Non-original 60's BF Goodrich Challenger: Value?

[manimal347]

Hmm. I saw this bike on our local Craigslist It's a 1960's BF Good Ridge, Aka Huffy Jetfire. The picture is rather small, but looks half-way decent. Tires hold air. Comes with neat, but unoriginal afaik, tassling. Seat has two rips. Light cover is broken and bulbs missing. No clue if tank is repairable. As you might tell, it has been repainted. Looks okay - maybe - but I'm pretty sure it's *not* original. While I know value is hard to determine, anyone have a gander? If it helps, I'm on the east coast, in a town that loves its bikes. Countering, the bike's 18 miles away andwe have a few odd hills. Also cruisers don't seem big in my town.

Thanks.

 

[NLCTVWguy]

Not a great pic but it looks original to me- similar to the many models Murray built for Sears, badged as JC Higgins through 1963, Sears from 1964 up I believe.

We have a girls model very similar to that, same color blue, white graphics etc and the tank. Ours is a 24". I can't tell for sure if that's a 24 or a 26. If it's a 24, they're only good for kids and very short adults!

If it's cheap though, it's worth getting. Under $50 and I'd say you're ahead of the game.

--Rob

Hmm. I saw this bike on our local Craigslist It's a 1960's BF Good Ridge, Aka Huffy Jetfire. The picture is rather small, but looks half-way decent. Tires hold air. Comes with neat, but unoriginal afaik, tassling. Seat has two rips. Light cover is broken and bulbs missing. No clue if tank is repairable. As you might tell, it has been repainted. Looks okay - maybe - but I'm pretty sure it's *not* original. While I know value is hard to determine, anyone have a gander? If it helps, I'm on the east coast, in a town that loves its bikes. Countering, the bike's 18 miles away andwe have a few odd hills. Also cruisers don't seem big in my town.

Thanks.

 

[manimal347]

$50? Hmm. I'm 5'4, so I figure I might be somewhere in between the two sizes. Not quite sure. But $50. Only eight year old Walmart Roadmasters are listed for that. Even 70's Ross and Free Spirit roadbikes get put up for $75-125 in good shape - easy $50 more for Raleighs and Peugots. And I remember a friend offered to sell me a late 70's Free Spirit - good shape and gone over a bit - for $80. Maybe I'm just having terrible luck at finding bikes?

I've only seen two cruisers like this go up in a while by the way. Both $200. I reckon I could haggle down, but probably only fifty dollars at most.

 

[highship]

That bike looks like it came from the western ma CL, is that so? I'm not exactly sure what happened but they advertised the crap out of it for bid at an estate auction. now either someone picked it up cheap and had it back on CL the next day for 200 or it didnt sell at the auction and now they are trying again on CL. Either way I would't go over $50 either, girls bikes are a dime a dozen. Picker syndrome is running rampant

Edit. If you are in fact in western ma and are looking for that style bike that needs work I have a bunch I could show you :mrgreen:

 

[Wolf's Den Garage]

Parts bike for $50, yes. Restore and flip, no.

 

[manimal347]

Yeah. I'm indeed in Western Mass. Just looking for a bike to get around, but one with some real Made in USA soul. For whatever reason, seems these rarely come up, and when they do, they come up at really steep prices. I know - even though we're near the old Columbia Mfg. plant. But basically, I'm looking: 50's to late 60's cruiser, tank present plus saddle rack, original paint, ideally in a hot color (eg., pink, seafoam,) and not a real basket case. I personally don't care if it looks solidly rat. Rust is okay, and I hear Sheldon Brown says not to sweat the tires unless they're bulging, have a horrible-looking sidewall, or sport exposed fabric. In name of all things cheap, I'll trust! Oh, and funny enough, I'd rather have a girl's bike. I like the curved stepside frame look.

PM sent to High Ship.

 

[highship]

Welcome aboard! I'm PM you later with a bunch of pictures of the stuff I have.