Any BMX'rs on the Forum?

[Bengal65]

Organized BMX in the U.S. got underway when I was already racing Motocross. (That new sport imported into the U.S. from Europe) I missed the start of organized BMX racing. I started Motocross in 1969 and 70 and raced up until 1998 in vintage and modern classes. I'm a little older than the big pro's from back in the day, like Stu Thomsen, Perry Kramer, Scott Breithaupt and Dynamite David Clinton to name a few.

Well, since I quit Motocross (breaking too many body parts these days on Moto bikes), I decided to go back to my roots from racing my old Schwinn Stingrays in the 60's to getting into BMX Racing. It's now an Olympic sport! Cool! In order to keep my fitness level up, I decided BMX racing is the way to go and as close to Motocross that I love so much.

I just bought a SE Racing PK Ripper Team (20") for grins and a Redline (24") Flight Pro Cruisier for "Old Fart" racing. I'm starting to train now. Ouch, I'm out of shape It's going to take weights and track time to do that 40 second sprint!

Anybody racing, doing freestyle or just street jumping? How many old schooler's are out there?

[Jason1212]

I have a 94 GT 24" cruiser. I dont race but I like to bash around the hood on it.

[yard dawg]

Man I remember buying all the BMX mags back in the 80s. I had a Mongoose haha..
I wantedd a Hutch and I will own one one day. I cant really remember most of the racers names because of the brain cell killing I did then but BMX was huge then. Remember that movie RAD??

[Bengal65]

Rad! Yep. There is a more recent movie narrated by Jessie James called "Joe Kid on a Stingray". http://www.joekidonastingray.com/ It's the evolution of BMX from it's roots up to the X-Games and the Olympic Games anouncement. It's a must see. I've watched it about 10 times now.
It's got a lot of stuff on equipment and personalities, Ricks Bike Shop, FMF, SE Racing, Greg Hill, Hutch, Redline, Haro, Hoffman and many, many more.

[MikeStrat]

I was huge into BMX when I was a kid. I raced locally. I had a bunch of bikes. Redline, Thruster, Profile.... I broke so many frames and cranks. I was sponsored by Hutch if you remember them. I still have my Hutch Pro frame and fork set. I've been offered big bucks for them.

We would jump anything and everything. We used to build bon fires so we could jump them. Ramps at the end of piers was fun too. And I never got hurt.......badly.

The most carefree days of my life were spent on my bmx bikes.

[yard dawg]

I was huge into BMX when I was a kid. I raced locally. I had a bunch of bikes. Redline, Thruster, Profile.... I broke so many frames and cranks. I was sponsored by Hutch if you remember them. I still have my Hutch Pro frame and fork set. I've been offered big bucks for them.

We would jump anything and everything. We used to build bon fires so we could jump them. Ramps at the end of piers was fun too. And I never got hurt.......badly.

The most carefree days of my life were spent on my bmx bikes.

Hutch parts go for huge bux on ebay... I saw a whole bike for $6500. Amyone remeber Patterson bikes?

[missionguitars1]

Hutch parts go for huge bux on ebay... I saw a whole bike for $6500. Amyone remeber Patterson bikes?

Oh yeah! I'll do you one better - I STILL have my GJS bike with the crazy headtube bracing and (get this) - ACS Z-wheel rims, the ones made out of nylon!

I actually hit a local track with my middle son (8 years) 6 months ago for a birthday party. Problem was, he didn't even know how to ride a bike until a day or 2 before it! After a crash course in the cul de sac, we went, and he actually tore it up for an hour before he ate it and threw in the towel...brought a tear to this old guy's eye... :ROTF:

Here's another name for you - Trashcan Morgan...

[yard dawg]

Dude I remember Z rims. They were the bomb back in the day. I had tuff wheel mag wheels.. Then I got those honeycomb ones haha.

[Bengal65]

I do remember Tuff Wheels in the early 80's and you can still get them new nowadays!
As far as bikes, Schwinn Stingray's:ROTF: All those names Hutch, etc. I missed that era. I was racing Motocross in the years past, but remember Redline, SE Racing and FMF. I knew FMF (Flying Machine Factory) from the aluminum mufflers and exhaust I would run on my bikes.

I learned recently that BMX actually started, similar to Motocross in Holland as far back as 1954!

America took it and popularized it in the late 60's early 70's when all the Euro's were coming over to race the "slow" American's in Motocross.

[Bengal65]

Oh yeah! I'll do you one better - I STILL have my GJS bike with the crazy headtube bracing and (get this) - ACS Z-wheel rims, the ones made out of nylon!

I actually hit a local track with my middle son (8 years) 6 months ago for a birthday party. Problem was, he didn't even know how to ride a bike until a day or 2 before it! After a crash course in the cul de sac, we went, and he actually tore it up for an hour before he ate it and threw in the towel...brought a tear to this old guy's eye... :ROTF:

Here's another name for you - Trashcan Morgan...

Neat! Like father like son

I remember driving past people's yards in the 80's and seeing these giant homemade half pipes built from lumber and plywood decking. A sight to see. You just don't see that much anymore. I wonder how the Olympics will have an effect on the sport?

[krimson]

Ahh...You guys are killing me. I wasn't into BMX racing but I enjoyed Freestyling with my friends.

I had GT Performer Pro with Skyway Mags, Oakley Grips, Odessy Gyro, and Dyno Detour Handelbars.

I also had a General Hustler and a Hustler Pro that I bought because R.L. Osborne was my favorite rider.

[Bri]

I raced, jumped and freestyled in the '70's and half the '80's. I don't walk so good now I still have my Torker with original Skyway Tuff Wheels and pedals, Oakley grips, and Haro plate. I miss flying, but I have to live vicariously by going to the X-games every year.

[Tashtego]

I lived on my bike from 10 - 14 or so, a Raleigh. Freestyle mostly, making or finding jumps, tricks, etc. I remember going to the local golf courses to do jumps off the tees in the evening until someone would notice and chase us. Getting chased was another big part of bmx-ing. Cops, angry joggers we threw shit at, etc. Red-lines and Diamond-backs were the bikes everyone wanted. Found one something like mine at this <link> bmx museum </link -- why dont links get colored?> site. Mine was blue and I modified it with alloy cranks, KKT's that I still have divots in my shins from, and an alloy double goose-neck and handle bars. I can't believe I still remember all this shit but I guess that's how important it was. Thanks for the thread.

[MOSHWITZ]

Hell yeah,,,i also lived on my bikes through the 80's,,i had Redline's and Hutch'es i remember all my freinds had cool ass bikes like GT's, PK's,,and how bout a quad angle,,anyone remember those,and all i had was a huffy, i had to skrimp as save and beg to get my first redline, then it was full on racing and frestyling,,and as Tashtego said,, raiding the golf courses and getting the chase on was the shit,,we wold always loose the cops by riding toward the train tracks and bunny hoppin over where their was no , or the nearest through street was a couple blocks down,,,yeah,,fun times there
I still have 2 hutches, one is a Trickstar, that is supposedly still in my sisters garage back in chicago,,the other is a Windstyler that is in my garage.i have often thought about bustin out the windstyler and fixing her up, maybe getting it re powder coated or something, it has the the frame, forks, the Hutch star and sprocket( not the orig. crank though) Z-Rims( that need re spoking) and IIRC there are Hutch Pro racer bars on it, although i have some Skyway bars and a Redline goose neck i thought about putting on there if i ever get around to it,,,,maybe i'll go scope it out later and take a pic or something.. Hell yeah great thread.

MOSHON
DAVE

[Bengal65]

Here's my 2 rides. They are both new 2008 Models. The SE Racing PK Ripper I bought for nostalga, although this is the "Team" with the trick rear subframe enhancements.
My Redline 24 Pro Flight is for the "Cruiser" class, a little more forgiving on old guy's. I'm training currently as my fitness is not what it used to be. If anybody needs the ultimate set of indoor rollers check out www.insideride.com. I just got these rollers yesterday to do indoor training. They are awesome. It's that time of year when it's getting too hot to ride outdoors:ROTF: Opposite of the North here.