Lovely motorcycle on Ebay US

Couldn't resist putting these pics on my blog, description from Ebay US as follows:


Currently at 1,186 US dollars, reserve not met. If only..........

"FOR SALE on eBay in Las Vegas, Nev. Bullet 500 single in frame of 1955 Indian twin (actually a better frame than used in newer U.S. Bullets ). Upgraded to 12 volts. Beautiful and reliable".

INDIAN TOMAHAWK APACHE ROYAL ENFIELD 500 TWIN BULLET RED
Vehicle Description

Up for your grabs is one of my favorite bikes; a 1955 INDIAN TOMAHAWK 500. I just finished rebuilding it; but loss of storage space forces sale of this beauty. In case you did not know, Royal Enfields were sold in the USA as Indians from 1955 to 1960 after the demise of the original Indian company in 1953. Almost all major RE models were present in form or the other. Google “re-indian” for more info. The bikes badged as Royal Enfields was introduced in the USA after the Indian company was bought by AMC motorcycles of London from 1959. These late 50s bikes are collected both by Indian and Royal Enfield enthusiasts.

Indian has again started making motorcycles as of 2009. Google “Indian motorcycle” for more info.

This bike left the factory as a 500 twin on Dec 12,1955. Even though this is a 1955 (for which I have confirmation from the RE owner’s club in England) it already has the 1956 to 1970 open-loop frame that is stronger and lighter that the pre-1955 Enfield frame. The 500 Twin engine was notorious for throwing a rod early in its life and this example was no exception. This one sat in a barn somewhere in Arizona along with a few other Indians since the early 60s. The previous owner bought it in an estate sale along with a few BSAs. I bought it with the intention of creating a good rider. However, after hearing about the feeble 500 Twin engine from many experts, I gave up the idea of installing one in this bike. A suitable low mileage Enfield 500 Bullet engine and gearbox was sourced and installed with a few improvements. The frame is sandblasted, primed and painted.

The paint is as close as you can get to “Indian Red” and Vintage reproduction decals look much better that the original. Almost all alloy parts are cleaned up and polished. I built this to ride and not for show and so sensible modifications are made throughout. The wiring harness is custom made and electrics are upgraded to 12V with modern rectifier/ regulator. Tires have very low mileage on them. The headlight casquette appears original and I just have it professionally re polished. The forks and wheels are again newer items since the originals were destroyed beyond recovery. Other pattern parts used include brand new instruments, switches and controls. Most fasteners are polished or replaced with stainless steel fasteners.

Overall, you have an extremely light, ridable and collectible Indian that will only go up in value. Most states have no taxes for a bike this old and it is eligible for a “classic’ license plate. The Bullet engine will run reliably for years and comes without the cost of maintaining a classic. It is also California Legal in case you are wondering.