What "Muscle Bike" did you have as a kid?

[Magnumcharger]

Muscle Bike: Built in the late 60's to early 70's. Usually had a banana seat, sissy bar, ape-hangers (or monkey bars), may have been a single speed, or multi-speed (with ball-busting shifter), and most definately came with Red-line tires!
Being a Canadian, I had the obligitory CCM bike, in this case the "Mustang"...with redlines.
I'm certain this started the whole Musclecar business off with me.
How about yourself?

[dads_69]

Schwinn Stinray. Gold w/a white banana seat, big chrome handle bars. Rear tire was a slick w/chrome spoke wheels. Those were the days...

[BrianShaughnessy]

'69 Schwinn Orange Krate.    Brand new cost about $91 and change.  16" front wheel on a springer w/ drum brake,  seat shocks,  5 speed. 

Now they're collector items.   I've seen them over $1K at swap meets.   

Not mine... googled pic.

[Magnumcharger]

I think the Orange Crate was the holy grail of Muscle Bikes!!!
This was a CCM (lesser) equivelent....with ball basher shifter.

Pic courtesy of:
http://www.geocities.com/chopper10speed/readersbikes.html

[General_01]

I did not have a "muscle bike". I had a Huffy BMX Thunder bike. The bike is off the net. I don't have one of mine. The bikes you guys had look way cooler the the one I had.

[Magnumcharger]

They were pretty damned cool!
I remember some of these bikes actually came with slicks on the rear wheel!!

[Old Moparz]

A Raleigh Chopper

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,18836.0.html

[moparstuart]

'69 Schwinn Orange Krate.    Brand new cost about $91 and change.  16" front wheel on a springer w/ drum brake,  seat shocks,  5 speed. 

Now they're collector items.   I've seen them over $1K at swap meets.   

Not mine... googled pic.

I had the orange crate also and a girl friend of mine had a red apple crate

  I love the seat shocks and the small front tire  easy for popping wheelies

[Red Ram]

AMF Aerobee...white letter slicks and Superbee emblem...is it any wonder why I like Mopars!!!

[mikesbbody]

A Raleigh Chopper

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,18836.0.html

I had one too mine was yellow i got it for xmas when i was a kid I went down the steepest hill i could find on xmas day, got the speed woobles (probably because of the smaller front wheel) I wrecked hard and smashed the ..t out of the bike  I was in hospital on xmas day 

[RallyeMike]

You guys have good memories. Mine was red, white and blue with a banana seat, ball buster 3-speed, and flat slick rear. No springer or red-lines     I have no idea what model it would have been.

[bull]

You guys have good memories. Mine was red, white and blue with a banana seat, ball buster 3-speed, and flat slick rear. No springer or red-lines     I have no idea what model it would have been.

Yea, good memories. Mine sounds just like Mike's above but it was root beer brown. The rear slick inspired me to outfit it with a parachute so I could slow down quicker during my time trials. I broke the frame in half one day as me and a buddy were trying to ride our bikes on a frozen creek.

[BMOTOXSTAR]

 Mongoose FS1.
I will try to find a pic post.
I was born in 74', so I was riding bikes right when the freestyle/BMX craze really hit.
As long as you had pegs and a "gyro" you were set.

[hemigeno]

I had a blue Western Auto single speed "Buzz Bike" very similar in style to Magnumcharger's (same handle bars, banana seat & rear support, and same splash guards exactly).  Instead of redlines, it had a white letter rear slick that read "The Wide One", but I think the front tire on mine was plain (could have had a redstripe?).  After my dad saw how quickly I wore that rear tire out, he made me change all my own bike tires.  Yep, I went through several of those     Broke the front forks twice, and had many pedal changes from jumping.  I know I took years off my mom's life from her suddenly seeing me flash by the kitchen window with one foot on the frame and one on the banana seat "surfing" down the sidewalk.  I had other bikes, but that was the muscle-bike of mine anyway.

My cousin (same cousin that bought the used '69 Charger that started my passion for IIGens) had a customized buzz bike with apehanger handles, loooooong extended front forks, tiny front wheel, with the high sissy bar, etc.  I actually thought that thing was much harder to ride, but I asked to drag it out every time we visited them.  After all, it was way cooler looking than mine...   

[Charger_Fan]

I had an orange Schwinn Stingray with a slick on the back.
I always wanted a "ball buster three speed", but never got one. I used to drop my bananna in the back & tilt the ape hangars forward, so I rode hunched over...which worked great until I rode it off a jump & the bars rolled forward upon landing...effectively putting me on my face in front of the bike!

[The70RT]

BF Goodrich. Yeah they made some cool ones with metal flake paint jobs 

[PocketThunder]

What is the sissy bar?  Is that the bar behind the seat?   i was born in 75 so the bmx craze was more my era.

[Charger_Fan]

What is the sissy bar?  Is that the bar behind the seat?

Yes.

[my73charger]

My first new bike was a Huffy Thunder Road.  Before that I had a bike made up of several other bikes and sporting a banana seat and a sissy bar.


1978 Huffy Thunder Road

[Old Moparz]

A Raleigh Chopper

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,18836.0.html

I had one too mine was yellow i got it for xmas when i was a kid I went down the steepest hill i could find on xmas day, got the speed woobles (probably because of the smaller front wheel) I wrecked hard and smashed the ..t out of the bike  I was in hospital on xmas day 

Sorry, but as long as you can tell the story, it's pretty damn funny.  

My next door neighbor was telling me about how his Dad taught him to ride a bike when he lived in San Francisco as a kid. I suppose his Dad was either a bit sadistic, or didn't care, or maybe just dumb. He took him out to a street with a big hill, which I hear is fairly common in SF, kept him balanced, then gave him a shove. He said he was doing okay at first with the momentum from being pushed, then picked up speed until a chain link fence put an end to his debut ride.  

[my73charger]

A Raleigh Chopper

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,18836.0.html

I had one too mine was yellow i got it for xmas when i was a kid I went down the steepest hill i could find on xmas day, got the speed woobles (probably because of the smaller front wheel) I wrecked hard and smashed the ..t out of the bike  I was in hospital on xmas day 

Sorry, but as long as you can tell the story, it's pretty damn funny.  

My next door neighbor was telling me about how his Dad taught him to ride a bike when he lived in San Francisco as a kid. I suppose his Dad was either a bit sadistic, or didn't care, or maybe just dumb. He took him out to a street with a big hill, which I hear is fairly common in SF, kept him balanced, then gave him a shove. He said he was doing okay at first with the momentum from being pushed, then picked up speed until a chain link fence put an end to his debut ride.  

  I wonder how long it was before his dad said...Oh Sh#$!

[Magnumcharger]

Geez, I did the same thing to my (former) best friend!!

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

I also had the obligatory Huffy BMX bike with the plastic mags but the one bike I really wanted & got for my 8th or 9th birthday (late 70's)was the bike that was copied after a motorcycle.  It had a plastic gas tank, wide banana seat, rear coil spring shocks & front fork shocks.  the bike weighed a TON!!
I remember jumping it off ramps & getting literally thrown off the seat from the recoil of the shocks in the rear!  Good times!
I wish I can find a pic.... 

[Old Moparz]

I also had the obligatory Huffy BMX bike with the plastic mags but the one bike I really wanted & got for my 8th or 9th birthday (late 70's)was the bike that was copied after a motorcycle.  It had a plastic gas tank, wide banana seat, rear coil spring shocks & front fork shocks.  the bike weighed a TON!!
I remember jumping it off ramps & getting literally thrown off the seat from the recoil of the shocks in the rear!  Good times!
I wish I can find a pic.... 

Yamaha, right?

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

for the life of me Bob, i cant remember who made it.....it was black with a red tank, chrome coil shocks, and a number plate on the handle bars (number 1 I think)

[Old Moparz]

for the life of me Bob, i cant remember who made it.....it was black with a red tank, chrome coil shocks, and a number plate on the handle bars (number 1 I think)

There were these twin brothers about a year or so younger than me who had that bicycle you're talking about. Theirs were yellow, fake gas tank, the number plate on the front, & I'm almost sure it said Yamaha on it. I thought it looked pretty wild, but it also looked very heavy.

I can't find a photo either, but this is close....

http://www.bmxnonstop.com/oldschool/74yamamoto.htm

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Nope Bob thats not it.....I found this thread that describes it perfectly...even gives it a name but I cant find a pic

Graco MX 1000

http://www.thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=1435&highlight=Graco+1000

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

FOUND IT!!!

Mine had a black frame though

[Old Moparz]

FOUND IT!!!

Mine had a black frame though

Okay, that looks close, but still a little different than the one that I had seen. (I think?) I don't even know If I'd know it if I did see it....LOL

Here's a vintage bicycle site where you can search by name, year, style, etc....

http://www.oldroads.com/tool_dispb.asp

[WingCharger]

I have a Yamaha Breeze  125cc crap quad. Thing cant even do a burnout. That is the reason for the  for sale sign.

[Charger_Fan]

I have a Yamaha Breeze  125cc crap quad.

That's not a bike.

[mikesbbody]

A Raleigh Chopper

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,18836.0.html

I had one too mine was yellow i got it for xmas when i was a kid I went down the steepest hill i could find on xmas day, got the speed woobles (probably because of the smaller front wheel) I wrecked hard and smashed the ..t out of the bike  I was in hospital on xmas day 

Sorry, but as long as you can tell the story, it's pretty damn funny.  

My next door neighbor was telling me about how his Dad taught him to ride a bike when he lived in San Francisco as a kid. I suppose his Dad was either a bit sadistic, or didn't care, or maybe just dumb. He took him out to a street with a big hill, which I hear is fairly common in SF, kept him balanced, then gave him a shove. He said he was doing okay at first with the momentum from being pushed, then picked up speed until a chain link fence put an end to his debut ride.  

  I wonder how long it was before his dad said...Oh Sh#$!

yeah i can laugh at it now  of course i was bummed at the time my dad wasnt too please iether! the funny part was i was riding with my sister, she had no idea i wrecked and kept on going without me!

[71_Charger_R/T]

AMF Aerobee...white letter slicks and Superbee emblem...is it any wonder why I like Mopars!!!

I had an Aerobee too! it was the Aerobee Renegade. It had a Bee that looked much like a cross between the Scat Pack bee and a Super Bee. Here is a picture but it's hard to see the Bee real well



I also had a Huffy Sling Shot that had a cool chain guard that resembled the "Machine gun" exhaust tips of a familiar Muscle car




I guess I've always had a Mopar influenced mode of transportation

[mikesbbody]

Mongoose FS1.
I will try to find a pic post.
I was born in 74', so I was riding bikes right when the freestyle/BMX craze really hit.
As long as you had pegs and a "gyro" you were set.

That was me too! i was born in 71 i had numerous bmx's fresstyle bikes i was into flatland for many years i guess the old schwinns alot of guys here had were the "first" bmx's?

[Brock Samson]

Schwinn Fastback Stingray





one of the biggest regrets of my life was selling that bike.

did you see this?..

adult sized Schwinn Stingray Spoiler...

[Magnumcharger]

 

[chargerboy69]

I had several BMX bikes as I raced them semi-pro when was I was a kid.

I used GT's starting out and then I switch to Hutch BMX bikes. I had a few Mongoose, Redline, Ripper and Haro bikes just for riding, but always loved Hutch. Several of those old late 80's bikes bring a few thousand dollars each these days.

[mikesbbody]

I had several BMX bikes as I raced them semi-pro when was I was a kid.

I used GT's starting out and then I switch to Hutch BMX bikes. I had a few Mongoose, Redline, Ripper and Haro bikes just for riding, but always loved Hutch. Several of those old late 80's bikes bring a few thousand dollars each these days.

I had GT's, Haro's, a dyno a mongoose, never had a redline or a SE, also had rider owner bikes like standard had a morales too.
I raced bmx as a young dude later got into flatland freestyle and yes, some of those bikes from the 80's are worth $ now like the hutch trick star i had.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

If you had a Redline you were the shiznit in my neighborhood...I rode a Huffy

[bill440rt]

Hey, don't feel bad. I had a Huffy for a while, looked a bit like a motorcycle (fake gas tank, fenders, etc). Took a big jump, cracked the frame.
My parents let me step it up to a Mongoose after that. I think they sold it at a garage sale for like $15 bucks or something. 

[chargerboy69]

some of those bikes from the 80's are worth $ now like the hutch trick star i had.

Cool, nice to see a fellow ex-racer on here.

I watched a NOS Trickstar frame and fork sell for almost $6000.00 on E-Bay. Six frickin grand.

I remember going in to the local bike shop that sponsered me and being able to get the entire bike for $225.00.

[The70RT]

I seen an NOS orange crate seat go for almost a grand on ebay

[mikesbbody]

some of those bikes from the 80's are worth $ now like the hutch trick star i had.

Cool, nice to see a fellow ex-racer on here.

I watched a NOS Trickstar frame and fork sell for almost $6000.00 on E-Bay. Six frickin grand.

I remember going in to the local bike shop that sponsered me and being able to get the entire bike for $225.00.

6000.00! holly dyke! the frame platform stuck out abit too much for some of the tricks i was doing so i cut it back...I guess no different than guys back in the day who butchered their cars with little thought. I had a custom paint job for that bike then sold it to a guy who was known for being hard on bikes...sure enough he broke it in half  I still have a few pics of that bike but no scanner.

[greenpigs]

I had a blue\silver Schwinn Stingray but that was around 83-84 a bit after the banana seat era. The first "real" bike I had was a GT blue - GT Pro Performer that I spent all my paper route money on building from magazines. 

[Kevin69RTvert]

Back in the late 70s to late 80s we raced BMX. Started out with a 77 Huffy and moved up from there. Then a Robinson, GT Pro, Hutch Pro Racer, another GT. My brother had the really trick stuff though. While I was OK, he was awesome. I'm still trying to find the one off TNT mini frame and fork that was made for him when he was sponsored by them.

I look at what some of those parts are selling for on ebay and I cringe at the thought of what we tossed out years ago.

-Kevin

[Orange_Crush]

Mine

[Orange_Crush]

What I raced in the eighties:

[NorwayCharger]

I had one DBS Apache and a DBS Tomahawk
This was bikes produced in Norway in the 70´s

[BigRed66]

for the life of me Bob, i cant remember who made it.....it was black with a red tank, chrome coil shocks, and a number plate on the handle bars (number 1 I think)

I'm at work, so I can't see all the pictures, but it sounds like you had the same bike as me. It was made by Raleigh, was red with a black, fat, long BMX seat. It had actual front forks; shocks like a dirtbike, rear spring shocks, a black "1" two-sided triangle number plate above the chain in the space between your legs, and a removeable "1" front number plate with a padded front bar. Plus it had a red plastic "gas tank" that said "Rampar" (I loved that, because it was so close to MOpar) on both sides. I was just talking about it the other day with my dad. I'll hafta post pictures when I get home. My dad said that at the time, that bike was waaaay more expensive than the bikes of the day. I used to jump EVERYTHING with that bike. 4-foot wall drops were my favorite. Ahhhh, youth....wasted on the young...

[mikesbbody]

What I raced in the eighties:

That bike would be worth some bucks now 

[1FastCharger]

Some cool bikes there. I had a Wester Flyer Ramrod. I got rid of it when I upgraded to a 10 speed. What a dumbass.....I wish I still had it now.

[68RT4ME]

I had a Columbia Center console 3 speed, yellow with a black banana seat, Chrome forks, small from wheel and a slick in back. The shifter was chrome too with a black knob, chrome sissy bar. Kinda looked like the Schwin model but in Yellow. I remember going to the local bike shop with my Father. I think I was in the 4Th grade. He bought it for me brand spanking new and I was the hot shot in the hood back then.    We bought and I put a  black kind of motorized box with a grip built into it and when you twisted the grip, it reved up like a motorcycle. Very cool upgrade back then 

It ran the quarter in about 48 seconds....lol 

We moved to another neighborhood a couple years later. By then I modified it into a chopper and some punk kid in the new hood stole it for some other friends along with my brothers bike. We gave him a beatin but never got the bike back. It was my favorite bike all time.

[1FastCharger]

Sorry to dig up a dead thread, but this got me thinking about the Ramrod I used to have. After doing a lot of internet searching I finally found one on Ebay. A little negotiating and I am once again a Ramrod owner. My wife went to pick the bike up on her day off. I was thinking "OH Crap - I am going to be too big to ride it." Well, I look a little funny, but I can ride it!!

[jb666]

I used to think my Redline MX11 was the coolest thing in the world.. When I saved up enough to buy my DOUBLE GOOSENECK, watch out world, here I come!!! 

[Khyron]

I had a Columbia BMX.. wonder If I can google that.

... nope.

[TheGhost]

I had a Huffy with a couple of playing cards stuck into the spokes of the rear wheel.  You weren't cool if you didn't have those.

[skip68]

I had some kind of yellow bike with the yellow banana seat! (Probably a huffy), but I preferred my "Green Machine" with the side brakes that made you spin and slide!  It was so cool! Yes, I was a tomboy!   

Mrs.Skip68

[69bronzeT5]

Chuck had this bike!  I'm just screwing with 'ya Chuck 

[FlatbackFanatic]

I had a Sears Spyder Stingray bike. It was all chrome, a cheater slick, sissy bar, a white banana seat with red flames, and it was a three speed with a "T" shifter. Very fun bike. That was in the late sixties, early seventies.

[1969chargerrtse]

Mine was a 1968 Murray F3 eliminator.  3 speed stick on the console, metallic blue, sissy bar, metalflake banana seat, and rear slick.  I LOVED that bike, I got it new when I was 14 and rode it everyday.

[Magnumcharger]

So...what we need as adults ~ a cool bike to ride!
One with:
1. Metalflake
2. Redlines
3. Shifters
4. other trick stuff, as required.

I'm about to buy another bike for driving to work, I wonder if there's anything that looks cool anymore? (For a 46 yr old guy, anyway.)

[1FastCharger]

Hey Magnum, how would you look on this??

[Magnumcharger]

Hey Magnum, how would you look on this??

Tougher than shit!! But pedalling it up a hill.....?

[1FastCharger]

It surely needs to have more than one gear. Maybe a setup like on the autobike would be cool.

[jb666]

My buddy likes to cruise around on this, and he's cool 

[Ponch ®]

I had a BiMex (Bicicletas Mexicanas) Vagabundo bike at our house in Mexico that I would roam around in during the summers I spent there. It was absolutely the coolest bike I ever owned. I always wanted to bring it over here, but my parents wouldn't let me cuz it was too big and heavy to bring by plane. They just figured it was cheaper to buy me a bike here. I don't know what happened to it - probably got "lost" after the house was sold a long time ago.

Found this pic on the Mexican eBay. Hmmm...the bidding is only at about $150  .
Mine was just like it, but a B5-ish blue.



Otherwise, when I was a kid (in the late 80's / early 90's) I was REALLY into GT bikes. I didn't race them or anything, I just thought they were the shit. Chrome frame, 5 spoke black plastic rims...

[charger_cody]

MONGOOSE FTW 

[maxwellwedge]

CCM Mustang. 3-speed, Banana seat, high handlebars and sissy bar. I think it was gold. No Schwinn's sold into Canada back then....none that I ever saw anyway.

A few (as in lots) years later I bought the Yamaha V-Max 1'st year of production....It looked like a 2 wheeled musclecar and I had to get it.

[Fitz73Chrgr]

I had one of these, but burnt orange metallic.  Saved up all my money so I could buy it.



I thought I was a pretty good BMX rider...in reality I sucked!

I still have the bike...up in the attic I think. It's pretty torn up. 

[captnsim]

This is a bike 

[Magnumcharger]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheelie_bike

[greenpigs]

Found a picture of what mine looked liked except I had matching blue tires.

http://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/gt_bicycles/27929

[chargerboy69]

Found a picture of what mine looked liked except I had matching blue tires.

http://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/gt_bicycles/27929

Those GT's are sweet bikes.  I would have a room full of these old bikes, but being 6'4", there is no way I could fit on a 20" bike.

Now a 24" cruiser, maybe.  But trying to find a nice Hutch or GT cruiser under $2000.00. . nope.

[Magnumcharger]

Not that I've been looking, but for whatever reason, I've taken an interest in these old bikes, years after the fact.
I guess it might have something to do with getting older and reviewing your past.

Either way, Here's a couple of neat bike pictures I had forwarded to me recently.
I'm not surprised to see that these bikes have recently developed a strong following, especially given that the age of the original owners would be approximately 50 by now!

[Neal_J]

Yet another Schwinn Stingray.   Hand-me-down from older brother:  blue, white banana seat with silver metalflake, rear slick, tall sissy bar, coaster brake.    Used to jump off the church steps (3' high) for distance.

For a time, it had a plastic "motor" that created a revving noise.  My dad installed it specifically on my bike to annoy the old man that lived next door. 

Good times...