Cleveland Classic Bikes

The Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Co. began making two-stroke singles in 1915. It changed to a four-cylinder engine about a decade later.

The first Clevelands were designed to be used by dispatch riders in World War I. A 1919 article in "Motorcycle and Bicycle Illustrated" magazine declared, "It was significant of Cleveland performance that it should be chosen by the War Department for dispatch work, which requires a combination of power, pep, safety, mobility, and above all, dependability."

The Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Co. produced bigger bikes in the late 1920s, including the Tornado. The four-cylinder motorcycle had a top speed of 100 miles per hour and was available in either Potomac Blue or Mestipho Red with gold striping. The Century was a 1,000 cc bike that was designed to be the 1930 model. But the Depression killed sales and only a few were made. The company closed its doors in 1930.

Bike Image Description Cleveland Vintage Bike   1919 Cleveland 269cc 1923 Cleveland Blue Devil The blue and black Model 20 is an upgrade of the "Dispatch Rider Machine." It doesn't have a speedometer, but it does have a headlight and taillights. It's easy to tell the difference between a military and civilian Cleveland, which is known as "the sports model." Military models have a torpedo-shaped gas tank, whereas the model made for the public has an enlarged gas tank fitted to the frame.

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