Motorcyclepedia

[nachtflug]

talk about a contraption. we've got the gear housing made to hang back to create a perch to bolt shaft driven magneto on to. christ talk about archaic this is a major engine component manufactured to act as a wing to bolt another major component to. this just struck me as really weird.

[nachtflug]

Cleveland Rocks.

[nachtflug]

and how about the whatever gas they burned tail light?

[nachtflug]

genuine mahogany seat support?

[nachtflug]

it won't win any awards but after spending a few minutes investigating it I did come away with a new appreciation for the Cleveland 2 smoker.

[nachtflug]

up next? big brother.

[Tropical Bird]

Wow!

[nachtflug]

some cliff notes on Cleveland gleaned from Suchers book Inside American Motorcycling.

Cleveland 1915-1929.

Cleveland Ohio.

Built Cleveland and Chandlers auto's.

The 2 stroke was 13 cubic inch nobody talked cc's back then.

The 2 stroke was phased out in 1925.

There was a lot of back room business back then and Indian and Harley for many years engaged in annual meetings to among other things agree on price fixing of comparable models. Arthur Davidson also pushed for Indian/Harley dealers to not handle other brands though many favored the Cleveland 2 stroke as an entry model.

They went to a small 4 cylinder, and then a 45 (750) and then a 61 (1000) in 28/29. This red bike is a 1929 so I'm assuming it is a 1000.

Less than 500 of each of the 750's and 1000's were made before they pulled the plug on Cleveland motorcycles.

[nachtflug]

the coolest thing that caught my eye was the dash or whatever you want to call that piece with the ampere gauge.

[nachtflug]

not bad for a bike that was being priced below the Indian 4 cylinder. I'm assuming...

[nachtflug]

[nachtflug]

[nachtflug]

[nachtflug]

[nachtflug]