Name: John Buultjens
Hometown: Dundee, Scotland. Now San Diego, California.
Started riding BMX in: 1982
Number of bikes in the collection: Had 128, now 25
Do you remember the moment that you decided to start collecting BMX memorabilia?
John Buultjens: The date was August 1997. I immigrated to Australia back in June 1995 and left all my old bikes and parts under my parents' house in Dundee. The folks were moving and had everything boxed up from under the house and shipped it to me in Australia. When I opened the boxes, I found all my childhood treasures, 1988 Sport, 1989 Chrome Master Bashguard, 1989 Master Bashguard in black and my 1991 Air-Master. eBay had just come online and I started searching for parts to re-build my bikes and bring them back to they way I rode them back in the day. Took me a few years, but I got all the parts. Whilst searching I was finding other bikes too, so I started collecting the Haro’s I had always dreamed of, including the 1982 Haro Freestyler.
Was Haro always the #1 brand in your head of bikes to collect?
John Buultjens: Sure was, after receiving my OG bikes, I just knew I had to restore them.
Celebrating 40 Years of Freestyle Radness is the Bob Haro Lineage Master Freestyler. Only 400 to be made! Bob's first bike that revolutionized the sport of Freestyle BMX - The Haro Master has become one of the most iconic bikes in BMX history today.
From the inspiring true story of extreme sports legend John Buultjens, THE RIDE follows John McCord, an athletically gifted youth who triumphs over a troubled upbringing.
From the inspiring true story of extreme sports legend John Buultjens, THE RIDE follows John McCord, an athletically gifted youth who triumphs over a troubled upbringing. After a violent, racially-charged incident lands John (Shane Graham) in juvenile detention, he is finally placed with an unlikely set of foster parents, Eldridge ('Ludacris') and Marianna Buultjens (Sasha Alexander), an interracial couple who want to provide a fresh start for the tormented youth.
Eldridge makes it his mission to overcome the challenges of John’s white supremacist upbringing and slowly begins to forge a relationship through his foster son’s fascination with extreme sports by giving John his first bike. Rooted by this newfound passion, the family builds a bond of mutual respect, love and together they speed toward BMX glory and ultimately, redemption.
THE RIDE exclusively on Prime Video beginning November 13, 2020
Directed by Alex Ranarivelo
Written by J.R. Reher & Jean Marie Sobeck, Hadeel Reda, Alex Ranarivelo
Based on Life of John Buultjens
Starring Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, Shane Graham and Sasha Alexander
98 Minutes | Rated PG-13
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.