Topic: Bud Ekins 1917 Cleveland Motorcycle

[BenelliSEI]

As mentioned in a few other places, I’ve helped my best friend’s brother with his collection of W.W.1 motorcycles, trucks, cars and trailers, for years. Over the past 12 months, we’ve slowly sold off more than 20 different vehicles. He wants to sell the farm property one day soon, so storage will become a problem.
      I’m not taking a percentage, or getting paid. I grew up with these guys. It’s over 60 years now. We all did a lot of things, usually because their Mom encouraged us to be stupid, and she often provided the budget. Really great folks.
      Bill called me the other day and he’s decided to keep the first bike he ever bought (1917 Triumph Model H) and wants me to have the 1917 Cleveland. It’s 220 c.c. 2-stroke, made in Cleveland. He bought it years ago, in California, at a Bub Ekins/ Steve McQueen Auction. I did the restoration about 15 years ago. Absolutely chuffed!! Pictures are from the day we picked it up at a shipping terminal in Detroit, and shortly before I finished the resto. Not a CB750, but I love it. Merry Christmas to ME!

[dusterdude]

Cool bike,congrats

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[Prospect]

Lovely bike and provenance.  It's rare to see anything of that era much less something with documented history.  This is one of those items you can pass on to your kids and hope they'll pass it on to theirs. 

[BenelliSEI]

What’s really amazing is how well it works. Hand clutch (left side, big stick), two speed gearbox (rocker foot shift), thumb push throttle leaver, and rear band brake (pedal on left side). Beautiful design, elegant and delightfully simple. I had to make a lid for the tool box and duplicate two bolts/nuts. Every other part is “as found”. Oh, and 1 spoke, new tires and tubes. The seat is original, stuffed with horse hair. Entire machine weighs about 120lbs.!

[754]

 Lovely how that played out. EKINS  or McQ bike even cooler..
 Behind it in the pic, a bike similar to a Marmon.. do you know what it is.?

[ekpent]

 A nice lesson for people to learn that "What goes around comes around". Your friend was generous and so were you. Sounds like a lot of great memories you all share,

[Kelly E]

That's a cool bike. You have some great friends.

[BenelliSEI]

754...... You have sharp eyes. If you look really closely at engine cover, you will just barely see the name: “MAYTAG”. The bike was built several years ago, by a really clever guy in the CVMG.
     It’s powered by a single cylinder engine that actually “spun” an early Maytag washing machine. He fabricated about 90% of the parts on that bicycle, from used appliance parts, and I’ve seen it running. He printed up a huge display panel with tons of bullsh#t history on the “Maytag Motorcycle Corporation”. Even had pictures of a building from a 1900’s newspaper.
    Had most people fooled for days. Best hoax bike ever. The organizers of that show  lined it up on the +100 year old “Red Carpet”. Fantastic build.

[754]

It looks like an opposed twin , I think Maytag had them.. Jack &Heinz Marmon had different engine covers..
 See pics, it was actually a drone engine. The left hand cover, I had one of them..

[BenelliSEI]

You’re totally correct, it is a twin!