# Huffman "Death Bike" has changed hands



## sm2501 (Jun 19, 2013)

I hear from a reliable source that the "Death Bike" has changed hands. OK, Fess up...who got it? Seems very odd that nobody knows who bought such a notable piece of history in our little circle of collectors.


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## catfish (Jun 19, 2013)

I was trying to keep it quiet...... Now everyone will know.


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## dfa242 (Jun 19, 2013)

I just thought it would like nice over my fireplace...


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## scrubbinrims (Jun 19, 2013)

Let me think a minute here...a personal friend of Bill, has the money (or good trade material) at any point in time, has the strong desire to own every high end Dayton...hmmm.
or could be jraposa as he has been buying Bill's collection as of late.
Maybe not either, but I would bet they at least know.
Curious what the number was.
Chris


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## Freqman1 (Jun 19, 2013)

That's who I thought the likely suspect would be as well. There have been a couple folks laying out some serious cash for some high end stuff lately and just wondering if it might be on its way to Switzerland? West coast? V/r Shawn


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## cyclingday (Jun 19, 2013)

New Bremen, Ohio?


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## Oldnut (Jun 19, 2013)

*Deathbike*

Hmm wonder what it went for? 20+?


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## Euphman06 (Jun 19, 2013)

I've never heard of this bike, I want some pictures!


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## sm2501 (Jun 19, 2013)

Oldnut said:


> Hmm wonder what it went for? 20+?




20 plus? The seller was pretty firm at 50k!


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## bricycle (Jun 19, 2013)

20+?  50k???? for real???????  eyow.....


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## Freqman1 (Jun 19, 2013)

Euphman06 said:


> I've never heard of this bike, I want some pictures!




See the first enrty of this thread. V/r Shawn


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## catfish (Jun 19, 2013)

Find another one...... 




bricycle said:


> 20+?  50k???? for real???????  eyow.....


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## SirMike1983 (Jun 19, 2013)

catfish said:


> Find another one......




If word gets out about that price, you'll see dozens more hit ebay, in the form of Wal-Mart bikes with springs glued to the back axles. The ads will cite a barn in the country, Schwinn, and American Pickers.


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## bricycle (Jun 19, 2013)

catfish said:


> Find another one......




are they scarce because they were recalled from the factory for being dangerous or what???


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## cl222 (Jun 19, 2013)

*did some work on google*



bricycle said:


> are they scarce because they were recalled from the factory for being dangerous or what???




http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?1142-Huffman-Death-Bike
This will tell you what you need to know.


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## rockabillyjay (Jun 19, 2013)

I'm just happy to see another picture of it! the one from the swap where it turned up was the only pic I had ever seen. Congrats to the new owner, whoever you are!


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## bricycle (Jun 19, 2013)

cl222 said:


> http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?1142-Huffman-Death-Bike
> This will tell you what you need to know.




got it. thanks!


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## bikewhorder (Jun 19, 2013)

Will the new owner please contact me, I'd like to buy the tank if your going to be parting it out.


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## bricycle (Jun 19, 2013)

bikewhorder said:


> Will the new owner please contact me, I'd like to buy the tank if your going to be parting it out.




...and I thought *I* was a wise guy.....


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## Sped Man (Jun 19, 2013)

What is the true story on the death bike? Did it really kill a kid? It couldn't have kill a company like Huffman recalling just one bike. So what is the true story on the bike?


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## cyclingday (Jun 19, 2013)

The only thing the Death Bike ever killed, was the Super Streamline.


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## prewarbikes4sale (Jun 19, 2013)

*Congratulations!*



catfish said:


> I was trying to keep it quiet...... Now everyone will know.




Congratulations!


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## catfish (Jun 19, 2013)

prewarbikes4sale said:


> Congratulations!




Thanks Mike.


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## sm2501 (Jun 19, 2013)

I guess the Dayton boys will be mad!


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## John (Jun 19, 2013)

I need the forks


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## sm2501 (Jun 19, 2013)

John said:


> I need the forks




Didn't realize that 50k bike was being parted out. Seems like the forks alone should be about 20k!


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## Freqman1 (Jun 19, 2013)

John just needs to borrow them for a little bit---but then there would be more "Death Bikes"! BTW I doubt the new owner will divulge the true sale price but inquiring minds would like to have a ballpark #. V/r Shawn


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## cyclingday (Jun 19, 2013)

Hey!
 Whats a Huffman doing in the hands of a dyed in the wool Columbia guy?
 The next thing you know, he'll be putting a dash board on that thing.


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## catfish (Jun 19, 2013)

cyclingday said:


> Hey!
> Whats a Huffman doing in the hands of a dyed in the wool Columbia guy?
> The next thing you know, he'll be putting a dash board on that thing.




Columbia's are my main thing. But I've got other bikes too......


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## catfish (Jun 19, 2013)

sm2501 said:


> I guess the Dayton boys will be mad!




They could have stepped up...... The bikes been in the same place for over 20 years. They all knew where it was, and who had it. There was a CABE story about it in the 90s back when it was still printed.


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## Coaster Brake (Jun 19, 2013)

Can I come over and ride it?
Is the recall still in effect in case it breaks?


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## cyclingday (Jun 19, 2013)

It's in such amazing original condition, that it looks to be n.o.s. with just a little wear due to its age.
 Is there a story as to where it was found originally? Was it a prototype that never left the factory?
 Did any of those bikes actually get produced, and if so, what happened to them after the recall?
 Have any parts for them ever turned up?
Lots of questions, with very few answers.
I guess every hobby needs a few items that will forever remain cloaked in mystery.


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## slick (Jun 19, 2013)

Congrats Ed!! 

Well, i hope it makes it to a few shows so all of us can see it in it's glory. It is definately a piece of history that should not be forgotten. It's like the Holy Grail of bikes if you will? 1 of 1 and it has been unearthed. WOW!! 

It's like John Milners coupe to the Hot Rod world, the California Kid 34 Ford, the Bob Hirohata Mercury, ...... well,, you guys get the point.


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## dfa242 (Jun 20, 2013)

catfish said:


> Thanks Mike.




Oh, I thought you were kidding - good for you!!


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## prewarbikes4sale (Jun 20, 2013)

*I bought the "Death Bike"*

I bought the "Death Bike". I feel a little guilty for going along with Catfish.I thought the Bike was very desirable and drove 20 hours to bring it home to Michigan. The Bicycle Museum made a couple offers on the Bike and would not step up to the plate even with all their money and give it the respect it deserved so I did. Mike


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## John (Jun 20, 2013)

prewarbikes4sale said:


> I bought the "Death Bike". I feel a little guilty for going along with Catfish.I thought the Bike was very desirable and drove 20 hours to bring it home to Michigan. The Bicycle Museum made a couple offers on the Bike and would not step up to the plate even with all their money and give it the respect it deserved so I did. Mike



                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       that is great Mike, congratulations!


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## Freqman1 (Jun 20, 2013)

prewarbikes4sale said:


> I bought the "Death Bike". I feel a little guilty for going along with Catfish.I thought the Bike was very desirable and drove 20 hours to bring it home to Michigan. The Bicycle Museum made a couple offers on the Bike and would not step up to the plate even with all their money and give it the respect it deserved so I did. Mike




Congrats Mike! It would be a real treat for you to bring it to MLC/AA next year? In the mean time a short re-hash of the known history of the bike and some pics would tide us Huffman junkies over! Take care, Shawn


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## babyjesus (Jun 20, 2013)

*lol*

This thread was getting funnier and funnier - congrats Mike.


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## sm2501 (Jun 20, 2013)

Here's the article from the 1998 CABE-


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## dfa242 (Jun 20, 2013)

prewarbikes4sale said:


> I bought the "Death Bike". I feel a little guilty for going along with Catfish.I thought the Bike was very desirable and drove 20 hours to bring it home to Michigan. The Bicycle Museum made a couple offers on the Bike and would not step up to the plate even with all their money and give it the respect it deserved so I did. Mike




If gullible people live longer I guess I have a few more years ahead of me - Good for you, Mike!


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## prewarbikes4sale (Jun 20, 2013)

*Thank you*

Thank you! I brought the bike into the hotel room with me and even the 20 something girls at the desk thought it was "awesome". Special thanks to Scott for posting the original article.


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## Oldnut (Jun 20, 2013)

*Deathbike*

Glad it's not locked up we can see Picts, its in a good home now


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## steve doan (Jun 20, 2013)

*Death bike*

Congrats Mike.  I sold Bill the light that is on the front fender right after he bought it.  Steve Doan


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## Oldbikes (Jun 20, 2013)

Congrats Mike.  I agree with Shawn, would love to see it at Ann Arbor!


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## catfish (Jun 20, 2013)

prewarbikes4sale said:


> I bought the "Death Bike". I feel a little guilty for going along with Catfish.I thought the Bike was very desirable and drove 20 hours to bring it home to Michigan. The Bicycle Museum made a couple offers on the Bike and would not step up to the plate even with all their money and give it the respect it deserved so I did. Mike




Aw man. I was going to play this out for a few months.......


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## widpanic02 (Jun 20, 2013)

*?*

So there is no other examples of this model? What was it called?


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## cyclingday (Jun 20, 2013)

The P.O.S.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 20, 2013)

If it's THAT rare, it gets a registry of it's own. Hey, registry complete!


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## Larmo63 (Jun 20, 2013)

I wondered....who died on this bike......?


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## scrubbinrims (Jun 21, 2013)

The death bike sold in '98 for 5K at the Butler swap...I heard the story from a couple of first hand accounts this week.
I'd like to believe there is another one out there somewhere that hadn't been recalled at the time, but I don't have a lot of hope.
Congrats Mike on not only a one of a kind historical bicycle, but a gorgeous one at that.
If it goes to AA, there should be a one year entry limit .
Chris


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## prewarbikes4sale (Jun 21, 2013)

*Thanks*

The Bike actually sold for 2200.00 in 1998. Straight from Bill Bankard (not Reese) like the CABE article read. And there will be a one time limit on it being at Ann Arbor as long as I own it and that has already happened when it lost the show for Classic Bicycle of the year 1998. I am lucky and very happy to be its owner. Mike


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## babyjesus (Jun 21, 2013)

prewarbikes4sale said:


> The Bike actually sold for 2200.00 in 1998. Straight from Bill Bankard ( not Reese ) like the CABE article read. And there will be a one time limit on it being at Ann Arbor as long as I own it and that has already happened when it lost the show for Classic Bicycle of the year 1998. I am lucky and very happy to be its owner. Mike




You could be very wise to keep it out of AA.  I can't believe it didn't win in '98.  I guess it's notoriety hadn't gained momentum.


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## Rookie (Jun 23, 2013)

I didn't know that they made safety deposit boxes this big.


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## BICYCLE HEAVEN (Dec 20, 2018)

Another part of the story before the bike was sold at the Butler bike swap.I am a bike collector as well and when you think you found every good bike in your neighborhood don't believe it lol,this bike was blocks away from my house in a small barn type building that sat on abandoned property still there today .The man who bought the property called my house three weeks or so before the swap meet and my girlfriends daughter took the call and wrote down bike for sale 150.00 but did not write antique or old bike i took it as a mountain bike or something new and never called him back.I found out later he called a local bike shop up and they told him about a bike swap that was coming up and that is how the bike made it to the Butler swap.I also collect other antiques and drove past the building for many years and often thought about taking a walk through the woods to see if anything was in it .Not only could i have had that bike for 150 bucks i could have had it for free lol.Months after the bike was sold at the bike show i met up with a old friend who said he was thinking of buying this old house and when he looked over the property he said a old bike was hanging in this shed and he said its most likely still there so we took a drive up to that house ,,,,we knocked on the door and this guy said how can i help you so i told him that my friend here was thinking of buying this place and there was a old bike hanging in your building over there,,he said yes there was a sold it just not long ago,,,i said did you sell that at a bike show and sure enough it was the death bike.He asked me did i do ok on it and i said yes you did ok but was a very rare bike and do you remember talking to a young girl about the bike for sale he said yes the bike guy who lives up the road ,,yep that was me lol,,,what a story right ?,,,so remember that fantastic bike could still be around the corner.I do get asked all the time don't you feel bad about that bike you missed and i just answer ,,no the next year i found 11 Bowden Spacelanders in one pile,,,but then thats another story.


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## Cooper S. (Dec 21, 2018)

Who owns the death bike now? And has anyone ridden it?


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## prewarbikes4sale (Dec 21, 2018)

Cooper S. said:


> Who owns the death bike now? And has anyone ridden it?



I still own the “Death Bike”
Mike


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## Cooper S. (Dec 21, 2018)

prewarbikes4sale said:


> I still own the “Death Bike”
> Mike



Have you ever ridden it?


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## prewarbikes4sale (Dec 21, 2018)

Cooper S. said:


> Have you ever ridden it?



No, kinda like Driving a new Corvette without insurance.


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## Autocycleplane (Dec 21, 2018)

prewarbikes4sale said:


> No, kinda like Driving a new Corvette *Bugatti *without insurance.




Fixed that for ya.


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## DonChristie (Dec 21, 2018)

Cool story! Got more pics, Mike?


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## prewarbikes4sale (Dec 21, 2018)

schwinndoggy said:


> Cool story! Got more pics, Mike?



Sorry to many picture pirates


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## Mr.Motorbike (Dec 21, 2018)

prewarbikes4sale said:


> Sorry to many picture pirates




Next thing you know it’ll be on the London Craigslist!


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## rfeagleye (Dec 31, 2018)

I was at that swap! Saw the bike in person. What a neat swap meet day that was...

I was just starting collecting muscle bikes then, and collected only Schwinn Sting-Ray and Krate bikes, like every 60's kid does when he starts in the hobby it seems. I had two friends with me, and we had a table at the back end of the ballroom at the swap. There was a door to the parking lot next to us, and the guy who sold the bike wheeled it right past us from the parking lot. 

Soon there were guys three deep around the bike. My friends and I had NO idea what we were looking at, we were all new to the hobby. I told them I'd go ask what the big deal was.

I walked over and sort of moved to the front of the circle around the bike. I asked the guy next to me what the bike was, and he just said, "that's a Huffy Death Bike" and explained the suspension to me really briefly. He said the guy found it in a house he bought, and was taking the highest price he was offered on it. Everyone seemed like they were pooling their money together to buy it, and I think one or two guys ran out to the ATM to get more money. I went back to our table and told my friends what I was told and we watched it sell. I remember being told the selling price was $2,200 by someone later in the day.

This was back when the internet was in it's infancy and there weren't many good bicycle hobby related web sites. The best one back then (or at least for me) was the Schwinn Forum hosted on Schwinn.com. I got back from the swap and wrote a little note about the swap, and mentioned that I saw "The Huffy Death Bike" there. Had a few comments on the Schwinn stuff I mentioned, but no one commented on the Death Bike.

About a year later I got an email and phone call from Steve Culver, who I believe published a monthly newsletter back then. He said he saw my post on the Schwinn Forum and thought I didn't know what I was talking about. He found out later the bike was there, and asked me a little about it. I wasn't much help because I didn't realize the significance of the bike then. Now I would be taking pictures with it if I saw it!

Looking back, it was one of the coolest things I've ever seen!


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