These bikes are starting to interest me. Those such as the Western Flyer Ram Rod, Murray Fire Cat, Murray King Kat and Sears Free Spirit. Can we use this thread for everyone to post whatever pictures and ads you have of all of the known variations?
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Official 1977-78 Murray/Sears chopper bike thread
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 oneadamtwelve |
Official 1977-78 Murray/Sears chopper bike thread |
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Full Blown Bicycle Addict! (500+ Posts)
 Posts: 640 (09/22/09 01:19:30) |
Last Edited By: oneadamtwelve 10/02/10 18:11:32.
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RailRider |
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1 Crazy Bicycle Collecting Mo-Fo!
 (2500+) Posts: 17347 (09/22/09 01:23:17) AKA-Raleigh Ron! � |
Well, here is my favorite model.
Western Flyer Ram Rod 
Last Edited By: RailRider
01/21/10 23:08:37.
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30thtbird |
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Coo-Coo f☺r Muscle Bikes! (1000 +)
 Posts: 2128 (09/22/09 09:39:25) |
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oneadamtwelve |
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Full Blown Bicycle Addict! (500+ Posts)
Posts: 640 (09/24/09 22:55:12) |
I've got a lead on a Murray Fire Cat. It's the same guy that had that Western Flyer Ram Rod on ebay, that MontanaRay bought. He says he also has
Murray Eliminators, Huffy Rails, Ross Barracudas, Huffy Cheater Slick, Sears Spyders and others, but no Schwinns.
I may be visiting him this weekend to check out the Fire Cat. I haven't seen it but he told me he's looking to get $350 for it, so it better be REALLY nice for that price. I'm waiting to hear back from him to set up a meeting time. I will take my camera and take some pics (if he lets me) for anyone on here that may be interested in those other bikes mentioned. I told him I know some guys on a forum that may be interested in the muscle bikes. I will post what I find out. |
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oneadamtwelve |
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Full Blown Bicycle Addict! (500+ Posts)
Posts: 640 (09/24/09 23:01:28) |
I'm finding some variations in the pictures I am gathering of these choppers. Note the different chainguards between these two Fire Cats. I'm guessing
they are two different model years? I believe these were made from 1977-79? Same seat, same paint job, different guard. Hmmmmm. Anyone else have info on
this?
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30thtbird |
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Coo-Coo f☺r Muscle Bikes! (1000 +)
Posts: 2128 (09/24/09 23:10:18) |
Looks like the sprocket on the one on the right is different too. I think it has a rollfast sprocket on it. Kenny.
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Fat Lip |
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Bicycle-o-holic! (25+ Posts)
Posts: 305 (09/25/09 00:16:35) |
The Fire Cat on the left is a 1978. The one on the right is a 1977. I have a 1977 and some of the parts are date stamped 1977. The seat also has a date sticker
on the bottom of the pan. I believe that 1977 was the first year for them. I have a 1976 Murray catalog and it doesn't show the Fire Cat or King Kat. I
don't have a 1977 catalog but the 1978 catalog shows both bikes but the Fire Cat has a different chainguard and sprocket. The other Murray built choppers
that I have seen were the red Sears Free Spirit chopper and the blue Western Flyer Ram Rod. I always thought it was interesting that Murray built these bikes
right around the time that muscle bikes were being replaced by MX style bikes and early BMX bikes.
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oneadamtwelve |
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Full Blown Bicycle Addict! (500+ Posts)
Posts: 640 (09/25/09 07:13:50) |
Here are a couple pictures of the Sears Free Spirit version. First is from the 1978 Spring/Summer Catalog. It has a sprocket and guard like the '77 Fire
Cat. Could this be a 1977 model too? But it's in the 1978 catalog. ??? Note that the simulated fuel tank was a $9 option.
Here is another Free Spirit, don't know the model year but it has the other style sprocket and is missing the chainguard so it's hard to tell the
year. Must be a '78 or '79 because.....
Last Edited By: oneadamtwelve
09/25/09 07:27:18.
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oneadamtwelve |
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Full Blown Bicycle Addict! (500+ Posts)
Posts: 640 (09/25/09 07:36:27) |
....here is a scan from the Sears 1979 Christmas Wish Book and the sprocket is like the second one in my last post. Model number has a 'C' as second
digit vs the one from the '78 catalog which has a 'K'. These numbers should be part of the serial number on the frame. Also note that the price
went up $11. What I take from this (so far) is that the first two years of the Free Spirit model had that one style sprocket and it changed for '79. ?????
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murrayEliminator |
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Posts: 3496 (09/25/09 11:36:23) |
Here's Mine! she needs a little Love..lol It's badged All Pro..
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30thtbird |
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Coo-Coo f☺r Muscle Bikes! (1000 +)
Posts: 2128 (09/25/09 11:45:17) |
All Pro, isn't that from Kmart? What, if any, is the X number Eddie?
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RailRider |
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1 Crazy Bicycle Collecting Mo-Fo!
(2500+) Posts: 17347 (09/25/09 12:08:48) AKA-Raleigh Ron! � |
Yeah I think the chainguard thing is just a year difference..... now as for these being Muscle Bikes in the late 70's when BMX was coming on. I think that instead of copying Muscle Cars, and Drag Cars, they decided to focus on Motorcycles instead. The Chopper was based on that look also. They are still a very cool Muscle Bike bike, but I feel they should have came out around 1969. lol 
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murrayEliminator |
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Posts: 3496 (09/25/09 12:22:20) |
30thtbird wrote: the #s are totally different Kenny, but it does have a 03-77 decal on the seat post, down by the crank... |
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RailRider |
BMX Choppers? | ||
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1 Crazy Bicycle Collecting Mo-Fo!
(2500+) Posts: 17347 (09/25/09 12:30:56) AKA-Raleigh Ron! � |
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oneadamtwelve |
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Full Blown Bicycle Addict! (500+ Posts)
Posts: 640 (09/25/09 12:33:33) |
RailRider wrote:Hey Ron - If they would have come out in '69, I bet they may have looked like this (Easy Rider's Captain America) - 
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oneadamtwelve |
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Full Blown Bicycle Addict! (500+ Posts)
Posts: 640 (09/25/09 12:59:16) |
Yes, BMX was becoming huge during the 70s but I find it kind of odd that they would even group these chopper bikes in with BMX bikes. The only thing related is
the motorcycle thing. Take this ad for example. They could have given the choppers their own ad, not even near any dirt. The only time I've seen a chopper
on a motocross track is in CC Rider (Joe Namath, Ann-Margaret). Anyone remember that classic?
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RailRider |
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1 Crazy Bicycle Collecting Mo-Fo!
(2500+) Posts: 17347 (09/25/09 13:26:38) AKA-Raleigh Ron! � |
Yeah, I doubt any of these bikes were ever rode into the woods or on dirt tracks as they really suck other than just a curiser! Don't get me wrong I love
the bikes, but after riding one for a full summer back in the day I was ready to drop mine and get something else. After all I wanted to ride wheelie's,
jump ramps, and stand up and ride sometimes, and the chopper just isn't that kind of bike.
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Fat Lip |
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Bicycle-o-holic! (25+ Posts)
Posts: 305 (09/25/09 23:48:56) |
I've seen a few of the red Sears Free Spirit choppers over the years. Every one that I've seen had the same chainguard. The black one that's made
to look like an exhaust pipe. The All Pro chopper looks almost exactly like the Fire Cat but with a different headbadge and chainguard decals. From what I
remember, All Pro's were sold at Kmart's.
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oneadamtwelve |
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Full Blown Bicycle Addict! (500+ Posts)
Posts: 640 (09/26/09 15:04:04) |
Well, it looks like I will be the new owner of a Free Spirit in about a month. Gonna pick it up at the Memory Lane Classics swap meet in late October. It is
missing the chainguard, so if anyone on here comes across a really nice guard let me know. The bike is complete except for the guard, and it is in great shape.
Very clean and just a few nicks and scratches in the paint. A couple of the decals are peeling, so I may be getting with you Ron to see if we can get new ones
made eventually.
Last Edited By: oneadamtwelve
12/10/09 11:53:55.
Edited 1 times.
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oneadamtwelve |
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Full Blown Bicycle Addict! (500+ Posts)
Posts: 640 (09/26/09 15:19:57) |
One of the Free Spirits just sold on ebay last Monday, I missed it because I didn't have my searches on these saved yet.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390096259888&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp3907.m38.l1313%26_nkw%3D390096259888%26_sacat%3DSee-All-Categories%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1 |
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RailRider |
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1 Crazy Bicycle Collecting Mo-Fo!
(2500+) Posts: 17347 (09/27/09 01:06:58) AKA-Raleigh Ron! � |
Looks like a cool score! I will try to measure mine tommarrow.
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