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Old School BMX 1980 - 1988 => Old School Freestyle (frame stands and kickturns galore!) => Topic started by: Maurice Meyer on September 25, 2007, 07:46 AM

Title: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: Maurice Meyer on September 25, 2007, 07:46 AM
This one is for my mates in the UK.  The bike's been done for a while but I finally got the writeup done right.  This is the bike I brought to Europe on tour in 1984.  It's an '84 with special straight raked forks.  Both Robert and I had them but I don't believe Robert's are anywhere to be found.  The frame was pretty rusty and had a re-chrome.  Other parts like the seat post, brakes and Hutch locknut are original as well.  This bike is:


There is a lengthy story on the bike with personal photos from the tour on my website in the BMX section:

http://mauricemeyer.net/cgi/mm.pl?page=BMX/index (http://mauricemeyer.net/cgi/mm.pl?page=BMX/index)

Hope you like it!

(http://mauricemeyer.net/BMX/chrome_ta/images/TA_endo.jpg)
(http://mauricemeyer.net/BMX/chrome_ta/images/P5190038-600.jpg)
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: munners on September 25, 2007, 08:00 AM
Awesome! After seeing that i may put a set of white tuffs on my chrome TA now.  :smitten:

I love those Redline Awards in your pics too. MAD!

Can you tell me about the Gold TA?

Cheers Nick
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: kdw712 on September 25, 2007, 08:06 AM
WOW   :shocked:  :daumenhoch:

an amazing labour of love to get that just how it used to be
esp with the orig decals etc you had

stunning
 :4_17_5:
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: harris on September 25, 2007, 08:18 AM
thanks for sharing the pics   :)
legendary
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: diesel on September 25, 2007, 08:39 AM
Cool  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: YGT on September 25, 2007, 08:46 AM
Great restro !
just out of interest, what exactly is different with these forks?
secondly, was vanders skyway at that point the only one produced?
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: brass monkey! on September 25, 2007, 08:56 AM
another classic MM !!  :coolsmiley:

Quality !  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: dordymush on September 25, 2007, 09:31 AM
great history there.

lovely bike  8).
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: JAY on September 25, 2007, 10:41 AM
Wow ,that bike is unbelievable Maurice ,Thanks for sharing those pics and history about yourself and the bike. If there is one bike i want to see in the flesh ,it has to be that one,so much History.

Thanks for sharing.............
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: theRuler on September 25, 2007, 10:45 AM
wicked
can't beat an x up endo either ;)
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: muttley on September 25, 2007, 10:47 AM
Really nice peice of history that.  All we need now is to find out where Vander's Prototype chrome Streetbeat is  :smitten:
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: Moose on September 25, 2007, 11:29 AM
Fantastic! I love it  :smitten:

That TA epitomises old school freestyle for me. I espescially love 'mix-and-match' MX1000's :daumenhoch:

Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: OrgasmDonor on September 25, 2007, 11:53 AM
that is cooool as fook :daumenhoch: nice one M
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: CD17 on September 25, 2007, 12:30 PM
Another top build there  :smitten:

Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: phantom photon on September 25, 2007, 12:44 PM
Top Job  :smitten: :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: zed4130 on September 25, 2007, 12:47 PM
 :4_17_5: cracking build mate, i saw it a while back on your site,  :daumenhoch: as usual all atention to detail  :4_17_5:
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: Stodgy on September 25, 2007, 04:37 PM
yum yum yum Maurice. Fooking lovely work - that's a true classic in the UK.

 :smitten:
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: highrisedrifter on September 25, 2007, 05:01 PM
Oh wow! Just wow! That is absolutely gorgeous and a great story too. Top job.  :daumenhoch:

 :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

HRD
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: dirtyvans on September 25, 2007, 08:11 PM
thats an amzing TA - you cant beat em and that one tops the lot :)
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: MartyC on September 25, 2007, 08:18 PM
That looks the dogs danglys, great bike, great history and ridden by a great rider  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: daz bmx it! on September 25, 2007, 08:26 PM
"Ditto"  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: Maurice Meyer on September 26, 2007, 04:40 AM
Thanks guys and especially thanks to you Jay for the red lever sleeves and stickers.  Those sleeves were on my "man, that's going to be a tough one" list.  Let me know if you're ever headed out this way.  Love to see those Haros of yours!

YGT, the thing with the forks is that the normal TA forks have an angle of rake introduced where the fork legs hit the race.  These forks have no rake there - just welded in a different position.  The dropouts still add a little rake but if you lay the forks flat on a table the legs are parallel with the threaded tube.  It's hard to show in pictures but really obvious next to another TA or just rolling around on the bike.

Yeah, Vander's bike was a one of a kind prototype that was different from the final production Street Beats in a number of ways.  It had standers, a little support bar in the back and the platform was different among other things.  The production models were better in my opinion except that they didn't do chrome which I think is super cool on that bike.  Yeah, I've got spies looking out for that one prototype...  Heh.  He gave a lot of stuff away and I don't think he stayed on Skyway long enough to break it and, I haven't heard that he returned it or anything which can happen with prototypes.  So, it could still be out there.  That's my personal holy grail.  I mention it to anyone from Vander's old hood that I see.  I still have myu fingers crossed that it's at some guy's parents house.

The TA is super meaningful to me.  I still want to get it out of the garage and up in the house with a proper display but that's a tough sell.  The trip to Europe in '84 was amazing.  Changed my life personally.  Broadened some pretty low horizons I was used to.  And although I don't post here as often as Vintage I love seeing the old photos and videos.  It's funny: there's this recurring theme in freestyle of "you had to be in southern California back in the day" to be noticed but man, after seeing the scene in the UK with Mon's, Southbank and Rom I can't help but feeling like it was us that missed some serious fun.  I've got great memories of that time in the UK.  One thing I really regret is never getting to see Neil ride because Craig has always been one of the top riders to me and I hear people comparing Craig and Neil all the time.
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: OrgasmDonor on September 26, 2007, 11:52 AM
Quote from: Maurice Meyer on September 26, 2007, 04:40 AM

The TA is super meaningful to me.  I still want to get it out of the garage and up in the house with a proper display but that's a tough sell. 

i guess its her indoors who ya need to do the sellin to, so do as we do over this side of the pond, just say to her, "oi! the bikes goin there and if ya don't like it ye can sling yer hook you slaaaaaaaaaaag!"

the swelling should go down in a couple of days and your testicles will start to reappear within a fortnight ;D
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: billstup on September 26, 2007, 02:41 PM
Another quality resto Marice, and a great story line to back up on the history  :daumenhoch:

If you ever do venture over here theres always room with me, and a trip to Rom into the bargin too  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: teamsano on September 28, 2007, 11:38 PM
i still have the mag, but that x-up endo pic is soooo good.

the curb dogs issue of action bike had so many mindblowing fotos, vander's cover shot+the 'peterson' spring to mind immediatley...
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: Bob_Acid on September 28, 2007, 11:59 PM
hehe, how fooking cool is Maurice?

I'd love to ride with you mate, i expect you'd shoot the shit with the best of us mate  :daumenhoch:

thirty minutes on the bike then ten hours with the storys.



Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: Rombloke on September 29, 2007, 12:01 AM
nice one maurice.

lovely bike, steeped in history, thanks for sharing.


Dave
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: Maurice Meyer on September 29, 2007, 07:03 AM
OD, I gave that a try with an extra "for fook's sake" but no luck.  I'll keep trying.  She has to give in.  Ha.

Billy, that would be way too cool.  Many thanks.  I'll be looking for an opportunity to get over there.  Keep in mind I'd be quizzing you all night long about the early freestyle scene in the UK and digging through old mags.  Just got back from the Interbike trade show and ran into a few of the lads - Jamie, Carlo and met Mason Smith for the first time.  Ken Coster says hi!
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: Flatcap on September 29, 2007, 11:06 AM
Quote
One thing I really regret is never getting to see Neil ride because Craig has always been one of the top riders to me and I hear people comparing Craig and Neil all the time.

You missed something very special there then Maurice, Craig was super smooth and a top class rider but Neil Ruffell was the radest rider I ever saw from that period, the guy just had something extra! He was awesome!

Great build by the way and great write up as usual, love to read your posts dude.

Take care.

Daz.  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: haro__master1985 on September 29, 2007, 10:59 PM
I remember that feature from bitd  8)

Great bike & a great build  ;)
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: the_cyclops on October 01, 2007, 01:02 PM
I remebr going into the newsagents (on Heaton Moor rd in Stockport) and buying that issue, I was so blown away looking at the Curb Dogs pics that I fell dont the steps on the way out of the shop!!!!

I think that the quality of photography on those pics is amazing!


Wsa the Photog TLB?  Ill have to ask him if he remembers  :daumenhoch:

Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: OrgasmDonor on October 02, 2007, 10:07 AM
Quote from: Maurice Meyer on September 29, 2007, 07:03 AM
OD, I gave that a try with an extra "for fook's sake" but no luck.  I'll keep trying.  She has to give in.  Ha.


dude, it gotta be "fa faks sake!"  :LolLolLolLol:

wor lass is pretty cool but fortunately, but a bike in the living area is a definate no no. we can but try :)
Title: Re: 1984 Skyway TA freestyler as seen in BMX Action Bike
Post by: DR VINOAH on October 08, 2007, 05:47 PM
city radity :coolsmiley:

maurice
thats indeed a very sentimental/personal bike

and how i tried to get those x-up endo,s
i always ended up on me arse or me head ;D

to get you to rom will be ace ace ace :daumenhoch:
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