gems

I never buy BMX although I come across a lot of them at yard sales.

I've noticed that some BMX bikes get big prices. To me most of them look the same. I know nothing about BMX, other than having ridden BMX and freestyle when I was younger (I had a Haro and Redline).

Without knowing all the models, are there brands to look out for? Brands that you would buy no matter what if you found one for $20-$40 at a yard sale? Components? Tubing?

KonAaron Snake 

This is a great question...I think I speak for others here when i say I have no concept of the BMX market and there's probably money to be made that many of us aren't aware of. I'd imagine it's the fancier stuff we wanted as kids...GT, Mongoose, Haro, Redlines.

Chris_in_Miami

+1

I've never been into them, but I've picked up a few bikes and parts and they sell pretty quick. I've probably sold them at less then market value, but I don't have a problem with that, they don't really hold my interest. I do tend to grab anything with a chrome frame, they're usually a good bet.

The tricky part is finding BMX stuff that hasn't been hammered to death...

devinfan

Don't forget Hutch! Especially the chrome ones. When I was a kid there was this guy that had one, and to us he was a demi-god because of that bike. Even looking back at it, it really was nice, plus it was light as a feather.

purebikes 

I grew up racing bmx bikes and have sold a few. The brands that come to mind are Hutch (trickstar,proracer), Redline (squareback,proline), GT (pro series, performer), Mongoose (early stuff), SE (PK Ripper) and Skyway, but there are a lot of different brands that people collect. What seems to sell best is the really early (78-80) race bikes with gussets under the head and down tube and mid 80's freestyle bikes but of course that is just my opinion. Browse the for sale section at bmxmuseum.com for a little bit and you will get a general sense of what to look for like chromoly frames, three piece cranks, and certain brand names. There is definitely money to be made in old school bmx stuff especially if it is NOS. Most of the guys that collect arent looking for rider stuff, they want it to be pristine so it can go on a show bike. Hopefully this helps.

ScottRyder 

Being a fan of Fuji's I'd love to come across one of these:

Chris Chicago

schwinn's top of the line model was called the sting, iirc. is that a hot item today too?

I had a 1976 scrambler when i was a kid. basically a bulked up stingray. but they've sold for good money on ebay...300+. mine is long gone but i'd replaced so many parts it probably wouldnt have been in much demand today. except perhaps the double clamp stem.

David Newton

I have bought GT bikes twice, for each of my boys, and thought they were worth more than they cost. The first was new, a Dyno, early 90's, then used a mid 90's VFR, which is basically the same bike. I'm trying to sell the VFR just now, for $125, and maybe I've set the price too high, but I think it is worth it.

RobE30

I wish I still had my chrome Hutch.... I used to have all sorts of cool BMX stuff from when I was younger but, when I moved from my mom's it all disappeared

kknh3

Add Torker to the list of BMX brands. I picked up a rusty chrome torker BMX at the local thrift. I did very little to it and was able to sell it for 40 times what I paid for it. Also, I had 5 or 6 people waiting if the deal fell through.

hamanu23

I had an old mongoose when I was a kid. I traded a kid from San Diego a Parka for it because he was moving and could not take it with him. After I go tit I had the lightest bike in town... When I ran away from home at 14 I lost track of it... Man I went back to the Grandparents home a couple years ago, where it was left and it was no where to be found. I am sure it got recycled. Le-sigh...

toytech

I have made more percentage wise on bmx stuff than cv stuff. Anything Hutch is big, NOS parts especially 3 piece cranks can be big- I just sold a set of Redline Flight cranks for 100.00 in 10 minutes after posting them, so right part right time.
A partial Hatta headset (no races) but nos otherwise I just sold easily for 80.00 it was gold anodized. CW, MCS, Skyway, Boss etc. If it was high end and expensive then it still is now.

Dylansbob 

+1 on '80s freestyle bikes. I sold alot of them when I lived in the midwest and always for $200+ profit. Skyway mags in colors can be revived, as found here:

https://www.vintagebmx.com/community/...topic=27002299

I don't see as many out here on the west coast, although I did pickup a beat DB Hot Streak a few weeks ago. Mainly to pull the brakes off for my Moulton project.

hamanu23

My virus protection says that website has malicious spyware...

Wisco

Hutch stuff goes for insane money. Insane, I tell ya. And yes, a Schwinn Sting (ESPECIALLY the King Sting) is worth money. However, just like with old road stuff, a lot of knowledge is required to make money. Cheapo, non-desirable bikes (especially 70s ones) often don't look terribly different from desirable ones. The BMX scene, however, does not lack for avid recyclers/flippers--probably even more so than the vintage road crowd--and the amazing finds are getting rarer and rarer. That said, there are lots of parts (especially pedals, stems, and brakes) which are worth big money and which often overlap with original equipment on early MTBs. Suntour XC stuff, for example, is very sought-after for BMX restorations.

Dylansbob 

That's why I run a mac.

kingsting

King Stings are worth money?

BMX is just like anything else. The stuff that was rare and expensive when new is rare and expensive now. You need to research what is good and what is junk just like with road bikes, Sting-Rays, ballooners, or anything else collectible.

The people that rode these bikes as kids are now the ones that are coming into money and are looking to recapture a piece of their youth. One of the factors pushing the value of these bikes into the stratosphere is that many of these bikes were beat to death in the hands of their young owners or stolen and parted out so nice surviving examples bring a healthy price now. How many roadies raced their bikes on dirt and mud, jumped them into ponds, or rode halfpipes with them? We did that and more with our racing and freestyle bikes in the mid 80's and I remember a few kids in our group had some pretty nice bikes...

Old Yeller

My buddy that raced BMX had the an all chrome MCS Magnum. Have'nt seen that mentioned here. Was it any good?

buldogge

I looked into recreating my 79 Redline a little while back. I spent all my extra $$$ on it at the time...all the best parts...flight cranks, ACS Z rims, Hutch beartraps, Tuff Neck, etc. ad nauseum. To recreate it now would cost an easy $3k.

Bummer.

XLR99

I recently discovered this in a trash pile in the development: through some research & help from the guys on the BMX forum we've narrowed it down to an '81 Schwinn SX. It's got ACS Z Rims on it rather than alloys. Plans are to get the ^&$%# stuck seatpost out & use it as my son's next restoration project. Threads on the fork are stripped, and he hasn't taken the hubs apart yet to see how good/bad they are. We'll probably start digging into it more after football is over with.

hamanu23

https://corvallis.craigslist.org/bik/1974994973.html





3 piece crank right near me... too bad I am tied up in a bianchi right now and just don't have the room at my place to flip this.

I think you could part this out on eBay and get at least a 100$ profit though.

HSean

These bmx offten go for a nice amount, these are 1970's Bmx they are hard to find, I happen to own two.

Dylansbob 

Is that the (in)famous Yamaha?

HSean

Thats a CCM? not sure what they where called I just call it bmx motocross