Rebuilding the Indian
I can't wait to see The World's Fastest Indian, which Phil posted about today.
If you're interested in Indians, the best book I've ever read about Indians (or any motorcycle, actually) is fred Haefele's memoir, Rebuilding the Indian. It's about how Fred, an arborist and writer who lives in Montana, rebuilt his life while restoring a classic Indian Chief. Fred's a great writer, and he covers the actual process of restoration in a way that makes you want to try it yourself — and makes it clear that you should never ever try it yourself. The Indian really becomes a metaphor for Fred, and as he restores the ancient bike, he rebuilds the part of himself that he's been missing all these years. It's a really inspirational tale.
I met Fred a few years ago, and I had the privilege of spending a week with him and his family up in Helena. Indian Motorcycle was back in business for a little while, and they sent a new 2002 Chief up for Fred to ride and write about. I got to ride the new Chief while Fred rode the restored bike — it was really one of the best weeks of my life.
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