In addition to the BMXMuseum NL in Amsterdam, there are other great locations throughout the Netherlands where you can find the history of BMX. You’ll find everything from vintage BMX bikes to the latest models. You can even learn about some of the biggest names in BMX like DG Racing and Schwinn. If you love to read, you can find some great BMXmuseum articles here. Here are some of the best!
DG Racing
The DG Racing exhibition at the BMXmuseum in San Francisco is the last of its kind. After producing their last bikes in 1981, DG is no longer in the bike manufacturing industry. However, there is a great selection of used DG BMX bikes for sale. However, these bikes are likely to show signs of use and may need some repairs to be road worthy. A visit to the museum’s exhibit will provide the perfect opportunity to view these vintage machines.
The DG Performance exhibit features the history of the company, as well as some of the legendary riders who raced under its name. In the 1970s, DG was the first company to offer bolt-on performance parts. Gary Harlow founded DG Performance Specialities in 1974 as an alternative to the factory team. Gary Harlow, who had previously owned a crane company, saw a need to help his son Kevin race and became interested in making performance motorcycle parts. In 1974, he met Dan Hangsleven at his local Honda dealership. The two men struck up a friendship and eventually Gary bought out Dan’s half of the company. Hence, the company’s name was shortened to DG.
DG Performance and DG Racing dominated the motocross industry for several decades before the company faded away and almost no one remembers the DG name today. Gary Harlow is still a great man who made some of the greatest bikes in the sport. We owe him a debt of gratitude. Let’s hope we see more Gary Harlows in our sport. Just remember that there’s always room for someone who’s willing to try something new.
Schwinn
The Schwinn bikes on display at the BMXmuseum were made between 1976 and 1983. The bikes were available as frame kits from Schwinn bicycle stores and BMX Products, Inc. These bikes featured a nickel finish and an oval cutout in the front head tube gusset. The bikes were also known as the Grey Ghost. A Schwinn Ghost is part of the collection and belongs to Andy Caro.
The BMXmuseum’s collection of Schwinn bikes features a variety of models that can be found on the streets today. One of the bikes on display is a chopper, which features chrome fenders and a five-speed “Stik Shift” gearbox. The bike also has a front drum brake, matching fenders, and chopper bars with matching grips. It was purchased at a Seattle bike shop in the 1970s and still has no rust.
A Schwinn Cimarron BMX bike is the most well-known model and was produced from 1980 to 1982. Its frame is made of Tange steel tubing and features Shimano Deore XT components. It also features Araya RM-20 rims. The bike was made in Japan, but sold in the U.S. in Bellevue. The bike was used in an episode of CHiPs.
Another Schwinn bike on display at the BMXmuseum is an original Paramount. While Schwinn had been making bicycles for decades, the company had never produced a racing tandem until the 1970s. The Paramount was built to be raced on dirt tracks. In a 1960s photo, the bike was a dream bike for a successful paperboy. Jeff Groman still has his two Panthers. Until recently, he didn’t even know he had two of them.
While the Schwinn bike is one of the most popular bicycles in the world, it’s hard to imagine a rider without a Schwinn. The museum’s collection includes a range of classic and retro Schwinn models. The bikes also feature a history of the Schwinn brand. Some Schwinn bikes are even on display at the BMXmuseum. They’re a unique way to learn about the past.
If you’re in the market for a vintage Schwinn, check its serial number. Depending on when it was manufactured, the serial number is located at different locations on the bike. Older Schwinn bikes will have a serial number stamped on the frame, while those from the 1960s and 1970s will have the serial number near the head tube. This information is vital if you’re planning to buy one of these vintage bikes. If the seller doesn’t know where the bike is from, you’re going to have to find someone else who can help you.
The Schwinn bicycle was one of the first bicycles to be made. It was invented in Germany by Ignaz Schwinn, who had already begun working on the two-wheeled ancestors of the modern bicycle. The company went on to create great models for the adult market and began working with independent dealers. The company now has four regional warehouses to produce bicycles. It’s no wonder that the bicycles are now so popular.
Kuwahara
BMXmuseum Kuwahara was established to celebrate the history and culture of the sport. Its name is a portmanteau of Kuwahara and BMX. Kuwahara means “looptail” in Japanese and has been a symbol of BMX culture for decades. A visit to the museum will allow visitors to see a number of Kuwahara bicycles, some of which are more than 30 years old.
In 1980, Takuo Kuwahara was the President of Kuwahara and started the factory Kuwahara BMX teams in Canada, the US, and Europe. In the early 1980s, Kuwahara began developing Mountain bikes, which would become the next big thing. The BMXbike featured in the 1982 Steven Spielberg movie E.T. Elliot was a popular model in Japan, and the Kuwahara KZ-2 was a modernized version of the popular road race bike.
In 2001, Kuwahara set up a small exhibition and began selling its Gaap series of bikes. The company continued to sell the Gaap series until 2009, but began selling its first flat-land BMX model in 2003. Matt Pohlkamp and Warwick Stevenson worked with Kuwahara to design the bike. A new exhibition at the BMXmuseum Kuwahara is scheduled to open in October.
In the early 1900s, Sentaro Kuwahara founded a bicycle company in 1918. The company eventually exported bicycles to Canada and Southeast Asia, and later exported to the USA and Europe. It closed its doors during World War II, but Sentaro Kuwahara’s son Masao took over the company in the 1970s. From there, BMX bicycles were developed for international markets. Throughout the 1970s, he began exporting bicycles to the USA and Europe.
The original high-end bikes by Kuwahara used an oval tubing frame, and did not have a “K” mark. Later models had a “K” mark stamped into the rear brake bracket and bottom bracket area, as well as “Product of Japan.” The hollow frames of the LaserLite bikes proved to be a big hit and helped Kuwahara become a global icon. Kuwahara’s laserLite bikes made the company one of the most popular brands in the BMX world.
