Aside from the fact that motorcycle sales generally had enjoyed a marked increase since 1910, 1916 was a year of attrition for the industry. While the so-called big three manufacturers - Indian, Harley-Davidson and Excelsior, were in a fairly sound financial condition, the second-string ranks, comprising Merkel, Pope and Thor, were not, which was also the case with several minor manufacturers whose sales since the pioneer days had never enjoyed substantial volume.
Although many established big three dealers were jubilant at the diminishing competition, some knowledgeable leaders within the industry rightly viewed this thinning of the ranks with some alarm. It was now apparent in some quarters that a new approach to marketing procedures might be in order, along with some options of smaller utility type machines. The Indian management, now headed by Frank Weschler, had apparently been thinking along these same lines. A new lightweight model was to be offered as an improvement over the ill-fated Featherweight model which had undergone prototype development since the Spring.
Engineered ostensibly by Charles Gustafson, Sr, the titular head of the Engineering and Design Department, the new machine was a creation of Franklin's who was responsible for its execution. It was based on the Featherweight, but had a slightly heavier frame that carried a torpedo-shaped fuel tank clipped to the bottom of the single top tube. The 1905 type single-bladed cartridge type spring forks were retained. The engine, however, was entirely new, being now a four-stroke horizontally-opposed twin of 15 cubic inches rated at 4hp on the SAE rating. It was a frank copy of the contemporarily popular English Douglas, ran very smoothly, and produced more than double the power of its predecessor. Its selling price was provisionally fixed at $165.00, but the rising cost of production ultimately increased this to $180.00, when it was cataloged for the 1917 season.
The new machine, designated as the Model 0, received favorable comment from many riders, as it was easy to start, pleasant to ride, and offered acceptable performance as to acceleration and hill climbing. An early criticism was that the rear cylinder was prone to overheat under hard driving, a fault later corrected in subsequent production by modifications to the oiling system.
The Model 0 suffered the ultimate fate of the Featherweight, however, due in the main to the same factors. Many of the dealers, with indoctrinated loyalty to the powerful V-twin, did not look with favor upon a utility type machine, and were somewhat loath to give sufficient promotion to the newcomer. Some intrepid lady riders favored the new machines, which gave rise to the thoughts in some quarters that riding it was somewhat a threat to masculinity. Then there was the overshadowing stigma from its underpowered predecessor. With aggressive promotion from the factory, the model might have succeeded, but with the prospect of war contracts and subsequent accelerated production of heavyweight machines, this support was not forthcoming. The machine was again cataloged in 1918, with minor improvements to the engine, larger footboards and saddle, and an improved front suspension featuring� trailing link forks supported by a straight quarter eliptic leaf spring. After disappointing sales early in the following season, production ceased during the late Summer.
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