Return of the red man: taking a pass on mass production, a brit brings back a classic Yankee bike that's being built by hand in Cleveland county.

• Author: Martin, Edward
• Position: PICTURE THIS

Bolt by polished bolt, they're resurrecting the Indian in a former warehouse in Kings Mountain. It's the native American motorcycle--dating back to 1901, the first made in this country--and was legend long before movies learned to talk. Cannonball Baker won the first race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on one in 1909. It served beside the Jeep in World War II. James Dean rode a maroon 1952 Warrior. Now this American icon is being revived by a British investor in a factory that breaks the rules of U.S. manufacturing.

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"We call our folks craftsmen, not assemblers," says Chris Bernauer, an engineer and general manager of Indian Motorcycle Co. "The entire engine is built right here on the assembly floor by a single person. Then it goes to vehicle assembly, where two people marry the engine to the frame. At the end of the assembly line, each--the engine man and the two builders--signs a certificate of craftsmanship that goes to the customer." It's called team manufacturing, and the idea is to instill ownership in workers.

This is Indian's latest life. Started in Springfield, Mass., it shut down in 1953. A California outfit brought the bike back to life in 1999 but went bankrupt in 2003. The next year, Stephen Julius, managing partner of London-based private-equity firm Stellican Ltd.--known for reviving iconic brands such as Chris-Craft boats (Personnel File, December)--bought the brand and moved to the 45,000-square-foot factory here. More than a dozen engineers went to work, and the number of employees has swollen to about 45.

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The result is a jewelry...