Made in the USA

[hambro]

This is the next bike I'm planning on building. It's an old Murray I picked up at the salvation army for 25 bucks. When I was taking this sucker apart and re greasing bearings and bottom brackets I noticed that each and every piece of this bike is stamped "Made in USA". Thats pretty unusual these days to find anything that was completely manufactured and assembled in the USA. Of course this bike is not from "these days" now is it. Just worried about the thin frame and whether or not she'll hold up. What do you think guys, good build or not? We'll see.

 

[Finfan]

Murray was a cheap bike in it's day, but it is still probably much more solid than a lot of what is being cranked out in China. I'm building on an old Murray frame right now and the only problem I've had is finding a seat post to fit. You should have no problems with a cruiser frame. Good luck!

 

[bairdco]

i was gonna say the same thing. it's funny how i used to laugh at the quality of murrays and huffys back then, but now, those old bikes are probably way better than the ones china churns out now.

as far as yours holding up, while it's not a nuke-proof bike like they used to make, i'm sure it's no worse than a new cranbrook.

 

[hambro]

I appreciate the votes of confidence guys and here is a better picture of the bike. I changed the original handlebars out but I'm thinking of changing them back. Dont really like the look of these newer handlebars on this particular bike. Can't wait to build her, motors will be here friday. Whoever had this bike before sure took care of it, when I took the bottom bracket and wheel bearings out they were in great shape and really didn't need regreasing, of course I cleaned them and regreased them anyways.

 

[K.i.p]

I am using a thin frame for my build also. It seems pretty well constructed, and should be fine for my purposes as I dont plan on pushing the envelope performance wise. This is a K-mart Pro Sport. Your chain guard and crank look familiar! I'll get the manufacture's name off the sticker today I forget what it says.

*Ah ha, now I understand why I have the same crank, sticker reads:
"Murry Ohio Mfg. Company" , Lawrenceburg, Tenn., USA.
So it looks like my K-Mart, Pro Sport is a Murry.

 

[hambro]

yep, good ole made in the u.s.a. murray. found me another one and have rebuilt her from the ground up and am waiting for my engine to get here now. The pic on the left is the one thats waiting for the engine and the other picture is the red murray finished.

 

[Nashville Kat]

Hate to be the skeptic-

but i'm not a big fan of old bikes-

alloy 26" rims have been common since the '80's and strong enough- much lighter.

And the modern oversized tubing frame is much lighter too, and plenty strong-

if it's not, maybe you should just try a dirtbike.

Overall a modern cruiser is much much lighter than an old pig irom welded frame with steel rims-

These little motors have that much less to pull then.

 

[hambro]

Nothing wrong with being a skeptic Nashville, sharing opinions with each other is what makes this site so great in the first place. These two bike frames you saw in the photos i posted are actually early to mid eighties bikes and are really very very light, I'd say the bikes before engine probably weigh 20 - 23 pounds at most and seem to be very sturdy even though the frames are thin.

 

[Tad Bit Tipsy]

Hey Hambro,
Check out my Military Murray...
The engine drops right in. Solid frame, kind of on the heavy side, but it takes a beating.

 

[Tad Bit Tipsy]

Oh and I easily go 35 to 40+mph with my 67cc engine, frame, accessories(close to 80 lbs) and my 250 lbs of large welsh man that I am.
But get better rims. I ordered some Weinmann's from Amazon that have 12 gauge spokes and tougher hubs. Add a good springer fork or monarch twin spring fork and you'll be fine. I have yet to install these in the picts, new ones coming soon. Keep us posted on your Murray, Good Luck!!!

 

[hambro]

Tad I believe thats the exact same frame as the two murrays I have here. I had no problems with the first build and am just waiting for my new black engine to show up for the blue murray I have. I could build those suckers all day long and not get bored or tired of them. Your bike looks awesome by the way. Thanks.

 

[Tad Bit Tipsy]

Cool man, I just noticed you already have picts up. Nice, I can't wait to see the blue one all done out. I'm about to drop a 4-stroke into my murray, just for the generator and I'm going to be traveling out of the country with it. Easier just to deal with gas and no mixing. The motor should be headed my way at the end of the month, I'll post picts when I get done putting it on.

 

[BarelyAWake]

Hate to be the skeptic-

but i'm not a big fan of old bikes-

alloy 26" rims have been common since the '80's and strong enough- much lighter.

And the modern oversized tubing frame is much lighter too, and plenty strong-

if it's not, maybe you should just try a dirtbike.

Overall a modern cruiser is much much lighter than an old pig irom welded frame with steel rims-

These little motors have that much less to pull then.

Hate to be a realist-

but there's really no comparison between the two-

I've both a modern all-aluminum motorized bike and a all steel vintage one, I never expected the heavy as **** old bicycle to have the same performance as the new, far lighter build - the wheelset alone on my 70yo bike weighs in about the same as the entire aluminum bike lol (engine not included).

It's like trying to compare a '41 Indian to a 2010 Ducati - to say it's "apples and oranges" would be an understatement to say the least

It's all personal preference and application, for the long Sunday cruises my ol' bike is the clear winner in comfort and style - but I won't be entering it in the Death Race and that's a fact heh, for destroying the local mopeds and seeing how far I can throw myself off some rocky trail - the aluminum bike is ideal.

There's no "right or wrong" - it's whatever pleases you. Don't like the ol' "pig iron"? Don't get one

 

[Venice Motor Bikes]

I love the old cruisers!! Whenever we go to the swap meets or Venice beach, it's like a big bicycle show... & the old cruisers are always a big hit!

& BTW, saying a Murry is a 'American made' bike, is the same as calling a Gremlin or a Pacer a 'American made' car... They're not good examples of old school American quality.

 

[Sign Guy]

Hey Hambro,
Check out my Military Murray...
The engine drops right in. Solid frame, kind of on the heavy side, but it takes a beating.

Killer bike! I love that look, it really fits! Great job Darren.

 

[hambro]

They may not be "good" examples of american quality but they were built somewhere by a person who lived in this country and went to a bike factory every day and builty crappy bikes to support his american wife and american kids so they could go to american schools. Good enough for me Just because it's not the best bike ever built in this country, and might even be the worst bike ever built in america, it's still "American Made". God bless the USA

 

[Mrakulous]

My Schwinn is an American made '78 model. Its the only American part on the bike. The frame that is. My advice would be to keep the motor bolted up nice and tight to the frame. My frame broke on the bottom tube and the seat post tube. But I had a friend who is a welder repair it. Also, I had a motor mount welded to my frame.

 

[Retmachinist]

The Made in the U.S.A. title to this thread caught my eye. I had to see what it was about, since I didn't think anything that had to do with bicycles was made in the U.S.A. today. I see, you are talking about something at least 30 years ago.

John

 

[hambro]

I still can't understand why americans can't compete with the japanese or chinese when it comes to manufacturing quality, affordable bicycles. We definitely have the technology, we definitely have the work force and the demand is dang sure there. I guess it comes down to the price of labor in our country as opposed to the price of labor there. I wonder how much a laborer in a japanese or chinese bicycle factory gets paid compared to an american factory worker?

 

[MB-Monkey]

The average labor wage in China is about 25 American dollars per month. It is also a govt controlled workforce without civil rights. I am not saying we should boycott Chinese goods but when you can find an american product that you can afford don't buy the cheapest thing you can find.