Author Topic: ::: The Elusive Holeshot RF1 ::: (Read 6839 times)

Stodgy · « **on:** June 13, 2007, 09:59 AM »

No I haven't got one!!

But, has anyone? Did Anyone?

Been thinking about this for a while and was talking through the subject with Pete the other night - and the facts are there to wonder whether the thing ever sold? Or if it did, was it in any great numbers?

THE FACTS (according to my low level research!):

- The RF1 was released at the very end of 1985.

- It was slated for it's design by the major mags, but they all agreed it was an important bike as the Ruffell brothers were behind it.

- The mags stated that £150 RRP was too much for a British frame. (DP's were £79, and the US frames were £150 - £220)

- Andy Ruffell was interviewed at the beginning of 1986, he stated that there had been a lot of interest in the RF1 by the industry, but he skirted around the issue of actual sales...he quoted "I don't care if it sells 500 a day or 1 a week, as long as Neil has a frame to ride".

- I can only find one ad listing a Holeshot RF1 for sale; it was a small shop in Winchester in the April 86 edition of BMX Action Bike.

- None of the big, influential shops seemed to stock it.

Ask yourself the questions:

- Did you or anyone you knew or saw ever have one?

- Did you ever see one in a shop?

This isn't a conspiracy theory, just opening a debate...your thoughts please...

muttley · « **Reply #1 on:** June 13, 2007, 10:11 AM »

Just a chopped about StreetBeat isnt it?

SaMAlex · « **Reply #2 on:** June 13, 2007, 10:17 AM »

My mate Darryl (who broke his back at the epic Xmas meet but it all better now) had one. He got it direct from Ruffel, and even has a funny story about when he called up the Ruffel house and Craig Schofield answered the phone.

I think Darryl rode the one in that Holeshot add that was Neil doing an air at Mons ramp and then wanted to get one after that.

Some time in the early 90s Darryl had a load of stuff stolen from his garage, so dont ask!

Stodgy · « **Reply #3 on:** June 13, 2007, 10:27 AM »

Thanks Alex - your mate had one...and direct from the Ruffell's...more fuel to the fire that they were never sold! ??

oberonspacefruit · « **Reply #4 on:** June 13, 2007, 10:32 AM »

you got any pics dave?

dordymush · « **Reply #5 on:** June 13, 2007, 10:35 AM »

tell you what dave i'll get intouch with rob ruffell and ask him what he knows about it.
i know there was 2 different models done.
a mk1 and mk2 of the same frame set.

theRuler · « **Reply #6 on:** June 13, 2007, 10:37 AM »

there has got to be some of these knocking around, somewhere!

Stodgy · « **Reply #7 on:** June 13, 2007, 10:40 AM »

Thanks Dordy Dave - I thought you might have some links after all your communication with the Ruffels a couple of years back.

It'll be interesting to find out exactly how many were sold and who by. Who was distributing them?

I don't doubt it exisited, it clearly did...just wondering why we've never seen one...either now or BITD.

Stodgy · « **Reply #8 on:** June 13, 2007, 10:41 AM »

Quote from: Oberonspacefruit on June 13, 2007, 10:32 AM

you got any pics dave?

Not scanned it mate, but I know others have...can anyone post pics please?

kdw712 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 13, 2007, 10:47 AM »

Heres some

SaMAlex · « **Reply #10 on:** June 13, 2007, 10:50 AM »

Thats the shot from Mons ramp when Darryl had a go on that bike (The also took some shots with me on the deck wearing a Holeshot shirt, man I got some stick for that!)

daz bmx it! · « **Reply #11 on:** June 13, 2007, 10:52 AM »

I have an Ad somewhere showing the frames for sale

Stodgy · « **Reply #12 on:** June 13, 2007, 11:04 AM »

Cool, that pic rocks.

Thanks Daz, another Ad would be great...the only one I can find was a small 1/4 page ad in April 86 BMX Action Bike for a shop in Winchester.

jimmyp · « **Reply #13 on:** June 13, 2007, 12:47 PM »

Never heard of it but it look good

Stodgy · « **Reply #14 on:** June 13, 2007, 03:07 PM »

Quote from: jimmyp on June 13, 2007, 12:47 PM

Never heard of it but it look good

Blimey Jim, that surprises me...where were you in 85/86?

jimmyp · « **Reply #15 on:** June 13, 2007, 03:34 PM »

Quote from: Stodgy on June 13, 2007, 03:07 PM

Quote from: jimmyp on June 13, 2007, 12:47 PM
Never heard of it but it look good

Blimey Jim, that surprises me...where were you in 85/86?

Had heard of the Holeshot stuff, just did'nt know they did a bike as well $:-\$ $:-\$

Stodgy · « **Reply #16 on:** June 13, 2007, 03:36 PM »

Ah, I thought you must have been on a severe quantity of mind-altering drugs.

retrorider.u.k · « **Reply #17 on:** June 13, 2007, 04:39 PM »

vince gregory rode one at bfa events

Trev · « **Reply #18 on:** June 13, 2007, 04:48 PM »

i nearly had one... i was a big neil ruffell fan and had my heart set on a street beat. but then he left skyway and the holeshot frame came out. i was so close to buying one, but went with the street beat anyway. i think the main reason might have been it only came as a f&f and no shops stocked them. so if i bought one from ruffell direct (which i was going to do) i would have needed to buy all the parts too and put it together too. but other bike shops were doing complete street beats, so i bought one of them instead. bear in mind i was only 12 and it was my first proper bmx, so didn't know anything about building a bike.

Moose · « **Reply #19 on:** June 13, 2007, 07:15 PM »

I'm sure I read in a previous thread about the RF1, that one of our members saw one hanging on the wall in a shop in the late 80's..............it might have been Laz......or I might have got the story completely wrong and it was a different bike and a different person $:-\$

Andy · « **Reply #20 on:** June 13, 2007, 07:19 PM »

Im sure Tim Nichols had one or even 2 of them, cyclesport may have had them, Simon could probably tell you better than I

QUADROPHENIA · « **Reply #21 on:** June 13, 2007, 07:27 PM »

so i take they werent a common bike then

BrianP · « **Reply #22 on:** June 13, 2007, 07:31 PM »

Bp.

daz bmx it! · « **Reply #23 on:** June 13, 2007, 08:37 PM »

Thats the one

nice one Brian

Stodgy · « **Reply #24 on:** June 13, 2007, 08:46 PM »

Guys, i think you might have the wrong end of the stick of what I was trying to get to the bottom of.

I know what the RF1 looks like and that it was actually made - but what I was trying to ascertain was whether or not anyone had actually seen one in the flesh, either in a shop or in the street (not with Neil Ruffell on it).

It seems that they were advertised, they were talked about and that Neil Ruffell rode one...but I'm not sure that they ever made it to the shops.

Trev's point above, would support that...he couldn't get hold of one so had to go to Neil direct...

Hmmmm - were they ever distributed.

Author Topic: ::: The Elusive Holeshot RF1 ::: (Read 6839 times)

muttley

SaMAlex

theRuler

SaMAlex

daz bmx it!

retrorider.u.k

Trev

Andy

daz bmx it!