Anybody heard of these frame sets before?

[Gnarlyscoots]

I picked this up at a great price the other day. Original candy red over chrome and original decals, 100% full Cr-Mo frame and fork and the welds look real quality.

Can anybody shed some insight?

Thanks 

[oldschoolace]

Nearly bought that myself a few times Terry. Got to say the lads pics didnt do it justice, looks a cracking little frameset that 

[Gnarlyscoots]

Nearly bought that myself a few times Terry. Got to say the lads pics didnt do it justice, looks a cracking little frameset that 

I couldn't resist it Clint    Original finish and decals too.

I hit the guy with a really lowball offer thinking he would tear me a new one but, he said yes straight away. I couldn't believe it 

It's with my buddy at the moment so am just picking a few things up for it. I can't wait to get it and ride it, looks ace 

[Bob_Acid]

Looks alright that 

[oldschoolace]

Might have to try lowballing 
Never been my thing but nothing ventured and all that 

[Gnarlyscoots]

Looks alright that 

Thank you Sir 

I felt I needed to rescue it to preserve the original finish on it. It will be built as a survivor/rider 

[NORTY40]

Never heard of them Terry but that frame is a dead ringer for the MT Racing Silverfox . The dropouts , gusset , brake bridge and geometry looks identical to me .

Always good to pick something up a little different 

[BMX1973]

Looks a similar colour to the New Skyway TA in candy anno colours.

Nice looking bike that, dress it in Silver / Chrome parts and that will look cool 

[NORTY40]

Never heard of them Terry but that frame is a dead ringer for the MT Racing Silverfox . The dropouts , gusset , brake bridge and geometry looks identical to me .

Always good to pick something up a little different 

[griff]

Never heard of them Terry but that frame is a dead ringer for the MT Racing Silverfox . The dropouts , gusset and geometry looks identical to me .

Always good to pick something up a little different 

Was about to say the same thing, dropouts, gusset, brake bridge all look the same

[chubby]

Might have to try lowballing 
Never been my thing but nothing ventured and all that 

Gets you Into trouble sometimes Clint 

[NORTY40]

Where's the serial number Terry and what is it ?

[Gnarlyscoots]

Where's the serial number Terry and what is it ?

I haven't got it yet buddy. The seller said it's an '84 and has been hanging in his basement for years.

Would you say it's an MT Fox branded as a Lotus for the American market?

[nosepickben]

Good find if it is. Nice frame set. 

[rodriguez]

Looks alright that 

Thank you Sir 

I felt I needed to rescue it to preserve the original finish on it. It will be built as a survivor/rider 

It's gone to the right man for a survivor rider   

[NORTY40]

Where's the serial number Terry and what is it ?

I haven't got it yet buddy. The seller said it's an '84 and has been hanging in his basement for years.

Would you say it's an MT Fox branded as a Lotus for the American market?

Nathan (macmania) is the one to ask Terry , but im pretty sure the MT Silverfox's were made by Akisu , i know the forks were for definite as mine are both stamped . They were really light frames and the welding was very tidy  .

[Gnarlyscoots]

im pretty sure the MT Silverfox's were made by Akisu , i know the forks were for definite as mine are both stamped

That sounds about ride Joff, as this fork is stamped Akisu too 

I was just looking on the Museum but not much help really. There is only really 1 of the 5 listed that is any help. The blue Cobra MX-5 can help with a parts option though 

http://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/lotus/

[Gnarlyscoots]

Where's the serial number Terry and what is it ?

Here you go Joff 

[NORTY40]

Where's the serial number Terry and what is it ?

Here you go Joff 

100% it's the same as a Silverfox frame , both my Silverfox's start with 'A' followed by 5 numbers stamped on the rear dropout

Im assuming they were both made in the Akisu factory and then re branded . The only difference to both my Silverfox framesets is the forks on those are stamped Akisu , same dropouts but they are aero tubing as opposed to what look like round on yours . 

Nice frameset Terry 

[Gnarlyscoots]

Thanks for that Joff. I am really happy with it and cannot wait to get it now. My friend says it is really light 

I would like to know a bit more about how the MT Fox came to be branded with these decals and if they were indeed all made within the same factory and shipped to different companies for sales. Whatever you can find out Joff would be cool 

I will contact the 2 other members on the Museum with the MX-5 and the MX-3 and see if or what they can enlighten me with 

[NORTY40]

I'd shoot Nathan (macmania) a PM Terry ..... he knows far more than me when it comes to MT Racing history etc     I think he would be genuinely interested in it aswell considering the very obvious similarities.

[insectbones]

Cool that Terry  Is it gonna be a real scruffy build?

[Gnarlyscoots]

Cool that Terry  Is it gonna be a real scruffy build?

It is indeed. I am hunting for some parts that will have the same patina and in keeping with the frame and fork. I will even go with a one piece crank on it too 

I'd shoot Nathan (macmania) a PM Terry

Thanks for all your help Joff, I have sent him a PM 

[Macmania]

Based on the pics and judging by the Serial Number, Fork shape and construction I would conclude that what you have is an 83 MT Racing Superfox.

The factory finish would be chrome and the decals would have been Red/Black, Black/White or Black/Silver Prismatic.

Nice score 

Should look something like this one of mine -



BTW - MT Racing did not manufacture products for anyone but themselves BITD 

[Gnarlyscoots]

Thanks for the input Nathan, appreciate it buddy. Bare with me here though as I try to fathom all of this out please 

The Silverfox ran from 1982 to 1985 with this frame and fork. The Superfox ran throughout 1983 with this frame and fork. They then changed the frame design in 1984 for the Superfox and in 1986 for the Silverfox, which again ran the same frame and fork, is that correct 

Am I also correct in assuming the Superfox ran with better quality parts 

I read that MT stands for Ming Tien, shortened from Ming Tien Hang, and was/is the name of the company and were located in Taipei, Taiwan, and started in 1975. The "MT Racing" brand started in 1982, and they started using the MT logo when they stopped rebranding other factory's bikes and onto manufacturing their own, in their own factory in Houli, Taiwan.

Could it be possible that they did indeed supply Lotus with the Silverfox/Superfox frames only, from 1983 to 1984, for Lotus to produce the Cobra and Cobra MX-1 through to the Cobra MX-5. I assume they obtained 'round' Akisu forks instead of the Aero Akisu forks that MT were using.