So how many of us have Dads who started racing after the 'cruiser' got invented BITD? I never really knew how cool it was to have a pop who didn't mind hanging it all out there and having a good time...
Anyway the only bike I ever kept from all the old race bikes was the OM's GT, so he lives out of state now and I don't get to see him much, but this weekend he came to town and I surprised him with his old bike. He hadn't seen it in 25 years!



I guess you never forget how to ride? He even popped a little wheelie over the curb!

Oh yeah, he's about to turn 67.




Here's an action shot from about '82- same bike, mostly the same parts.. I tried to build it the same as it was when he raced it.



Anyone else's Dad race BITD?

That is totally awesome !!!

I can just hope my son will do something like that for me?
MB

We used to have a fathers race at every meeting. My dad would always grab my cruiser, which was first, a Supersport Harrier, and then later, like you, a 1982 GT 24. Unfortunately, I dont have any photos of him racing it.

Cool photos! It must be a buzz for your dad to ride the bike again. I know my dads eyes lit up a bit when he saw my GT 24 for the first time last year. Bought back a lot of memories.

Show us some close ups of the bike! That is of course, if you can get it back off your dad.... LOL

That is so cool !!!!!! What a great story !! Congratulations to you both!!!!!!

Yea! Awesome story! And good pics too. Thank you for sharing

Nice one! I'd like to say yeah my dad raced, but truth is, i dont think he even saw us race

That is so coooool great story!

killer .....

Great story, great pics.

Wow! First off let me say that is a VERY cool story and that is one H@LL of a bike too! That is what BMX is all about. I hope to share things like this with my son too. Second, it is refreshing to see a positive thread for a change!

Congratulations on the fond memories!

Classic. I can only hope my kids would do something like that for me.
Gotta love the second pic, look at that smile.

Should of put on a paper plate,that would of been hillarious.

[ July 20, 2006, 08:52 AM: Message edited by: Moosegoose Nick ]

My father didn't race, but he was there every time. He sponsored my friend and I with the full layout: leathers, jerseys, helmets...

I even remember after I got my Moped License (remember those?) and he drove my bike to the race for me, so that I could ride my moped there.

He won't read this, but if he did, I'd tell him he was the best dad a kid could ask for.

Awesome pictures and story.

Thats great.. thats what its all about.. having fun with a smile from ear to ear.. WELL DONE!!

Amen brother! Now that's showin em' how its done.

Very cool, you are lucky to have a father who is into the sport!!

Cool deal.......looks like your dad is still in great shape!

Dad's rule.....I hate to think what life would be like without mine! Great story and your Dad looks like he is doing well at 67!!!

thats great stuff man

Yeah, thanks - he is in good shape, he was playing statewide tournaments for senior league softball up until last year. He's living in Hawaii now, so probably the ocean air is agreeing with him..


The bike was at Roseville, I've got some pictures of the build process, but I really was waiting until Dad saw it first before posting it here.

He still is involved, he trys to listen to the online broadcasts of the ABA nationals that we attend, he used to help run the Watson and Hellyer BMX tracks, you know track official - staging, whatever was needed. My Mom used to do the signups and scoring at Orion / Hellyer / Watson / Aptos, all over.. so they definatley were involved.

If that bike had working brakes, he never would have got off it! The smile tells it all!

Chris

you and your dad put a smile on my face, thats a big part of this whole thing...great memories...hey give dad a big hug from all of us...thanks.

Great pics! Cool to see the huge smile.My Dad did race in 1980. He only raced 3x but that is still racing.All 4 of us kids also raced as well as a few neighborhood kids (on Dads bikes too!)now my daughter races she is a beginner still but she tries hard and hasn't gotten scared even after a few hard crashes.I will try to find pics of pops on his OM,Im sure we have some.

Nice thing about BMX was/is, you can be a true participant at any age....can't say the same for a lot of other sports.

yo thats hella hyphy

Nice bike and a nics story!

So does that mean that he was about 43 when he raced that 24"?

43 - yep I guess so, he was born in '39 (sorry Dad).

I think the class back then was like 25+ too!

Mostly that class was Dad's, at least around here. I know he made a couple national main events, Lancaster comes to mind..

Here's the OM class at Hellyer in '83



Thats Ray Rohm back there #63 - Tom Wallis (David Wallis Dad if anyone remembers him) #5916 pie plate.

Very cool. It looks like he get get back out there and not miss a beat!

Wow, that is the coolest thing ever! I love my dad but I wish we'd done more of the classic throw the ball and learn to ride the bike kind of stuff. Not too outdoorsy really. Dad into BMX just rocks the house!

You guys are both really lucky. Yeah man, your dad looks like he could whoop up on Jack La Lane!

Best post in a long time.

WOW......everybody about said it all.
the best part for me is that you and your father still get to share that father son relationship. very cool on both of your parts. we need more of that in this world.
GOD BLESS YOU BOTH.


RICK T.

[ July 23, 2006, 02:06 AM: Message edited by: TEAMRICK aka RICK TWOMEY ]

maurice.....please don't sell your dad short. i did and now i realize the true story and its to late for me to tell him. remember the good things he did do with you and tell him thank you and you love him. tell him today as tomorrow may be to late.
sorry everyone if i'm sounding to personal, but i know what it like to be to late to say what you feel.
GOD BLESS


RICK T.

[ July 23, 2006, 02:17 AM: Message edited by: TEAMRICK aka RICK TWOMEY ]

You are a good kid!

Rick, thanks for the good words of advice. I hear what you're saying. Reminds me and dad need to checkout the new King Kong together. Dad is a movie nut and hipped me to all the old sci fi flicks growing up so we're going to check that out. You reminded me that it's been out for a while now!

Chris,
That's a great story. Thanks for sharing.

I like the GT!

very cool, dads rock, gotta get him a pair of vans old school high tops loose the flip flops and let him really rip on that nice scoot......