Firm Awarded ‘Indian’ Motorcycle Name

A federal judge in Denver said a Canadian and California partnership and not one from Colorado will be granted the right to produce motorcycles bearing the coveted “Indian” brand name. Judge Zita Weinshienk’s written decision came 10 days after bike enthusiasts and potential Indian brand distributors attended a court hearing trying to persuade her that the Colorado company, Eller Industries, would be a better choice. But Weinshienk ruled in favor of Imcoa Licensing Co., which offered to pay $17 million. Wilmington, Del.-based Imcoa was created by a recently announced merger between American Indian Motorcycle Co. of Mokleumne and Toronto-based Indian Motorcycle Co. The Indian brand motorcycle was introduced in 1901 and once dominated the luxury market. The last one was made in 1953, but the elegant bike remained popular, with buyers paying up to $30,000. Rights to the name became a court dispute when a court-appointed receiver offered the brand name for sale as part of a bankruptcy estate. The receiver initially had accepted an offer from Eller. But the receiver terminated the contract, saying Eller had failed to close the deal due to insufficient financing.