sawdoff85 wrote:

notslo wrote:

I'm restoring a 1984 Predator right now. My brother raced it alongside my Redline 500a.

Need everything cept the F/F/bars so if anyone is parting one out

Pretty sure that was an 83 Frame

Not 100% sure. He got it in 84 and it didn't have the gusset like the 83's. Maybe it wasn't a CR-MO?

mcman87 wrote:

I hear ya Ritchie! Im a Schwinn guy also, particularly a Predator guy and more specifically a '85 Predator guy! My first real bike dad bought me is this '85 Predator Qualifier. Entry level race bike I know but I would run back in the burning house for that bike. It's not the most comfortable to ride even for my short as$ but it's my baby. I also own a '85 Predator Black Shadow, '84 Predator Cro-Mo cruiser, '85 Predator Gremlin and '87 (I think) Predator Gremlin. Also miscellaneous Predator parts and pads. Sorry for some of the repeated pics that I know some of you guys have seen in the other threads. I have much better pics of my Qualifier on my old phone and photobucket. Damn. My BS is the most comfortable to ride along with the cruiser. I alternate between both for daily rides. I have a era correct crank that I will be installing on the BS hopefully sometime soon. Some of the pics are just with different wheels and pads.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/uploads.bmxmuseum.com/user-image … 02b896.jpg

Great collection!!! I could use some of those orange Predator pads for the 1/4 Flash I just got from VRAD69, if ya come across another set, hit me up...    I have a preference to the '83's for the same reason you do the '85's... I also have a 24, an '83 of course, that is NOW my daily rider/go to bike, that sees more seat time than ALL of my other bikes put together... I bought the frame from a member in CA, the forks came from either OH or WI, I can't remember who I got them from, the wheels I got from Dave (BMXJunkie) and I bought a late 90's downtube decal from ChattyMatty and pieced the rest together... I don't know how many different parts combinations I tried in the course of about 7 months until it felt and rode right, but I FINALLY got it, now I can't stay off of it... Here's how she looks with the parts I am most happy with...

My Predators:

1981 Predator (electro-forged steel SX frame w/WORKING kickstand)
1983 Predator Cr-Mo Mag
1983 Predator Cr-Mo Free
1983 Predator 24
1986 Predator 1/4 Flash
1992 Predator S-Force (oversized tubing)
1993 Qualifier Pro
1999 Predator FW

8 Predators in total with #9 (a 1985 Nighthawk) on the way soon...

mcman87 wrote:

ritchiecamaro wrote:

My Predators:

8 Predators in total with #9 (a 1985 Nighthawk) on the way soon...

I'm also getting a '85 Nighthawk f/f from sawdoff!

Mine is coming from my boy Vince "VRAD69", he has been hooking me up PROPER since we started dealing with each other... He's also a Predator guy...

Alright everybody, what Predators do you currently own???

Thank you sir!

Got it now but here are a few of mine

SCHWINN COMPETITION

ritchiecamaro wrote:

5 Predators... NICE!!! I don't think you can own just one...

They are kind of like Pokemon

The people I've gotten to know is the best part. I can get really busy with work, swamped, and I'm in and out of the hobby.  These guys, mcmann, kcbmx, others, they have always stayed in touch.

RAYSIN wrote:

my "rider" 85 Qualifier i played around with the decals on, currently has the team Schwinn version
https://s3.amazonaws.com/uploads.bmxmuseum.com/user-image … 12860a.jpg

https://s3.amazonaws.com/uploads.bmxmuseum.com/user-image … 128f05.jpg
https://s3.amazonaws.com/uploads.bmxmuseum.com/user-image … 1298a2.jpg

Very nice Ray!  I can't decide which decal dress job I like better.  They both look pretty bad as$.

ritchiecamaro wrote:

So as a lot of you may or may not know, I am a Schwinn guy... More specifically, a Predator guy... I have been since Oct. of '82 when my dad bought me my first real BMX bike, a 1983 Schwinn Predator Cr-Mo Free model... We originally went to that particular shop because they had a Kuwahara KZ-1 left over from the previous year and that's what I REALLY wanted, or so I thought... After my dad saw the $500 price tag on the year-old Kuwi, he started looking for another option... After looking at a couple of different bikes, he calls over a sales guy and asks "What's the difference between these 2 bikes?", pointing at the Kuwi and a brand new Predator Cr-Mo Free... The sales guy takes a second or 2 to reply, "The name and the price, other than that, nothing." We were in a Schwinn shop, therefore, I just figured he was trying to convince us that a Schwinn was as good as a Kuwahara and I "knew better"... Well, after listening to this guy's sales pitch, my dad was convinced and I was convinced that my dad just bought a huge sack-o-crap from the salesman and there was NO WAY that Predator was as good as a KZ-1... Well, it was the Predator or nothing at that point, so home I went with a brand new, in the box, 1983 Schwinn Predator Cr-Mo Free model... We got home and started putting the bike together... I would pull parts out, inspect them then hand them to my dad to put on the bike... As I'm checking out all of the parts, I realized that all the parts were top of the line parts, and a full 100% cro moly frame, "hey this really is a good bike" was the thought that overwhelmed my brain for about a minute or so... I could go on with the details of this story, but I'd rather get to the point of this thread... PREDATOR LOVE!!! A place to show-off, discuss and glorify what I believe is the most under-rated BMX bike of ALL TIME, the Schwinn Predator... I have a few of them and the first one I want to post is my '83 Cr-Mo Free Predator... This is a tribute to my childhood bike... My original one had the yellow/green Atari style decals, this one has some home-made copy decals in red/blue... Also, this one is not era correct, but hardly any of my bikes are... The bike that brought back all of those memories for me, my '83 Cr-Mo Free...

https://s3.amazonaws.com/uploads.bmxmuseum.com/user-image … ac0453.jpg
https://s3.amazonaws.com/uploads.bmxmuseum.com/user-image … ac08c3.jpg
https://s3.amazonaws.com/uploads.bmxmuseum.com/user-image … ac0a4a.jpg

PLEASE post up ANYTHING Predator... Any mag ads, any parts lists, catalogs, personal bikes, ANYTHING Predator... I would like to have ALL Predator models and years represented here, so PLEASE, if you are a Schwinn guy or a Predator guy, share your pix and info with us here...   I have a few more Predators to post here and will soon... WELCOME!!!

Same to you Ritchie, nice balance of blue and red on your 83.  Have you been to the Midwest show in Crown Point, IN? I've been a couple of times and last year the Schwinn's had a good showing.  Most were Stings but nonetheless it was still very cool.  I plan on taking two of my Predator's this next year.  Would be cool to have even more Predators at the next show! I got a big SCHWINN banner we could set up in front of.

Last edited by mcman87 (2017-08-30 7:22pm)

mcman87 wrote:

Gixxertrouble wrote:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/uploads.bmxmuseum.com/user-image … 1a7c6f.jpg
Got it now but here are a few of minehttps://s3.amazonaws.com/uploads.bmxmuseum.com/user-image … 1aad67.jpg
https://s3.amazonaws.com/uploads.bmxmuseum.com/user-image … 1ac75c.jpg

Nice Predators man!  I love the mix of red, yellow and gold on that first bike and that purple freestyle is just awesome!  I love that color!  I want one of those in my stable some day.

Thanks man, we ride them daily

Last edited by Gixxertrouble (2017-08-31 10:56am)