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Another year, another unwise tie-in between a motorcycle manufacturer and a booze producer.
Indian announced Wednesday that it has “joined forces” with the Jack Daniel Distillery to create a “limited-run, collector’s-edition Jack Daniel’s-branded” 2016 Indian Chief Vintage that will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the distillery.
The model is currently on display at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, AZ through Sunday. It will also be at Daytona Bike Week from March 4 through 13.
Contained in the press release announcing the tie-in between Indian and Jack Daniel’s was a somewhat 
laughable “do as I say, not as I do” quote from Dave Stang, director of events and sponsorships for Jack Daniels.
Said Stang, “This one-of-a-kind motorcycle is a perfect pairing of these two classic American brands, and while they look great together, we’ve inscribed this unique collector’s edition masterpiece with our ‘Bottles and Throttles Don’t Mix’ mantra to remind all out friends that drinking and riding are to be enjoyed separately.”
If bottles and throttles don’t mix, and they don’t, what makes Indian and Jack Daniel’s think a link between the whiskey maker and the bike builder will? The message is still that riding and drinking are cool endeavors.
Indian certainly isn’t timid about pushing the Jack Daniel’s brand. The company noted in the press release that the model will feature “Jack Daniel’s-inspired custom paint and logos, badging, leather saddle and saddlebags. The bike’s fender is also inscribed with the names of the seven Master Distillers who have overseen the Jack Daniel’s distilling process over its 150-year history.”
Heck, it’s a rolling advertisement for drinking and riding. No matter that a total of 28 percent of all riders who died in crashes in 2013 had a blood alcohol concentration above the legal limit of .08, according to a Governors Highway Safety Association report that came out last May.
This isn’t the first time a motorcycle maker has bellied up to the bar with a booze-maker. In 2014, Harley-Davidson did a 
sweepstakes with Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine as well as partnered with Miller High Life Beer on a can design that featured its bar and shield logo. In 2013, Harley-Davidson teamed with Miller on dual branded bikes.
As I said at the time, I drink and I ride. I just don’t do them at the same time. Ever. Given the death rate for riders who are intoxicated, the manufacturers should be doing everything possible to discourage drinking and riding. Co-branded ventures like collector’s edition motorcycles do the opposite.
Irrespective of the sanity of pushing the motorcycle-whiskey tie-in, it does make sense from the marketing standpoint. Motorcycling and whiskey drinking are both perceived as “outlaw” activities and both appeal to a certain demographic: young folks who are looking for something to identify with. Fortunately, Indian motorcycles are expensive enough to deter most emulation. The whiskey-motorcycle tie-in may not translate directly into more drunken motorcycling, but then, you never know. It’s like the mythical Wild-West romanticism that motivates some recent events in the headlines.
I disagree that this is an advertisement for drinking and driving or riding. Alcohol sponsors have been involved in organized motor racing of all kinds for decades. Unfortunately people like Mr. Wilkinson who have access to publish articles on the internet as if they were genuine journalists get to influence others with their opinion-based journalism (used loosely.) This is nothing more than two iconic, American corporations, both well-recognized, getting together to produce a product. Now if the Indian comes with a Jack dispenser that you can utilize while riding, then you can complain. Otherwise, there are real issues out there that can be addressed, this isn’t one of them.