In my family we believe, “A family who Rides together, Stays together”. I have talked about my dad in the past, so some of you are familiar to how I got into riding at the age of 9 years old. The story go’s farther back then just myself, I am the youngest of four kids.
My dad gave my oldest brother (Ricky) his first ride at 6 months old on the tank of his Indian. Ricky will be turning 60 September 19th and he has been riding from the first moment my dad put a pillow on the gas tank and rode him around the yard.
I’m 14 years younger than my brother, so I’m repeating stories I have heard all my life. When my brother was a little older, a ripe old age of 2 years old, Mom, Dad and Ricky lived in Tehachapi, CA. My dad would put Ricky in front of him on the Indian and ride him up and down the sand dunes, giggling all the while saying “Do it again daddy, Do it again”. Now a days my parents would probably be turned into CPS.
We all have our favorite bikes!
My brother “Ricky” rides a Harley Davidson Road King, his wife “Yaya” ride a Yamaha V-Star but she really wants an Indian. My sister “Sissy” rides a Dyna Low, her husband Kenny Kenny rides a Heritage Classic, my husband’s sister Amy and her husband Kelly rides a Kawasaki Concours, my husband, Andy rides a Road Glide Ultra and I ride “Jewel” a Street Glide.
We tend to make excuses to Ride.
Excuse number one, Yaya really wants to get an Indian.
Ricky and I were making plans for him to pick up a gun I gave him for his 60th birthday. He said he and Yaya were going for a little ride to check out the new Indians in Auburn, CA. That was their excuse for a ride and I just jumped on the band wagon and made it my excuse too. I told him to swing by the ranch to pick up the gun and Andy and I will tag along on the ride.
We headed north on HWY 49 through the canyon to Auburn, CA. The new local Indian dealer is the old Auburn HD shop. After a fire a few years back Harley Davidson pulled the dealership from C&E Auburn. C&E have been in the bike business for about a hundred years and really know how to treat their customers. So, as much as I love Harley Davidson I thought this really sucked.. Now C&E Auburn have a new chapter to add to their story, the Iconic Indians.
The whole purpose (excuse) to ride to C&E Auburn was for my sister-in-law “Yaya” to test drive the Indian. Yaya has wanted an Indian as long as I have known her, (way back when dirt was still young). When we got to C&E Auburn, we all were climbing all over the bikes. They are just gorgeous! Unfortunately, Yaya is vertically challenged at a 5 foot nothing, she couldn’t touch the ground with both feet. Not a big deal for a dirt bike, but a bike weighing in over 700 pounds, its best to touch on both sides. So, my husband and I took a couple different models out for a test drive. Andy started out on the Chieftain and I started out on the Chief, half way through the test drive we switched.
I personally like the Chief better, it handled very similar to my old Road King Custom. It was very agile and sporty. The Chieftain felt heavier in the front end and not as agile.
The Chief would make the founders incredibly proud, the designers of the new version nailed the classic beauty of the 1948 Chief. Both models we test drove are powered with the Thunder Stroke 111, it’s very responsive and very fast. Although my favorite of the two bikes we test drove was the Chief, both bikes were incredibly FUN to ride.
When Andy and I returned from the test drive, Yaya and the sales man were changing out the seat and discussing how they can lower the bike to fit Yaya. Of course this made Yaya very happy and she is now working on the financial end to make the purchase.
C&E is one of the best Motorcycle dealers in the Northern California area, I highly recommend checking out C&E Auburn for your next Indian purchase. C&E Auburn is located at 12015 Shale Ridge Lane, Auburn CA 95602. Ask for Emma she is the “E” of C&E Auburn and one of the nicest ladies in the industry.
