The awesome power of tornados is frightening to most Oklahomans but has served as inspiration to one man who found a successful career in the after market for motorcycles. Richard Legg, owner-operator of Twister City Cycle Works, Tulsa, rates the power of his custom cycles and engine rebuilds as F1 through F4, utilizing the same scale used by meteorologists to rate the power and size of tornadoes.

While an F5 is the most powerful tornado, Legg confesses that he has not yet built an F5 bike, but has one in his mind and on one of dozens of sketch pads that adorn his office and design room. The twister theme is evident throughout the east Tulsa facilities of Twister City Cycles as walls and ceilings are painted and adorned to give the impression that a tornado struck the building and the top of the building is missing. The affable Legg believes in having fun while he works.

Legg's interest in cycles was first nurtured in the Motorcycle Mechanics program at Central Technology Center , Drumright, by a father-son team of dedicated instructors in world of small engines and motorcycles. Legg's instructor, Mickey Baugus, is credited by Legg as helping him develop the self-confidence and skills he would need later to pursue his passion and have a successful career. Legg's relationship with the school's program has continued with Baugus' son Mike who succeeded his father as the instructor several years ago. The three continue to be close friends and fans of cycling for recreation and sport.

After Legg completed the Central Tech program in 1987, he spent several years working as a mechanic as Tulsa area cycle shops and a brief time in the tool sales business where he developed many of his self-employment skills. Twister City Cycle Works, formed in 1999, is a general service and repair facility for all makes of motorcycles. It is the outgrowth of those years of preparation and inspiration. The unusual graphics utilized at Twister City is the manifestation of Legg's bigger-than-life personality and passion for well designed and well tuned bikes. .

Competition is a large part of what drives Legg. His Twister City bikes have successfully competed in national and international bike design competition for about three years. Currently on display on the Twister City showroom is a bike designed and built at Twister City by Legg and his associates that was an international winner last year. It features design characteristics that presented challenges to the industry's earliest builders and were solved by Legg's team after many long hours of hard work. That cycle's street value is estimated to be in excess of $100,000.

The bike Legg will enter in the next national and international competition is currently under construction and its designer says it will be the most radical he has ever built.

Helping a growing number of cycle fans who want to build their own bikes at home is a major part of what Twister City Cycles does on a daily basis. In addition to supplying the necessary stock parts that might be needed, Twister City has the ability to assist the do-it-yourselfer with any design flaws or functional problems that arise. Legg says the number of professional men who like to work on their own bikes as a hobby is growing rapidly. Women generally prefer to buy a bike that is already on the showroom floor, says Legg.

Twister City Cycles is one of only a handful of dealers in the nation that offers DynoJet Tuning Center services. The computerized DynoJet Tuning system literally lets the operator simulate over the road conditions on a cycle, while in the shop, and fine tune every facet of the bike. Legg views each cylinder of the bike's engine as a separate power source and must fine tune each with fuel cell remapping as well as everything else on the machine that would affect street performance. Getting the maximum power out of a motorcycle is Legg's goal and is widely recognized for his ability to get the job done.