Huffy Rawhide

[FreddyS]

Hey guys, trying to date this bike. Serial number C8334320184. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Rat Rod]

I would say an early to mid 80s bike....not especially rare.

Probably worth about $75.

 

[Fat Lip]

That version of Huffy's Rawhide came out in 1982. There were earlier versions that had a cantilever frame. Looking at your serial number I would guess it to be a 1983 model. Here's a catalog picture from 1982:

 

[Rat Rod]

The funny thing is....getting this bike in 1983 would have been a curse.

I remember how dorky they seemed then because the BMX scene was full effect.

 

[FreddyS]

Thanks guys, I thought it was early '80s but was not sure. Rat rod, you are right about the bike. Muscle bikes had their heyday from mid '60s to mid '70s which is when BMX bikes started to come into the scene. I have a cool '78 '79 schwinn Stingray that I am fixing up. I think it is actually harder to find nice muscle bikes from the late '70s to early '80s because production of them was ramping down during this period because of BMX bikes. A cool little bike that I got on the cheap!

 

[Rat Rod]

Did you end up selling the Sears Free Sprit BMX bike with the rat trap springer that you had listed?

 

[FreddyS]

Did you end up selling the Sears Free Sprit BMX bike with the rat trap springer that you had listed?

No, I have someone who wants to look at it when I get back to Katy but it is not definite. It is actually in my hotel room at Homewood Suites in Dallas. It is a really cool bike, heavy as heck but I'm a big boy and I was able to ride. Really nice old bike and rare? You interested?

 

[Rat Rod]

I sold one a couple of years ago...

 

[FreddyS]

I sold one a couple of years ago...

Sweet! I have looking all over the net trying to find a similar bike out there and cannot find one. I am thinking mine is '75 or '76. Trying to figure out what it might be worth. Mine is not as nice as the one you sold, but is not bad either. I would say a 6 out of 10.

 

[Rat Rod]

The top bike is what you have I believe.....it's a 75/76 model. I sold the one I had for $100 and then the guy that bought it tried to sell it for months and ended up taking $75 for it.

 

[Fat Lip]

I once had both the black and the silver Free Spirit bikes. I think I still have some parts for them too. They are cool bikes but they are heavy.

 

[FreddyS]

I once had both the black and the silver Free Spirit bikes. I think I still have some parts for them too. They are cool bikes but they are heavy.

The style of this bike takes a little warming up to, but after I cleaned it up, put new tires on it and had a chance to ride, it really did grow on me. This bike is made to take a pounding and the ride is surprisingly nice. Very few of these survivors out there. I imagine that a lot of kids who had these bikes really wore them out.