More about the Cleveland. This is an early version, purchased at auction, by a friend of mine in Toronto. He collects WW1 vehicles and motorcycles. This one came from California. It came back to the USA, after WW1., with the American who rode it, as a Dispatcher. The story goes that not long afterwards, the fellow passed away in an unfortunate accident (not on the motorcycle). The bike was stored in a coal cellar, and remained there until a few years ago! When we picked it up from the shipping Company in Detroit, it was as “black as coal”. Tires were so dry rotted, they literally fell of the rims, BUT, the machine was totally complete.
One spoke (rear) was missing, no throttle lever or cable, and the grips had rotted off. I stripped down the carb, set the remote float height, cleaned the spark plug, tied in a remote fuel tank (premix for the two stroke) and it fired second kick!!
I stripped it down to the last piece, carefully cleaned and detailed every part. Hand filed and redressed every nut and bolt, before having them yellow cad plated. The only parts replaced where a few washers, two bolts, throttle cable (I stripped off the plastic sheathing from an old Honda choke cable and it looks exactly like the original) and the throttle lever is a British replica part. I bead blasted the chrome on it, just too shiny........
The seat is the original (many “hide food” applications to soften). The horse hair stuffing is still packed in the underside. The chain was manufactured by Cleveland and every link plate is stamped with their name. It sat in rustremover for months, shaken regularly. Brushed it clean, soaked in paraffin, and back on. At one point the original rider made a small wooden rubbing block, fitted under the chain. I cleaned it up and wired it right back. He’d also managed to lose the gas tank cap and replaced it with a well made, wooden stopper. Sanded, varnished and put it right back!
The original bike had no air cleaner. The cleverly installed intake “mud shield” is actually a front axle cap from a Model T, stamped “FORD”. I put that right back too. A friend’s son, who builds racing bicycles, manufactured a replacement spoke, and did the paintwork. When I pulled the engine apart, I could find nothing to replace. Hand cut a few gaskets, and put it all back together. The rear band brake (no front) got a new piece of material, from a British supplier, rivitted in.
The engine is a piece of clever engineering. The connecting rod attaches directly to a flywheel (on an offset pin). The flywheel hangs on the end of a shaft that passes through the gearbox. High gear is sort of direct drive, low gear engages through a set of drop gears, lower in the housing. The magneto is out the back of the engine , behind the differential that drives the output sprocket. The diff is unique in that the crown gear is not driven by a pinion. The main through shaft has a worm gear machines into it, that rotates the crown. Unlike many small motorcycles of the time. The Cleveland has a multi plate clutch, between the crown gear and the output sprocket.
Controls are a joy. The long lever on the left, operates the clutch. It has an adjustable “drag feature” so it stays where you set it. Pull it back to disengage, drop into LOW gear with the right side foot pedal. As you add a bit of throttle, move the clutch handle forward to engage, then all the way forward. Throttle control is with the small lever on the right handlebar. Foot (rear) brake is on the left. And that’s it! To engage high gear, throttle back a bit, toe it into HIGH gear and carry on. When coming to a stop, just throttle back and pull back the clutch lever. Back into LOW and off you go again.
The “tool box” that hangs below the fuel tank, was missing the lid. I took a mold of the other side (identical to the end caps on the fuel tank) and made one in fibre glass...... bit of a cheat, but hey! I’ve added a pic of the left side, for those that want to see all the detail. By the way, it weighs about 120lbs and will cruise at 35-40 MPH all day. It’s 101 years old and has been “retired”.
