Hardcore Indian FTR AMA by Workhorse Speed Shop

Photos: INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®

Brice Hennebert, builder of the Indian Scout-based sprint racer "Appaloosa", gives the Indian FTR the hardcore charm of the 1980s.

Indian Motorcycle and Workhorse Speed Shop today unveiled the FTR AMA, the first of two long-awaited Indian FTR conversions by Brice Hennebert. Known for its unique creations, the customizer was commissioned to build two very special FTRs for two brothers, the Black Swan and the FTR AMA.

It was the client of the not yet publicly presented Black Swan who asked Brice to design a second machine for his brother. The result is the FTR AMA, a bright and imposing motorcycle with hardcore 80ies appeal.

"The task was quite open: colorful and strong like a battle tank. The only limitation was that the color should be inspired by the Martini Racing livery. After some research and brainstorming with myself, I based the design on the AMA SBK racing cars from the 80s and the rally cars from the same period. The main influences were the Lancia Delta HF, mixed with Bol d'Or 750s and some muscle bike DANN," said Brice.

When Brice started work in early February 2021, his first decision was to maintain the FTR's upright riding position and the handlebars are original.
This was the starting point for extensive changes.

"While the Black Swan was molded in clay, I chose a different direction of the design process for this bike. I used direct CAD design based on a 3D scan of the FTR chassis. Then all the body parts were 3D printed and reinforced with carbon fiber."

The 3D-printed front panel houses a PiAA racing light and supports the Setrab oil cooler underneath. Behind the front panel sits the OEM dashboard of the new Indian Chief – a design that is more in keeping with the retro racing vibe, but with all the options of a modern machine, such as telephone connection and charging.

The printed component, which includes the seat shell and taillight, is also the battery holder, with the battery being moved to the rear as an allusion to endurance bikes. The seat was upholstered in a lightly brushed leather on Jeroen, a long-time employee of Silver Machine. The rear is rounded off by an old-school taillight, which has been converted to LEDs.

To accommodate the DNA performance air filters, the intake tract had to be redesigned and 3D printed. Two small aluminium tanks were made to match the new body. One now sits under the fuel cover, the other under the seat. Connected to AN10 plugs, the capacity corresponds to the 14 liters of the original bike.

The mounting plates were redesigned for a more racing look and machined according to Brice's CAD designs by Vinco Racing in Holland. Vinco Racing took care of all the editing of the project, including the swingarm components, brake mounts, forks, tank components, the front brackets for the oil cooler and much more.

"Vinco Racing spent a lot of time editing, which allowed me to focus on other areas."

The triple clamps are replicas of the 750 Bol d'Or bridges, which have been adapted to the 43 mm Öhlins fork. The rear section has been modified to use two Öhlins twin struts, combined with a custom-made swingarm made of 7020 aluminium tubes.
The design of the swingarm is inspired by the same era and 40mm longer than the original with a 3D printed chain grinder to protect the tubes.

"The wheelset is an absolute eye-catcher. I worked with Fabio from JoNich Wheels in Italy. The design is based on its rush wheels, which are milled from billet aluminum, but without the carbon flanges. The design reminds me of the turbocharged fan wheels used on the Lancia race cars. So this was a perfect choice for me. They are completed by a Dunlop GP set of tyres with this crazy 200cc rear tyre."

The space for the braking system was a problem with these wheels, so Brice turned to another long-time employee, Etienne of Beringer Brakes.

"I called Etienne to get their 4D braking system, the same system I used on Appaloosa. Etienne is always available for technical challenges. So we played with different colors of the components to work with the AMA look. Because I removed the ABS module, I finally had to find another way to transmit the speed signal. The solution was a Motogadget Moto Scope Mini."

In order to bring the special line into the course of the exhaust, it was made of stainless steel and equipped with modified S&S Cycle Grand National silencers.

"The fantastic livery designed by Axecent in Japan was done by my friend Fabian. This bike is aggressive, massive and a pure pleasure to ride. I had a lot of fun during the tests."