RADBMX.CO.UK
Technical & Reference Section => Tech and Restoration => Topic started by: factory pilot on September 07, 2016, 05:43 PM
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(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160907/2565d462e12e7bd14c72aededbff8278.jpg)
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Okay, since I've been back into OSBMX these things keep turning up on bikes and being mentioned.
I personally have no recollection of them from BITD so what was the crack with these bad boys?
Did anybody have 'em or see then BITD?
I've seen them on race bikes but more so on Haro freestylers?
Did the original Gen 1s only come as a frameset?
Who was Jeff Bottema and what happened to him?
Please don't say ... "Google it"! Lol
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Ant,you really need to check your bmx history bud as this is bordering on ignorance.
Bottema was one of the OS OG heavyweights.He rode for Webco,DG,Raleigh & Murray.Toby Henderson's main bro & invented the forks to be bomb proof as was sick of snapping other brands..The most expensive forks BITD but worth it.No frames were made,he just manufactured the forks.He later made skatepark versions for freestylers who were also tired of snapping their forks.
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I heard that these forks were made by Vorris Dixon .. Is that true ? .. What were the years of production? Had Jeff stopped riding by then?
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Yeah Voris fabricated them for Jeff early on.Years available were around late 79- 84.Jeff retired from racing in 83 to become manager of the Murray team.
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Cheers bud and sorry for my ignorance .. I was well aware of the name but knew nothing of the details .. Didn't realise that they were around as late as that .. My knowledge of pre-82 BMX is very poor to be fair :-\
I thought he had some connection to Raleigh but my knowledge of Team Murray is very limited.
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Not a fan of Murray either as were mostly known for cheap badly made low end department store bikes.
Along w/Huffy who sold shed loads of cheap bikes,towards the end these companies had the money to afford big name pros like Bottema,Clark,& even big ole Stu!
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Just to add to that Voris only made the 1st gen Bottemas.Jeff was very picky about the welds being perfect & found out that Voris was selling 2nds that Jeff rejected out the back door so got someone else in to sort the welding after this.
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I didn't really know much about Jeff either, so you're not alone Ant! Another thing - how do pronounce the name?
Bot-e-ma, or more like Bot-eee-ma?
And before anyone asks, i'm NOT googling it! :LolLolLolLol: Prefer to keep it within these walls
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I've always pronounced it Bot-emma, probably wrong though!
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I've always pronounced it Bot-emma, probably wrong though!
That's what I thought Lee, and how I pronounce it
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I have a pair on my WHEELS Pro and had been saving them for when I found this frame. I remember viewing them as exotica BITD. Way too expensive for my folks back then, and hot property now... if you can find a set.
[attachment=1]
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Didn't Johnny Chopper make some accurate copies of these?
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I'm sure he did
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Sod the forks .............. I want that patch !!! :shocked: :shocked: "wantit"
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Why they look familiar to me ???
Is there a bike with something really similar I keep seeing :chin:
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Firkin awesome forks
And the correct pronunciation, bo-team-ar
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Firkin awesome forks
And the correct pronunciation, bo-team-ar
Thanks Chris. I presume Americans would pronounce the bo as in bo selector, whereas the brits would say bo as in bottle?
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http://bmxmuseum.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=705678
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Didn't Johnny Chopper make some accurate copies of these?
Yep, I had a prototype set with my prototype anniversary Gen1 I bought off Dom. Really wanted to keep the forks but they went with the frame.
I then had a set of newschool ones made by Greg Melms with my race Knightgoose when it arrived...... man they were seriously awesome but I sold them to pay for the Odyssey Directors I needed for it :'(
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa149/Spen69/IMG_7047.jpg)
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They also seem to be the fork of choice for the average Nomura builder too... Do a quick Google images search on 'Nomura bmx' and you'll see what i mean.
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$800!!! Holy shit .. That's serious money :shocked:
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That's been the going rate for quite some time now.... I got hold of mine around 7 years ago and they were pretty steep then. I'd live a pair of skatepark ones at some point, although I don't have anything needing forks at this stage.
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Try them with NOS Skyways and Comp IIs - not you're cheapest set up :'(
(http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r604/J44NCG/79%20Team%20Goose/79Motomag09_zps7672bfdc.jpg) (http://s1174.photobucket.com/user/J44NCG/media/79%20Team%20Goose/79Motomag09_zps7672bfdc.jpg.html)
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Try them with NOS Skyways and Comp IIs - not you're cheapest set up :'(
(http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r604/J44NCG/79%20Team%20Goose/79Motomag09_zps7672bfdc.jpg) (http://s1174.photobucket.com/user/J44NCG/media/79%20Team%20Goose/79Motomag09_zps7672bfdc.jpg.html)
:smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :coolsmiley: "wantit" "wantit" "wantit" "wantit"
Now I'm glad I started this thread !!!
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Firkin awesome forks
And the correct pronunciation, bo-team-ar
Thanks Chris. I presume Americans would pronounce the bo as in bo selector, whereas the brits would say bo as in bottle?
So is it pronounced ' bow-teema' .. ? Kinda cool 8)
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Coolest forks ever, I had a set on my 82 Quad and also a set of Race Bottemas too that I never used. I think Mick has got those now.
(http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/zz341/akgoff/B33A4FFA-69B6-4E85-B495-084460803E58_zpslsorhft1.jpg) (http://s842.photobucket.com/user/akgoff/media/B33A4FFA-69B6-4E85-B495-084460803E58_zpslsorhft1.jpg.html)
They don't last long when they finally do surface for sale though, A set just sold on the Museum.
Adam
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Love the look of bottema forks.
I had the poor mans version mcs forks
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Coolest forks ever, I had a set on my 82 Quad and also a set of Race Bottemas too that I never used. I think Mick has got those now.
(http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/zz341/akgoff/B33A4FFA-69B6-4E85-B495-084460803E58_zpslsorhft1.jpg) (http://s842.photobucket.com/user/akgoff/media/B33A4FFA-69B6-4E85-B495-084460803E58_zpslsorhft1.jpg.html)
They don't last long when they finally do surface for sale though, A set just sold on the Museum.
Adam
That was an amazing bike Adam. I remember seeing it on the Blackpool ride a few years ago. Unbelievable "wantit"
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Like Ant, I have no recollection of these from bitd but man, they're a nice bit of eye-candy! :daumenhoch:
Here's a set of the Skatepark ones on an '82 Patty - not mine I hasten to add but nonetheless flippin' gorgeous and worth a butcher's!! :smitten:
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m572/Trident393/BMX%20Stuff/Bottema%20skatepark%20forks.jpg) (http://s1132.photobucket.com/user/Trident393/media/BMX%20Stuff/Bottema%20skatepark%20forks.jpg.html)
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Remember them well; awesome forks that were bullet proof :daumenhoch:
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Great forks I had the M2 race versions ones with the smaller triangular dropouts which I sold a year or two back ( regret selling them) I still have some m1 ones but never got a frame on its own good enough for the forks , one of the nicest bikes I saw a set on not the dearest or anything is coastys supergoose pic below looked boss that did
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160911/f7a3b941af9a360f33dcdb6b75ba2677.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160911/34ec8e6fc13d6e942a33cb6425cfbc0e.jpg)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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They really are a sexy bit of kit.. They seem to transform whatever bike they are on "wantit"
Thanks Glen :daumenhoch:
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Found a few more images of the man himself and those gorgeous forks ...
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160913/1d0196dfdd6002bd9389839badbd0aeb.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160913/506124ddb230b9670cb465811d496cbb.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160913/28c6613765e06aba1676bb73d63ebdfa.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160913/cd3b908bfa0c25839b3e668e8d405aa1.jpg)
This is the photo I always associated with Bottema Forks myself ...
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160913/3674a1711f01766a3e953f0ea87b52d6.jpg)
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:daumenhoch:
Cool photo of Jeff Utterback on the left too. I want that jersey/race pants combo
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I too had never heard of them, so am ignorant also!
Erm....i am not to keen either, looks like someone has used cruiser forks and bodged a bracket on for a smaller wheel!
Each to their own..
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:shocked:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OLD-SCHOOL-BMX-BOTTEMA-M2-RACE-FORKS-ORIGINAL-VINTAGE-RARE-OG-CHROME-STICKERS-/122179597174?hash=item1c7278b376:g:QUsAAOSw-CpX~vBy
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Holy Crap .... Now that's an expensive set of forks !!!! :shocked:
They do look nice though ::)
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I too had never heard of them, so am ignorant also!
Erm....i am not to keen either, looks like someone has used cruiser forks and bodged a bracket on for a smaller wheel!
Each to their own..
I do remember them from magazines, I've never actually seen any in the flesh though. I'm with you on these not my cup of tea at all and ridiculously expensive too. But as you say each to their own.