Steve McQueen's 1915 Cyclone Motorcycle Heads To Auction

Rare cars and motorcycles that are of certain vintages can bring huge money at auctions. If those rare vehicles happen to have been owned by someone famous, they can be worth many times more. The late actor Steve McQueen had an impressive collection of old motorcycles and cars and one of his former motorcycles is heading for the auction block.

The motorcycle in question is a 1915 Cyclone and it is described as one of the most exclusive motorcycles ever produced. The manufacturer that made the motorcycle was only around for a few years operating between 1912 and 1917. Some estimates claim that only about 300 of the Cyclone motorcycles were ever produced.

Only six of that number are known to remain today. In 1914, an example of the Cyclone was used to break the one-mile speed record taking 35 seconds to travel the distance. The bike uses a 1000cc V2 engine designed by Andrew Strand.

The engine has some technologies in it that are still used today such as overhead-cam valve train. The engine produced 45hp at 5,000 rpm and the motorcycle had a top speed of 111mph in a time when the majority of motorcycles could only go about half that fast. The motorcycle was restored by Stephen Wright and is expected to bring as much as $750,000 at auction.

SOURCE: CNET