38 MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS September/October 2019
Like Harley’s WLA, the Model 741 was
Indian’s primary military motorcycle,
and it formed the bulk of Indian’s World
War II production.
There’s a bit more to the Harley ver-
sus Indian World War II story. During the
war, Harley had a significant cost advan-
tage over Indian. The Army paid $380
for a new WLA; a new Model 741 was a
hundred bucks more at $480.Motorcycle training
Both Harley-Davidson and Indian
operated motorcycle operation and
maintenance schools for the Army
at factories in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
(home to Harley-Davidson), and
Springfield, Massachusetts (home to
Indian). The training included riding
on rough terrain, through streams, and
in other difficult conditions. At the Army’s direction, the Harley
and Indian schools taught soldiers how to lock the rear wheel,
lay the motorcycle onto its side, roll into a prone position and
fire the Thompson submachine guns carried in both motorcycles’
forward-mounted scabbards.Performance
As mentioned above, the Model 741 was based on Indian’s
existing civilian model Junior Scout, with a 500cc V-twin engine.
As Harley-Davidson had done, Indian
extended the front forks and the rear
frame for greater ground clearance. The
Model 741 used the much-larger Indian
Chief’s transmission for increased reli-
ability. The Model 741 had a rifle scab-
bard on the right front fender and an
ammunition container on the left front
fender (not present on the motorcycle
shown in these photos). The Model
741 weighed 456 pounds (less than the
Harley WLA), but the reduced power of
the 741’s 30-cubic-inch engine (com-
pared to the Harley’s 45-cubic-inch
engine) gave the performance edge to
Harley. Both machines were detuned
versions of their civilian counterparts.
The Indian Model 741, like the Harley-
Davidson WLA, was not a high-perfor-
mance motorcycle. The Model 741 had
a top speed of 60mph; the Harley WLA
was marginally faster. The Army was
more interested in reliability than in
top speed.Model 741 operation
Today, starting a modern motorcycle
involves pushing a button and let-ting the engine management system do
the rest. The Model 741 requires much
more operator involvement. The steps in
starting the Model 741 include making
sure the motorcycle is not in gear, open-
ing the fuel petcock, moving the choke
to the fully choked position, opening
the throttle a quarter turn, kicking the
engine’s kickstarter twice to prime the
carburetor, moving the right hand grip
advance/retard control to the retard
position, moving the choke lever back
to a partially choked position, switching
the ignition on, giving the kickstarter
a healthy kick, and then adjusting the
spark advance and throttle controls to
positions allowing the engine to warm.
To those accustomed to modern
motorcycles, the Indian 741 controls
and lighting are significantly different.
As mentioned, the throttle is in the left twist grip and ignition
timing is manual (it is advanced or retarded with the right twist
grip). There are no turn signals, but the motorcycle is equipped
with blackout lights for night convoy operations. The clutch
is foot-operated on the left side of the motorcycle, and unlike
Harley foot clutches of the era, it is engaged with the heel (by
rocking the clutch lever to the rear) and disengaged with the toe
(by rocking the lever forward). Most Indians had the handshift
lever on the right side of the tank, although it was a fairly easyNote the blackout taillight for
night convoy duty. The bike still
has its U.S. Army saddlebags.Paul and Cindy De Laurell, guardians of the Indian 741 at the Planes of Fame Museum.