Floyd Clymer's Royal Enfield with an Italian accent

1970 Clymer Indian had a Royal Enfield heart in an Italjet body.

One of Floyd Clymer's Royal-Enfield-powered Indian 750s went to auction March 15 in Arizona.

According to the Mecum Auctions website, this was one of the Clymer Indians built with Italjet designed frame and bodywork around the Royal Enfield Interceptor Series 2 motor. It was created in 1970, the year the colorful Clymer died at 74.

Salesman, promoter, motorcycle racer, book and magazine publisher (and briefly an inmate at Leavenworth prison), Clymer was involved in repeated attempts over the years to resuscitate the Indian brand name.

Clymer's British/Italian Indian 750cc street scrambler is said to be lighter and better braked than the Royal Enfield Interceptors of the time.

The auction website estimated it would go for $40,000 to $50,000. This turned out to be accurate. It was reported sold, at $44,000.

Indian and Enfield shared credit on the gas tank.

His sudden death left the Clymer Indian without a future, and a supply of Royal Enfield Interceptor motors he'd ordered. Some went to Rickman, where they would hit the streets in Rickman frames.

The Clymer Indian in the auction was from the Arizona collection of motorcycle dealer and collector Buddy Stubbs.

Stubbs is a motorcycle legend himself. Born in 1939 to the owners of a Harley-Davidson dealership in Decatur, Ill. he supposedly grew up amid motorcycles, as the family residence was in the store front Harley dealership.

Taught to ride at 10, he was a victorious motorcycle racer by 21.

What's that finned thing where the oil filler cap should be?
That houses the oil filter in a Royal Enfield Interceptor Series 2 motor.
The actual oil filler opening is on the left side of these motors.

The website says he would go on to ride for scenes in Hollywood movies, television shows and commercials. Opened in 1966, his Phoenix, Ariz. Harley-Davidson dealership includes a museum of his vintage motorcycles.

Some of these are now going to auction because "I just have too many," he says.

You can view the other motorcycles he offered March 15 at this link.