Every year for a while now, American bicycle manufacturer Indian has been running a high-profile custom build program called Forged. The idea is simple: a specific Indian bike is chosen, handed off to some of the most prominent customizers of our time, who are asked to build something unique for a famous person, following a limited set of guidelines.
This year's Forged revolved around the 2025 Scout cruiser and the three custom builders selected to participate were Roland Sands Design (RSD), Brittney Olsen and Ronna Noren. Each of the three were asked to come up with custom rides with a design “rooted in an inspiring historical figure, machine or era from Scout's legendary 100-plus year history.”
All three bikes are now complete and have been shown by Indian on separate occasions. We’ve covered each of them in their own right, but I felt it was appropriate to summarize what came out of the effort. So we’ve put all three bikes under one roof for you to enjoy.
Roland Sands Designs Custom Scout for Twenty One Pilots' Joshua Dun
Neither Roland Sands nor Joshua Dun need any introduction. The former is an icon of the American custom motorcycle industry, while the latter made his name as a member of the musical duo Twenty One Pilots.
The Scout Sands put together for Dun transformed the standard cruiser into something akin to a high-performance street bike. Sure, there were no mechanical changes, but the way it was designed makes it feel like one.
The most significant modification to the bike was to blend its DNA with that of the standard FTR 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 shock absorbers that also form an FTR setup.
RSD modified the bike’s fairing, installed an FTR 1200 front fender, completely removed the rear fender, and fitted the rear of the bike with Pro Taper Carmichael Bend handlebars and a custom seat made by Saddlemen.
The custom Scout's wheels are also custom-designed, measuring 17 inches at both ends. Both are shod with Dunlop Sportmax Q5 tires with yellow markings to match the overall look of the body.
It is here, in the paint job, that RSD references Indian tradition, specifically motorcycle racer Ed “Iron Man” Kretz, who was a real star in the 1930s and 1940s.
Brittney Olsen Custom Scout for Country Singer Nikki Lane
Brittney Olsen is a lesser-known name than country music star Nikki Lane, but she’s one people will probably remember from now on. That’s because the ride built by the founder of the 20th Century Racing project is truly something extraordinary.
The Scout modified by this builder is a tribute to the Indian Chief motorcycles built in the 1940s, but also to an Indian female rider of the same period, Cecilia Adams. Here's how the custom bike stays true to the guidelines set by the manufacturer.
Chief’s heritage is best seen in the springs, shock absorbers and risers used to assemble the motorcycle, all original Chief parts from the past. They are perfectly matched to the FTR wire wheels (19-inch front and 18-inch rear), but also to the visual changes made to the bodywork.
The Scout received a modified rear fender, but lost the front fender entirely. The rear of the bike now houses a teardrop tank with Springfield and Chieftain panels. A dark and appropriate paint job with lots of yellow and chrome accents was applied to the body of the bike.
Even on this Scout the engine has been kept original, but a stainless steel exhaust system has been installed to make the bike even more unique.
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 is easily the most extreme of all three Scouts modified as part of this year’s Forged series. That’s for the simple reason that the cruiser has been transformed into a chopper.
The builder achieved this by significantly changing the angles and some of the dimensions of the bike. The frame was lengthened by four inches, the reach of the four-degree rake fork was increased, and a narrower, single-piece upper frame was installed.
The Scout’s wheels were replaced with 21-inch stainless steel spoked rims up front and 18-inch stainless steel spokes at the rear, and a custom exhaust system, with unique 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 for the body of the bike, almost nothing has escaped modifications. There are custom fenders, modified handlebars, a shorter and narrower fuel tank and a special seat.
You can see all three Forged custom models in the attached gallery, as well as in the presentation videos that accompany each one. The images should be more than enough to keep us interested in what Indian has planned for next year.