Cyclone production numbers

[jurassic]

Bitte, gibst du uns die Geschichte uber der Zyclone photo.[/QUOTE




TWO INTERESTING OLD-TIMERS

http://www.harleysons.de/CyclonePLAbel.JPG


P. L. Abel "the wandering Jew" and the Strand motor,

used on the old Cyclone motorcycle (1914)



The Cyclone was the first motor to get near the 100 mile an hour mark,

and speed records made by it stood for many years.



The overhead cam shaft and liberal use of ball bearings throughout seems

to be the source of the soup. Instead of push rods two shafts with bevel gears

as shown extend from the timer case to the top of the cylinder. The cams act directly

on the ends of the rocker arms, which are provided with rollers. Instead of a gear train

to drive the Bosch magneto it is also driven by a spur geared shaft on ball bearings.



The Cyclone used the once famous cradle spring invented

by Oscar Hedstrom and used by the Indian until 1916.



Mr. Abel, the Owner of this interesting motor,

started in the bicycle game in 1883 on the west coast.

In 1899 he moved to El Paso, his present location.

He was a member of the original League of American Wheelman, No. 2445.

He formerly had the Henderson agency in El Paso, but is now doing mostly repair work.


(Motorcycling, March 12, 1930)

there is a certain person i know who has an un finished cyclone ,and i believe when he told me the story of acquiring it west texas was mentioned. interesting. i will check it out.

[HarleyCreation]

Folks I dont want to be picky, but who is the source of the fact that Andrew was Swedish? Strand is a common name in Denmark as is Anders (Andrew in english). Joern (Jørn) is an even more common name in Denmark and not at all in Sweden as far as I know.

I`d say Indian for Sweden, Cyclone for Denmark, Iver Johnson for Norway, Harley for Scotland, Excelsior for Germany etc?

Sverre
AMcN
http://AmericanMotorcyclesNorway.blogspot.com

Please don't forget the great Norwegian Ole Oleson Evinrude!

Fritz,

Interesting little history. The photo must go with it.

Also found this:

"Cyclone"
George A. Ashley
Distributor for Greater New York
1213 Bedford Ave. Brooklyn
aus: Motorcycle Illustrated, Sept. 2, 1915 (ad)

I wonder how many Mr. Ashley actually distributed?

Several, few, one, or none?

[HarleyCreation]

So our combined resources can't even come up with a 4th road model Cyclone?

How sad....

[c.o.]

So our combined resources can't even come up with a 4th road model Cyclone?

How sad....

Don't lose the faith ......

[HarleyCreation]

Don't lose the faith ......

You are right. Keeping the faith in spite of everything is important. We know that the motorcycles Fates (gray and yellow ghosts!) are on our side. Everything so far proves it, altho one should always expect the unexpected in this game.

[Chris Haynes]

Cyclone racer in H-D frame with Merkel fork.
http://www.khulsey.com/motorcycles/z...ohc_racer.html

[Chris Haynes]

I hear that Reading Standard racers were equipped with Cyclone engines and possibly took over Cyclone. Any truth to this?

[c.o.]

You are right. Keeping the faith in spite of everything is important. We know that the motorcycles Fates (gray and yellow ghosts!) are on our side. Everything so far proves it, altho one should always expect the unexpected in this game.

Then let the digging continue.........

[c.o.]

I hear that Reading Standard racers were equipped with Cyclone engines and possibly took over Cyclone. Any truth to this?

I've heard something similar Chris but it was a last attempt at holding onto some form of the Cyclone line ........here's a pretty good article. There seems to be no references for proof but the three pages make a good read anyway....

http://www.ultimatemotorcycling.com/...ike?page=0%2C0

[jurassic]

[HarleyCreation]

Notice in the blurb about the R-S/Cyclone that it continued to have reliability problems.

If the few Cyclone road models produced also were unreliable, that might have contributed to their sudden demise before real production got underway. Along with WWI economic factors, of course. That was a bad time for small motorcycle factories.

[Barry Brown]

I recall reading somewhere that Reading sold the design etc. to some firm in Europe. I have always speculated that this design may have then morphed into the late twenties "Koehler Escoffier " bevel gear ohc racing twin of which I read only 13 were made and has an uncanny resemblance to it's possible forebearers. Am I alone in this idle speculation?

[pem]

It appears that the Cyclone motorcycle wasn't a very good design. It looked better than it ran.

For example, here are two newspaper articles that aren't too flattering.

09/16/1916, The Evening Tribune, Albert Lea, Mn.

"The Cyclone motorcycle is some cyclone all right, all right. And even if it looks in action like a yellow streak, it doen's seem to show a sign of a yellow streak while on duty."

03-18-1917 Galeveston Daily News

"Motoring Department: I am anxious to know the proper method of grinding in valves. I have a Cyclone motorcycle which has developed leaky valves and have tried to stop the leaks and cannot get good compression. Perhaps you can advise me how to do it and how to get the results. An early answer in your columns would be very much appreciated. C.E.L."

Looks like you can ad another one to your list Herb as this second one is on Texas. And we even have the intitials of the owner.

Dick

[jurassic]

[HarleyCreation]

It appears that the Cyclone motorcycle wasn't a very good design. It looked better than it ran.

For example, here are two newspaper articles that aren't too flattering.

09/16/1916, The Evening Tribune, Albert Lea, Mn.

"The Cyclone motorcycle is some cyclone all right, all right. And even if it looks in action like a yellow streak, it doen's seem to show a sign of a yellow streak while on duty."

03-18-1917 Galeveston Daily News

"Motoring Department: I am anxious to know the proper method of grinding in valves. I have a Cyclone motorcycle which has developed leaky valves and have tried to stop the leaks and cannot get good compression. Perhaps you can advise me how to do it and how to get the results. An early answer in your columns would be very much appreciated. C.E.L."

Looks like you can ad another one to your list Herb as this second one is on Texas. And we even have the intitials of the owner.

Dick

Good finds!

That first one is a little obscure to me, but the second is clear enough.

Yep, looks like we got a 4th road model Cyclone in our virtual registry.

Is there a number 5?