Visionary Iron - On every highway, there’s always been a race between speed and safety. In California during the 1930s and 40s, that race was becoming more intense. The California Highway Patrol (CHP), still a relatively young institution at the time, was dealing with faster cars and longer stretches of road than ever before. Officers knew that to keep up, they needed motorcycles that could perform at the same level as the vehicles they were chasing. Out of this problem came one of the most curious experiments in motorcycle history: the 1947 LeGrand Jordan Motorcycle.
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| The 1947 Jordan Twin Crank Four (E) prototype as an example to be made in the motorcycle factory. (Picture from: KansasSebastian in Flickr) |
LeGrand Lewis Jordan wasn’t just a rider; he was a lawman and a thinker. Having joined the CHP in 1930 after serving with the Los Angeles County Motor Patrol, he was among the officers who directly felt the limitations of standard-issue Harley-Davidsons 74 on patrol. He believed those bikes were too heavy and troublesome for the fast-changing demands of highway policing. Instead of accepting what the factories delivered, Jordan dared to imagine something entirely new—a motorcycle purpose-built for pursuit.
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| The 1947 Jordan Twin Crank Four (E) prototype while sat in display at The Quail Motorcycle Gathering 2013. (Picture from: DaveRoperRacing) |
His creation was strikingly unconventional for the era. The prototype, known as the Jordan, carried a 1,000 cc Twin Crankshaft Four Shaft engine, an engineering choice designed to increase balance and stability with a reversed rotating system. That kind of innovation was rare in motorcycles of the time, especially in law enforcement fleets. Adding to its futuristic identity, Jordan designed a pressed-steel streamlined body that doubled as the frame, combining structural strength with aerodynamic flair. It looked and felt more like the product of an aircraft workshop than a traditional motorcycle garage.
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| The 1947 JordanTwin Crank Four (E) prototype adopts a 1,000 cc twin crankshaft four shaft engine. (Picture from: DaveRoperRacing) |
Jordan’s ambition went far beyond building a single machine. He pitched his design to established manufacturers, hoping they would see its potential as the next generation of police motorcycles. But the reaction was not what he hoped for. The engineering was too complex, the production costs too high, and the design too far ahead of mainstream demand. Factories turned him down, leaving the Jordan as a lone prototype rather than a fleet of patrol-ready bikes. As a result, no CHP officer ever rode this motorcycle in active duty—the dream never reached the streets, remaining an ambitious vision frozen in time. |
| The 1947 Jordan Twin Crank Four (E) prototype sat in display at a permanent spot in the Otis Chandler Motorcycle Gallery at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. (Picture from: Mark6Mauno in Flickr) |
Today, that singular motorcycle still exists, not as a forgotten experiment but as a celebrated rarity. The Jordan prototype has a permanent spot in the Otis Chandler Motorcycle Gallery at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, where it stands among a small collection of unique and historic machines. Visitors who encounter it don’t just see metal and mechanics; they see a story of an officer who tried to push motorcycle design into a new era.
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| Rearview of the 1947 Jordan Twin Crank Four (E) prototype. (Picture from: Modifikasi) |
The 1947 LeGrand Jordan Motorcycle remains a fascinating reminder that sometimes the boldest ideas don’t make it to mass production—but that doesn’t mean they fade away. It continues to inspire curiosity, bridging the gap between necessity and imagination, and showing how one officer’s vision carved out a small but unforgettable place in motorcycle history.
Kept spur your adrenaline on the power of the two-wheeled monster and stay alive with true safety riding. May God will forgive Your sins and so does the cops...... *** [EKA 16022015 [24042020]| FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | LOS ANGELES TIMES | DAVEROPERRACING | MARK6MAUNO IN FLICKR | KANSAS SEBASTIAN IN FLICKR ]Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.
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