Indian Motor Works (IMW) has passionately restored and refurbished Indian motorcycles for over five decades. The history of this company is linked to the life and work of founder/owner Jeff Grigsby, as well as the history of the Indian brand itself. At the beginning of the 19th century the Hendee Manufacturing Company of Springfield, Massachusetts began manufacturing Indian motorcycles. For two decades the brand was the leading edge of racing innovation, technology and progression. Unfortunately, due to poor leadership and larger economic forces, the company closed its doors in 1953. But today thanks to restoration specialists like Jeff Grigsby and others, the Indian name is recognized all over the world.

Jeff Grigsby knew at an early age that his calling was to be found in motorcycles. At age 17 he was offered a full-time job working for Chubbuck’s Harley Davidson in Pasadena, California. Grigsby states, “I had been working at the dealership for about a month, when at lunch the owner Stillman Chubbuck “Chubby” commented that I might have a promising future as a machinist/motorcycle mechanic. I really appreciated the encouragement he gave me, and I knew right after that conversation that motorcycles would be a lifetime passion.”

In 1972 Grigsby began a journey that would ultimately put him on the path of becoming an accomplished machinist and a prominent motorcycle builder. Starting a new life in the Colorado Rockies, Grigsby landed in Boulder and got a job in one of the most fully facilitated, privately owned machine shops in the state of Colorado. Owner and mentor, Ed Gitlin took a liking to Grigsby and hired him for a probationary period. Within a month Grigsby was working full-time for him. Along with offering to apprentice Grigsby, Gitlin also allowed him to open his own service, “Grigsby’s Precision” in the same building where he specialized in Harley Davidson and Indian engine blueprinting.

Not long after opportunity called. In 1977 Grigsby purchased the makings of close to 35 Indian motorcycles from a past Indian collector in Fort Collins, Colorado via good friend and then collector Louis Fisher. Grigsby knew that this would be the inventory he needed to start building his own motorcycles and his own business here in Colorado. Grigsby continued working for his mentor Ed Gitlin as he knew it was imperative to develop his machinist skills in hopes of achieving the highest quality rebuilds and restorations possible. For years Grigsby worked eight hours a day in Gitlin’s machine shop and then would work eight more hours in his own shop restoring Indians with his good buddy Jim Arnold. This committed work ethic and ever deepening knowledge of Indian motorcycles fueled Grigsby’s passion for making engines run smoother and restorations better and better. This would carry him through the years as his passion developed into a successful Indian restoration and refurbishing business.

It has now been over five decades since Grigsby began his journey of building quality and integrous machines that could be ridden hard and still maintain solid value. In that time IMW has continued purchasing inventories of Indian motorcycles, parts, and memorabilia. Since 1972 Miles Reece, a longtime friend and employee of IMW, also had a passion for these classic machines and enjoyed all aspects from minor repairs to full restorations. His affiliation with IMW began part time in the mid 70’s, became full time for most of the 80’s and ten full-time in 1995 until his passing in 2014. Today, Jeff Grigsby and Indian Motor Works are renowned for their restorations, recognizing the invaluable input through the years not only from Miles Reece (the ultimate problem solver) but with the likes of Jim Arnold, Grosvenor Merle-Smith, Max Bubeck, Roy Reeves, Chuck Lee and many others.