This little two stroke Cleveland has been lurking around my garage for a few years now. She was dragged out today for a quick photo shoot following a Cleveland related correspondence with a fellow enthusiast based in Spain.
As far as I know my machine is a 1923 model (engine number 33198 if anyone out there knows for sure). I bought it at the Netley Marsh autojumble I think seven years ago for no other reason that it is quirky, I had the money in my pocket and the price was right. The Cleveland had apparently spent most of its life in France and had come from a small French museum before I bought it. The bike is pretty much complete barring footboards and it is fitted with the wrong handlebars. If anyone out there can help with these parts I'd much appreciate it. In fact if you could lend a footboard I would have a few cast up to cover anyone else who might want one.
Two stroke Clevelands are wonderfully eccentric devices, part rip off of the two stroke Triumph and also mechanically with a few similarities to a Neracar. No coincidence as Carl Neracher had a spell at Cleveland before coming up with the Neracar. The engine is in line with the frame and drives the gearbox via a worm gear. The unit gearbox is a two speeder, gears are selected by a rocking pedal and the clutch is operated by the long lever to the left of the tank. The magneto sits rather strangely behind the gearbox, the drive chain is immensely long and the gear box sprocket is very large and the rear wheel one quite small.
The Cleveland is next in line for attention once I finally finish my Model 19 Norton. I'm looking forward to taking it out and about on runs - I haven't seen one on the road in the UK before. It's all a slow process though as the bikes I keep on the road seem to demand constant attention too...
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