inside cyclone motorcycle, the US roadster that may be returning

US roadster cyclone motorcycle may make its comeback

Meet the Cyclone Motorcycle, the short-lived 1910s US roadster that may be coming back after decades of long history. During the Mecum Las Vegas 2025, the annual antique and vintage motorcycle auction, a restored model of the US roadster Cyclone Motorcycle by Stephen Wright has appeared and been fetched. It revives the history of the vehicle, which made its debut in the US in 1912. From that year through 1917, Joerns Motor Manufacturing Company produces these motorcycles, dubbed the first overhead-camshaft motorcycle built in the US. Originally designed by engineer Andrew Strand, the early Cyclone Motorcycle engine is considered one of the most powerful and fastest power plants in the game, capable of over 160 km/h top speed.

The US roadster Cyclone Motorcycle makes its mark on the board track racing circuits between the 1910s and 1920s. However, its descent begins in 1917. Joerns Motor can no longer compete with the competitors offering lower-cost models. It sells the design then to Ignaz Schwinn of the Excelsior Motor Company. Some Excelsior motorcycle models are built based on the Cyclone’s engine. Then, the design team discovers they can make their engines faster and more reliable than the Cyclone Motorcycle ones, so in 1922, the vehicle bids its goodbye. More than a century later, there’s a team who plans to revive the US roadster Cyclone Motorcycle, reimagining its vintage style, which resembles a bike, all the while equipped with new technologies.

all images courtesy of Mecum Auctions | photos by Luke Crabtree

Dubbed first overhead-camshaft motorcycle built in US

The last update of the team on the revival of the US roadster Cyclone Motorcycle is in 2021. Their site disclaimer, however, states 2025, which can entail that they’re still developing the modern model of the vehicle. For a design recap, the called first overhead-camshaft motorcycle has the engine’s camshaft above the valves. This is a rotating shaft that controls the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves. The original US roadster Cyclone Motorcycle also bears a 996cc power plant engine on the overhead cams. Instead of using a typical chain or belt, this engine used a vertical shaft running upright to transfer power to the camshaft.

The beveled gears help change the direction of rotation. On the other hand, the engine lubrication is crude, and the US roadster isn’t suitable for long-distance races of 150 kilometers or more. Design-wise, the engine’s combustion chamber has a rounded, dome-like shape. The original color of the vehicle is canary yellow, but Joerns Motor Manufacturing Company used to sell it in dark blue too. Recently, a restored model of the US roadster by Stephen Wright was auctioned during the Mecum Las Vegas 2025. The auction company believes that only five Cyclone Motorcycles in racing configuration are still present today, with 14 machines from Cyclone remaining in total.

meet the Cyclone Motorcycle, the short-lived 1910s US roadster that may be coming back

Cyclone motorcycle team to revive the historic US roadster

For specs buffs, the US roadster Cyclone Motorcycle can go over 150 kilometers in speed, but its engine starts to become fragile when it reaches that number. As mentioned, it doesn’t have a positive lubrication for its overhead camshaft. Instead, it relies on a small metal well of oil that drips onto each camshaft directly. Mecum says that this leads to the camshaft and valves overheating later on. ‘For a roadster, however, this overheating was less of an issue, and it was possible to stop occasionally to add more oil to the cam drippers,’ the auction company writes.

The US roadster Cyclone Motorcycle also uses self-aligning roller bearings in their engine instead of the more common plain bushes used in other motorcycles during its time. These are specialized bearings that can adjust to compensate for misalignment or movement in the engine. They help reduce the ride’s wear over time. By using these roller bearings, the vehicle has better durability, albeit the overheating issue. There’s no news yet whether these features are retained in the possible comeback. The revival team has yet to make announcements on the development of the modern US roadster Cyclone Motorcycle.

the early Cyclone Motorcycle engine is capable of over 160 km/h top speed