What an astounding opportunity: this 1913 Cyclone racer is extraordinarily rare, and it’s restored by famous sculptor and motorcycle enthusiast Jeff Decker. While Cyclone production lasted a scant three years, the name generates more excitement from enthusiasts than any other American motorcycle, as it was the rarest and most technically sophisticated vehicle of its era. The Cyclone’s reputation began with the brand’s debut in 1913, when it introduced the first overhead-camshaft motorcycle built in the United States. Cyclone built an instant reputation in racing but sold very few machines, and it’s reckoned that only three Cyclones in racing configuration survive today. It’s truly a Holy Grail motorcycle for collectors. Of this 1913 Cyclone racer, Decker said, “The Cyclone motorcycle is the very wellspring that inspired me to begin sculpting racing motorcycles. As there are only a dozen motors in existence, with only a single complete and original race models and only one original road model still left, every single orphan part becomes the stuff of dreams.” Decker began collecting parts and ephemera for this machine in the 1990s, and his assembly and fabrication took four years to complete (2000-2004). His restoration was undertaken with the close advisement of the elders of the Cyclone clan, including Jim Lattin, who had the only original, unrestored racing Cyclone for close observation: Don Johns’ racer. As the Cyclone frame was notoriously too weak for its power, racers tended to replace it with Indian racing frames and forks, which is what Decker used for this machine—an original 1914 Indian racing frame, altered to exact Cyclone racing specifications and based on the Don John frame, but without the upper front and rear 45-degree bracing struts. The forks are also genuine Indian racing forks of the period, altered to racing Cyclone specifications. The pedal crank eccentric is an original racing item, and the wheels, spokes, hubs and Firestone 2.25-inch racing tires are all original from the period as well. The racing handlebars and gooseneck are fabricated in a similar style to J.A. McNeil’s factory Cyclone racer. Also, as per McNeil’s and Larry Fleckenstein’s factory racers, Decker fabricated the drive chain side of the lower end casting with longer reinforcement ribs and without the raised bungs for chain guard mounts. As per Johns’ and August “Blick” Wolters’ factory racers, the cylinder barrels on this machine’s 61 CI, 45-degree V-twin are “ported” to relieve crankcase pressure (and spew oil mist), and fitted with an oil sleeve and seven-cylinder fins; standard models did not have ported cylinders, nor the additional oiling sleeve, and had eight cast fins. The Johns and Wolters racers are the only other known machines in this race-only configuration. Even the yellow, stacked gas tank and bladder on Decker’s racer are from the actual bike on the cover of Jerry Hatfield’s 1982 book “American Racing Motorcycles.” An exceedingly rare opportunity, this 1913 Cyclone Racer is a chance to own a legend of motorcycle history. S153.1 1913 CYCLONE RACER
