Name: Karl Chalk
Country: UK
Number of bikes in the collection: I've had many bmx but always only owned 1 at any time
Do you remember the moment that you decided to start collecting BMX memorabilia?
Karl Chalk: I'm not a collector of memorabilia but enjoy seeing people's BMX related memorabilia.
Who were the first people you came across that helped you out to find the stuff you needed?
Name: Jeremiah Grimes
Hometown: Washington, PA, USA
Started riding BMX in: 2003
Number of bikes in the collection: 16
Do you remember the moment that you decided to start collecting BMX memorabilia?
Jeremiah Grimes: I started collecting old school BMX bikes when I got my first bike in 2003, a 1987 GT Performer
Who were the first people you came across that helped you out to find the stuff you needed?
Name: Maurice Meyer
Hometown: San Francisco, USA
Started riding BMX in: 1975 or so?
Number of bikes in the collection: 4 fully built, 1 complete unbuilt, a few frames, many Tuff Wheel sets, parts, etc.
You put together your first 'collector' bikes some 15 years ago. What made you decide to put these three bikes together?
Maurice Meyer: I was seeing a lot of really cool stuff being done on VintageBMX.com so I went back to mom's house and dug in the old shed. Found my first Skyway TA frame and fork in really rough condition all rusty from laying on one side on this damp plywood floor. It was probably the best thing I could find though since it was my the bike I rode on my first tour and in my first contest and also had a rare fork since Skyway welded it up with no rake for freestyle. Robert Peterson got the same in white and I think that's it - two ever made and just this one left. At first I thought I'd just put some used parts on it and make it look as used but the people on VintageBMX started hooking me up with mint parts which meant I had to step up and get the frame repaired and chromed. Doing the really personal stuff like making the number plate and custom stickers got me some heavy flashbacks which was awesome.
Name: Arthur Kourtis
Hometown: Melbourne Northcote, Australia
Started riding in: 1979
Number of bikes in collection: I currently have 16 what I call boutique BMXs. All of which date from '77 to '84
What was the moment for you to start collecting BMX bikes?
Arthur Kourtis: I started collecting bmxs from a very young age. I’d even say for a long time I kept most of my original bikes from when I was a kid and only got rid of them in the last 12 years as I wanted to buy bikes I couldn’t afford so I’d trade up. Growing up in the northern suburbs in Melbourne our BMX was our wheels. We went everywhere on our bikes. Being of European background as a kid our parents wouldn’t let us race. So we just lived on our bikes
Is older better in your book?
Arthur Kourtis: Good question. I have full respect for all eras of BMX. As I was there for all of it.
LEARN HOT TO FREESTYLE LIKE THE PROS! AWESOME AERIALS & GNARLY GROUND MOVES!
Name: Cash Matthews
Hometown: Shawnee, OK
Started riding BMX in: 1972
Like many in the very early days who could not afford a motorcycle, the bicycle was turned into a motorbike look-a-like. What were some of the things you did to reach that goal?
Cash Matthews: Like most, we made lots of cool 2-stroke motorcycle sounds with our mouths!! As our group of friends who rode progressed, we started riding “flat track” style in a circle. We emulated Kenny Roberts and my Uncle, Jerry Matthews who were all accomplished Flat Track Stars. I conned my uncle out of a number plate from his motorcycle so that was the first cool-mod of the Schwinn. As many Flat Track guys, we added cardboard, grip covers to save us from rocks and things that never really mattered but they looked cool. In those early days, just having a set of waffle grips was epic, so we began there,
Name: Stu Thomsen
Started riding in: 1972 (I Think)
Teams represented: Three Majors: SE, Redline and Huffy.
Some of the smaller and short term teams were: Dirt Master, Webco, DG, FMF, Motobecane (One Weekend), my bike shop (Stu Thomsen’s Family Bicycle Center), Southridge Cycles (on MTB and BMX). A short stent back on Redline and now representing SE again.
What was the first bike you used to ride Bicycle Motocross?
Stu Thomsen: Schwinn Stingray
In 1973, what were people using at the first few races you entered?
Stu Thomsen: Modified Stingray type bikes and a few custom garage builds by ingenious fathers.
You've seen the BMX bike development firsthand. What kind of full suspension bikes did you get to ride?
Stu Thomsen: I had a custom made Monoshock bike I would race now and then at the Corona downhill
Name: Jason Van Buskirk
Hometown: Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
Started riding BMX in: 1979
Number of bikes in the collection: 30+
Dutch roots by any chance?
Jason Van Buskirk: Yes, my Heritage is Dutch, however, I am born and raised in the U.S.
Is your focus on BMX bikes from the period you raced in mainly?
Jason van Buskirk: Yes, I tend to collect bikes from the late '70s To mid '80s... Probably 1987 being the latest. I do have a couple '90s bikes, but that's not the era I enjoy collecting the most.
Name: Tommy Yaley
Hometown: Mtn View. California
Started riding BMX in: 1974ish
Number of bikes in the collection: 9
Do you remember the moment that you decided to start collecting BMX memorabilia?
Tommy Yaley: About 7 years ago I decided I wanted to re-create the 1st Gen proline I had when I was a kid. I sold a bunch of my music gear collection and then, like everyone else, it took off from there. Just one more bike...
Name: Timmy Williams
Hometown: Keyport, NJ
Started riding BMX in: Early ‘70s. Raced from 1982-1985, sponsored by bike shop in South Jersey called Beacon.
Number of bikes in the collection: Now, 30 completes. Once had over 45. I LOVE the odd/ rare BMX frames and parts, so that’s why my collection is different than some others.
Where does your love for BMX bikes come from?
Timmy Williams: When I was a kid, growing up in Egg Harbor Township, NJ, they built a BMX track a half mile from my house (It’s still there). I would ride by there on my bike to check it out and soon I asked for
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.