Looking for info for first series Panda bike. Old clippings or magazine ads, pictures. Any help would be great.






[ August 11, 2006, 01:03 PM: Message edited by: NorCal74 ]

Panda MX-3 Probably 1974 or early 1975 (later 75 models had slightly different struts and saddle. Had a tank and fender. They were importing those things waay after everyone had gone to a conventional BVMX frame. Dave Busby and others raced those things (with a non-suspended triple three fork) into 76 I believe. Eventually Panda caught on and went to a more BMX looking frame..

On a side note, one of those Pandas was given as a prize for the saturday super series ran at Saddleback and WSA and promoted by our very own Scot (OM) Birdtrap.

Thanks for a little history, Fred FredBurger....lol I mean, Rick, Randy S. know's of some non-supended forks, but I'm keeping it as is...unless it's wrong.

It's not wrong. The MX-2 had non-suspended fork and the MX-4 had front and rear suspension

I don't think the seat is right, everyone I ever saw had a bananna seat. You already know that the bars are wrong. That the wheels are correct is the big thing, the drum brake is something you just can substitute. But the main problem with the bike is the location, that bike really should be in Grass Valley.

Rick, I have a sticker on my toolbox from those races. I think I found it in 1990 when we were moving Panda out of the Shary Ct. building. It has that picture of Busby sliding sideways with motocross boots on that bike.

Cannot help with history, but that is a cool ride.

I raced a 79 pro am (still have it) and I did not know that Panda had history from the early 70s. Wow.

VBMX, Always educational!

Randy....quit bustin my chop's..lol. Can you post that picture of Busby. As for the bar's, I know they're wrong, but I'm not sure what bar's it came with. I guess the same for the seat..although, it looks just as old as the bike. See the rear drum (attached) I guess it's sort of an early quick change.

Hmmm...the MX-4 came with the same "loaf" saddle summer 75. I might be wrong but I do believe both the MX-2 and 3 came with the loaf seat early on and then was changed to a regular banana seat. That seat looks original to me including the use of the "reverse" facing seat post saddle clamp.

And yes, the purpose of that rear wheel was for "quick" changes

[ August 11, 2006, 03:46 PM: Message edited by: Reilley1 ]

That 3 speed thing never made any sense to me, you'd have to shorten the chain to do anything with it. Knowing Gilbert pretty well, my guess would be that in Taiwan someone made a derailleur 3 speed that never took off and he got them cheap. At one point I had some of the original 8x10s of the MX4 like the one I sold to Scott Barrette. I think there might have been one of an MX2 or 3 also. I gave most of them to Scott and Gork 15 years ago, they might have one of that bike fresh off the boat.

There are a few pictures in some of the early BMX News' and I have 3 issues of a Nor Cal newspaper called "High Gear" that I know has some good photos. I will try to scan some next week.

[ August 11, 2006, 03:51 PM: Message edited by: RandyS ]

I have a pic of Busby at Merritt College around 75 but he is on a different Panda frame with rigid triple clamp forks, sorry I can't post it. He's wearing MX boots, he did that for awhile. I raced against him alot back in 75-76.

MX boots might have been a good idea there, of course they don't help much when you go head first over the expert berm. People can say what they want about todays riders being more extreme but nobody at an ABA national or the X Games has ever had to worry about death cause by being impaled on a manzinita bush.

A couple of shots from the Thawley book.

Busby:



Bike:

I was thinking the early ones had a cotter pin crank but couldn't remember for sure. Yours is the second version, maybe that is the original seat.

That pic. of Busby just reaks what it was like in the early day's. Everything emulated MX. Those bars on the MX-2 look like the same one's that were used on the Kawasaki's. This is some good info guy's, keep it coming.

Yes, yes...keep it coming.
I'm really digging all the early-to-mid 70's pics/infos/stories. As Ronald McDonald said, "I'm lovin' it!"

RandyS, "Prine" info, as always. The Thawley book, "How to Win Bicycle Motocross" is from 1974, so that is some old bizness right there.

my joke is not as funny with the typo. "Prime" info, Randy, ya get it?

I just assumed Steve made the typo.

Hello everybody, I'm the owner and designer of the first Panda bikes from 1973 to 1975. I highered Busby and Dave Scott for or first race team.

Panda was first to have the freewheel, screw in bearing cups, drum brakes, 120 guage spokes, raise letter knobbes, anodized hand brakes, hydrolic shocks, gold chain, standered 1/4 inch automotive ball bearing, and I think thats it.

The 3 gears in the rear axle is so that Busby could change gears in one minute dependind on track conditions, like hills or flat grass. You could just slide the axle forward or back. I thought this was a good idea.

Randell, Panda Bike owner