Indian firing on both cylinders

As the owner of Victory and Indian Motorcycle Company, Polaris' long term goal is to pilfer more of the cruiser pie from arch-rival Harley-Davidson, a goal that will take time and careful planning.

But the Minnesota-based American company is already ramping up operations at its newly acquired Indian Motorcycle plant, recently announcing moves to hire 89 new employees at its Osceola, Wisconsin engine manufacturing plant.

Currently selling vehicles such as the 2012 Indian Chief Vintage in small numbers, it is understood that Polaris is readying a number of all-new models, the first of which is expected to be based on the Indian Core Concept (pictured).

It will be these new models that will either succeed or fail in their bid to steal sales from entrenched market leader Harley-Davidson.

With more hands on deck at its engine plant, it is believed that Indian is developing a new engine to deliver motive force to its fresh-faced motorcycle range in 2013 and beyond, potentially a DOHC engine with all the trimmings; electronic fuel injection and ride-by-wire throttle to name a few.

More power, more torque, less emissions will be the order of the day for the new Indian V-twin motor.

It is not yet known which direction Indian's first all-new bike will take, but if the Core Concept is anything to go by it could be a much sportier offering than its previous product line-up.

As Polaris ramps up its engine manufacturing operations in Wisconsin, which once had a workforce of around 500 (currently 140), upcoming motorcycles will be built at the company's Spirit Lake, Iowa, facility, which is due to begin full-scale production of new models in 2013.

Indian Motorcycles have been sold Down Under and Victory Australia expects to bring the new models to this country after they begin production. It is not yet known whether they'll share dealership floor space with Victory Motorcycles.