Picture in your mind a motorcycle roaring across the vast expanse of the American West. No matter the era, no matter the brand, the heart of the motorcycle you are imagining is almost certainly a rumbling V-twin engine. It is the V-twin that gives classic American motorcycles their look, sound, and attitude, and while the layout has long been closely associated with a certain manufacturer from Milwaukee, it was Indian of Springfield, Massachusetts, that debuted the first production V-twin in 1907—two years before Harley-Davidson.

Indian’s V-twin was, predictably enough, based on its single-cylinder engine, with an additional cylinder set at a narrow 42-degree angle. Displacing 38.6 cubic inches, it retained the single-cylinder’s atmospheric intake valve and mechanically actuated exhaust valve, and was rated at a mighty four horsepower.

Despite the pioneering engine, the rest of Indian’s new V-twin was largely carried over from its single-cylinder predecessors. The frame was still very much bicycle-inspired, with one of the cylinders incorporated as a stressed member below the seatpost. The fuel tank was of the distinctive “camelback” style, positioned above the rear wheel rather than forward of the rider. There was only one speed, and only a rear coaster brake was provided for stopping. This piecemeal approach to development proved wise for Indian and its clientele. V-twin powered machines were reliable in competition and also made for fine, durable roadgoing bikes, and the basic engine configuration remained even as Indian’s frame design and styling evolved.

Noted enthusiast Otis Chandler, the longtime publisher of the Los Angeles Times and an enthusiastic, knowledgeable collector of vintage motorcycles, acquired this Twin in 1995 and submitted it to Brad Wilmarth of Chesterfield, Virginia, for a full restoration. This job was completed in 2002 and was soon validated with a reported 100-point score in Antique Motorcycle Club of America judging. It was then displayed in Chandler’s Vintage Museum of Transportation and Wildlife, where it resided until his passing and the disbursement of the collection in 2006.

Sam Mann purchased the Indian from Chandler’s estate, and it has resided in the Mann Collection ever since. There it has remained on static display, with its high-quality restoration still in excellent overall condition.

Ideal for a collector of vintage motorcycles, a rider of Indians new or old, or simply one who—like Sam Mann—appreciates noteworthy works of industrial engineering and design, this beautiful 1908 Indian dates to the very beginning of America’s ongoing love affair with the thunderous V-twin.