“Katrina” – 2008

Riding Into HistoryDon Bradley

Riding Into History’s 9th annual poster for the year 2008.  The motorcycle is a 1916 Joerns Cyclone, 61 ci, SOHC, 45°, V-twin. Made in the USA.


A tribute to the victims of hurricane Katrina, which hit New Orleans, La. & the Gulf coast as a category 4 storm in 2005.  Astride her 196 “Cyclone”, Katrina is continuing her devastation, on a board track.  The motorcycle is a 1916 Joerns Cyclone, 61 ci, SOHC, 45°, V-twin.

The Cyclone was a very advanced motorcycle created by The Joerns Motor Manufacturing Company of St. Paul Minnesota from 1913 through 1916. It was capable of out running Excelsior, Harley Davidson, Indian and all other race bikes of the day. In 1914, one was officially timed at 111 MPH. But like its deadly namesake, the Cyclone was not very predictable or reliable, consequently did not finish many of its races. As Joerns Mfg. was plagued with low volume & under funding. They were not able to give this machine proper development, so the Cyclone faded into history.

Full size “Giclee” print 26.75″ x 21.5″ image, edition of 100, s/n, on acid free stock.  From an acrylic painting by Don Bradley.