Davidson vs Indian Motorcycle” series.
The theme of the “Never Finished” campaign is the brand’s commitment to innovation and pushing forward. Accompanying the announcement of the campaign is a video titled “125 Years of Indian Motorcycle | Never Finished,” which highlights the brand’s racing efforts and its current lineup. You can watch the video above or on Indian Motorcycle’s YouTube channel.
“The pursuit of innovation that drove our founders continues to drive us today,” said Nate Secor, director of marketing for Indian Motorcycle. “Whether through design, engineering, or marketing, we push ourselves every day to honor that legacy. The Never Finished campaign isn’t just a celebration of our 125-year history, it’s a commitment to our riders that we are always innovating, always competing, and will always be pushing forward.”
Indian also says that it will celebrate its 125th anniversary throughout 2026 with new products, programs, and rider promotions. More details about those will be announced at a later date.
Visit the Indian Motorcycle website for more information.
