A couple of lil indian questions

#1
I was wondering if anyone could tell me why my lil indian has only one fender. I've looked it doesn't look like there was ever a bracket on the forks. All the other ones I've seen have both fenders or none. Also was wondering the best way to clean up the wheels. Thanks in advance.
 

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#3
There's no signs at all of the previous owner cutting the bracket off grinding marks :shrug:. The 2 bushings should be flipped around and go inside the head tube and a spring on the bottom side of the head tube if you didn't already know that. I also just bead blast the wheels.
 
#4
No signs of anything being cut off to me. They definitely added a bunch of junk. The fork has some spacers that I took out and I need to get a spring. Thanks for the responses.
 
#9
There's no signs at all of the previous owner cutting the bracket off grinding marks :shrug:. The 2 bushings should be flipped around and go inside the head tube and a spring on the bottom side of the head tube if you didn't already know that. I also just bead blast the wheels.
You may have it right on the forks.
 

markus

Well-Known Member
#10
The serial number is 53122
considering the number, and how the bike is configured (hole in the engine plate, Paint not powdercoat, mags with generals, and a few other things), and what lil Indian has written in their "history" of the company. That would kinda put that bike in the time frame when LI was bought, operations moved, then resold because they were going under and a large amount of bikes were being returned for defects.

With that said it would not be inconceivable that that thing left the factory without a front fender mount. The majority of the bikes did not come with fenders (they still had the mounts) so if they were trying to fill an order it COULD have happened.

I dont think the fender was intended to be mounted like that earlier Lil indian was, note that those earlier bikes were in fact shorter compared to the late models, they started growing 65-66 and were getting taller to clear bigger engines, 6" wheels, etc.. Your see the fender mount change a few time in that timeframe eventually to the common strap (not so common on your bike :laugh:)

I'd problaby put one on there if I was going to redo it, I have a factory F**k-up bike but original paint was too far gone to make a survivor out of. If I leave what they changed at the factory, it will just look like something I missed before paint :doah:

Good luck with it :thumbsup:
 
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#11
Thanks for the info. I will probably add one I think it looks kinda funny with only one fender. My plan is to get it powder coated and I have a 1970 briggs 2 or 2.5hp im going to put on it.
 

markus

Well-Known Member
#12
Thanks for the info. I will probably add one I think it looks kinda funny with only one fender. My plan is to get it powder coated and I have a 1970 briggs 2 or 2.5hp im going to put on it.
Yea its does look a bit off, Looks like you got some pretty decent bones to work with though, and the cool 4 spokes. Dunno about the band brake but they did pump out some kits that did not use the typical spot disc. There's one in the photos section with a factory/kit clutch band brake, that I would say was probably just a little later built frame than yours, it has a late 71-74 engine on it and appears to the be the powdercoated frame
 
#13
The band brake was added I think. There is a spot on the frame where it looks like they cut the brake caliper tab off. I'm going to put a clutch brake on it.
 
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