Raleigh Grifters

[magna13]

which goes to show just how wrong Raliegh got it BITD.....if they'd put a bit more thought and effort in they would've come up with something that weighed less than a super tanker!  why the hell did they continue making and selling them even after they'd released the Burner?  talk about bad management!  they brought out the Burner which had poor quality welding and bad geometry......then fooked it up completely when they brought out the MKII...........no wonder they nearly went under

got to admit pickle i totally agree with you on everything you said but 'Raleigh' must of done something good because they cornered 50% of the BMX market in '82 to '83 and selling over 1 million burner units... even if the bikes wernt that good the grifter and burner was the gate to young kiddies a Facebook group and they are RAD for just doing that!

[adam01]

Grifters rocked. When they came out there was no sign of BMXs, so we had no idea they were bad. But when I got mine on Christmas morning i was well chuffed.
I had a light metallic blue one (MK I). Loved that bike, flap the soft plastic up under the mudguard to make it sound like a motorbike, leave it in "slip" gear when you left it outside the shop so no one could ride it away (swift trick that).

The biggest problem i remember was, when the tyres wore out you could never find the same type of tyre 

I wore my tyres out doing HUUGGEEE skids in a gravel trap at the bottom of our road. They were the days, long hot summers and all that 

EXCELLENT

you said it all in one sentence class

AD

[magna13]

Grifters rocked. When they came out there was no sign of BMXs, so we had no idea they were bad. But when I got mine on Christmas morning i was well chuffed.
I had a light metallic blue one (MK I). Loved that bike, flap the soft plastic up under the mudguard to make it sound like a motorbike, leave it in "slip" gear when you left it outside the shop so no one could ride it away (swift trick that).

The biggest problem i remember was, when the tyres wore out you could never find the same type of tyre 

I wore my tyres out doing HUUGGEEE skids in a gravel trap at the bottom of our road. They were the days, long hot summers and all that 

EXCELLENT

you said it all in one sentence class

AD

[ripper]

The Grifter was an ace of it's time.

My pre BMX day memories were those of curling the rubber part of the mudguard onto the tyre so it sounded like a motorbike as you blasted around the estate. 

Soon after the Sturmey Archer toggle chain would snap, these were notorioisly weaker than a tarts ankle braclet, which left no option but to use a spoke coupled with a bit of twisting allowing you to select the gear of choice, so not to be permanently stuck in 3rd.

As the bike aged it was then compulsory to rip chunks out of the foam saddle to expose a very dangerous metal plate which served only to lacerate the inside of your legs when your mom made you wear shorts.

Let's face it they were very heavy and they did look really crap but they did give many of us bike handling skills to take forward on to our first BMX, which for many of us was an even heavier and even more crappy looking bike called a Burner.

[pickle]

which goes to show just how wrong Raliegh got it BITD.....if they'd put a bit more thought and effort in they would've come up with something that weighed less than a super tanker!  why the hell did they continue making and selling them even after they'd released the Burner?  talk about bad management!  they brought out the Burner which had poor quality welding and bad geometry......then fooked it up completely when they brought out the MKII...........no wonder they nearly went under

got to admit pickle i totally agree with you on everything you said but 'Raleigh' must of done something good because they cornered 50% of the BMX market in '82 to '83 and selling over 1 million burner units... even if the bikes wernt that good the grifter and burner was the gate to young kiddies a Facebook group and they are RAD for just doing that!

I Think THE only reason they cornered 50% of the market (as you say) back in 82/83 was because none of the small bike shops were selling the more expensive exotic stuff, all most people had were Halfrauds or main Reliegh dealers in their towns, or like me.....your mum and dad had fook all money and got a Burner out of the catalogue.  i had a MKI Burner GS BITD and i loved it to bits!  i would love one now just for old times sake.....but i think if you had the kind of LBS around that we do now i think Raliegh really would've struggled to sell their Burner range.  i mean they made the Aero pro, which is a lovely bike....so they must've known their other offerings were just a pile of old tripe?  

i'm not a Burner basher, as it was all i had BITD.....i just think Raliegh were so rubbish at getting what the kids of my generation really wanted, rather than what was cheap to mass produce.

[OrgasmDonor]

have agree that grifters rocked when they came out, perfect for pretending to be evel knievel, nothing else like em til then

[BmxBandito]

I started on a grifter before i moved to a burner, and i got to say, because the grifters were so heavy muscles developed, and then when i eventually did move to a burner they felt light as fuk, allowing me to do much hard tricks, so they do have there uses!

 

[ripper]

There was those kids who's parents got it wrong and purchased a Grifter when the rest of us had moved on to Burners, a bit like those who purchased a Betamax when we were all on VHS!

[BmxBandito]

There was those kids who's parents got it wrong and purchased a Grifter when the rest of us had moved on to Burners, a bit like those who purchased a Betamax when we were all on VHS!

   True

[adam01]

There was those kids who's parents got it wrong and purchased a Grifter when the rest of us had moved on to Burners, a bit like those who purchased a Betamax when we were all on VHS!

   True

 

[jimwise68]

But Betamax is far superior quality to VHS, just that it had bad marketing.

All TV companies used Betamax as the pic quality was better. 

[macky]

For everyone who had a Grifter BITD...  and then moved onto Bmx...

The weight reduction must have felt Amazing...   

[adam01]

But Betamax is far superior quality to VHS, just that it had bad marketing.

All TV companies used Betamax as the pic quality was better. 

you know something your correct as i always said that a Betamax was better pic quality , than we had that big great big VHF tape ummm interesting  

AD

[BmxBandito]

For everyone who had a Grifter BITD...  and then moved onto Bmx...

The weight reduction must have felt Amazing...   

  it sure did

[adam01]

For everyone who had a Grifter BITD...  and then moved onto Bmx...

The weight reduction must have felt Amazing...   

  it sure did

made no difference to me i was a strong fella 

AD

[BmxBandito]

For everyone who had a Grifter BITD...  and then moved onto Bmx...

The weight reduction must have felt Amazing...   

  it sure did

made no difference to me i was a strong fella 

AD

 

[dialledbikes]

I had a Grifter for a few years before BMX bikes hit these shores.

It was alright for what it was (i.e. not a BMX bike, but still good for chucking about and scrambling), but compared to all of the BMX bikes I've had, it was a bit poo.

Even the £99 Moto One which was my first ever BMX bike was 1000 times better than a Grifter.

Still have fond memories of riding my Grifter though.

[magna13]

There was those kids who's parents got it wrong and purchased a Grifter when the rest of us had moved on to Burners, a bit like those who purchased a Betamax when we were all on VHS!

   True

 

[magna13]

which goes to show just how wrong Raliegh got it BITD.....if they'd put a bit more thought and effort in they would've come up with something that weighed less than a super tanker!  why the hell did they continue making and selling them even after they'd released the Burner?  talk about bad management!  they brought out the Burner which had poor quality welding and bad geometry......then fooked it up completely when they brought out the MKII...........no wonder they nearly went under

got to admit pickle i totally agree with you on everything you said but 'Raleigh' must of done something good because they cornered 50% of the BMX market in '82 to '83 and selling over 1 million burner units... even if the bikes wernt that good the grifter and burner was the gate to young kiddies a Facebook group and they are RAD for just doing that!

I Think THE only reason they cornered 50% of the market (as you say) back in 82/83 was because none of the small bike shops were selling the more expensive exotic stuff, all most people had were Halfrauds or main Reliegh dealers in their towns, or like me.....your mum and dad had fook all money and got a Burner out of the catalogue.  i had a MKI Burner GS BITD and i loved it to bits!  i would love one now just for old times sake.....but i think if you had the kind of LBS around that we do now i think Raliegh really would've struggled to sell their Burner range.  i mean they made the Aero pro, which is a lovely bike....so they must've known their other offerings were just a pile of old tripe?  

i'm not a Burner basher, as it was all i had BITD.....i just think Raliegh were so rubbish at getting what the kids of my generation really wanted, rather than what was cheap to mass produce.

Once Again Pickle I Totally Agree With You Mate 

[Brandy Truffle]

Grifters rocked. When they came out there was no sign of BMXs......

.....The biggest problem i remember was, when the tyres wore out you could never find the same type of tyre 

Indeed.   When my tyres worn out my old man changed them for Carlisle Aggressor as they had the same big "flat" type tread area..it's only now i find out that near 30yrs later Stu Thomsen was ripping up the BMX tracks of the U.S. with one on his front... My Grifter has long gone but one of the spare tyres still resides at the old mans!

Regards the Grifter, what about Gary Morgan RACING in BMX series BITD on converted Grifters....and WINNING...lol..
Someone posted more photos elsewhere too.. but until then,heres a reminder of the influence those Tanks had on us boys in the early days.. 

Andy Funmonsters post with Cav Strutts converted Grifter etc..

http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php'topic=5318.0

heres BOF's post withpics of Grifters racing BITD

http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php'topic=50286.0

[bof]

Like brandy truffle said . keith mcginly and gaz morgan on there grifters

[Tefore]

i still have a betamax.lol

[magna13]

Like brandy truffle said . keith mcginly and gaz morgan on there grifters

[Sparky24]

i thought they were a right load of old conkers!!! and thats that. 

[BmxBandito]

Like brandy truffle said . keith mcginly and gaz morgan on there grifters

quite savage