Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (2024)

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Not to be confused with the Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company, a low-volume custom chopper builder (Since 1986). See Cleveland motorcycle (disambiguation) for other uses.

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company
Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (1)
Industry Motor vehicle
Founded1915
Defunct1929
Headquarters

Cleveland, Ohio

,

USA

Products Motorcycles

The Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company, sometimes called Cleveland Motorcycle, was a motorcycle manufacturer in Cleveland, Ohio, from 1902 to 1905 and again from 1915 to 1929. [1] [2]

Contents

  • Two-stroke singles
  • Four-strokes, four cylinders, and failure
  • References
  • External links

Two-stroke singles

The first Cleveland of 1915 had a 221cc (13.5cuin) [3] displacement two-stroke single-cylinder engine with a longitudinal crankshaft orientation, necessitating a worm drive to turn the axis of rotation of the drive to the transmission by 90°. [1] The transmission was a two speed with a sprocket turning a chain final drive. Besides driving the transmission, the engine's countershaft extended back to drive a magneto that hung in front of the rear wheel. [1] In 1920, the motorcycle's weight increased from the addition of fenders, a larger fuel/oil tank, and in 1921 the seat was enlarged, along with a still larger fuel/oil tank, and a battery was added. The displacement was increased to 269cc (16.4cuin) to handle the increased weight of 195lb (88kg) from these changes. [1] [3] During World War I, US forces used the Cleveland as a base courier. [4]

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (2)
Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (3)
Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (4)

Four-strokes, four cylinders, and failure

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (5)

In 1924, two years after buying out Reading-Standard, Cleveland replaced their two-stroke engine with a 21.5 cubic inches (352cc) four-stroke single-cylinder engine. [5] In 1925 they released a motorcycle with a 36.5 cubic inches (598cc) T-head four-cylinder engine designed by L. E. Fowler. [6] [7] With a smaller engine than rival four-cylinder motorcycles by Henderson and Ace, Cleveland's first four-cylinder motorcycle did not sell well. [5] [6] In 1926, Cleveland replaced the Fowler engine with a new design by E. H. DeLong. [6] [8] The new engine had an inlet-over-exhaust valve configuration [6] [9] and a displacement of forty-five cubic inches. [5] [8] The displacement was increased to sixty-one cubic inches the following year. [5] [6] [8]

By 1928 Cleveland had financial problems. That year, the company offered itself for sale to Harley-Davidson. Harley-Davidson considered the offer, as Cleveland's new four-cylinder motorcycles offered a ready-made competitor to Indian's Ace-based fours, but rejected it in favor of developing their own four. [10]

In 1929 Cleveland announced their Tornado model, with a lowered frame and seat height, lightweight pistons, larger valves, and a higher compression ratio. [6] [8] [9] A Century model, with a guaranteed top speed of one hundred miles per hour, was announced. [6] [8]

A few months after the Wall Street Crash of 1929, after building only a few prototypes of the Century, Cleveland went out of business. [8]

Related Research Articles

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (6)

Harley-Davidson, Inc. is an American motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1903, it is one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression along with its historical rival, Indian Motorcycles. The company has survived numerous ownership arrangements, subsidiary arrangements, periods of poor economic health and product quality, and intense global competition to become one of the world's largest motorcycle manufacturers and an iconic brand widely known for its loyal following. There are owner clubs and events worldwide, as well as a company-sponsored, brand-focused museum.

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (7)

Indian Motorcycle is an American brand of motorcycles owned and produced by American automotive manufacturer Polaris Inc.

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (8)

A motorcycle engine is an engine that powers a motorcycle. Motorcycle engines are typically two-stroke or four-stroke internal combustion engines, but other engine types, such as Wankels and electric motors, have been used.

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (9)

The intake/inlet over exhaust, or "IOE" engine, known in the US as F-head, is a four-stroke internal combustion engine whose valvetrain comprises OHV inlet valves within the cylinder head and exhaust side-valves within the engine block.

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The Mustang was a lightweight motorcycle built by Gladden Products Corporation in Glendale, California, from 1946 to 1965. The second production version, the Mustang Model 2, was among the first motorcycle manufactured in the United States to have a telescopic fork.

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (11)

The Excelsior Super X was a motorcycle manufactured by the Excelsior Motor Manufacturing & Supply Company from 1925 to 1931. It was the most famous Excelsior motorcycle manufactured by that company and was the first American forty-five cubic inch motorcycle.

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (12)

The Indian 841 was a motorcycle designed by the Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Co. for desert warfare. It pioneered the drivetrain configuration later popularized by Moto Guzzi, having a longitudinally mounted air-cooled 90-degree V-twin with shaft drive to the rear wheel.

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (13)

The Hummer was a motorcycle model manufactured by Harley-Davidson from 1955 to 1959. However, the name "Hummer" is now incorrectly used generically to refer to all American-made single-cylinder two-stroke Harley-Davidson motorcycles manufactured from 1948 to 1966. These motorcycles were based on the DKW RT125, the drawings for which were taken from Germany as war reparations after World War II. The RT125 drawings were also given to the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union as war reparations, resulting in the BSA Bantam and the MMZ M-1A Moskva, later known as the Minsk.

Hoffmann was a bicycle manufacturer in Ratingen-Lintorf, Germany. Between 1948 and 1954 the company also manufactured motorcycles. It made a range of models using engines from 125cc to 250cc made by ILO, and the Gouverneur, which had a transversely-mounted 248cc flat twin four-stroke engine designed by Richard Küchen, and shaft drive. The Gouverneur was developed into the MP 250-2 and finally, in 1953, the S 300 model.

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (14)

The Indian Four was a motorcycle built by the Indian Motocycle Company from 1928 to 1942. It was based on the Ace motorcycle, which Indian bought as part of the assets of the Ace Motor Corporation in 1927.

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (15)

ABC motorcycles was a British motorcycle manufacturer established in 1914 by Ronald Charteris in London. Several British motorcycle firms started up with the name "ABC", including Sopwith. The All British Engine Company Ltd. of London was founded in 1912 and later changed to ABC Motors Ltd. With chief engineer Granville Bradshaw, Charteris built a range of engines throughout the First World War. From 1913 ABC produced motorcycle engines.

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The Brough Superior Golden Dream was designed and built by George Brough in Nottingham, England, in 1938. With its distinctive gold finish, this was to be the ultimate Brough Superior but production was stopped by the outbreak of War in 1939.

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (17)

The Indian Scout is a motorcycle built by the Indian Motocycle Company from 1920 to 1949. It rivaled the Chief as Indian's most important model. The 101 Scout, made from 1928 to 1931, has been called the best motorcycle Indian ever made. A second line of Scouts, with heavier frames, was introduced in 1932 alongside the Standard Scout, which replaced the 101 Scout and shared its frame with the Chief and the Four. The small-displacement Scout and the Sport Scout, introduced in 1934, were continued until the end of civilian production in 1942. Military versions of both models were used by US and other Allied forces during World War II.

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (18)

The Indian Chief is a motorcycle that was built by the Hendee Manufacturing Company and the subsequent Indian Motocycle Company from 1922 to the end of the company's production in 1953, and again from 1999 to present.The Chief was Indian's "big twin", a larger, more powerful motorcycle than the more agile Scout used in competition and sport riding.

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (19)

A scooter is a motorcycle with an underbone or step-through frame, a seat, and a platform for the rider's feet, emphasizing comfort and fuel economy. Elements of scooter design were present in some of the earliest motorcycles, and motor scooters have been made since at least 1914.

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (20)

Simplex Manufacturing Corporation was an American manufacturer that made motorcycles from 1935 to 1975. Between 1935 and 1960, Simplex made variations of the Simplex Servi-Cycle including the 1953–1960 Simplex Automatic. Simplex was the only motorcycle manufacturer located in the Deep South for many years, until Confederate Motorcycles began production.

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (21)

Excelsior Motor Manufacturing & Supply Company was an American motorcycle manufacturer operating in Chicago from 1907 to 1931. It was purchased by Ignaz Schwinn, proprietor of bicycle manufacturer Arnold, Schwinn & Co. in 1912. In 1912, an Excelsior was the first motorcycle to be officially timed at a speed of 100mph. The Henderson Motorcycle Company became a division of Excelsior when Schwinn purchased Henderson in 1917. By 1928, Excelsior was in third place in the U.S. motorcycle market behind Indian and Harley-Davidson. The Great Depression convinced Schwinn to order Excelsior's operations to cease in September 1931.

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (22)

The BMW R2 was a 198cc overhead valve single-cylinder motorcycle produced by BMW between 1931 and 1936, the smallest motorcycle ever to enter series production with the firm. Despite its much smaller design and engine capacity, the R2 retained many features of the larger boxer twin motorcycles in the range, such as cardan shaft drive and a pressed-steel duplex frame. The R2 was the smallest in the range of singles produced during the 1930s by BMW, with its big brothers being the 305 cc R3 and the 400cc R4.

The Indian Prince is a motorcycle manufactured by the Hendee Manufacturing Company from 1925 to 1928. An entry-level single-cylinder motorcycle, the Prince was restyled after its first year and discontinued after four years.

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (23)

Flathead motorcycles are a type of bike that was a standard for pre-war motorcycles, in particular US V-twins such as Harley-Davidson and Indian, some British singles, BMW flat twins and Russian copies thereof.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Rafferty, Tod (2001), The Illustrated Directory of Classic American Motorcycles, Prospero Books div. of Chapters Inc., p.49, ISBN 1-55267-118-6
  2. "America on the Move | Cleveland motorcycle". National Museum of American History. 2008-10-24. Retrieved 2009-08-14.
  3. 1 2 Siegal, Margie (May–June 2017). "The Same, But Different: 1927 Cleveland 4-45 and 4-61 Motorcycles". Motorcycle Classics . Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  4. Ayton, Cyril (1983) [First published 1979], The History of Motor Cycling (Reviseded.), London: Orbis Publishing, p.84, ISBN 0-85613-517-8
  5. 1 2 3 4 Wilson, Hugo (1995). "The Directory of Motorcycles". The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle . London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 269. ISBN 0-7513-0206-6.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 De Cet, Micro (2003), The Illustrated Directory of Motorcycles, MotorBooks International, pp.102–105, ISBN 978-0-7603-1417-3, archived from the original on 2013-12-30, retrieved 2012-09-30
  7. Wilson, Hugo (1995). "The Directory of Motorcycles". The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle . London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 271. ISBN 0-7513-0206-6.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wood, Bill, ed. (March 1992). "Classics: 1929 Cleveland Century". American Motorcyclist. American Motorcyclist Association. 46 (3): 87. ISSN 0277-9358 . Retrieved 2012-09-30. In 1926, Cleveland took a step toward that goal with the Model 4-45 (four cylinders, 45 cubic inches), designed by E. H. DeLong.
  9. 1 2 Wilson, Hugo (1995). "The A-Z of Motorcycles". The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle . London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 45. ISBN 0-7513-0206-6.
  10. Tyson, Bob (15 November 2005). Harley-Davidson Memories: The Golden Age of Motorcycling. Turner Publishing. pp.66–67. ISBN 978-1-59652-046-2 . Retrieved 2012-09-30. Cleveland was in financial trouble, and had offered to sell out to the Milwaukee firm.

External links

Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (24)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company .

  • The Cleveland Motorcycle (1919) - 17-page promotional brochure including photographs, pricing, specifications, and additional information on the motorcycle.

Motorcycle marques of the United States

Current
  • Alligator
  • Arch
  • ATK
  • Boss Hoss
  • Cleveland CycleWerks
  • Curtiss
  • Fischer
  • Harley-Davidson
  • Highland
  • Indian
  • Lightning Motorcycle
  • Marine Turbine Technologies
  • Rokon
  • Z Electric Vehicle
  • Zero Motorcycles
Defunct
  • Ace
  • Allstate/Sears
  • Alta
  • American IronHorse
  • Bi-Autogo
  • Big Dog
  • Brammo
  • Buell
  • California
  • Cleveland (1915–1929)
  • Cooper
  • Crocker
  • Cushman
  • Cyclone
  • Excelsior
  • Excelsior-Henderson
  • Flying Merkel
  • Gelbke
  • Henderson
  • Hodaka
  • Iver Johnson
  • Johnson Motor Wheel
  • MotoCzysz
  • Motus MST
  • Mustang
  • Penton
  • Pierce-Arrow
  • Ridley
  • Riverside/Montgomery Ward
  • Roehr
  • Simplex
  • Thor
  • Vectrix
  • Victory
  • Wagner Motorcycle Company
  • Whizzer
  • Yankee
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Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia (2024)

FAQs

Where are Cleveland motorcycles made? ›

Cleveland CycleWerks is a privately held motorcycle manufacturer that designs and assembles small displacement retro style café racers and bobbers at its headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, relying on offshore manufacturing in China by CPI Motor Company of Taiwan for most components, including frames and the Honda-derived ...

Who is the largest producer of motorcycles in the world? ›

However, starting from the top, the leader, as in the last 50 years is Honda. Not a surprise, of course. It is almost well known that the Japanese manufacturer dominates the industry with around one third of the industry in its hands.

What is the history of the Cleveland motorcycle? ›

The Cleveland Motorcycle Company, founded in 1915 in Cleveland, Ohio, built lightweight one-cylinder bikes for its first decade. As competing motorcycles grew larger, Cleveland introduced a four-cylinder engine in 1925. This 1928 Model 4-61 also featured a front-wheel brake -- an industry first for Cleveland.

What was the Cleveland motorcycle in 1915? ›

The first Cleveland of 1915 had a 221 cc (13.5 cu in) displacement two-stroke single-cylinder engine with a longitudinal crankshaft orientation, necessitating a worm drive to turn the axis of rotation of the drive to the transmission by 90°. The transmission was a two speed with a sprocket turning a chain final drive.

Are any motorcycles made in the USA? ›

Janus Motorcycles

The look is of a classic bike of the 1930s, but the design, the build and the technology is very much of the present. Each Janus motorcycle is made by hand at the company's compact workshops in Indiana by a small and dedicated team.

What is the oldest motorcycle company in the US? ›

Indian Motorcycle - America's First Motorcycle Company.

What is the number one selling motorcycle of all time? ›

Sales: In terms of pure sales numbers, the clear winner is the Honda SuperCub. With over 100 million units sold since its 1958 debut, it's the best-selling motorcycle ever made. Its reliability, affordability, and ease of use have made it a global phenomenon.

Who sells the most motorcycles in the United States? ›

Harley-Davidson leads a diverse market

Wisconsin–based Harley-Davidson is still the leading motorcycle manufacturer in the U.S. market, followed by its main competitor Honda. Between 2021 and 2022, H-D's U.S. retail sales fell by about 13 percent to just over 109,000 in the 2022 fiscal year.

What did Cleveland used to be called? ›

Cleveland was founded in 1796, the result of a Connecticut Land Company survey of a 3.3-million-acres on the shores of Lake Erie that it would originally call, “The Western Reserve.” Named after General Moses Cleaveland, the City of Cleveland was incorporated in 1836.

Where was the Cleveland engine built? ›

The 351C, introduced in 1969 for the 1970 model year, is commonly referred to as the 351 Cleveland after the Brook Park, Ohio, Cleveland Engine plant in which most of these engines were manufactured.

Did Ford Motor Company ever make a motorcycle? ›

From what I can gather and put together, Henry Ford's business intellect and acumen has a lot to do with the decision to make cars and not motorcycles. No but they did have a F-150 harley davidson anniversary that has the harley emblem on it. Kevin Ross gave a good answer.

Where are Harley-Davidson motorcycles made now? ›

Nevertheless, Harley-Davidson motorcycles sold in the United States are assembled in Wisconsin or Pennsylvania, maintaining its American-made reputation. While assembly persists in the U.S., parts manufacturing occurs worldwide, including Mexico, Germany, Italy, Taiwan, and Japan.

Are any motorcycles made in China? ›

China's leading motorcycle manufacturers include Jiangmen Dachangjiang Group (subsidiary of Haojue Holdings brand), Lifan, Loncin, Zongshen, Jialing, Jianshe, Qianjiang (who sold motorcycle with Keeway, QJmotor, Benelli and MBP Moto brands), Haojin, Shineray, Bashan, Jonway, Wuxi Futong.

What is the top speed of the Cleveland bike? ›

Performance
0-100 Kmph (sec)13.11s
Top Speed97 kmph

What is manufactured in Cleveland? ›

A wealth of mineral resources led to Cleveland's rise as an iron and steel giant, with early buy-in from the U.S Steel Corp., along with the manufacturing of machine-tools, sewing machines and myriad other equipment that helped grow adjacent industries.

References

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