Cyclone production numbers

[SMS]

I don't have that issue.

Unless you can track Mr. Beardsley down, the published story is probably the best you can hope for. Finding original notes to either story would be a great tho.

Can you tell us the story of your grandfather. How did he come to get that Cyclone motor? Did he originally have the entire bike? Did he build that motor sled? What became of it? How did Beardsley come to contact him? Do you know if it was race motor or a road model?

I checked this am, the issue was February, 1970. Beardsley is gone, but I'm hoping someone knows an heir or associate who may know something.

My Grandfather was the draftsman for the original Cyclone effort. Emmett Moore's 1961 article references this, and also notes that he was working with R.L. Lyon at the time on the race to street bike conversion. Post war he returned to join Andrew Strand as an officer in Strand Manufacturing. Beardsley's letter says he was referred by Lyon.

Regarding that particular bike, there is a nice photo early in this thread showing Strand and DeLadi. I have spoken with DeLadi's daughter and son. The son was in his 20's during that work at Egeberg's shop and he oft hung out there with his Dad. That job took 3 years and cost $22,000 per his recollection way back then.

About the sled, we knew nothing of it until digging thru old attic boxes after my grandparents both passed. The sled photos were mixed in with motorcycle photos and was a very nice surprise. No idea what ever happened to it. He had street Cyclones too, but I don't know if the engine came from a bike or inventory.

[SMS]

Never mind. I just looked at that address on Google Earth and there is a park there now.

You give up too easy!!
I went to the Indianapolis assessor's office last week to track the owners of that address in 1915. Records were moved to the State files last year, and are unsorted. A guy at the State archives has found as early as 1950 for me so far. Dead end maybe, but I'm off to the library soon to keep digging.

[Chuck#1848]

About the sled, we knew nothing of it until digging thru old attic boxes after my grandparents both passed. The sled photos were mixed in with motorcycle photos and was a very nice surprise. No idea what ever happened to it. He had street Cyclones too, but I don't know if the engine came from a bike or inventory.

SMS,

By chance do any of the other photos have cyclones in them?
If so would you consider posting them.

[talbot-2]

Research in Indy.

You give up too easy!!
I went to the Indianapolis assessor's office last week to track the owners of that address in 1915. Records were moved to the State files last year, and are unsorted. A guy at the State archives has found as early as 1950 for me so far. Dead end maybe, but I'm off to the library soon to keep digging.

Go to the Indiana State Library, Genealogy Section, 2nd floor, at 315 W. Ohio Street. The library has Indianapolis City Directories on microfilm. Once you have the address and the corresponding residents surname in 1915, go to the alpha section of the directory for more information (???). You can also search each successive and preceeding year directories for the resident and/or address. With that information in hand, go to the first floor of the library and the computer area and do computer search on "Ancestry.com" in the U.S. Census data bases. Look up the resident's name in the 1910, 1920, 1930, U. S. Census. You may find some interesting information in your search. This may be a dead end too. But, then again, you have learned something doing your research.

[SMS]

SMS,

By chance do any of the other photos have cyclones in them?
If so would you consider posting them.

I do have some print photos filed away of road version Cyclones. I'll consider posting, deciding what I'll do with these someday as we try to properly document some of the history. Thanks to all for your ongoing interest in these elusive machines!

[Tom Wilcock]

Cyclone production numbers

I have an original race program from the Twin City Motordrome for the Sunday June 28th, 1914. Racer #4, J. A. McNeil raced with a Cyclone. There were 6 Excelsiors and 2 Indians also scheduled to race. I also have an original program from the Stadium Speedway Co. Inc. in Omaha Neb. for Sat. Sept. 26, 1914. Dave Kinnie is listed among the racers but it does not indicate the make of machines raced. I assume he was on his Cyclone. I have no record of the race results from either race. Tom Wilcock, AMCA # 381

[HarleyCreation]

I have an original race program from the Twin City Motordrome for the Sunday June 28th, 1914. Racer #4, J. A. McNeil raced with a Cyclone. There were 6 Excelsiors and 2 Indians also scheduled to race. I also have an original program from the Stadium Speedway Co. Inc. in Omaha Neb. for Sat. Sept. 26, 1914. Dave Kinnie is listed among the racers but it does not indicate the make of machines raced. I assume he was on his Cyclone. I have no record of the race results from either race. Tom Wilcock, AMCA # 381

Those race results would be easy to locate in early Twin Cities newspapers.

I remember reading one article about the Mpls-St. Paul motordrome, I think in 1915. The local clergy was outraged and protesting the extreme noise emanating from the speed bowl and were trying to shut it down. I wonder how long it lasted?

[HarleyCreation]

I checked this am, the issue was February, 1970. Beardsley is gone, but I'm hoping someone knows an heir or associate who may know something.

My Grandfather was the draftsman for the original Cyclone effort. Emmett Moore's 1961 article references this, and also notes that he was working with R.L. Lyon at the time on the race to street bike conversion. Post war he returned to join Andrew Strand as an officer in Strand Manufacturing. Beardsley's letter says he was referred by Lyon.

Regarding that particular bike, there is a nice photo early in this thread showing Strand and DeLadi. I have spoken with DeLadi's daughter and son. The son was in his 20's during that work at Egeberg's shop and he oft hung out there with his Dad. That job took 3 years and cost $22,000 per his recollection way back then.

About the sled, we knew nothing of it until digging thru old attic boxes after my grandparents both passed. The sled photos were mixed in with motorcycle photos and was a very nice surprise. No idea what ever happened to it. He had street Cyclones too, but I don't know if the engine came from a bike or inventory.

That's really good interesting information. Sounds like you've got some real nice inside information because of your grandfather's connections both early and later with Lyon. Can you tells us your grandfather's name?

Do you mean that DeLadi in the Cyclone race-to-road conversion bike photo worked at Egeberg's shop too? What was DeLadi's connection? That was some pricey project! That restoration would make a good story, if anyone remembers it.

Do you know how long your grandfather rode the Cyclone on the street? If my memory is correct, the Cyclone dealer there was on University Avenue in St. Paul. Have you ever gone down there to see if the building still exists?

[SMS]

That's really good interesting information. Sounds like you've got some real nice inside information because of your grandfather's connections both early and later with Lyon. Can you tells us your grandfather's name?

Do you mean that DeLadi in the Cyclone race-to-road conversion bike photo worked at Egeberg's shop too? What was DeLadi's connection? That was some pricey project! That restoration would make a good story, if anyone remembers it.

Do you know how long your grandfather rode the Cyclone on the street? If my memory is correct, the Cyclone dealer there was on University Avenue in St. Paul. Have you ever gone down there to see if the building still exists?

Grandpa's name was Edward B Sewall. I wish it was a bit more of an inside track. He did not start keeping diaries until after the war when he joined Strand Manufacturing as an officer of the company.
Paul DeLadi was a full time employee (mechanic) of the City of Minneapolis, and worked part time at Egebergs. He also race bikes with the Egebergs according to his family. Paul passed away in 1987.

[HarleyCreation]

Grandpa's name was Edward B Sewall. I wish it was a bit more of an inside track. He did not start keeping diaries until after the war when he joined Strand Manufacturing as an officer of the company.
Paul DeLadi was a full time employee (mechanic) of the City of Minneapolis, and worked part time at Egebergs. He also race bikes with the Egebergs according to his family. Paul passed away in 1987.

Good info.

Your grandfather's name is mentioned in Arctander's book. But you know that, right?

[SMS]

Good info.

Your grandfather's name is mentioned in Arctander's book. But you know that, right?

Mr Wagner, PM sent. Thanks.

[SMS]

Better shot of the sled:

[HarleyCreation]

Bill,

I sent you an email.

[SMS]

Do you know if it was race motor or a road model?

Another thing about the sled that I skipped over. The cylinder barrels have 8 cooling fins and no ports, vs 7 fins and oval port slots below the fins as on Don Johns' and Wolters' race bikes. I've seen other racers with no ports also, but from that I would suggest the sled(s) had the road engine. Notice also the vertical leaf spring and swing arm suspension on the sled. More than just a Cyclone engine was cannibalized to build it.

[Chuck#1848]

I kinda wondered about that leafspring it looked the same as the picture that Jurrasic posted in this thread.
I sometimes have to remember that in the early days nothing went to waste and I gotta believe that the donor bike for the sled could have went to a couple different projects