There are many old BMX bikes displayed on this site, but only a few are lucky enough to be voted "Best of" any given category at the Rockford gathering. I'd like to reserve this thread to Rockford winners, past and present, in this thread. I am very grateful to own a bike that has won twice. I proudly display the awards I have won for "Best 80's" in my home. It is a two time winner. I have owned this bike for over 23 years now. It's funny to think about how it has gone from state-of the-art racing equipment, to obsolete has-been, to cherished collectible. My bike is about 98% original finish (the only thing I had plated was the pedal cages and my dad did it in '86. all other chrome is original), and the custom polishing was done mostly by me with my dad BITD. I never -in a million years- expected BMX bikes to become collectible. I just kept this bike because it was an important part of my past and I thought maybe I will pass this on to my kids (yeah right ).

I know many of you have seen it...Well, here it is:














Let's see the Rockford award winners!!!!

Interesting topic.

You know, if I was going to trade one of my Stings off for something "not-Sting", I'm thinking that little Corn-fed gem right there might be it.... I can look at JMC's all day long.

The only thing that could make a JMC more elegant imo, would be to ovalize some of the tubing and hand braze and polish the welds. .....Wouldn't that be a thing of beauty!? Part Sting, part JMC...That'd be a sick ride! Except you'd have never ridden it, you'd just look at it and admire it all day! (kinda like we do now, lol)

Cornfed,

I have admired your DY many times, and often thought "wow, a lot of work has gone into that build". Well, to read the whole story, makes that even more of a bike.

That is one of the nicest, full on race bikes I have ever laid eyes on.

I had those bars (DY's) on my Kuwahara KZ bitd, and they are the nicest feeling Pro bars I have ever raced width. Perfect height, sweep and rise for me. Sadly, mine cracked along the tubes, out from the stem, and they ended up in a dumpster (argh!). Mine had the Darrell Young script rub on, but not the round decal on the other side.

Regardless, that is one helluva of bike

This is a great topic as I have always wondered what bikes won at Rockford over the years that they have held the event. Hopefully others will post there winning builds. Cornfed that DY is the best I have seen I never get enough of seeing it.

ahhhhh... chrome! Look at that chrome!!
Sweet bike for certain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a disgusting display of abject hardworking knowledge and complete thouroughness of purpose. It's unfair to the averagely obsessed for you to be flaunting such perfection with zero regard for our weakness of effort and our feeble attempts!

Heh heh heh. For some reason I just felt like a little inane running on there....babbling some may say...

Great thread and looking forward to more!

That bike is simply gorgeous.

Hey, what class was that 1985 NBL national number earned in? I have a plate just like it.

Best Pre '83 Freestyle '07

now this is a thread i really wish i could post pics on, i will be at rockford trying to get one in 08. im gonna bring several very nice 80's freestyle bikes.

that JMC is just plain sick, easy to see how you won twice now. the haro is beautiful also.

Chris, it was 16X.

Nice Haro!

Thanks guys...Keep them coming!!!

That JMC is certainly awesome!

As is the Haro - VERY cool.
I still blame Dana Duke for the colour of the grips though....

Bump...

C'mon man, help a brutha out. Astronoskipper? Shingle? Tim? Bueller?

My pics just cannot compete with these... LOL...
I need to pull that Redline 30th outta the garage, dust it off, and take some shots....
dansharos gets the photography award...
cornfed.... I'll say it again. that chrome is beautiful!! the stem, and BB pics are just crazy....

What a beautiful JMC. I don't think they looked that good when they were sitting in the bike shop!

I have one of those '85 NBL Zeronine plates, too. Won it on a 1983 Patterson cruiser. Raffled that bike off to benefit a local track. Wish I had that bike back... LOL.

Great thread guys!

Well, I'm not a Tim or a Shingle but heres the one that beat them both, lol, just kidding guys...

2004 Best Looptail, 1978 SE Racing JU-6. Currently only known existing roundtube tube JU-6, repaired by Jeff Utterback himself, original decals from Mr. Utterback as well.

Cornfed, that DY is one of my all-time favorites. The Haro is amazing as well, very detailed and accurate.

Beautiful JU-6, Alex. That wheelset is perfect.

Here's the '05 "Best 80's 20"" class winner. A replica of the bike I raced in 1981-1982. My original Comp II and unrestored crankset were used for the build.



And '07 "Best Pit" class winner. S/N P16 2 (2nd pit built). Original finish on all parts.



Group shot:


And finally, the awards. Designed, manufactured, and assembled by our very own Hal Marshman.


[ August 18, 2007, 06:24 PM: Message edited by: Tanker Kranker ]

I know that the retro bike awards are not the most coveted of the weekend, but I enjoy building them since you can actually take them out on the track and enjoy them from time to time.

Best Retro Cruiser - 2003, Azusa Black Shadow


Best Pitbike - 2004, Skunkwerks Quad Pit


Best Retro Cruiser - 2004, Skunkwerks 24" Quad (and still my racer to this day)


Best Retro Cruiser - 2006, Kappa 24" Quad


I had two more cool retros for Rockford 2007 but had to cancel the trip at the last minute - maybe next year.

- Bob

Nice Bob!

Bob, I do believe you are the only 4 time Rockford winner!! ANyone else win four times??

I think Shinglehead won at least 4 times!

Mr. V?

Yep. 4 years and 6 awards. 1 in '01, 2 in '02, 2 in '03, and 1 in '04.

[ September 13, 2007, 06:56 AM: Message edited by: Jeff V ]