| October 2017 Bike of the Month |
Bob Nichols and his 1940 Indian Sport Scout Flat Track Racer Jim Ottele Rider
Make: Indian
Model: Sport Scout
Year: 1940
Country of Origin: USA
Engine: 750cc Twin
Transmission: 3 speed hand shift
Owner: Bob Nichols
City: Newport Beach
|
|
Congratulations to Bob Nichols of Newport Beach for winning Bike of the Month with his 1940 Indian Sport Scout.
Bob won a Specialty Motorcycle Chain Cleaner provided provided by the WD-40 Company.
WD-40 now produces a line of specialty formulated motorcycle products WD-40
Specialist Motorcycle
Bob has been a member of this group longer than I have. I would be willing to bet, that Bob has been a member of any
group longer than any of us. At 96 years old, he has been involved in Indian Racing for over 70 years.
Bob has owned this bike since 1940 and according to Smokey has owned 22 Sport Scouts over the years.
He raced his Indians on the flat track in Los Angeles in the late 1930's and early 1940's against people like
Iron Man Ed Kretz Sr.
He also raced Speedway bikes in the early 1940's. More of a Machinist that a successful racer, Bob has outlived all his rivals.
For more information and some cool photos from his early days, Richard Parks has written a great article on Bob's website:
The Bob Nichols Story.
The Red Bike
The Red bike broke down at Willow Springs ten years ago and has been in the works for the past several years.
Smokey Elford of Smokey's Classic Motorcycles in Long Beach has been the Chief Mechanic on Bob's bike for years.
SMITTY TUMAN Short Block
Bill Tuman was one of three in the original Wrecking Crew, the Indian Flat Track racing team that dominiated for years. He and Smitty were known for the best Indian ball bearing conversions in the business. This bike has one of the last conversions Tuman did about eight years ago. It
was originally intended for Bonneville. The bike is also a hand shift with a suicide foot clutch. Named that because the rear heel portion has been removed for racing.
Last week in it's first weekend out racing Jim Ottele raced it to two victories at Willow Springs.
The Yellow Bike
Bob also brought out his "Yellow Bike" a 1937 Indian Big Base Scout which
won Bike of the Month back in October 2014. For the past
two years Jim Ottele has been racing this bike. Jim has 62 wins under his belt with this bike.
Thank you Bob for bring the Indian for all of us to see. See all the photos in our October
Gallery.
|
The Bike of the Month contest is held monthly at the Vintage Bike OC meet. Qualifying motorcycles must be 30 years old or older. Former Bike of the Month winning bikes are not eligible to win again.
Anyone attending the meet is eligible to enter a qualifying bike in the contest and vote for
their favorite bike. The winning bike is chosen by a popular vote and is featured on the Home page for one month and in this feature article. The Bike of the Month articles are permanent content on the site.
|
|
Bike of the Month Gallery
Photo gallery of all the Bike of the Month winners.
|
|
