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Roadmaster Skylark Thread

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Oilit

Cruisin' on my Bluebird
I want to see some Roadmaster Skylarks. The Skylark was Roadmaster's cantilever middleweight with a chromed frame. From the catalogs, it looks like it was introduced in 1962 and was produced through 1966. Besides being cool looking bikes, this may help me figure out the mid-'60's AMF serials. From 1958 AMF started putting the serial number on the left drop-out, and the model numbers in the catalogs all start with a letter determined by the year - 1959 = "J", 1960 = "K", 1961 = "L" and 1962 = "M". And the serial numbers used in a particular year start with the same letter as the model numbers, but in 1963 the pattern changes. Instead of "N", the model numbers start with "P", then "R" in 1964, "T" in 1965 and "U" in 1966. For the serial numbers, the letter is followed by a 6 digit number, which would allow production of 999,999 bikes before you needed to add a digit or change the letter. I'm guessing that in 1962 AMF produced more than a million bikes and instead of adding another digit, they just started using more than one letter in a year. So there may be bikes with serial numbers beginning with "M" and "N" in 1962, then they skipped "O" and started 1963 with "P" serials. But it's only a guess, because I haven't seen enough '60's AMF bikes to know for sure. So let's see some cool bikes and maybe solve a mystery while we're at it!

The Skylark for 1962:

1962 AMF RM Skylark.jpg
 
And here's one in the metal, @chiller662's bike (for sale), but he doesn't show the serial. 1963?

 
And here's one in the metal, @chiller662's bike (for sale), but he doesn't show the serial. 1963?

1704534


Hope this helps I didn't think to post the serial due to roadmasters lack of book keeping lol
 
View attachment 1704534

Hope this helps I didn't think to post the serial due to roadmasters lack of book keeping lol
Thanks for the picture! They weren't much on publishing their numbers, but it looks like they were still following the system they started in the mid-'50's, making your bike 1962. I wasn't sure because your bike has the later seat, but we already know AMF was pretty flexible on the details.
 
Thanks for the picture! They weren't much on publishing their numbers, but it looks like they were still following the system they started in the mid-'50's, making your bike 1962. I wasn't sure because your bike has the later seat, but we already know AMF was pretty flexible on the details.
True and It may have been parts from two different bikes as well lol
 
Searching this site, I found a couple more Skylarks. @Starnger posted a women's 1962 in this thread:


And @Caddis posted one for sale, the fork's been replaced and the chain guard has lost it's decal, but otherwise looks original. The serial no. isn't shown, but from the jeweled chain ring, maybe 1963?

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/amf-roadmaster-1960s.212268/
 
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