1926 Indian 21ci Prince, Engine no. W 123

1926 Indian 21ci Prince
Engine no. W 123
• Fitted with a rare 'W' Prexix engine, only 1 of 20
• Fully restored example
• Desirable lightweight model

When Indian's Chief Engineer, Charles B. Franklin, began to design a light weight, single cylinder motorcycle, he imported several machines from overseas for evaluation. He singled in on a new Velocette Model K noted for the bike's remarkable performance. The first Indian Prince for 1925 looked remarkably similar to the Velocette, other than the stock engine used a sidevalve motor to trim manufacturing expenses. The most obvious styling cue to the Velocette was a wedge-shaped gas tank which did not appeal to American buyers, and in the following year the tank was restyled to appear more like the popular Scout, only slimmer. Also following English motorcycles of the time, the little Indian used a light weight girder fork which Indian labeled a truss type with a spiral spring. As Franklin was Irish-born, the acute knowledge and appeal of English motorcycles was natural.
The Indian Prince had a 21 cubic inch displacement (350 cc) that served out a hearty 6 bhp. The engine was secured into a keystone frame with steel plates and had a 3-speed sliding gear transmission with a foot clutch. It was a bit of a retrograde when compared to the stout chassis of its stablemates but the Prince was designed to be very affordable. Unlike other Indian motorcycles, it had a dry plate clutch. With a nod to earlier times, the Prince used sheet metal covers for the primary and final drive chains. Despite the limitations of economics, the Prince used all modern Indian controls and electrics, and a detachable cylinder head. They were economical to operate, achieving nearly 55 mph and delivering excellent fuel economy. The intended market for the Indian Prince was new riders, young women and perhaps older beginning riders who did not trust their skills with a heavier motorcycle.
A clean restoration, this 1926 Indian Prince has foot pegs as used on continental machines instead of footboards which came in 1928, the final year of the Prince. The engine is an Indian industrial motor which only 20 units were ever produced bearing a "W" prefix, and used in the motorcycles as residual at the factory. As American single cylinder motorcycles of this period the Indian Prince is exceedingly rare. The target audience is the same today as it was in 1926, with the little bike appealing to newer and older collectors for its size and handling.