Author Topic: Jeff Bottema Forks .. What's the deal? (Read 13880 times)

factory pilot · « **on:** September 07, 2016, 05:43 PM »

Okay, since I've been back into OSBMX these things keep turning up on bikes and being mentioned.
I personally have no recollection of them from BITD so what was the crack with these bad boys?
Did anybody have 'em or see then BITD?
I've seen them on race bikes but more so on Haro freestylers?
Did the original Gen 1s only come as a frameset?
Who was Jeff Bottema and what happened to him?

Please don't say ... "Google it"! Lol

GRAB ON KID · « **Reply #1 on:** September 07, 2016, 06:10 PM »

Ant,you really need to check your bmx history bud as this is bordering on ignorance.

Bottema was one of the OS OG heavyweights.He rode for Webco,DG,Raleigh & Murray.Toby Henderson's main bro & invented the forks to be bomb proof as was sick of snapping other brands..The most expensive forks BITD but worth it.No frames were made,he just manufactured the forks.He later made skatepark versions for freestylers who were also tired of snapping their forks.

factory pilot · « **Reply #2 on:** September 07, 2016, 06:15 PM »

I heard that these forks were made by Vorris Dixon .. Is that true ? .. What were the years of production? Had Jeff stopped riding by then?

GRAB ON KID · « **Reply #3 on:** September 07, 2016, 06:40 PM »

Yeah Voris fabricated them for Jeff early on.Years available were around late 79- 84.Jeff retired from racing in 83 to become manager of the Murray team.

factory pilot · « **Reply #4 on:** September 07, 2016, 06:53 PM »

Cheers bud and sorry for my ignorance .. I was well aware of the name but knew nothing of the details .. Didn't realise that they were around as late as that .. My knowledge of pre-82 BMX is very poor to be fair $:-\$

I thought he had some connection to Raleigh but my knowledge of Team Murray is very limited.

GRAB ON KID · « **Reply #5 on:** September 07, 2016, 07:00 PM »

Not a fan of Murray either as were mostly known for cheap badly made low end department store bikes.
Along w/Huffy who sold shed loads of cheap bikes,towards the end these companies had the money to afford big name pros like Bottema,Clark,& even big ole Stu!

GRAB ON KID · « **Reply #6 on:** September 07, 2016, 07:49 PM »

Just to add to that Voris only made the 1st gen Bottemas.Jeff was very picky about the welds being perfect & found out that Voris was selling 2nds that Jeff rejected out the back door so got someone else in to sort the welding after this.

dancetothedrummersbeat · « **Reply #7 on:** September 07, 2016, 08:09 PM »

I didn't really know much about Jeff either, so you're not alone Ant! Another thing - how do pronounce the name?
Bot-e-ma, or more like Bot-eee-ma?
And before anyone asks, i'm NOT googling it!

Prefer to keep it within these walls

insectbones · « **Reply #8 on:** September 07, 2016, 09:10 PM »

I've always pronounced it Bot-emma, probably wrong though!

dancetothedrummersbeat · « **Reply #9 on:** September 07, 2016, 09:19 PM »

Quote from: insectbones on September 07, 2016, 09:10 PM

I've always pronounced it Bot-emma, probably wrong though!

That's what I thought Lee, and how I pronounce it

dinglem · « **Reply #10 on:** September 07, 2016, 09:40 PM »

I have a pair on my WHEELS Pro and had been saving them for when I found this frame. I remember viewing them as exotica BITD. Way too expensive for my folks back then, and hot property now... if you can find a set.

[ Attachment: You are not allowed to view attachments ]

insectbones · « **Reply #11 on:** September 07, 2016, 09:45 PM »

Didn't Johnny Chopper make some accurate copies of these?

dancetothedrummersbeat · « **Reply #12 on:** September 07, 2016, 10:03 PM »

I'm sure he did

NORTY40 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 07, 2016, 10:06 PM »

Sod the forks .............. I want that patch !!!

chubby · « **Reply #14 on:** September 07, 2016, 10:44 PM »

Why they look familiar to me

Is there a bike with something really similar I keep seeing

Jaan · « **Reply #15 on:** September 07, 2016, 11:02 PM »

Firkin awesome forks

And the correct pronunciation, bo-team-ar

dancetothedrummersbeat · « **Reply #16 on:** September 07, 2016, 11:10 PM »

Quote from: Jaan on September 07, 2016, 11:02 PM

Firkin awesome forks

And the correct pronunciation, bo-team-ar

Thanks Chris. I presume Americans would pronounce the bo as in bo selector, whereas the brits would say bo as in bottle?

Gnarlyscoots · « **Reply #17 on:** September 07, 2016, 11:39 PM »

http://bmxmuseum.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=705678

Spen69 · « **Reply #18 on:** September 08, 2016, 12:48 AM »

Quote from: insectbones on September 07, 2016, 09:45 PM

Didn't Johnny Chopper make some accurate copies of these?

Yep, I had a prototype set with my prototype anniversary Gen1 I bought off Dom. Really wanted to keep the forks but they went with the frame.

I then had a set of newschool ones made by Greg Melms with my race Knightgoose when it arrived...... man they were seriously awesome but I sold them to pay for the Odyssey Directors I needed for it

dinglem · « **Reply #19 on:** September 08, 2016, 06:30 AM »

They also seem to be the fork of choice for the average Nomura builder too... Do a quick Google images search on 'Nomura bmx' and you'll see what i mean.

factory pilot · « **Reply #20 on:** September 08, 2016, 06:35 AM »

$800!!! Holy shit .. That's serious money

dinglem · « **Reply #21 on:** September 08, 2016, 07:53 AM »

That's been the going rate for quite some time now.... I got hold of mine around 7 years ago and they were pretty steep then. I'd live a pair of skatepark ones at some point, although I don't have anything needing forks at this stage.

Jaan · « **Reply #22 on:** September 08, 2016, 10:21 AM »

Try them with NOS Skyways and Comp IIs - not you're cheapest set up

factory pilot · « **Reply #23 on:** September 08, 2016, 10:30 AM »

Quote from: Jaan on September 08, 2016, 10:21 AM

Try them with NOS Skyways and Comp IIs - not you're cheapest set up

Now I'm glad I started this thread !!!

factory pilot · « **Reply #24 on:** September 08, 2016, 05:40 PM »

Quote from: dancetothedrummersbeat on September 07, 2016, 11:10 PM

Quote from: Jaan on September 07, 2016, 11:02 PM
Firkin awesome forks

And the correct pronunciation, bo-team-ar

Thanks Chris. I presume Americans would pronounce the bo as in bo selector, whereas the brits would say bo as in bottle?

So is it pronounced ' bow-teema' .. ? Kinda cool