1929 Cleveland 1000 Tornado
Founded in 1915, the Ohio firm of
Cleveland began with a little 270cc tow stroke which enjoyed a remarkable
success. The company's first 606cc four cylinder model appeared in 1925,
replaced in 1926 by the 4/45, an F-head 750cc monobloc four that was one of the
first American bikes fitted with a front brake drum (though admittedly, it was
pretty useless).
Sports Version
the 4/45 was quickly joined by
a sport version capable of 75 mph. No matter how good it was, the Cleveland
4/45 was incapable of beating off the competition form the 1300cc Ace and
Henderson fours, a weakness which was to repeat itself in August 1927 with the
launch of the 4/61. this 1000cc, still a monobloc four cylinders, was of
completely original design, unlike all the other American big fours - Ace,
Henderson, Excelsior and Indian - which, if they hadn't actually been designed
by W. G. "Bill" Henderson, were the work of one of his pupils.
The
Tornado Blows In
the 4/61 was fast enough, with a top speed of 90 mph
, but its sports derivative, the Tornado of 1929, which had a lowered frame
bigger valves, lighter pistons and a higher compression ratio, was guaranteed
by Cleveland to reach 100 mph. It was the fastest of all the American big
fours, but it was wiped out in the Wall Street Crash just as it was getting
ready to produce an even faster 1000cc four - the Century.