In the late 1800s, early 1900s engines were being designed and placed on bicycles making motorcycles. As early as 1910, races were being held on large oval wooden tracks and the machines were called board track racers. In 1901 the Indian Motorcycle Company was formed by two bicycle racers. In 1902 Indian built 500 motorcycles. In 1913, Indian produced a peak of 32,000 motorcycles per year.

The motorcycle featured in this painting is the 1913 Indian V-twin engine with an incredible 1000 CC’s. Speeds on the board track were  over 100 MPH. The bikes had no brakes relying on coasting or the riders’ feet to slow them down. Safety gear was non-existent with riding gear as googles and perhaps a leather riding cap. Racing was cross country as well with races such as the Isle of Man or other flat-out road ridings. This painting whimsically imagines Plain people also evolving from bicycles to motor-driven machines and racing from Lancaster to Intercourse on route 340 and enjoying (or not so much) the biker's speed.