Every year for some time now, American bike maker Indian runs a high-profile custom building program called Forged. The idea is pretty simple: a certain Indian bike is chosen, handed over to some of the most high-profile customizers of our time, which are asked to build something unique for a famous person, while following a limited set of guidelines.
This year's Forged revolved around the 2025 Scout cruiser, and the three custom builders selected to take part were Roland Sands Design (RSD), Brittney Olsen, and Ronna Noren. Each of the three had to come up with custom rides with a design "rooted in a historical figure, machine, or era of inspiration taken from Scout's storied 100+ year history."
All three bikes are now complete, and they have been shown by Indian in separate occasions. We've talked about each of them at the appropriate time, but I reckon a sum up of what came out of this effort is in order. So we got all three bikes under the same roof for each of you to properly enjoy.
Roland Sands Design Custom Scout for Twenty One Pilots' Joshua Dun
Neither Roland Sands nor Joshua Dun needs any introduction. The former is an icon of the American custom bike industry, while the latter made a name for himself as part of the Twenty One Pilots musical duo.
The Scout Sands put together for Dun transformed the standard cruiser into something akin to a performance street bike. Granted, no mechanical modifications were made, but the way it was designed sure makes it look like that.
The most important change made to the ride was to mix its DNA with that of the FTR standard bike, giving the project a flat track look. The forks and triple clamps at the front were adapted from this model, while the rear received a swingarm and piggyback shocks that also form an FTR setup.
RSD modified the bike's fairing, installed an FTR 1200 front fender, removed the rear fender completely, and fitted Pro Taper Carmichael Bend handlebars and a custom seat made by Saddlemen up on the bike's spine.
The wheels of the customized Scout are custom too, and are sized 17 inches on both ends. They both wear Dunlop Sportmax Q5s tires with yellow markings to make them fit the overall look of the bodywork.
It is here, in the paint job, that RSD references the Indian legacy, namely motorcycle racer Ed "Iron Man" Kretz, who was a true sensation back in the 1930s and 1940s.
Brittney Olsen Custom Scout for Country Singer Nikki Lane
Brittney Olsen is a less-known name than that of country music star Nikki Lane, but it's one people will probably remember from now on. That's because the ride the founder of the 20th Century Racing project built is something truly extraordinary.
The Scout this builder modified is meant to honor the Indian Chief bikes made back in the 1940s, but also a female Indian rider from the same time period, Cecilia Adams – and this is how the custom ride stays true to the guidelines set by the bike maker.
The Chief legacy is best seen as the springs, shocks, and risers used to put the motorcycle together, all of them genuine Chief parts from back in the day. They are perfectly matched to the FTR laced wheels (19 inches at the front and 18 inches at the rear), but also the visual modifications made on the body.
The Scout received a modified fender at the rear, but completely lost the front one. The back of the ride now holds a teardrop fuel tank boasting Springfield and Chieftain panels. A proper, dark paint job with plenty of yellow and chrome accents was pulled over the bike's body.
The engine was kept original on this Scout as well, but a stainless exhaust system was installed to add to the bike's uniqueness.
Ronna Noren Custom Scout for Scorpions’ Drummer Mikkey Dee
Ronna Noren is the founder of a custom garage called Unique Custom Cycles, and the bike he put together for Scorpions' drummer Mikkey Dee certainly is the most extreme of all three Scouts modified as part of this year's Forged series. That's because of the simple reason the cruiser was turned into a chopper.
The builder achieved this by significantly changing the angles and some of the dimensions of the bike. The frame was stretched by four inches, the reach of four-degree-rake fork was increased, and a narrower one-off upper frame was installed.
The Scout's wheels were swapped for stainless-spoke wheels sized 21 inches at the front and 18 inches at the rear, and the custom exhaust system, with one-off headers and stainless steel mufflers, was added to one side to both draw attention to the bike and help the stock engine breathe a little easier.
As far as the body of the ride is concerned, almost nothing escaped modification. There are custom fenders, modified handlebars, a shorter and narrower fuel tank, and a special seat.
You can enjoy all three Forged custom models in the attached gallery, but also in the reveal videos that accompany each of them. The images should be more than enough to keep us interested in what Indian has planned for next year.
