Occupation Motorcycle Designer | Name Oscar Hedstrom | |
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Full Name Carl Oscar Hedstrom Born 12 March 1871 Smaland, Sweden Spouse(s) Julia Anderson (11 April 1898 – until his death) Children Helen, born 10 May 1901 Died August 29, 1960, Portland, Connecticut, United States Parents Anders Petter Hedstrom, Carolina Danielsdotter Organizations founded Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company | ||
1933 Indian Motorcycle - Jay Leno's Garage
Oscar Hedstrom (12 March 1871 – 29 August 1960) was a co-founder of the Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company.
Contents
- 1933 Indian Motorcycle Jay Lenos Garage
- Childhood and adolescence
- Career
- On two wheels
- Indian Motocycle Company
- References
Childhood and adolescence
Carl Oscar Hedström was born in the parish of Lönneberga, Hultsfred Municipality, Kalmar County, Småland, Sweden. His family emigrated in 1880 to the United States, and settled in Brooklyn, New York City. As a boy, he spent much time riding a bicycle around the city, and was fascinated by its mechanical design.
Career
At age 16, Hedstrom started working at a small engineering workshop in the Bronx, New York, where he learned to manufacture watch cases and components. He worked as an apprentice in several small workshops, until he was 21 when he obtained journeyman status.
On two wheels
In his spare time Hedstrom built high-quality bicycles that were lighter and more durable than standard bikes. He rented a workshop space in Middletown, Connecticut where he designed and cast engines from his own patterns. He also designed and build a concentric carburetor. While his reputation as a bicycle designer grew, he started to build tandem bicycles with gasoline engines. These were called pacers, and were used to split the wind for racing cyclists. The motorized pacers of that time functioned poorly, but Hedstrom's design quickly gained a reputation as being very reliable.
At this time he came into contact with the former cyclist George M Hendee from Springfield, Massachusetts, who now manufactured bicycles and sponsored contests. Hendee was dissatisfied with the pacers available, and asked Hedstrom to take one of his to Springfield. Hendee was so impressed that he asked Hedstrom to develop a prototype for a mass-manufactured motorized bicycle.
Indian Motocycle Company
The cooperation between Hedstrom and Hendee resulted in the Indian Motocycle Company. Hedstrom's design was innovative, and successful. Oscar Hedstrom resigned from the Indian Motocycle Company on 24 March 1913 after a disagreement with the board regarding dubious practices to inflate the company's stock values. George Hendee resigned in 1916. Hedstrom resided on his estate on the banks of the Connecticut River until he died in 1960.