American Motorcyclist Association member Mike Easley of Louisville, Ky., is the winner of a fully restored 1947 Indian Chief motorcycle raffled by the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
Easley’s name was drawn on July 10 at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.
“At first I was stunned that I actually won, which turned to elation, and I could not wait to tell my family and friends and to send pictures of the Indian Chief,” Easley said. “I am still amazed at winning such an amazing and iconic bike and that I will be able to actually ride a piece of history!”
Easley, who began riding at age 6, currently owns a 2015 Kawasaki KX450F, but has been in the market for a new street bike.
“I have never owned an Indian motorcycle before but have always coveted the styling of the Indian brand,” he said.
One of the most classic and recognizable American motorcycles of the previous century, the vintage Indian Chief, with its muscular V-twin engine and deeply skirted fenders, is an iconic machine that has always stood apart from the crowd.
Easley said his purchase of raffle bike tickets to support the Hall of Fame was an impulse buy.
“I was reading my American Motorcyclist magazine and noticed how amazing the 1947 Indian Chief looked and decided to buy some tickets, if for nothing else other than contributing to a great cause,” he said.
All proceeds from the raffle help fund the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, a 501(c)(3) non-profit based in Pickerington, Ohio. Each year, the Hall of Fame raises money with raffles of cool motorcycles, including restored classics and cutting-edge customs.
Currently, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame is raffling a 1975 BMW R75/6 customized by creative master Tony Prust of Analog Motorcycles in Chicago.
The bike, dubbed the AMA BMW R75GS by Prust, features a custom sub frame, Fox Street Performance RC1 shocks, Race Tech Gold Valves, billet triple clamps and rider pegs, an engine refresh, an aftermarket performance ignition, updated electronics and wiring throughout, custom paint, new controls, new brake lines and much more.
Raffle ticket purchasers can receive one chance to win the AMA BMW R75GS for a $5 donation, or receive five chances for a $20 donation. Donations may be made at www.americanmotorcyclist.com/hof/Raffle-Bike. You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the United States to win. The winning ticket will be drawn at the Mama Tried Motorcycle Show, scheduled for Milwaukee in February.
