I'm always amazed by how far people will go to build a 100% factory ride, especially the Hutch guys with their seat clamps and stems. It really is cool if you love the mfg, and the vintage car guys do it all the time, but did any of the famous bmx riders BITD ride factory stock bikes? I always custom ordered things like the bars and cranks. I didn't know anyone with SE bars on a PK ... and everyone knew Takagi one-piece cranks were better than Aerospeeds on a Hutch.

What's your take on this? Are people collecting matching parts because it's fun to own an all "factory" bike or did they ride bikes like that BITD?

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[ May 06, 2006, 09:20 AM: Message edited by: P.K. and Hutch ]

All of the above and then some.

We always upgraded BITD. CW bars, tuffnecks better cranks, wheels. I never looked at factory bikes that much unless I was thinking how cool it would be to have that frame and fork with my parts. One of the coolest bikes I remember was at our local Schwinn dealer, it was a trade in, a Patterson long with z rims, tuffneck,CW bars and other little goodies. It even had a few different colors going on but I loved it, it had something the other bikes didn't.....personality.

That's the way I build my bikes now. Hodge podge of parts (good one's) and I love them 'cause that's how i would've done it then.

I eventually talked my buddy into buying that Patterson and it was sick! Wish I knew where it went....

Manyaxes -
I agree, that's how I used to do it and do it now. But I can see how owning a complete SE whatever or Hutch would be cool. There seems to be a huge amount of demand for those Hutch stems and yet I never knew anyone who had one. Everyone rode with Tuff/Pro-Necks. Maybe I'm from the wrong time period.

I for one love factory builds! In my opinion it is harder to find the exact part when it might not have been that abundant! Like the aftermarket stuff was made in high quantities. It makes it that much more rewarding to have it factory correct. This is only my opinion guys! I know some of the aftermarket parts were higher quality.

Dan

[ May 06, 2006, 04:38 PM: Message edited by: DansHaros ]

I agree too,, I would mostly buy f+f combos cause the factory bike came with to much stuff that I didnt like,, And I figured that I can spend the money on custom or upgraded stuff like cranks and wheels+tires and stuff,, I do however like the bikes these guys are restoring to factory,, I think its more of a challenge to get it that way,, But my style remains the same. I have only one restored bike to factory and the rest have all the nice upgraded stuff I like,, and btw , I was one of the people BITD that just HAD to have that hutch stem! In fact I think that Hutch was the only bike that I would of bought as a total bike from the local shop, cause it had all the right stuff!! excluding the later hutch's.. Im talking like the prostar, proracer, etc.. I think there was something about the geometry with my bike when I was using the famous "H" stem , I used it on all my riders back then even when I statred getting into 1/4 pipes and pool riding!!

Props to the guys who do the factory "oe" builds, its awesome to see these bikes the way they were in the ads and @ the shops, I always do my builds the same way I did'em BITD though, and I mix'em up...

"its all good"

I admire the catalog builds. Very impressive, but not something I would do personally. I build them just like I did way back when -- to ride. I even mix in a few new school parts where it makes sense (better brakes, especially). I'm nostalgic, but no purist.

Most high end stuff was sold as a F/F only anyway, so generally they were built up custom. I owned two Hutches back in the day, on both bikes the only thing Hutch was the frame and fork. Built to suit my own requirements and/or taste.
Although I gotta admit, alfa's all-CBR Cook Bros. is the bomb!!! I guess that would be the exception.

I never did care much for factory parts. They were outsourced anyway. Upgrading to the parts that were hot and the ones you liked was key and still is.

Well the bikes i had or wanted were never all factory... as in my mcs now.. just the F & F are MCS.. the rest is parts i wanted to have to race and win...
Now to get my feet wet in this.. hobby... collector... vintage.. build up stuff...


I have bougjht one of the Skyway Street Beats... i never really wantd one BITD, i raced.. not much of a free styler
But i want to trey and restore one..just to see what it takes.. what i can do with it.. etc...
I see alot of people are into this for money... i assume i will just waste money.. hopefully along the way i will meet people like me who are into for nostalga and not looking to turn a buck on me and hook me up with the parts i need for the right prices..

But My very First bike was an 87 or 86 Haro Group One RS-1.. and i want one for me completely stock...

my mcs, I want to restore it.. back the way i had it.. and i want a TA.. the way i would have raced it... and or.. I want some kind of Rider.. maybe an old school with newr better parts...

I build with what I can get and the best possible stuff I can afford. I try to keep it period correct but if I see something that I like it goes on the bike!

I don't think i ever bought a complete bike either... and if i found a set-up that i liked, i usually would recycle from frame to frame build, since most had the same or close to the same geometry....