We’re back with Indian Motorcycle’s 2024 FORGED Series. In this installment, we’re highlighting Swedish motorcycle customizer, Ronna Noren from Unique Custom Cycles.  

This year’s FORGED Series brings the 2025 Indian Scout center stage as the customization platform. Roland Sands from Roland Sands Design was tasked with being this year’s ringleader in charge of building his own, and finding two other custom builders that were up for the challenge. You may remember Carey Hart was tasked with this role last year with the Sport Chief platform. 

Designed with customization in mind, the all-new Indian Scout is a bike born from icons and ridden by legends. Each build in this sophomore effort of the FORGED Series is rooted in a historical figure, machine, or era of inspiration taken from Scout’s 100-plus-year history – highlighting icons of the past, through the eyes of today’s legends. We already explored what the other two builders, Brittney Olsen and Roland Sands were most likely going to be building in the last two installments. 

In part three, Ronna Noren got the call from his pal, and head of design for Indian Motorcycle, Ola Stenegard, to take part in this year’s FORGED series. “We were looking for an established builder, someone that could build any kind of style; in short, we were looking for the Roland Sands of Europe,” Ola says. “In my mind, there was only one, it’s Ronna and Unique Custom Cycles.” 

This is also the first time FORGED has stepped outside the US to give an international builder the opportunity to take part in the custom build series. Ronna is a veteran bike builder and fabricator with over 40 years building clean and tough looking motorcycles. His specialty is in fabrication, but he can do pretty much anything when it comes to overall bike building.

Ronna’s first foray into custom motorcycle building was at the tender age of 14 when he built a 125ci long fork monster chopper. Ronna was hooked from there. His style can best be described as clean and sanitary with very high attention to detail. We’re big fans of those who pay attention to the little things, and looking at Ronna’s fab work, it’s clear he’s meticulous.

The inspiration for Ronna’s build is from legendary custom bike builder and drag racer, Stan Dishong, who essentially invented the first rear drag bike slick back in the day. A trailblazer in the custom scene too, Stan was a pioneer in the Northern California chopper days with Stan’s Cycle in Vallejo, CA. Stan made some pretty rad chopper parts for the early chopper guys, from long Springer frontends, sissy bars, tall risers and handlebars, and much more. In fact, one of Stan’s early visitors was a very young Arlen Ness. 

“If the stance is not right, the bike is never going to be right,” Ronna says. 

We’re excited to see the reveal of Ronna’s Indian Scout. We’re told we can expect some ‘60s chopper styling, with a stretched frame, a longer fork along with some new wheels (18 rear, 21 front) and some tidying up all around. Ronna says that it all revolves around the stance of the bike in order for it to be good. We couldn’t agree more. 

Ronna also shares that he’s going to make a new rear fender and cut up the factory Scout tank. Much more will be revealed in the coming weeks so stay tuned! For more information, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.