Indian Motorcycle splits from Polaris, now operates independently

Carolwood LP has officially closed its agreement with Polaris to acquire Indian Motorcycle, marking the brand’s transition to a standalone company. The deal was first announced in October last year and has now been finalised.

1. Mike Kennedy takes helm as Indian Motorcycle CEO 
2. Approximately 900 employees transition to new entity
3. Manufacturing to continue in Spirit Lake, Iowa and Monticello, Minnesota

Indian Motorcycle now a standalone company

Indian Motorcycle splits from Polaris

The acquisition’s closure comes as Indian Motorcycle celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2026. As previously stated, Mike Kennedy, who has held leadership roles at Harley-Davidson, Vance & Hines and RumbleOn, will helm the new chapter of the company as CEO.  

“It’s an incredible honour to take the helm of Indian Motorcycle as it celebrates its 125th Anniversary, empowered by a sense of gratitude and opportunity, and the support and ambition of a well-resourced, highly motivated ownership team,” said Kennedy. “2026 will be a special year to honour our history, but more importantly, to drive the brand into the future with a renewed level of commitment, focus and clarity that can only be found as a standalone company.”

Kennedy added that the company will achieve its vision through “a deeper level of differentiation, leaning in on what makes our brand unique, and with products that possess a style, craftsmanship and performance quality that is uniquely justified by our historic legacy and spirit of innovation”.

The company has emphasised its commitment to the dealer network, with Kennedy stating that dealers are the brand’s most important partners. “We intend to be extremely collaborative with our dealers, actively listening to their feedback and incorporating it into our planning and decision-making, not only in terms of dealer operations but also product development and marketing.”

Approximately 900 employees have transitioned to become part of the new Indian Motorcycle Company. The brand will base all manufacturing out of its existing facilities in Spirit Lake, Iowa, and Monticello, Minnesota, while product development and R&D will continue at development centres in Burgdorf, Switzerland and Wyoming, Minnesota.

At the moment, there is no official statement on how this transition will affect operations in India, where the brand had previously been selling motorcycles under the Polaris India network.