My 1980's Beach Cruiser... ID Help Needed

[maico692]

This is the very same cruiser that I rode around Ocean City MD back in the summer of 1987. I've had it all these years and never had a clue who made it, as I purchased it used ($25) without any badging on it that I can ever recall.

I'd love to restore it- possibly to original condition if I can ever figure out who made it. I'm just about to move into our new home near a little town with rail trail and would love to resurrect this thing.

Here's the best details I can give besides the pictures:
1) Bottom bracket serial number is " 50517078 "... there also seems to be some sort of mark that looks to be a little letter "c" , a circle, or possibly just a nick or imperfection before the serial number, but it looks intentional for whatever that is worth...
2) Bike was purchased used in 1987 but was in excellent shape at the time... I want to say it was probably 3 years old or less in '87- so probably was made around '84-'86
3) My sister's boyfriend (now my brother-in-law) gave this thing an overhaul in the 1990's... hence the non-standard equipment of newer tires, basket, free-style pegs, and ugly 90's teal & aqua green paint job!
4) The following are either original or most likely original:
a) seat
b) wheels (pretty sure...see note about coaster brake below)
c) Handlebars (had complete black foam grip/cover to gooseneck back in '87)
d) gooseneck
e) frame, fork, crank, pedals.... therefore all mostly original
f) original color was a dark blue navy metallic before the 90's spray bomb!

On a funny note- the coaster brake broke that summer and I spent half the summer riding down Coastal Highway in traffic with no brakes- other then my sneakers!! Really smart!!
I'm not sure what my brother in law did but they work now... LoL!!

I'd love any ideas or suggestions what this is if anyone has any... Thanks for any input!

 

[Wildcat]

It looks like a Jamis Boss cruiser.

 

[maico692]

It looks like a Jamis Boss cruiser.

Thanks Wildcat !!
And Yes- I think you nailed it too- as being Jamis Boss cruiser.

It matches up with so many other examples that I've seen now that I had a Brand/model to do a comparison search with. The dead giveaway besides the frame seem to be the standard issue "Cheeks" seat- which mine still has.
Another thing I learned last night while researching is that these things were most prevalent on the East Coast, and they were also frequently used in rental fleets. This also probably explains the origins of my bike as it was probably a boardwalk rental cruiser in Ocean City MD the previous summer or two and got rotated out the summer that I got it for $25... I also think the original badging might have been removed and had a rental company name instead...
All just conjecture- but many of the pieces seem to fit the circumstances too.
Ironically- this thing was actaully sitting next to a Jamis Citizen dual sport when I took those pictures!

Thanks again for the lead on what it is... I appreciate it!

 

[us56456712]

Cool bike, a lot of possibilities. Nice rims. Worth an upgrade and personalization for sure. I like it.

 

[RustyGold]

I think it's a Boss Cruiser clone. Dropouts are wrong, BB to chain stay transition not right, welds not great, fork looks cheaper version (pull the fork...I believe the jamis Boss would be stamped akisa h.t.).

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Excellent example for comparison:
https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/threads/1983-jamis-boss-bmx-cruiser-5-speed.40938/

Dropouts look different:

 

[maico692]

Excellent example for comparison:
https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/threads/1983-jamis-boss-bmx-cruiser-5-speed.40938/View attachment 211002
Dropouts look different:
View attachment 211001

Thanks to MattiThunderrr and RustyGold for the additional info and reference pictures... I will check the fork for the AKISU stamping and confirm back...
Unfortunately, the mystery will have to go on a couple weeks as the bike is at my parents place 2 hours away and I'm not able to make it there for the next couple weekends...
I also think my forks might have been chrome before the paint job too- something I've seen on most of the Boss Cruisers.
I'm going to have my motorcycle trailer and had planned to bring it back home for a winter project, so I'll shoot back what I found out about the AKISU stamping. Thanks again for all the leads on this!

 

[maico692]

It looks like a Jamis Boss cruiser.

Happy Monday Everyone! Thanks to Wildcat, RustyGold and MattiThunderrr for their contributions in my quest to ID my 1980's beach cruiser... With all of their input I was able to put a postive ID on this thing as an.... (DRUM ROLL...Please.......):
It is a Jamis Boss Cruiser !
It does have the AKISU stamping on the fork that RustyGold suggested to be a tell-tale sign of it being a Jamis.
I finally got to see it again this weekend to verify things with my much-appreciated info acquired from my Rat Rod community friends.
I could not bring it home this weekend as my vehicle was already too full with some of my folks stuff but plan to grab it in another week or so and start doing a resto on it this year. Since I have first posted the first message I am now in a community with a great rails-to-trails not even a mile from my new home... Time to get this cruiser a new life, in a new location with great chance to still cruise it 36 years after it was purchased as my beach transportation!
I attached the pics of the fork stampings... I'd still love to figure out what year it is... I've tried looking on some sites for Jamis serial numbers- including Jamis's own site- but haven't had any luck with Boss Cruiser serial ranges... If anyone knows or has a cross reference for Boss Cruiser serial look-ups- please let me know!
I'll send pictures of the restoration and hopefully completed bike as it progresses.
Thanks agin for everyones help that chimed in on this!
Chris

 

[maico692]

I keep adding to my own thread that I started because I had a cool story to add relating to the same bike that the Rat Rod Bike Forum members have helped me to identify as a Jamis Boss Cruiser.
As I stated in my initial post- I got my Boss Cryuiser bike when I was 18 in 1987 back in Ocean City, Maryland. It served as my transportation that summer all over the place. I brought it home after the summer and I forgot about it for years. It was eventually resurrected by my brother-in-law 20 years ago and has since sat another dozen years. Since it had no decals or badge, I really never knew what it was until I found Rat Rod Bikes and very recently ID'd it as a Jamis Boss.

So funny thing- my wife and I go to Ocean City this past weekend and take a stroll on the boardwalk. A bike catches the corner of my eye... I walk past and the new Rat Rod member in me HAS to go check it out. What does it turn out to be...??

A freaking awesome, almost totally period correct Jamis Boss Cruiser!! What are the chances ??

The phone camera comes out... Numerous pictures are taken from all angles... Close inspection is taken of the entire bike... My wife wonders why this rather ordinary looking 30+ year old beach cruiser bicycle deserves such special attention...

Where is the owner? The bike is locked to a rack with nobody around. Where is an ATM if I find the owner and how much cash will it take to talk them out of this ??

Unfortunately, I only left with pictures (I attached a few) but it was worthwhile to see this thing in its natural habitat at the Beach and on the boards and in great original condition. I would guess that its a couple years newer then mine. Mine is about an '84-'86. I think this one might be around '90 or so. The "teal color" paint craze was around the early 90's as I recall, so that's my best guess.

At one point I had thought about restoring mine into a more modern ride, but now that I've seen this original theres a lot to be said for keeping the original look of an 80's beach cruiser.
Here's the coolest part of the story. I set the goal of fixing mine up and riding it on the boards of Ocean City this summer!! I plan to include follow up and pictures.

And by the way- Thanks to Rat Rod Bikes for all the fun I've had rediscovering bicycles and how cool they are... I think this place has successfully got me hooked on all the fun... Thanks!!

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Eeek no brakes on that beauty! You don't know how many times my wife has had to wait around while I check out bike racks

 

[Wildcat]

From Jamis webpage:
"How can I figure out the model year of my Jamis Bike?
We can help with that! Please complete our General Inquiry form, which will be linked below, and provide the serial number located on the underside (bottom bracket shell) of the frame. This will help us determine model year. Many times, there are 2 numbers listed on the bottom bracket shell which can cause some confusion. The correct serial number will be a 9- or 10-digit alphanumeric sequence, usually beginning with a letter, and will not have any spaces or dashes.
Additionally, we ask that you upload a photo of your complete bike via the file uploader in the below form."

https://www.jamisbikes.com/support/