Oscar Hedstrom

Oscar Hedstrom (March 12, 1871 – August 29, 1960) was a Swedish-American engineer and co-founder of the Hendee Manufacturing Company, later known as the Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company.

Hedstrom was born in Lönneberga, Sweden, and emigrated to the United States with his family in 1880. He was a mechanical innovator with a passion for bicycles and engines. Before co-founding Indian, he designed and built gasoline engines for use in motorized bicycles and was a skilled bicycle racer.

In 1901, Hedstrom partnered with George M. Hendee to produce motorized bicycles on a commercial scale. Hedstrom designed the engine and chassis of the first Indian motorcycles, which quickly gained a reputation for reliability and performance. He served as the company's chief engineer and head of production, responsible for developing and improving the design of Indian motorcycles throughout his tenure. His engineering skills were crucial to the early success of the Indian brand.

Hedstrom left the Indian company in 1913, citing disagreements with the company's direction. After leaving Indian, he pursued other engineering interests but never achieved the same level of success. He is remembered primarily for his crucial role in the founding and early development of the iconic Indian motorcycle.