In a full-throttle fusion of contemporary craftsmanship and cultural design, the 102nd Santa Fe Indian Market will unveil its most ambitious centerpiece yet—a custom, art-enhanced 2025 Indian Scout Bobber motorcycle. This motorized masterpiece, brought to life by the artistic prowess of renowned Native artists Kenneth Johnson of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and Cody Sanderson of the Navajo Nation, leaves conventional expectations in the dust. With its intricate designs, symbolic imagery and 1250cc liquid-cooled V-twin engine, this one-of-one motorcycle perfectly embodies the high-powered spirit of the Indian Market. As it takes center stage at the SWAIA fundraising gala, this extraordinary creation celebrates artistic excellence and supports a century-old tradition of elevating Indigenous art, culture and community.
2025 Scout Bobber, made by Indian Motorcycles and custom-designed by Cody Sanderson and Kenneth Johnson.
Commissioned by SWAIA and generously donated by Indian Motorcycles, the custom motorcycle project was born from a shared goal among all involved parties to fire up support for the Santa Fe Indian Market in a distinctive and impactful way. This initiative builds on a philanthropic partnership that began in 2023, with Indian Motorcycle contributing the 2025 Scout Bobber, along with its annual $25,000 donation to SWAIA. Scheduled to commence in July, a silent auction for the motorcycle will culminate on August 17 during the fundraising gala, where the winning bidder will be announced by evening’s end.
“All funds raised from the auction will go to SWAIA as unrestricted funds to support Indigenous artists,” says Micki Dirtzu, Indian Motorcycle’s community engagement representative. “As the largest juried Native American art show in the world, the Santa Fe Indian Market is a remarkable event that supports Indigenous artists by offering a platform to show and sell their work. We are honored and extremely proud to support SWAIA in their effort to create economic opportunities and advocacy work that elevates Native artists.”
Kenneth Johnson, left, and Cody Sanderson, right, at Indian Motorcycles working on their custom bike.
For Johnson, the project clicked very early for him in his studio. “The genesis of this project came from a mutual desire to support the Santa Fe Indian Market,” the artist says. “Indian Motorcycles is the country’s oldest motorcycle company, and doing special projects like this is an important part of their community relations. Indian Market and Indian Motorcycles seemed like a natural fit.”
Sanderson and Johnson are no strangers to innovative group projects, and no strangers to one another either. “We’ve known each other for over 30 years,” says Johnson. “We’ve collaborated on several projects for Indian Market over the years. What Cody and I do is create synergy. We build teams and get communities of people together to create and engage in positive projects.”
The bracelet-adorned hands of Cody Sanderson and Kenneth Johnson work on a custom Indian Motorcycle.Their longstanding partnership, collaborative spirit and personal connections in the Native art community, and beyond, provided a solid foundation for planning and executing the project. The artists approached the endeavor with great enthusiasm and characteristic confidence, from its speculative inception to its momentous conclusion. “In the beginning, we sat at a restaurant and sketched on napkins,” Sanderson recalls with a laugh. “It was very casual and natural, that’s what I loved most about the whole process.”
“During brainstorming, we looked at the spaces on the bike, and determined which symbols and designs could fit where, and built from there,” Johnson explains. “Cody’s work is powerful and iconic, his designs naturally found their place and created directions for moving forward.”
“And Kenneth is a true storyteller,” Sanderson adds. “He was easily able to build up a story from the designs. In all cultures, there are stories to tell, and many of them—whether it’s a love story, a tragedy or a tale of triumph—resonate universally across cultures. That’s the kind of story we’re striving to tell.”
Kenneth Johnson, left, and Cody Sanderson, right, at Indian Motorcycles working on their custom bike.
“This bike is a canvas,” says Johnson, “and Cody and I were chosen to be the lead artists to fill it out. What we’ve done is told a story using detailed images, powerful graphics and meaningful symbols.”
The duo explain that Indian Motorcycles was open to their designs from the very beginning, which was important to the artists. “We had full freedom to create our designs,” says Cody. “And we worked with a graphic artist here in town, Ashley Browning (Pojoaque/Santa Clara), who was instrumental in relaying our ideas and inspiration into the motorcycle’s design. It was a great effort all around.”
Each detail that augments the motorcycle was meticulously crafted to evoke cultural significance and emotional depth. Delving into the graphical elements present in the design, Johnson elaborates: “Cody’s iconic star, a symbol he’s well known for, represents the bike itself, and one of my designs, called a Muscogee scroll, represents the road. Another central design is an arrow that runs up the center of the motorcycle, and there are bear pawprints following alongside the arrow’s path, symbolizing strength and protection. The arrow is adorned with flames, as are the two main figures of the piece—our characters in the story. The male figure is associated with the Orion constellation and the female figure with Gemini. The flames embracing them are reminiscent of comets. The central concept is a tale of these two characters making their journey to Indian Market.”
Kenneth Johnson, left, and Cody Sanderson, right, at Indian Motorcycles working on their custom bike.
Embellishing on this aspect of the design, Sanderson explains, “The imagery on both sides of the gas tank are depictions of two young Native American models who are working internationally: Quannah Chasinghorse (of Hän Gwich’in and Oglala Lakota ancestry) and Phillip Bread (Comanche, Kiowa and Blackfoot). We were grateful to get their blessings to use their likenesses on the bike.”
Sanderson and Johnson agree that the story they’re telling through the artwork on the motorcycle is essentially a love story, both between the two star-crossed characters, and between Native peoples and the Santa Fe Indian Market itself.
Drawing thousands of people—with some estimates as high as 100,000—to the streets of Santa Fe, SWAIA’s Santa Fe Indian Market sponsors more than 1,000 Native artists from more than 100 tribal communities. This massive cultural pilgrimage of art and artists provided crucial inspiration for the motorcycle’s design and the layered narrative Sanderson and Johnson created for it.
Work commences on a twisted piece of metal for the handlebars.
As Johnson explains, “For 102 years people have traveled across the country to go to Indian Market, and now we’re representing that journey on this motorcycle. When you see the images on the bike in person—the look of excitement on the faces of the two characters—you’ll understand how much people look forward to Indian Market. That’s what we aim to convey with this design. The bike is a great metaphor for the power and energy behind the event.”
Sanderson adds that a big, ambitious project like this was destined to happen and he’s glad to be part of it—all for an organization like SWAIA. “We’re full supporters of SWAIA,” Sanderson says. “The Santa Fe Indian Market has been going on for over a century and we want to continue that cycle. SWAIA has elevated my career—and the careers of countless Native artists—locally, nationally and internationally. We’re dedicated advocates of the association.”
The painted figure on the side of the gas tank is inspired by model Phillip Bread.
“When the organization does well, the artists do well,” Johnson adds.
As the date of the gala nears, both artists find themselves speculating on the impact of their creation, and they’re expecting viewers and bidders alike to be revved up.
“We’re hoping to inspire a variety of emotions,” Sanderson says. “When they see the bike, we want people to recall when they were younger and feeling that fire, that desire for the open road. Excitement is already being generated. We’ve had multiple people share their opening bids already.”
Kenneth Johnson during a motorcycle trip with Indian Motorcycles.
When asked if they’d prefer the winner of the auction to ride the motorcycle or keep on display indoors, Johnson weighed in: “Whoever gets it, let them appreciate it for what it is. It’s a piece of art, and it’s also a functional motorcycle. If they want to take it out, they should. While it’s in our care, we’re going to treat it like a piece of art, but whoever gives it a new home, let them treat it how they see fit.”
This groundbreaking collaboration between Native artists and a major motorcycle manufacturer exemplifies the thriving innovation and artistic synergy present in the Indigenous art community. It also establishes a promising precedent for future endeavors, paving the way for a new era of cross-cultural and cross-industry collaborations.
Cody Sanderson in early 2024. Photos courtesy of Indian Motorcycles, Kenneth Johnson and Cody Sanderson.
Beyond its immediate impact, the custom 2025 Indian Scout Bobber is a beacon of inspiration, illuminating pathways for young Native American artists to explore and expand. As this unique motorcycle takes its place at the heart of the Santa Fe Indian Market, it serves as a dynamic vehicle for accelerating the ongoing journey toward broader cultural appreciation and new frontiers of creative expression.
Market’s gala, live auction and fashion show will take place Saturday, August 17, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Vladem Contemporary. Tickets are required. Visit www.swaia.org for more information.
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