Cyclone production numbers

[Chuck#1848]

I too dug out my copy of Steve Wrights book and the old photos do appear as though the paint is dark in color. Maybe my eyes are just fooling me.......

Here's an ad from '17. It doesn't seem like too bad of a deal even for then... too bad it didn't specify what color it was......

Cory,


Is he refering to Buffalo NY in the ad? what year is the magazine the ad is from?

Heck....I'm south of Buffalo

[c.o.]

I was going through my copy of American Racer today and found five black & white photos of Cyclone racers. All but one say they were taken in 1914 or 1915. Each of these early photos has a dark colored tank/frame (maybe blue) with lighter colored "Cyclone" lettering.

The one photo of what appears to be a yellow Cyclone racer was taken former racer D.O. Dave Kinnie with a restored racer in 1979. Could be blue Cyclone racers were more common than we thought.

I too dug out my copy of Steve Wrights book and the old photos do appear as though the paint is dark in color. Maybe my eyes are just fooling me.......

Here's an ad from '17. It doesn't seem like too bad of a deal even for then... too bad it didn't specify what color it was......

[c.o.]

Cory, It's never been fired that I know of since John's stepped off the saddle. The patina is so perfect no one wants to wrench on the motor. Just an iconic piece of history. I have seen and heard one on the track at Davenport years back.

I guess I could see where a fella could be torn on whether to touch that old Cyclone. Man it would be cool to hear it run though! I've seen pics of one on the track in Davenport. Did the pilot of the bike crank it up? Just curious..... I could see how one would want to be mighty careful as well.

[dlm32]

Blue Cyclone Racers

I was going through my copy of American Racer today and found five black & white photos of Cyclone racers. All but one say they were taken in 1914 or 1915. Each of these early photos has a dark colored tank/frame (maybe blue) with lighter colored "Cyclone" lettering.

The one photo of what appears to be a yellow Cyclone racer was taken former racer D.O. Dave Kinnie with a restored racer in 1979. Could be blue Cyclone racers were more common than we thought.

[HarleyCreation]

I remember an old timer telling me that the best combination was a Cyclone engine in a Harley frame with a Merkel fork.

Could be. One of the Cyclones at Dodge City in 1915 broke its frame and was out. By Sept. they didn't have enough running bikes to send one to the Chicago Speedway race. Too bad as the "yellow devil" would have scorched the smoothly planed boards.

[HarleyCreation]

Rare Bird

They spoke of the Cyclone racers as "yellow devils" at the time, so the blue option must have been unusual even then.

While 6 Cyclones total may be too low, they did not make very many. In all my years of looking in old mags I have seen just one road model delivered, and that was to a dealer as a demonstrator. Big production was promised at that time, but never proved up as the Joerns company folded shop and unfolded their chair line.

Also, I have looked at 1916 motorcycle registrations and not a single Cyclone is listed for Wis. NONE! If there was any significant road bike production, something would have turned up. But there was not a single one. My gut hunch is that Joerns mainly built racers, and then quit.

Barry, didn't you once post a c1915 photo with a Cyclone and a Milwaukee stamp on it? Could you repost that? I have my 1915 file out and think that race might be mentioned. If you want to...

[RichO]

Cyclone

Cory, It's never been fired that I know of since John's stepped off the saddle. The patina is so perfect no one wants to wrench on the motor. Just an iconic piece of history. I have seen and heard one on the track at Davenport years back.

[c.o.]

Dr.Spocket! Did the Don John's old racer get fired up at the Sandhill meet? I'm sure it sounds awesome! It's nice to see a real deal survivor from that era. Especially one that John's wrestled around the track! Some of the best race stories involve him.

[c.o.]

I think it is a 1915, The colour blue comes from a conversation collector Dan Statnekov ( Cyclone owner) had with the now dead legendary board and other track racer Jim Davis who claims to have raced against one painted that colour.

Wow, for some reason I had thought I had read about the color blue in a book somewhere and just assumed when I posted the J.A. MacNeil pic that the bike he was on was blue. That's a very interesting story on going on Jim Davis' word when choosing a color for a Cyclone. I'm sure he possibly could have raced against a blue bike but did it come that way from the factory? Thanks for weighing in Barry.

[RichO]

Cyclones

Lane's Cyclone is a road model (have rode w/him on at least a half dozen road runs) with out the rear rack. Bill Lattin's Cyclone is also a road model and does have the rear rack attached. Shorty Thompkin's Cyclone was the one that sold last year for mega bucks. In 1982 at the old Hanford meet (held down down in the town square) had close to a half dozen Cyclones in attendance. I had several photos of them but have loaned them out or gave them to some one. All of them were yellow. Bill's dad Jim has the original Don john's machine that raced and won the race here in Sacramento in '14 or '15 (I have the clipping from the local paper from that date here somewhere) and Joe Petrali was hanging on the rail at track side. He was about 10 yrs. old. it's what got him into racing. I remember when that machine was first hauled out to the old SandHill Dick mann meet and jim jumped right on it. It still had nylons wraped around the open ports at the bottom of the barrels. I've had photo's of at least different 12 motors. Hope this helps. The Ghost

I think it is a 1915, The colour blue comes from a conversation collector Dan Statnekov ( Cyclone owner) had with the now dead legendary board and other track racer Jim Davis who claims to have raced against one painted that colour.

I am mistaken. It is a 1913

[Chris Haynes]

I remember an old timer telling me that the best combination was a Cyclone engine in a Harley frame with a Merkel fork.

I think it is a 1915, The colour blue comes from a conversation collector Dan Statnekov ( Cyclone owner) had with the now dead legendary board and other track racer Jim Davis who claims to have raced against one painted that colour.

[Chuck#1848]

6 machines??!! ridiculous! there are over 6 remaining. Jurassic has all the details, maybe he will chime in. Blue? maybe but how can you prove it other than anecdotal.

I will be the first to say that I know very little about them I just found it a little hard to believe that there were only that few made also.

The one article that Cory posted a link to states 12 known to remain I honestly don't know the amount as for the color blue seems that somewhere I read about that just don't remember from where or who.

Real nice photo of that bike Barry I didn't know that Cyclone made road bikes that was something I learned about them since first asking about them, that is a real interesting rear supension that bike had what year is it?